Comments on: The importance of defining sustainability http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/2009/02/06/the-importance-of-defining-sustainability/ This blog will focus on how Seattle shapes itself — its design, its planning and its aspirations. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:19:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: SeattleScape » Blog Archive » Surface water mismanagement http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/2009/02/06/the-importance-of-defining-sustainability/#comment-584 SeattleScape » Blog Archive » Surface water mismanagement Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:36:40 +0000 http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/?p=1439#comment-584 [...] The bottom line must be to limit the creation of more impervious surface, reduce the impervious surfaces we have, and develop safe walkways for pedestrians and lanes for bikes that don’t create more water discharge. Tto do that, we have to know how much impervious surface we have, set a quantifiable goal to reduce it and hold ourselves accountable. Change starts with measurement. [...] [...] The bottom line must be to limit the creation of more impervious surface, reduce the impervious surfaces we have, and develop safe walkways for pedestrians and lanes for bikes that don’t create more water discharge. Tto do that, we have to know how much impervious surface we have, set a quantifiable goal to reduce it and hold ourselves accountable. Change starts with measurement. [...]

]]> By: David Bloom http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/2009/02/06/the-importance-of-defining-sustainability/#comment-572 David Bloom Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:59:10 +0000 http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/?p=1439#comment-572 As Roger Valdez deftly points out, the word “sustainability” has many definitions, most of them having to do with the physical environment in which we live, and which we build around ourselves. However, there’s another aspect that isn’t often mentioned: the sustainability of our social structures. Just as the health of our salmon populations requires sound water policy, the health of our community – its ability to meet the needs of its people – requires sound social policy. A truly sustainable social policy means that we must build housing appropriate to the needs of the whole community, not simply those who can afford to pay the high housing costs that are common in our region. It demands that those who have been left behind in the recent boom years be given a chance at living wage jobs so that they may catch up to the rest of the community, especially during this time of economic crisis. And it means that we develop a region-wide transportation plan that connects regional activity centers with an integrated system of rail, buses, bike lanes, and roads that gives people real, affordable options to the automobile. As Julia Sterkovsky of the Seattle Human Services Coalition has written, “Sustainability on a deep level is about balance. To be able to sustain something all the components must be regenerative and interdependent. If we all work together to fully embrace sustainability to the depth that includes the most basic and elemental aspects of what is needed to sustain life and communities, then we are clearly acting on the basic principle of interdependence: that we are all in this together.” As with environmental sustainability, it is possible with a definition, a plan, and a system of accountability. All we need is the will to begin. As Roger Valdez deftly points out, the word “sustainability” has many definitions, most of them having to do with the physical environment in which we live, and which we build around ourselves.

However, there’s another aspect that isn’t often mentioned: the sustainability of our social structures. Just as the health of our salmon populations requires sound water policy, the health of our community – its ability to meet the needs of its people – requires sound social policy. A truly sustainable social policy means that we must build housing appropriate to the needs of the whole community, not simply those who can afford to pay the high housing costs that are common in our region. It demands that those who have been left behind in the recent boom years be given a chance at living wage jobs so that they may catch up to the rest of the community, especially during this time of economic crisis. And it means that we develop a region-wide transportation plan that connects regional activity centers with an integrated system of rail, buses, bike lanes, and roads that gives people real, affordable options to the automobile.

As Julia Sterkovsky of the Seattle Human Services Coalition has written, “Sustainability on a deep level is about balance. To be able to sustain something all the components must be regenerative and interdependent. If we all work together to fully embrace sustainability to the depth that includes the most basic and elemental aspects of what is needed to sustain life and communities, then we are clearly acting on the basic principle of interdependence: that we are all in this together.”

As with environmental sustainability, it is possible with a definition, a plan, and a system of accountability. All we need is the will to begin.

]]> By: Elizabeth Hardisty http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/2009/02/06/the-importance-of-defining-sustainability/#comment-570 Elizabeth Hardisty Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:23:28 +0000 http://www.djc.com/blogs/SeattleScape/?p=1439#comment-570 Dear Roger: This is good to see, and to read. I would love to see, too, some light on the matter of mindset and values. Tho' the change to 'sustainability' is, itself, a considerable shift of perspective and intention, still, more is needed. Is not the idea of nature as ours to exploit, of life itself as under our 'dominion' in a sense that relegates everything non-human to non-participants, non-feelers, non-valued (except for utility to us)-- isn't this old perspective something we need to outgrow, as well, and leave behind us forever? It may be the keystone of the arch into our new, sustainable future! I've recently read that the 2012 "end" date associated with the Mayan calendar, scripts the necessity for a mindset of peace and literally cosmic identity, an awareness of being part of the limitless web of Life. Perhaps we may arrive at "sustainability" a little more surely, if we re-tool our outlook and values, first. The trip immediately takes on a more pleasant ambiance, too: we will not be working alone. Dear Roger: This is good to see, and to read. I would love to see, too, some light on the matter of mindset and values. Tho’ the change to ’sustainability’ is, itself, a considerable shift of perspective and intention, still, more is needed.
Is not the idea of nature as ours to exploit, of life itself as under our ‘dominion’ in a sense that relegates everything non-human to non-participants, non-feelers, non-valued (except for utility to us)– isn’t this old perspective something we need to outgrow, as well, and leave behind us forever? It may be the keystone of the arch into our new, sustainable future!
I’ve recently read that the 2012 “end” date associated with the Mayan calendar, scripts the necessity for a mindset of peace and literally cosmic identity, an awareness of being part of the limitless web of Life.
Perhaps we may arrive at “sustainability” a little more surely, if we re-tool our outlook and values, first. The trip immediately takes on a more pleasant ambiance, too: we will not be working alone.

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