SWCS view

Excerpt

MY teenage daughter and son and I recently had an interesting discussion about labels. They were upset that teachers and other kids were so quick to label them before finding out what they were really like. They complained that once someone was given a label, it was difficult to overcome the preconceived opinions about them.

That is the problem with labels. They may help us organize things. However, labels often become an excuse to avoid dealing with other people as unique individuals or with the real issue. In addition, once we label something, it is often difficult to change our preconceived notions about it.

This problem with labels applies to the topic of sustainability. The concept of sustainability—whether it be sustainable development, sustainable communities, or sustainable agriculture—and the individuals and organizations that promote it have been given a label. The terms associated with the label usually are not positive. And that is unfortunate, because our future depends upon coming to grips with sustainability.

One of the reasons that sustainability is getting a negative label is the problem in defining exactly what it is. Sustainable development does not mean “zero discharge.” Sustainable communities are not …