What is Required to Change Present Conditions?
(Section Summary)

Communities face enormous challenges as their social, economic, and environmental resources are damaged or depleted. Because these elements are interconnected, there are no simple solutions to the challenges. And we must give serious consideration to the question: do those living today owe anything to the future? What economic, social, and political choices can we still make so that we don’t meet the same ends as many past civilizations? And more importantly, how do we integrate these choices across sectors to be most effective in solving present problems?

One potential answer to global socio-economic and/or environmental decline can be found in the notion and application of sustainable development. Sustainability is a concept that describes a dynamic condition of the Earth’s biosphere and its various systems, focusing in particular on human social and economic systems and their interactions with the non-human elements of the biosphere, the environment (Heintz, 2004). These interdependencies of economic, social justice, and environmental elements of our world require new ways of thinking about things and taking action (Gibson, 2006). Economics becomes the necessary vehicle for change. The roadway upon which we are driving is our economy’s ecological base of nature with its resources; and society is the driver (Maser, 1997). The only hope for sustainability then is a shift in societal ethics and culture which considers global population dynamics and more responsible consumerism, both of which if left unchecked are the factors most demanding of economic growth.

Scientists are acknowledging the increasing danger to people, plants, and animals from continued degradation of ecological life support systems and natural cycles (e.g. carbon cycle) by human economic activities harmful to natural systems and resources (McMichael, et al., 2003). To change the world we must meet head-on the differences between growth and development. Clarifying this confusion is essential in understanding sustainable development's true potential. Growth means getting bigger while development means getting better – quantity versus quality. To fulfill these aspirations, we must recognize that human development is not about having more, but about being more. This shift in attitude and behavior is guaranteed to promote personal fulfillment and sharing, but will also reduce unfulfilling, unnecessary consumption, through the actions of sustainable development. .......... read more!

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