ESSAYS ON SUSTAINABILITY

The term "sustainability" is something of a buzz-word these days. But, beneath the buzz, what does the term refer to?

Professor Al Bartlett in his essay on population growth, writes:

"A sincere concern for the future is certainly the factor that motivates many who make frequent use of the word, "sustainable." But there are cases where one suspects that the word is used carelessly, perhaps as though the belief exists that the frequent use of the adjective "sustainable" is all that is needed to create a sustainable society."

In these essays, Bartlett, Professor Pete Palmer and others explore the tremendous institutional challenges and fundamental shifts in our thinking that must occur if we are to go beyond the cliche of sustainability and seriously consider what it means for future generations of humans and other species to live sustainably.

TOWARD A STEWARDSHIP OF THE GLOBAL COMMONS: ENGAGING “MY NEIGHBOR” IN THE ISSUE OF SUSTAINABILITY
By members of the Critical Issues Committee, Geological Society of America