Jeffrey Sachs Chapter 1 and What is Sustainability?

Jeffrey Sachs gives a great summary of sustainable development through exploring social justice issues, economics and environmental degradation. Sustainability is difficult to define and almost everyone involved in the discussion have different definitions of what sustainability means to them. I think that it was very important that Sachs discussed how the term sustainable has progressed throughout time and how that has impacted sustainable development.

I personally believe that sustainability is rooted in the interconnectedness between all living beings and the earth itself. It is about recognizing the limits of the earth, acknowledging societal, economic and environmental systems and utilizing resources sparingly. I think that sustainability is about striving towards well-being for all inhabitants of the planet, as well as the earth itself, not necessarily economic growth.

We discussed the definition of sustainability in capstone and came up with a really good class definition that I wanted to share:

Sustainability fosters the interconnectedness of social, environmental, and economic systems in order to encourage resilience through diversity and justice through conservation of resources, recognizing environmental limits to promote well-being for all inhabitants on earth, present and future.

I chose Bhutan for my research project because I think that Bhutan offers a very beautiful and hope-filled alternative way of life. I am excited to learn more.