What Is Sustainabiltiy? And Sustainability of What?

Another in a not-so-regular series of posts highlighting nature's nature & 'ain't that odd'

If a tree falls in the forest but there is nobody around to see it, feel it, or hear it, did it make a noise? Conversely, does sustainability exist or even matter if there were no humans?

Is sustainability a concept that only exists for the benefit of the human race? Does sustainable only apply for the self prescribed benefit of man. Would it exist except for our survival? Wouldn't everything still continue to evolve except man?

The planet has and will continue to sustainably evolve through many different hostile, favorable, and null states. The planet sky is not falling, crumbling and falling apart -- except for man.

Sustainability is a word I have used and still use. I think I know what it means when I use it, at least in the specific context of my thought! But what is the 'right' meaning of sustainability? What does it mean culturally and across all nations?

What really is sustainability? Is it leave no trace behind, leave it as good as or better than you found it, or more conventionally mean leave the world in a state in which the needs of the next generation can be met? Does it even relate to nature and the environment? Is it keeping nature in the mini period as man knows it? Is is keeping the earth at a state conducive to mankind?

Does sustainable mean nothing ever goes extinct? Does sustainable mean natural selection of the fittest but a species never dies out?

And, what are we sustaining anyway? It is not the planet because it does not need us to sustain itself.

So, inwardly all the hype, science, policy, buzz, and miss science, miss policy and miss understating about global warming has nothing to do about sustaining any thing. It is only about our selfish needs, myopic perspective, and our mini time patch view of the world.

The earth was colder, hotter and totally inhospitable to life and especially humans. It is 4.5 billion years old; man is what a 20-30,000 year sneeze? Mother earth has done a glorious job of sustaining itself and will continue to do so, no matter what man does.

It is just that we may not be part of the picture -- that is what we are trying to sustain. Not the planet, animals, wildlife, resources or water -- but simply ourselves.

So, stop the drama about global warming, freezing, pollution, the environment and contamination -- just admit the selfish goal is all about us! Now we can get on with the truthful objective and plan!

From the sustainability dictionary:

• Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
  
  This definition was created in 1987 at the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission). It is enshrined in the Swiss federal constitution. It is similar to the "seventh generation" philosophy of the Native American Iroquois Confederacy, mandating that chiefs always consider the effects of their actions on their descendants seven generations in the future.
  
  There are many ways to measure or define sustainability. As described in the book Natural Capitalism, in business, these should include the sustainable development and use of, at least, the following four types of capital:
  Financial Capital, Manufacturing Capital , Natural Capital , Human Capital

The definition goes on but you get the jest of it.

It is about human sustainability - development, capital (human, social, natural, financial, manufacturing, environmental) all words by and for human existence. This is not a sustainable opinion; at least not without humans.

My opinion? We should just stop trying to sustain the planet and focus more on just "being" in the moment and within the natural cycle of life. Become re-engaged, more engaged with life of nature.

We are going to die; become life-giving food and fertilizer for nature; maybe even become extinct. Deal with it, accept it and stop screwing up nature under the guise we have to save nature -- we don't

Stop the green lies -- admit it. We're just trying to save and sustain our own asses!

Good night from Maine USA