What is meant by the term "Sustainability"

Sustainability

When considering the term sustainability the latest 3D Blockbuster film “Avatar” popped into my head. There is a scene where the female protagonist is explaining to male protagonist Jake Sully about how the Avatar indigenous approaches their impact on the environment. She explains that “All energy is borrowed and one day you have to give it back,” This scene shows the indigenous burying one of their dead under a fallen tree as if to replenish its growth and fill the void created by the uprooted fauna.

www.downtheavenue.com

For me this portrays part of my idea of Sustainability. The fact that everything we use or take from the world has to be given back to its donor in order to maintain a balance. This raises my curiosity as to how fictional the film and its underlying messages really are. Is there an elememt of education under the entratainment? Obviously not all products or materials can be processed or returned to their original state. Sometimes this is not financially feasible or practical however this example has a good message behind it for an approach to sustainability.

The issue that the things we do now will affect all those in the future is another part of the term of sustainability which stands out to me. I remember going to the cinema to watch the film “An inconvenient truth” by Al Gore. The impact this film made on me was amazing due to the images and statistics used. Not only does it frighten me slightly it also makes me feel partially ashamed from the damage already caused by human existence. It explains the extent of global warming and how it will affect us in the future. The issue that we are slowly destroying our own planet is a heavy burden shared by all especially with problem solvers such as designers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxi-OlkmxZ4

YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS. IF YOU ARE A DESIGNER A POSTMAN OR A PRIME MINISTER IT DOESNT MATTER.