What is sustainability?

Improving present living conditions without jeopardizing future generations

“Living within our planet’s means, such that the Earth and it’s resources can sustain us, and the rest of Earth’s living things, for the foreseeable future”

“Not depleting the Earth’s natural capital”

“… developing solutions that work in the long term … while maintaining fully functional ecological systems…”

Jay Withgott and Scott Brenan . 2007. Essential Environment: the science behind the stories, 2nd edition. Pearson Benjamin Cummings

Sustainability seeks to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future.

"Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs."

UN Brundtland Commission (1987) Our Common Future

There are three aspects of sustainability

from http://www.loretobay.com/cms/page1111.cfm

• Environmental sustainability
• Social sustainability
• Economic sustainability

There is a small, active  and diverse group within the FIT community (faculty, staff, students and others) that are attempting to inculcate the concepts of sustainability into all aspects of what we do at FIT.

This group, among other things, organizes  a yearly conference on Sustainable Business and Design. This year's conference will be held on April 22, 2010 titled: Redesigning for a Sustainable  Future.

To facilitate communication amongst those working to advance the movement towards sustainability at FIT, we have set up a Sustainability Listserv   If you would like to help in this effort or are interested in advancing sustainability issues at FIT, click here to be added to the Sustainability Listserv

REGISTER FOR THE 2011 CONFERENCE

2009 Conference: Putting Sustainability into Action

2008 Conference:  Designing Sustainability as the New Cultural Paradigm

2007 Conference:  an introduction to Sustainable business and design

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PREVIOUS  CONFERENCES and to DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE PRESENTATIONS