Originally used by groups working to find methods for poorer countries to catch up with richer ones and become more self-sufficient, sustainability can be thought of as a systematic approach to addressing the global issues we face.

Sustainability isn't only about recycling or the saving environment, although these are important parts of the big picture.  We need a process of creating societies that address our current needs while also ensuring the well-being of future generations.  Living sustainably includes an effort to be aware of our interdependence with the social, economic and ecological systems of which we are part.

Three areas of focus make up the sustainability philosophy.  They are referred to as the "Three Pillars" or "Triple Bottom Line":

• Equity - Providing equal access to the natural resources that are needed to sustain societies around the globe.  These resources include water, energy and food - all of which come from the environment.  Social disruptions divert resources from areas of greatest human need, reduce the capacity of societies to plan for the future and generally threaten human well-being and the environment. This also includes intergenerational equity - providing future generations with the same resource potential as currently exists. 
• Economy - Integrating social, cultural, environmental, health-related and monetary/financial aspects into our money supply chain.  We must ensure that we are not using more resources than can be replenished so that we can have resources and financial stability in the future. The challenge for sustainability is to curb and manage Western consumption and raise the standard of living of the developing world without greatly increasing its resource use and environmental impact.
• Ecology - Managing our resources today so they will continue to thrive and feed into biological cycles. Healthy ecosystems provide vital goods and services to humans and other organisms. By ensuring environmental adaptability and resilience, we can maintain and enhance the adaptive capacity of the environmental system we depend on.

Here is a model showing the interdependence of sustainability's three pillars:

One of the most exciting things about sustainability:  there are so many ways to become involved!  People everywhere are working at the individual, local, national and even global level to enhance the livability of our world.  Anyone can make a difference by finding an issue that is inspiring and getting involved.

Here are some additional sources of information about sustainability

• The Story of Stuff - A short animated video
• Sustainability on Wikipedia
• Sustainability at PSU
• The Top 10 Myths about Sustainability