Practicing Sustainability

Sustainability applies to everybody. But everybody applies it differently, by defining and shaping it differently¿much as water is edged and shaped by its container. It is conceived in absolute terms but underpinned by a great diversity of relatively ¿green¿¿and sometimes contradictory¿practices that can each make society only more or less sustainable. In Practicing Sustainability, chefs, poets, music directors, evangelical pastors, skyscraper architects, artists, filmmakers, as well as scientific leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, business executives, policy makers, and the contrarians, shed light on our understanding of sustainability and the role that each of us can play. Each contributor addresses what sustainability means, what is most appealing about the concept, and what they would like to change to improve the perception and practice of sustainability. What emerges from their essays is a wide spectrum of views that confirm an important insight: Sustainability is pursued in different ways not only due to different interpretations, but also because of varying incentives, trade-offs, and altruistic motives. Practicing and achieving sustainability starts with a willingness to look critically at the concept. It also means enabling rich and vigorous discussion based on pragmatism and common sense to determine a framework for best ideas and practices. With time and the much needed critical thinking, sustainable development will become a more integral part of our culture. By sharing experiences and crisp insights from today¿s savants, Practicing Sustainability serves as a stepping stone to the future.

Features compelling narratives and fresh insights from a wide range of innovators and thought-leaders in science, engineering, business, policy, arts, health and community development

1. What Medical Equipment Taught Me About Sustainability, Robert Malkin2. Food: The Ultimate Answer, José Andrés3. A Village of Hope: The Interplay of Sustainability and Community Development, Mark Templer4. Trade-Offs in Sustainable Development, Homi Kharas5. Sustainable Skyscrapers and the Well-Being of the City, Richard Cook6. Dimensional Stability, Heidi Williamson7. Sustainability: A Tale of Twin Brothers, Ken Wilson8. Cooperation and Sustainability, Simon Levin9. The Sincerity of Purpose: Sustainability and World Peace, Arun Gandhi10. Recycling Reinvented: Music and Sustainability, José-Luis Novo11. Connectivity and Sustainability: Perspectives from Landscape and Urban Design, Diana Balmori12. Nutrition and Sustainability, Marc Van Ameringen13. A Poet in the Car Company: Sustainability of Passion and Profitability, David Berdish14. The Need for Sustainable Heretics, Freeman Dyson15. Performance with Purpose, Dave Haft16. The Business of Sustainability: A Different Design Question, Gregor Barnum17. Sustaining Population Health, Jacqueline Sherris18. The Struggle to Make Sustainable Change in Global Health, Laurie Garrett and Zoe Liberman19. Economic Growth and Sustainability Rooted in Financial Literacy, John Hope Bryant20. Approaching the Future with Optimism, Robyn Beavers21. A Decent Place to Live, Jonathan Reckford22. From Field to Market: Changing our Focus, Gerald Steiner23. Joules: The Currency of Sustainability, Chandrakant Patel24. Spoons or Tractors: Sustainable Development as Rapid Productivity Growth in Developing Nations, Robert Atkinson25. Unlocking the Energy of Business to Effect Change, Meg Crawford26. Put it on Paper: Lowering Healthcare Costs, Una Ryan27. Mind the Gap: A Different Take on Sustainability, Matthew Taylor28. Sustainable Scientific Research, K.R. Sreenivasan29. Energizing Sustainable Development, V.S. Ramamurthy and Narendar Pani30. The Importance of Sustainability in Helping the Poor, Mechai Viravaidya31. Why is Waste a Dirty Word? Melanie Walker32. How Much Is Enough? Making It Personal, Toinette Lippe33. Teaching Sustainability in the Anthropocene Era, Kai Lee and Richard Howarth34. Don't Sustain; Advance, Kevin Finneran35. Changemakers for Sustainability, Karabi Acharya36. What Social Entrepreneurs Taught me about Sustainability, Mirjam Schöning37. An Emotional Connection with Sustainability through Documentary Films, Heather MacAndrew and David Springbett38. Conserving Energy for Tomorrow without Sacrificing Quality of Our Lives, Scott Tew39. Sustainability of Our Ocean Resources, James Barry40. Will it Last? Will it Endure? Andrea Coleman and Barry Coleman41. The Holistic Enchilada: Moving Toward Food System Sustainability, Wayne Roberts42. Bringing Organizational Sustainability to Public Postsecondary Education, Christopher Hayter and Robert Hayter43. Ensuring Connections, Harvey Locke44. Beyond the Status Quo: Catalyzing Sustainability in the Arts, Jane Milosch45. Historic Preservation: The Real Sustainable Development, Donovan Rypkema46. Bending Toward Justice: The Search for Sustainable Energy, Michael BruneAfterword, M.S. Swaminathan