Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:20:50 -0500
Reply-To: "Harry J. Elston" <helston**At_Symbol_Here**FGI.NET>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: "Harry J. Elston" <helston**At_Symbol_Here**FGI.NET>
Subject: Re: sustainability definition

>Actually a definition like Savage's only adds to the con fusion. 

Words mean things.  So, when an author takes it upon him/herself to use weasel words such as "however defined" they have just consigned the whole discussion to opinion.  For instance, what I call economically prosperous or a "high quality of life" may be far different than what someone in sub-Saharan Africa or Haiti may call prosperous or high-quality life.

The more I look at this, the more I think that "s ustainability" of the 2010s is the new "paradigm shift" of the 1990s.
Harry


-----Original Message-----
From: "Tsiakals, Nicholas John"
Sent: Sep 9, 2009 9:19 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] sustainability definition

As I was reading my September 2009 issue of Chemical Engineering Progress this morning, I came across an article "What D oes It Mean To Be Green?=" by Phillip E. Savage, PE, from University of Michigan.  While discussing various definitions of sustainability, he writes:

There is a general und erstanding that the desired outcomes from sustainability

are to sustain economi c prosperity (however defined) and a high quality of life

(however defined) for all, while protecting the natural systems of the planet.

That seemed rather concise.  Thought this might add to the discussion.

-Nick

___________________________________

Nicholas J. Tsiakals

Division of Research Safety

Chemical Safety Section

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

(217) 244 - 0682

www.drs.illinois.edu

 

"If we don't train students in risk management and s afety procedures, then we're not training them for employment in modern industry.  If we want someone to turn up in a job and be productive, t hey can't do that if they're not safety aware." 

    -- Prof. Thomas Welton, Head, Dep artment of Chemistry, Imperial College London --


Harry J. Elston, Ph.D., CIH
Principal
Midwest Chemical Safety, LLC
www.midwestchemsafety.com

Editor, Journal of Chemical Health & Safety
http://membership.acs.org/c/chas/

Nationalized health care:  All the efficiency of FEMA with all
the compassion of the IRS

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