What is Sustainable

When looking into sustainable design you come across a lot of talk of green, energy, and eco....What is sustainability? I found one quote on a website that i think says it well.

Sustainability is: "Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs."

http://www.keepbanderabeautiful.org/sustainability.html?gclid=CMTj25n8mbMCFQeDnQodnV8Aeg

I look into sustainable designs and I can clearly see the point is simple, make the world better than you found it by using renewable resources and reducing your carbon foot print.  Then why does it seem so hard? why are people so much less willing to sacrifice a few conveniences to insure a better future.  

I'm guilty. I live 24 miles away from school and work, yet I drive less than I did when I lived in town.  When I come to school and work, I am invested in being here, I have not once this semester driven to home and back because I have forgotten something, or just wanted to go to my house, I make it work and I feel a little better about myself.  Imagine how great I will feel when I don't have that commute!

It's the little things like taking the train on a long trip instead of driving, or going to the grocery one time a week instead of 3.  

There are some really good examples of people making lifestyle changes work.  Here is an example of a plan to make a zero energy use neighborhood.

http://www.asla.org/sustainablelandscapes/geos.html

http://www.ecolandscaping.org/

This last website is a great resource for information about ecological landscaping from compost to bioretention, pest management to rainwater harvesting.  just a couple of things to think about when trying to wrap your head around what builds a "sustainable" design.