Sustainability

🌍 Sustainability

What is sustainability?: Using resources today **without ruining things for tomorrow**. Think of it like not eating all the pizza so there's some left for later! 🍕

🐟 A Real Example: Overfishing

The Cod Collapse: In the 1990s, Canada's Atlantic cod fishery collapsed. Fishermen caught so many fish that the population couldn't recover. 40,000 people lost their jobs, and 30 years later the cod still haven't returned! 🚫🐟

The Problem: Earth is like a bank account 🏦 — if you keep withdrawing without depositing, eventually you run out!

🎯 The Three Pillars of Sustainability

You MUST know these three for the exam! They always appear in essay questions.

[Diagram: sustainability-venn] - Available in full study mode

Think of a **three-legged stool** 🪑 — remove any leg and it falls over! All three pillars must work together.

💪 Strong vs Weak Sustainability

The simple truth: No environment 🌍 = No society 👥 = No economy 💰. The environment is the foundation of everything else!

📝 Exam Cheat Sheet

When the exam asks about sustainability, ALWAYS mention that the three domains are **interconnected** — you can't have one without the others!

🌱 Environmental Sustainability

The Big Idea 💡: Environmental sustainability = using nature's resources **slowly enough that nature can keep up**. Think of it like a bank account — if you spend faster than you earn, you go broke!

🎯 The 4 Goals of Environmental Sustainability

**Simple test:** Can nature bounce back? ✅ = Sustainable. Can't recover? ❌ = Unsustainable.

🌿 How Nature Does It Right (Biomimicry)

Nature has been "sustainable" for billions of years. Here's its secret playbook:

**Exam phrase:** *"Healthy ecosystems are sustainable because they recycle materials and can recover naturally from disturbances."*

🏭 How Humans Get It Wrong

Compare nature's approach to how most human societies work:

**The Problem:** When we ignore nature's limits, we're basically writing cheques nature can't cash 💸

💥 What Happens When It's Unsustainable?

When humans push past nature's limits, things collapse like dominoes:

**It's all connected:** Environmental damage → Economic damage → Social damage. You can't have a healthy economy on a dead planet! 🌍

📝 Exam Cheat Sheet

5 Things to Remember: 1️⃣ Environmental sustainability = ecosystems can **recover and keep working** 2️⃣ Nature **recycles** everything; humans mostly **waste** 3️⃣ **Overuse = collapse** (see: cod, rainforests, aquifers) 4️⃣ Human well-being **depends on** healthy ecosystems 5️⃣ The test: Can nature **bounce back**? That's sustainability.

[Diagram: sustainability-venn] - Available in full study mode

👥 Social Sustainability

In simple words: Social sustainability means building societies where **people can live healthy, fair, and meaningful lives**, now and in the future.

What social sustainability includes

A society is not sustainable if people’s basic social needs are not met.

Beyond basic needs

Humans need more than food, water, and shelter to live well. People also need support, safety, and opportunities to develop their abilities.

Social capital (important idea)

When people are connected through trust, cooperation, and support, this is called **social capital**.

Think of social sustainability as a **safety net** that stops people from falling through society.

Why social sustainability matters

In exams, link social sustainability to **human well-being, strong institutions, and long-term societal stability**.

💰 Economic Sustainability

In simple words: Economic sustainability means organising the economy so people’s **needs are met now and in the future**, without the system breaking down.

What economic sustainability is about

Provisioning systems (important term)

A **provisioning system** is how humans turn raw materials and energy into goods and services.

An economy is not sustainable if people cannot afford basic necessities.

The hidden role of households

Households are a vital but often overlooked part of the economy.

If households are under stress, the whole economy becomes less sustainable.

What a sustainable economy needs

In exams, link economic sustainability to **meeting basic needs over time**, not just economic growth.