Making the Next Generation “Sustainable”

There is no doubt that “sustainability” should be a core lesson in schools.  But let’s put a little bit of thought behind the definition of “sustainability.”  My favorite:  The capacity for our society to satisfy its own need without destroying future generations’ capacity to satisfy theirs.

So, what are the main things we’re doing wrong?

It’s really not growing our own food.  You’re reading the words of a guy who grew his own vegetables for many years.  It was satisfying, and my tomatoes tasted great, but the resources I poured into carting around and composting organic waste, tilling the soil and adding in the compost, planting, irrigating, weeding, and harvesting a plot of ground that was perhaps 1/10th of an acre could hardly be described as “sustainable.”

There are two main arenas in which we’re going wrong as a civilization:

1) The consumption of fossil fuels.

2) The destruction of rainforests to make room for more beef cattle.

If we want to make a difference, we need to electrify the energy and transportation sectors and cut back on meat.

Let’s not think we’re making any material gain by growing our own corn, as tasty as it may be.

We also need to jettison the idea that we can add elements to our school curricula, e.g., gardening, without subtracting something else, e.g., math and science.  If you want the coming generation not to be able to hold any careers that require academic training, replace core academic disciplines with agronomy.

This may mean more Trump supporters, but it will mean the end of all American doctors, teachers, lawyers, and scientists.