Understanding Sustainability

The video explains sustainability as the capacity to endure by preserving resources for future generations. It traces the concept's history from 1800s forestry to the Brundtland Commission's definition. The video highlights recycling's economic benefits and introduces the three pillars of sustainability: environmental preservation, social equity, and economic viability. It discusses the link between sustainability and environmentalism, emphasizing the need for balance between nature and economy. The video concludes with the urgent need for sustainable practices to ensure a viable future.

What is the basic definition of sustainability as introduced in the video?

• The capacity to endure or continue

• The act of consuming resources quickly

• The process of creating new resources

• The ability to use resources without any limits

Who first described the concept of sustainability in forestry studies?

• Isaac Newton

• Albert Einstein

• Jörg Hartig

• Charles Darwin

According to the Brundtland Commission, sustainability is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising what?

• The ability to create new resources

• The needs of future generations

• The economic growth of a country

• The technological advancements

What was the unsustainable practice related to aluminum soda cans?

• Recycling them

• Throwing them away

• Melting them for art

• Using them for decoration

Which of the following is NOT one of the three pillars of sustainability?

• Economic viability

• Technological advancement

• Social equity

• Environmental preservation

What does the three-part model of sustainability often get described as?

• Nature, Community, Business

• Planet, People, Profit

• Environment, Equality, Economy

• Earth, Society, Economy

How did earlier environmental debates often frame the relationship between nature and the economy?

• As mutually beneficial

• As opposing forces

• As complementary forces

• As unrelated topics

What is the main goal of sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social interests?

• To ignore them

• To merge them

• To prioritize one over the others

• To set them in opposition

What is a major consequence of not adopting sustainable practices?

• Stable climate

• Unlimited resources

• Resource depletion

• Increased biodiversity

Why is it crucial for society to make sustainable choices now?

• Because resources are unlimited

• To decrease biodiversity

• To ensure future survival and nourishment

• To increase pollution levels