Chapter One

For most people, the term sustainability specifically brings to mind the environment and being eco-friendly. It's true that sustainability heavily links with the environment, but sustainability doesn't end there. There are two other main branches: economic and social, that fill the meaning of living sustainable. Through environmental, economic, and socially living sustainable there are focused ideas such as population growth, species extinction, animal rights, toxic waste, food safety, genetically modified foods, etc. So why is the term "sustainability" so widely known but only a portion of the topic is actually recognized? Even more so, why is it that while attending a school that prides itself on being sustainable and emphasizes the importance of sustainability in it's mission statement, many students don't know much about the term sustainability past the common sense meaning of "having the ability to live sustainable"?