As the world grows in both size and scope, expanding for the future, the potential use of environmental and social resources increases. How we use these resources either effectively or ineffectively has a profound impact on the quality of life now and in the future. Sustainability is a way of minimizing the negative effects caused by the use of these resources. Sustanable living is living within the limits of the earth's resources, i.e. we consume at a rate that is in balance with what we can produce, and conversely, we generate and dispose of our waste in a manner that is in balance with what the earth can process and assimilate.

Sustainability is a very personal concept, and as such to really grasp the idea and acquire a feeling for it, everyone needs to develop their own little definition of what sustainability encompasses. Working our way toward sustainability involves a shift in thinking, and fully realizing the impact of our day to day actions on our global communities future wellness. These impacts can be material and easily evaluated, or they could be sociological in nature and a little harder to judge. Whatever sustainability is or becomes to you, will give you the answer to the question posed at the beginning of this page.