The spirit of mindset of sustainability is spreading like a wildfire in Seattle - from the non-profit sector to the municipal government sector, the ideals have buy-in.
Dr.Terri Butler's role at non-profit organization, Sustainable Seattle, was remarkable to me because her background was so diverse and embodied the priciples of Sustainability: Environment, Cost Benefit and the Environment.
Sustainable Seattle follows the United Nations Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainability as, “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Bruntland Commission on Sustainable Development
Dr. Butler said that it is important to assess quality of life in a different manner. There is a need for a "more efficient indicator of quality of life report - look at breadth of indicators, not just the GNP."
Out of everything said, that stuck out to me. Well that and the tool library , as a single woman who likes to take on projects but not willing to invest in the tools - that notion is beyond brilliant. The thinking behind the tool library is fix it yourself and challenge our society to use our hands more but don't purchase new tools. According to Dr. Butler, we as a society need to be able to "to train and accelerate people, we are having to roll up our sleeves and do that more..."
Back to the indicator of quality of life, especially the balance with sustainability and corporate America - Dr. Butler said that business leaders have to set good examples. Part of Sustainable Seattle's mission is to act as a conduit for change by hosting good corporate citizen workshops, fostering partnerships, ecetera. It is important to have a diverse pool of thinkers, no matter the demographic. It is an appreciatetion for all.
Now interesting enough, that leads me to my next point, the GO GREEN a non-profit organization that was not far in distance but an organizations that feels left out of the sustainable fold of Seattle.
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