Page 10 - the NOISE November 2012

The current accepted and oft used defini- tion of Sustainability is: development that meets the needs of the present without com-
promising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition was cre- ated in 1983 by the United Nation’s World Com- mission on Environment and Development, known more commonly as the Bruntland Com- mission, so called after it’s chairperson Gro Harlem Brundtland. While it is the recognized definition of Sustainability, still some people feel it is a little vague and needs further clarifi- cation. So let’s take it step by step and fill in the gaps of the definition.
The first part of the definition is ‘develop- ment.’ What is ‘development?’ In it’s simplest terms development is the creation of new ar- chitecture and infrastructure systems. So, by replacing ‘development’ with ‘architecture and infrastructure,’ the needs of the present should be met without compromising the ability of fu- ture generations to meet their own needs.
Based on a conversation with Tony Brown, director of the Ecosa Institute this definition requires clarification of ‘needs.’ So how do we determine an objective standard of ‘needs?’ To answer this question I turn to a theory from psychology put forth in the early 1940s by a psychologist named Abraham Maslow called the Hierarchy of Needs.
At the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy are the physiological needs, such as healthy food, clean water to drink, rest, health, etcetera. These are the needs of the body to survive. Once the body has all of its physiological needs met, the psyche will then instinctively seek the next level of the Hierarchy.
The second tier of Maslow’s Hierarchy is that of security. Essentially, once the body has its needs, the mind will want to know these needs will be met into the foreseeable future. Unfor- tunately, in the case of this need, perception is everything and this perception can be wrong. So while what the psyche truly needs is the per- ception of security, we also hope that one is in a smart enough state to be able to determine true security.
Once the physiological and security needs are met, the psyche then seeks relationships and a sense of belonging in a group. I inter- pret this as a need for belonging in a com- munity, because in a community, you will find the opportunity for all of these relationships. Also, I believe these relationships extend to relationships with more than just humans, and includes relationships with animals and even plant species.
Once a human is in a community, they then develop a need for feedback that builds a posi- tive self-esteem. Anyone remember the gold star when you were a kid? The gold star isn’t of any tangible benefit, it doesn’t taste good, it isn’t even fun to play with. All in all, it’s pretty
frivolous. However it feeds the need for posi- tive self-esteem, and in that, the gold star is invaluable. Metaphorically speaking, this need for positive self-esteem is the need for gold stars. A question for you, the reader, what is the latest gold star you have received?
Once we have our physiological needs met, our need for security satisfied, we have entered into community and developed relationships, and are receiving positive feedback, the final need will be that of self-actualization. Perhaps you want to be a painter, or write a novel, be an ideal parent, or a teacher of youth. Self-actual- ization is about making the best version of “you.”
When one’s needs are not met, the instinc- tive response is anger and violence. Think about, if you were trying to eat lunch and I kept grabbing your food away from you, eventually you would get angry and try to violently push me away. The reaction of anger and violence is the same for all levels of need, however some- times we mistarget, and instead of attacking the true target in an effective way, we lash out at a target of opportunity, or target of least risk. For example, perhaps you get passed up at work for a promotion. Well, you can’t hit your boss and get the promotion, so maybe you come home and hit your kids.
Maybe your need for violence urges you to vote for an unnecessary war because by doing so you get an outlet for your untargeted anger knowing that your tax dollars are bombing people. In many cases, the anger and violence gets turned against one’s self and one develops a self-destructive neurosis, such as alcoholism, anorexia or other potentially fatal habits that in their own way, enact violence on a body.
To sum up the Maslow’s Hierarchy — ‘Needs’ are: physiological needs of the body, security, community, positive esteem, and self actualiza- tion. The expanded definition of Sustainability would then be: architecture and infrastructure that provides the physiological needs of the body, security, community, opportunities for positive esteem, and self-actualization for the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
This leaves the notion of ‘generations.’ How much time is a generation, how many future generations are we talking about? Nailing down an objective and legitimate definition of ‘generation’ is very tricky as it is a somewhat vague phrase. I found that what was easier than trying to define generation was to look at our resource usage. In other words, if we use our resources in a way that leaves an equal amount of available resources when we are done, then no matter what your definition of
‘generations,’ there will be resources available. To that end, we need to use resources that are either renewable, recyclable or re-usable.
Thus, a new, expanded definition of Sustain-
ability emerges: architecture and infrastructure systems that use renewable, recyclable, or re- usable resources to provide the physiological needs of the body, security, community, posi- tive esteem, and self actualization. With the caveat of ‘renewable resources’ added into the definition, I believe we can, for purposes of lin- guistic efficiency, leave the present and future generation clauses out of the final definition.
Many people may look at this definition and think the inclusion of positive self esteem and self-actualization enter into a realm of per- sonal satisfaction and life choices outside the purview of design and architecture. But de- signers do have some responsibility to create infrastructures that provide for all of the other needs that lead up to this. As Maslow’s Hierar- chy shows, if you don’t have your basic needs met, your psyche cannot pursue the higher needs. So if designers do not make architec- ture and infrastructure that meets these lower needs, then the culture that lives within those designs will not be able to meet their higher needs, right?
Putting these two realizations about ‘life- style’ together we can come to understand that, when talking about sustainability, lifestyle en- compasses one’s daily habits, livelihood and interactions with other people and the envi- ronment and how they are used on a regular basis to uphold the sustainable infrastructures as well as the personal pursuit for positive self esteem and self actualization. So any definition of Sustainability would also need to include an awareness of lifestyle and its place in creating a Sustainable future.
The Bruntland Definition of Sustainability is not the only widespread definition of Sustain- ability. There is also a concept called the Triple Bottom Line. This concept stemmed from finding a model for ‘sustainable business’ and economics. In modern economics the most important aspect of business is the ‘bottom line,’ money. The more money, presumably the more successful the business. The environment, Earth’s natural systems, and its people, become expendable to increasing the bottom line.
Many environmentally-minded endeav- ors failed because the people of conscience in charge of the projects did not prioritize, or value, the role of proper business practices. The Triple Bottom Line was established as a sound business principle, giving a guide as to how the environmentally conscious can also, ethically, be business conscious.
The Triple Bottom Line identifies three ‘bot- tom lines’ necessary for an endeavor to be ‘sus- tainable’ — the financial, the social, and the en- vironmental. For an endeavor to be sustainable, it must be positive in all three bottom lines. The manager of the sustainable endeavor must balance the three factors, ensuring all three are roughly as equally positive as possible to en- sure the greatest sustainable longevity of the project.
With these elements, we can further define: Sustainability is the creation of architecture, infrastructure systems, and lifestyles that, in accordance with the triple bottom line, use re- newable, recyclable, or re-usable resources to provide the physiological needs of the body, security, community, positive esteem, and self- actualization.
Recommended Reading:
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by Michael Braungart
Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Indus- trial Revolution by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and L.Hunter Lovins
| Wes Ozier has taught and lived at the Arcosanti Project, the Ecosa
Institute and the Lost Valley Educa- tional Center. His latest book, William’s PDC, is available on Amazon.com wesozier@mail.com
PROPOSITION 114
CRIME VICTIMS PROTECTION ACT (Referred to Ballot by State Legislature)
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to protect crime victims from lawsuits or damages by the crimi- nal. If the victim of a crime hurts or kills the perpe- trator during the commission of that crime, or if the criminal hurts himself while fleeing the crime scene, this amendment protects the victim (or the victim’s family, in case of death) frombeing sued by the crimi- nal. Victim is defined as the person against whom a criminal offense has been committed.
Supporters say this would protect victims from having to suffer twice: both during the crime, and later, during a lawsuit brought upon them by the criminal. This amendment would essentially ban fel- ons from suing their victims.
Opponents worry that this amendment may cre- ate cases of unnecessary or excess violence in the act of self-defense, or that there might be special cases in which corporate or commercial interests might use this amendment to seek immunity.
PROPOSITION 117 PROPERTY TAX ASSESSED VALUATION (Referred to Ballot by State Legislature)
This amendment would limit annual property value growth to 5% over the previous year’s value, and would affect both limited property value and full cash value, for both primary and secondary property tax purposes. Currently there is no limit on property value growth rates.
Supporters say this bill would protect actual resi- dent owners who sometimes suffer inflated valua- tion (and increased taxes) as neighboring properties are flipped in quickly rising markets.
Opponents say this would limit income for the state when property values are actually growing at a rate higher than 5%. They also argue that since there is no longer a housing bubble of rapidly rising values, this legislation is not necessary at this time.
PROPOSITION 120 DECLARATION OF STATE SOVEREIGNTY (Referred to Ballot by State Legislature)
This bill would amend the Constitution to assert ex- clusive jurisdiction and authority over air, water, public lands, mineral rights, wildlife, and other natural re- sources within the boundaries of the state. Specifically excluded are Indian Reservations, United States lands, and certain federal buildings.
Supporters of the bill say that currently idle lands could be sold and taxed to generate revenue and would localize control of state lands.
Opponents assert those lands would no longer be protected by federal laws, such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, and the Endangered Species Act. Pas- sage of this bill could lead the people’s land to be for- ever lost in corrupt land deals.
Fiscally, it is impossible to predict how much the pas- sage of this bill would cost the state, but more funds would be needed for land and fire management re- quirements. However, the state could generate funds from land development and charging of fees.
10 • NOVEMBER 2012 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us