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The Three E's of Sustainability

Economic Vitality, Equal Opportunity, Environmental Quality

THE SUSTAINABILITY ETHIC

If we carefully think this through, doesn't it become clear that these three concepts: environmental quality, economic vitality, and equal opportunity are like three legs of a stool? If one is broken, then the whole system is destabilized and won't work.

Environmental Quality

When environmental quality is degraded, the resources that ultimately support us become depleted and less productive. Degraded soils grow less food and require increased energy and nutrient inputs, polluted water poses health hazards, loses aesthetic appeal, and requires more energy, money, and material inputs to make it safe for use. Polluted air creates health problems and contributes to land and water pollution.

Economic Vitality

Without economic vitality people have no way of accessing goods and services necessary to make the most of their lives. Schools, public infrastructure, a legal framework necessary for security, fair transactions and civil resolution of conflicts all requires support from a vibrant economic foundation.

Equal Opportunity

Equal opportunity opposes the notion of established class structures and "down groups" that never seem able to fully access the opportunities a society has to offer. Once one group is able to assert power over another group, the seeds of resentment are sewn. The "up group" fears the loss of power and works to fortify its position. When this happens, the future prospects for a real middle class are in doubt.

The simple moral rationale behind equal opportunity was expressed in President Kennedy's 1963 Civil Rights Address:

"Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves." - President John F. Kennedy

I first learned of the Three E's, which, for the educators in the audience, seems to be a useful teaching tool as we tend to learn efficiently when presented things in groups of three, from President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development. The 1999 report used to be on the White House website, but was removed after the current administration moved in. I had problems finding the report and tried inter-library loan with no success. I am pleased that it's archived at another site on the web.

Although the 1999 report is somewhat short on specifics, it's a good place to start. Just the fact that a US President would commission such a Council from 1993 to 1999 is encouraging.

What is the current administration's view on sustainability? Regarding social equity, we have the following quote from the run up to the November 2000 election:

"Freedom means freedom for everybody."

-Dick Cheney, Vice Presidential Debate,

October 2000.

Wow.

Keywords: Three E's of Sustainability, Economic vitality, Environmental quality, Equal opportunity