What is sustainability?

Published 30 March 2018

What is sustainability?

Sustainability can be tough to explain sometimes, and it means different things to different people. Here our chief executive Philip Squire explains what it means to us at Sustainability Trust and why we think it's important.  

Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.

Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.

Sustainability is important to make sure that we have and will continue to have, the water, materials, and resources to protect human health and our environment. So in essence, it’s about the relationship and being aware of the cause and effect of the choices we make.

Importantly too, social equity is at it the heart of sustainability. We can’t all live like millionaires, so give and take is required to provide all citizens and other beings the basis for a life of dignity and happiness.

We love Wellington and want it to be the coolest, greenest city for a long, long time. Doing our part to reduce our environmental impact and improve social well-being will make this a reality.