Simple questions (I think):
-Do you feel you know enough about sustainability for your role?
-How much do members of the public need to know to make effective decisions?
-How much do activists need to know in order to accurately inform public opinion?

First question: No, since I want to go into sustainable engineering, I'll never know enough. Case in point: yesterday I found out through an email exchange that the problems in hydrofracking come from the vertical portion of the piping, not the horizontal part.

Second question and third question: I feel like as much as possible. Actually, this is a reaaaally hard question. From my pov, I'd say everyone should learn everything possible. I can't really think of a minimum knowledge level.

1) I don't know exactly what my role is, but I feel like as long as there are things I don't know which there will always be, then I will never know enough.

2) If members of the public truly understood what the word sustainability meant, and understood the implications that our current path of unsustainability will have on our future, they would be informed enough to make effective decisions.

3) More than the public, obviously... I feel as though the same answer to my last question would be sufficient to this one.


Also Alex, I've decided the forums are going to be my new form of homework procrastination!

Hmm. Yes, I agree (I think) Becky, but with the caveat that as much as they need to understand what sustainability means, we (as this nebulous group of people that 'knows stuff') probably need to help with information presentation - which gets to the green labeling debate to some extent.

How many FTP members could define sustainability [in detail]? Question for some meeting?

Hiya Becky!

I like the idea of understanding what exactly sustainability is, but I don't think that's enough. I'm thinking in the case of group #2 (normal people) and most of the sustainability-related choices they're gonna have will be related to purchasing stuff. Understanding sustainability will help with behavioral changes, but it won't help wade through all of the green-washing on products.