Sustainability
Sustainability is probably the most important idea that humans have ever had. It’s something that’s been in our heads for thousands of years but we sort of forgot it about 200 years ago when we all moved to cities. It’s the idea that is going to help us save the planet. To sustain something means to be able to keep doing it.
We use the words ‘sustainable‘ and ‘unsustainable‘ to describe industries or ways of making money and also things we make or do.
The oil and coal industries are unsustainable because, as we all know, not only are we going to run out of oil and coal but also, using them causes global warming and if we destroy the planet, there will be no one here use the power they give us anyway.
If a paper company plants a tree to replace every tree it uses, then it is sustainable and we can use their paper and be happy that it is not destroying the planet. If it doesn’t plant trees and only cuts them down, then of course it will run out of trees and the earth will die, so it is unsustainable.
We can use this idea of sustainability for every single thing we eat, use and do.
Q: Which do you think are cheaper? Things made sustainably or things made unsustainably?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExeJk_KSAKk
Red book questions:
Q: Look at all the bad consequences of the Oncler’s business. How could the Onceler have made the Thneeds sustainable?
Q: If someone is willing to pay $3.98 for a ‘fool thneed’, do you think they would have paid more to have it made sustainably?
Q: How would you encourage someone to pay more for a sustainable Thneed?