Straight Talk: Sustainability in the Global Crosshairs

Since its inception, Sustainable Pittsburgh has been intentional in asserting the depth of what sustainable community development is all about.  The story of the Tragedy of the Unregulated Commons was a theme in our formative attempt to declare sustainability’s most basic values.  At its core, it is about decency and care-taking — fundamentals that seem imperiled by today’s bombastic political atmosphere.  Even if we have grown accustomed to political gridlock and a culture that prioritizes personal gain, we struggle to comprehend world leaders so cavalier that threats of nuclear annihilation are a reality in 2017.  As missiles fly farther and the effects of climate change are felt in every geography, the world shrinks.  As the problems of humanity hit closer to home, we all share the high stakes of the commons.  Any hopes for sustainability begin with civility.  They begin with caretaking here, in our own corner of the pasture.