sustainable
suh-STAY-nuh-bul
/səˈsteɪnəbl/
Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level; involving methods that do not use up or destroy natural resources.
In ecology, it means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'sustinere', meaning to hold up or support. In the 20th century, its meaning shifted from 'enduring' to the specific environmental sense of resource management.
Word relationships
- renewable: Specifically refers to resources that can be replaced naturally.
- viable: Means capable of working successfully; less focused on the environment.
- unsustainable: Not able to be maintained.
Commonly confused with
- green: 'Green' is a broad marketing term; 'sustainable' is a specific measure of resource longevity.
Word family
- sustain (verb): Strengthen or support physically or mentally.
- sustainability (noun): The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
Collocations
- sustainable development
- sustainable fishing
- sustainable practices
- sustainable yield
Example sentences
- "We must find a sustainable way to harvest the ocean's resources." Business strategy.
- "Sustainable development is the only path forward for our planet." Environmental policy.
Memory hook
Sustain-able: Able to be sustained (kept going). Sustainable = Keep it going.
When not to use
Do not use to mean 'long-lasting' if there is no environmental or resource-management context.
Fun facts
- The term 'sustainable development' was popularized by the 1987 Brundtland Report.
Related words
Explore more words
sustainability, sustain, unsustainable, sustained, regenerative, durable
Also appears in
- Business → Work-Life Balance
- Nature → Renewable Energy & Sustainability
- Nature → Climate Change Mitigation
- Demographics & Urban Studies → Smart Cities & Urban Tech
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Sustainable Agriculture & Farming
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → E-Waste & Technological Disposal
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Eco-Tourism & Travel
- Food Science & Culinary Craft → Organic Farming Practices
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