British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Sustainability definition

Definition: Sustainability is the way things are kept in balance in the world so that they continue long-term without depletion. An example is if there was extensive deforestation so that there were no trees, there would be no fruit for consumption (impacting humans and animals) and therefore no further trees grown from fruit seeds, which is not sustainable.

Conservation of water in the home is another example. Having daily baths for a month is not sustainable, a lot of water is wasted. Alternative ways of using less water need to be considered, so there is a balance between consumption and available resources. When people go shopping, they need to think about the actual amount of food they need and only buy what they need. Excessive food creates waste and puts pressure on farms to over-produce food which can deplete the land. Overconsumption is not sustainable. Taking what you need is necessary so farms can produce the correct amount of food for everyone.

Excess or unnecessary travel by car is another thing to consider. The more you drive, the more pollution you produce which is bad for the atmosphere and the environment. Leaving the car at home and walking or cycling reduces the impact of pollution.

All those ways of reducing the impact of using resources from the Earth helps us look after it, so that it can look after us in providing food, resources etc, so that the give/take ratio is balanced, and sustainable long-term.