“It’s Math, It’s Science, It’s Common Sense”: Writing a Sustainable National Strategy
Sustainability: America’s present challenge
— Pell Center (@PellCenter) March 20, 2013
On Wednesday March 20th, Patrick Doherty and Mark “Puck” Mykleby of the New America Foundation spoke to the Pell Center community about restructuring America’s national strategy around sustainability. Doherty and Mykleby’s lecture, “Sustainability: A National Strategic Imperative,” emphasized that if the United States takes advantage of creating and implementing more environmentally conscious policies, the nation has an opportunity to prosper in a world of ever-lessening resources.
“We gotta push ourselves away from the table… consume less…America’s gotta lead that change” #sustainability #PellCenter
— Pell Center (@PellCenter) March 20, 2013
When Doherty and Mykleby began working on developing a national strategy, they were resolved to create a new narrative of America’s “true national trajectory.” Mykleby says that there needed to be a discussion of “dynamic, complex systems” because “closed system strategies don’t work.” After collaborating with colleagues, it became clear that sustainable ideologies and policies ensured America’s security and prosperity. Both Doherty and Mykleby assert that the United States must lead the change in building global sustainability.
Sustainability = Prosperity + Security #PellCenter #sustainability
— Pell Center (@PellCenter) March 20, 2013
Doherty and Mykleby highlighted several obstacles to achieving international and national environmental, but there are industries now demanding sustainable standards–housing, resource productivity, and agriculture–which happen to be the largest industries in the United States.
Doherty says that “the faster we move, the more gains we get”–the faster the United States can act on sustainable strategies, the more the nation will benefit. “The preamble of the Constitution for the American people to act on their citizenry…”
“This is our time.”
To view more tweets during Doherty and Mykleby’s lecture, “Sustainability: A National Imperative,” view our Twitter profile @PellCenter.