Trust for Sustainable Living

What does ‘sustainable living’ mean to you?

There are many definitions of ‘sustainable living’ and the object of this essay competition is to help young people explore what it means to them. There is no single ‘right’ answer – indeed, we expect that student’s answers will likely depend on where they live in the world.

As you can see from our judging criteria, we are looking for original answers from young people who are not afraid to ‘have a go’ at considering the question from their own unique perspectives.

Nonetheless, here are a few web links which may be useful to teachers and students:

‘Sustainable living’ in brief

UN dialogue: the world youth want

UN-CSD Youth Caucus, or Major Group for Children and Youth – an international coalition of children and youth, established at the first Earth Summit under ‘Agenda 21’. Individuals under 30 and youth-led groups can join by subscribing to the mailing list, uncsdyouthcaucus@googlegroups.com.

Environmental news reports – Some of the best material is produced on a daily basis by media professionals, like this report on pop songs inspired by ‘unsustainable’ living. Search online for terms like ‘sustainable living’ and ‘sustainable development goals’ for up-to-date news and analysis.

Living Rainforest ‘Sustainable Future’ tour and school visits