The Sustainability Generation: The Politics of Change and Why Personal Accountability is Essential NOW!
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The role of the individual facing global challenges surrounding sustainability is the subject of a new book, The Sustainability Generation: The Politics of Change and Why Personal Accountability is Essential NOW!, written by Mark Coleman.
Coleman, manager of technical development for RIT’s Venture Creations’ Clean Energy Incubator and senior program manager at the Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies, writes about how sustainability has been largely defined and led by the influences of government and businesses through policies and products. He believes the voices and actions of citizens are often missing in the debate.
“The book, at its core, is about empowering and enlightening everyday citizens and consumers to define what sustainability means to them, in the current context of the life they are living, and to take actions that help them lead a life with sense of purpose, passion, resolve and balance,” Coleman says. “It’s not just about buying more ‘green products,’ it is about ‘you, me and we’ questioning our state of consumption and livelihood to determine if we even need to consume those products in the first place.”
The Sustainability Generation is targeted toward Generation X, Generation Y and baby boomers.
“All generations have to understand each other’s needs and context and collaborate on common sense solutions. People have the power to design, influence and take action on a better world. Defining ‘better’ and what actions we take requires a level of consciousness and critical thinking for all individuals and our collective generation.”
The book also includes an interview with RIT President Bill Destler.
