Design Explaining Sustainability / 1

Sustainability - the
evolution of a
contemporary myth
Stuart Walker

Abstract
An overview of the evolution of sustainable development over the course of the twentieth century is
given, and key stages in its development, in terms of its environmental and social facets, are identified.
From this historical perspective, it is argued that sustainable development bears many of the hallmarks
of myth and religion, but is couched in vocabulary that is palatable to an advanced, science-based,
secularised society. However, as many are now rejecting literal interpretations of traditional sacred
texts, should we be prepared to do the same for the narrative of sustainability? If the question to ask
of the traditional myths is not ‘Are they true?’ but ‘What do they mean?’ then perhaps we should ask
the same question of the contemporary ‘myths’ of sustainability and sustainable product design.

INTRODUCTION
If we are to understand the meaning of sustainable development and why it has evolved to become a generally
acknowledged ‘good’ in late 20th/early 21st century life (by governments, business, and society as a whole), then
we must attempt to see it in its historical context, and understand why it has forged a place in our thinking at
this particular time. Here, an overview will be presented of some of the most significant events of the past century
that ultimately led to our current ideas of ‘sustainable development’ and, what might be seen as a subset of these
developments, ‘sustainable product design’. A way of understanding these ideas within a broader context of
human endeavour will be discussed and, in particular, the notion that ‘sustainable development’ can be
understood as a contemporary, but rather limited, mythic story that attempts to address and give meaning to
some of our principal modern-day uncertainties.

A CONTEMPORARY MYTH FOR A SECULAR SOCIETY?

The publication of Our Common Future in 1987 from the World Commission on Environment and Development
(WCED), often referred to as the Brundtland Report, popularised the term ‘sustainable development’, which it
described as a type of development that would enable us to meet our present needs in ways that would not
jeopardise the potential of future generations to meet their needs (WCED, 1987, p.43). Since then, there have
arisen hundreds of ‘principles of sustainable development’, designed to suit all sorts of industries, interests
and views1. However, in general terms sustainable development addresses three interrelated areas of concern:
environmental stewardship; social equity and justice; and economic issues.

In many respects, it could be argued that the statement of these three principal concerns is our contemporary,
secularised way of repeating age-old wisdom teachings that have been expressed down the centuries in the form
of mythology and sacred literature. There have always been, and will always be myths because it is through the
metaphorical language of myth that a culture articulates its deepest concerns. Sustainable development can be
seen as our modern myth, emerging from a culture of science, technology and reason.

We live in an age where it is often regarded as inappropriate to include religious considerations in the discussion
of contemporary issues. Politicians tend to avoid reference to religious concerns, they are almost never addressed
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in the business or commercial world, academics rarely include any discussion of the religious issues that might be
raised by a particular topic of debate and, increasingly, religious symbols are being viewed as unacceptable in
many public school systems in Western democracies (Bunting, 2003; Associated Press, 2004; Paterson, 2004).
However, while the demise of religious considerations in public debate is clearly evident, many of the concerns
that religion traditionally addresses remain. George Steiner once said that, in Western society,

“the decay of a comprehensive Christian doctrine had left in disorder, or had left blank, essential
perceptions of social justice, of the meaning of human history, of the relations between mind
and body, and of the place of knowledge in our moral conduct.” (Steiner, 1974, 2)

Given this state of affairs, we can begin to see ‘sustainable development’ as a socially acceptable, contemporary
means of framing our enduring concerns about ethical dilemmas, moral choices, social justice and environmental
stewardship. Indeed, the historian Philip Jenkins has asked, ‘Might the new ideological force be
environmentalism, perhaps with a mystical New Age twist?’ (Jenkins, 2002, p.11); he quotes the political
scientist Hedley Bull who has suggested that such a movement could be ‘“a modern and secular equivalent
of the kind of universal political organization that existed in Western Christendom in the Middle
Ages.”’ (quoted in Jenkins, p.11)

The foundation of ‘sustainability’, however, is less rounded, less developed, and has a far more instrumental bias
and utilitarian agenda than the heritage of wisdom teachings that are present in the world’s great philosophies,
religions and mythologies. In the latter we find the emphasis on the inner or spiritual development of the person
– from which one’s behaviour and actions in the world can be guided. It could be argued that, without this inner
source, our ‘worldly’ endeavours tend to become more superficial and, potentially, increasingly misguided.

Like many previous myths and religious traditions2, sustainable development aspires to an undefinable,
unattainable goal – a goal which, nevertheless, many see as worth aiming for and working towards, but which
forever eludes actual ‘arrival’. Furthermore, the sustainability ‘myth’ tells us that if the message goes unheeded,
and if we fail to alter our behaviour, then we will be the cause of our own destruction. The ‘message’ is both
ethical and environmental. It promotes greater social equity and improvement in the living conditions for those
in need, especially those in developing countries, and it also encourages conservation of the natural environment;
and reductions in energy use, consumption and human greed. For example, Gordon and Suzuki, in their 1990
book It’s a Matter of Survival include tips and suggestions for saving energy in homes, and outline areas where
larger scale energy savings can be made. They also write, ‘The simple truth is that we are the last generation
on Earth that can save the planet.’ (Gordon and Suzuki, 1990, p.3) This statement is an assumption and a
warning, but it is not a proven fact – and it is anything but a ‘simple truth’. Rather, it should be viewed as a well-
intentioned message to spur us into changing course. There are many other examples of writers who illustrate
possibilities for moderating our impacts on the planet (e.g. Sachs, Loske and Linz, 1998; Hawken, 1993; Hawken,
Lovins and Hunter Lovins, 1999), and others that warn of the imminent dangers to our future because of our
destructive lifestyles (e.g. Meadows, Meadows and Randers, 1992; Hunter, 2002). In this context, sustainable
development is seen as a way out of our predicament; a way forward that will enable us to live in closer harmony
with the natural environment and achieve greater social equity and justice in our activities. This view of
sustainable development, as something that encompasses all the essential elements required to achieve our goals
is, as we shall see, characteristic of a mythic story.

Another related aspect of sustainable development is its implicit sense of loss; a loss of a perfect state, a loss of
innocence and a loss of harmony with nature and community. There is also the suggestion that, through right
effort and right judgement, we can regain this lost state of perfection. This is a repetitive theme throughout
human history, and in mythology and religion. As Holloway has pointed out, referring to the poet Borges,‘all our
paradises are lost paradises, places of contentment we destroyed by our own folly and greed.’ (Holloway,
 Design Explaining Sustainability / 3

2002, p.88) In the Greek Myths we are told that Pandora’s curiosity led her to open the box that released suffering
and disease into an ideal world (Bulfinch, 1855, 16) and, in the Bible, Adam and Eve are expelled from the
paradise of Eden (Genesis, 3, 22-24), to which we are forever trying to return. Similarly, we point to our own
recklessness and indulgence in destroying habitats, air quality, water quality and the ozone layer and are now
striving to regain a lost ideal through something we have termed ‘sustainable development’.

The possibility that sustainable development may not actually be achievable in any practical sense does not, however,
make it any less important. We have always created and will continue to create myths that allow us to understand
our world and our place in it. The point of the stories in the Greek Myths, the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita is not so
much about achieving an ‘end state’ as about taking on the task of learning how to live in the world. Sustainable
development can be seen as our contemporary, secularised version of the same idea. Caring for and respecting the
natural environment, together with ideas of socio-economic security and social justice are notions that have been
with us for a very long time. However, their importance and mutual interdependence have only been reconfigured
into an acceptable language for contemporary, developed, secularised societies relatively recently.

THE MODERN AGE - and the seeds of sustainable development

Economics, commerce, and the business requirement for profit go back to time immemorial, but in Christian
cultures profit and business have often been viewed with ambivalence. (I mention Christian cultures in particular
because Christianity is the religion that has most strongly influenced the development of western industrialised
societies). There are numerous passages in the New Testament that cast riches and wealth in a poor light3, and,
whether taken literally or in terms of metaphor and symbolism, these stories have undoubtedly contributed to
Western society’s love/hate view of economic necessity. Ironically, it was the accumulation of vast wealth within
the Church, and the associated corruption, scandal, and exploitation of the common people, that contributed to
the Reformation during the first half of the 16th century (Chadwick, 1964, pp.12-19). The advancement of
science, technology and industry from this time eventually led to the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution
of the 18th century. As trade and commerce increased and expanded, the Church that had once been unified by
Rome became fractured and fragmented. Protestantism, which rejected allegiance to Rome, grew through the
establishment in the 16th century of Lutheranism in Germany, Calvinism in the Low Countries and Anglicanism
in Britain, amongst others. Numerous Protestant groups arose in the years that followed4. These developments
can be seen as attempts to reform religious practices and to reconcile religion with the rationalism of the
emerging scientific and industrial age (Kung, 2001, p.157). They occurred in a period of:

- rapid scientific discovery, innovation and understanding;

- increasing applications of science in the development of technology
- expanding use of technology in creating commercial potential at a time of massive urbanization in Europe
and colonial expansion abroad.

The scientific revolution and the Age of Reason are not only related to the fragmentation of the Church, but also
to a diminishment in its influence and power. Western societies, especially those of northen Europe, became
increasingly secularised (Kung, pp.148, 156), a process that some say is still occurring5. Naturally, with this
secularisation the traditional teachings of the Church became less well known and less influential – and this decline
has continued up to the present day. Thus, the changes that took place during the Reformation and in the years
that followed resulted in a more individualistic, rational, secular and a far more urbanized society (Hill, 1992, pp.41,
116). These changes in Western society established the basis of the Modern age and their effects are still with us.

However, by the second half of the 20th century, after two or three hundred years of scientific, industrial and
commercial developments and expansion, and with two world wars, the horrors of the Holocaust and the atomic
4 / Design Explaining Sustainability

bombings of Japan still in the recent past, there arose a need for new ways of interpreting and understanding
the world and humankind’s place within it. The older understandings no longer seemed valid or capable of
dealing with questions arising from the existential angst caused by the threat of nuclear destruction, the
increasingly obvious environmental damage from industrial activities, and the pluralism of multicultural societies
and an increasingly mobile global population. Not only had the traditional religions by this time lost much of their
relevancy, but also, the worldview that had evolved since the Reformation, the so-called ‘Modern Age’, was now
also being challenged. During the second half of the 20th century many new understandings developed and an
era that has been termed the Postmodern emerged, to distinguish these new and evolving understandings from
the previous Modern age (which can be roughly positioned as spanning the 17th to the mid-20th centuries).

THE BEGINNINGS OF CHANGE – environmental and social

There were many early indications that people were concerned with the environmental and socio-economic
consequences of the Modern age. Thoreau’s Walden, published in1854, was highly critical of the expanding
technologies of the time (Thoreau, 1854). The latter part of the 19th century saw the establishment of the world’s
first National Park6 and the formation of the Sierra Club7 – both in the United States and both aimed at
conserving natural places and wildlife. In terms of social issues, the late 19th century and first half of the 20th
century witnessed the introduction of the first social security and health insurance acts and saw some initial
activities in changing the prevailing attitudes concerning the rights of women and of homosexuals8. However, it
wasn’t until the second half of the 20th century that many of the environmental and social concerns began to
be accepted on a larger scale, which in turn led to significant reform.

THE 1960’s - fear, protest and attitudinal change

The 1960’s were a time of unrest, fear, and uncertainty, especially among the younger generations of the Western
countries. The danger of nuclear war triggered peace campaigns in Europe and the U.S. throughout the late 1950’s,
1960’s and 1970’s. These extensive protests challenged the position of the establishment and the traditional,
conservative bastions of power because it was perceived by many that the very future of the planet was at stake. These
fears were not unfounded – in 1963 the world came to the brink of nuclear disaster with the Cuban missile crisis. This
pervading threat to the future was evident through books and art of the time. Nevil Shute’s novel ‘On the Beach’,
published in 1957 was the story of a world laid waste by atomic war (Shute, 1957), and in the 1960’s works by Pop
artists such as James Rosenquist and Larry Rivers contained numerous references to death, war and destruction9.

These growing concerns about the actions of human beings and the threat to the future were spurred by the
publication in 1962 of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (Carson, 1962), which raised public awareness of the environmental
costs of widespread pesticide use. This book is often linked to the start of the environmental movement.

The energy crisis of the early 1970’s, caused when the OPEC countries placed an embargo on oil exports, raised
awareness about energy use and led to developments in energy conservation and the consideration of alternative energy
sources, such as wind power. The oil crisis put at least a temporary halt to the production of the very large ‘gas-guzzler’
cars in the U.S.A., which were replaced by smaller, more modest automobiles that consumed less fuel. (However, since
the early 1990’s the imminent end of oil reserves has been perceived with less urgency and, despite indications of global
warming, the ‘gas guzzler’ has returned in the form of the highly popular Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).)

Evidence of increasing environmental destruction and air pollution, and concerns about energy resources resulted
in the emergence and expansion of the Green movement in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. The Club of Rome
was formed in 1968 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 11. Friends of the Earth 12 in Europe
 Design Explaining Sustainability / 5

and Greenpeace 13 in Canada were both founded in 1971, and the following year a United Nations conference
in Stockholm led to the establishment of the UN Environmental Program (UNEP)14.

Alongside these developments that focussed on the environment, there were significant advances in social issues
and human rights, areas that would eventually become embraced by the term ‘sustainable development’15. The
Civil Rights movement in the United States, campaigning for the rights of black Americans, was at its peak at this
time. Martin Luther King delivered his ‘I have a dream’ speech at a civil rights march in Washington DC in 1963.
During the mid-sixties race riots broke out in major cities all over America and in 1969 the US Supreme Court
introduced desegregation. Women’s emancipation was also on the rise at this time. In 1960, the contraceptive
pill was approved in the U.S. 16, starting the sexual revolution and influencing the progress of the feminist
movement. In 1970, the highly influential book The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer was published, which
challenged the subservience of women in a male-dominated society (Greer, 1970), and in 1973 a woman’s right
to have an abortion was approved in the U.S.17 This period also saw the beginning of the Gay Rights movement,
which has been attributed to a riot that broke out at the Stonewall Inn in New York City in 1969 in response to
a police raid18; the subsequent decade saw the establishment of numerous homosexual rights organizations.

Therefore, during these years we see a multitude of changes and events occurring throughout the Western world
that, in a broad sense, responded to a) increased environmental awareness and recognition of the fragility of the
planet, and b) social inequities and human rights. In 1972 a photograph of the Earth from space19, taken by the
astronauts of Apollo 17 mission on December 7th 1972, reinforced the finite nature of the earth and its
vulnerability. When these many and diverse events are viewed as a whole, we see that the foundations of
sustainable development were laid in the 1960’s and the early years of the 1970’s.

THE PRODUCT DESIGNER

The publication in 1971 of Papanek’s ‘Design for the Real World – Human Ecology and Social Change’ (Papanek,
1971) was highly influential in bringing the mood of the times to the attention, and within the scope, of the product
designer. Papanek’s lambasting of conventional product design and his call to address real needs rather than created
wants resonated with many young designers at the time. In 1973, E. F. Schumacher’s ‘Small is Beautiful – Economics
as if People Mattered’ (Schumacher, 1973) began to show the relationships among economic enterprise, poverty –
especially poverty in developing countries, energy use, and environmental repercussions. Schumacher’s views on the
introduction of appropriate technology in developing countries to allow greater self-reliance paralleled many of the
sentiments of Papanek, and began to be implemented through the establishment of the Intermediate Technology
Development Group in the UK20. Buckminster Fuller, who had been developing his ideas for the effective use of
technology since the 1930’s came to renewed prominence in the early 1970’s. Fuller believed it was possible to combat
famine and poverty through the thoughtful and responsible use of science and technology - through an approach he
termed “Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science” (Buckminster Fuller Institute, 2004). He was one of the earliest
proponents of renewable energy sources, and his ideas were influential on the younger generation in the late 1960’s
and early 1970’s (Rybczynski, 1980, 100). The work of Papanek, Schumacher and Fuller, amongst others, responded
to the environmental and social reforms of the 1960’s and presented a persuasive alternative for the product designer.
This alternative path was well-intentioned and certainly idealistic, but it was none the worse for that. As another way
forward, a way that would attempt to circumvent the shortcomings of industrial capitalism, it was perhaps inevitably
and appropriately embryonic and optimistic.

THE ESTABLISHMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

The fears of nuclear obliteration and environmental destruction, and discontent with social inequalities were
manifested during the late 1950’s, the 1960’s and the early 1970’s largely in the form of protests and
6 / Design Explaining Sustainability

demonstrations, and through the formation of special interest groups. From the late 1970’s on, many of these
concerns started to become integrated into the ‘establishment’ in the form of legislation, agreements and
representation. In 1983 the Green Party entered the West German Parliament with 27 seats21. In 1987 the
Montreal Protocol to limit the production of ozone depleting substances was adopted22. In 1989 the Dutch
introduced its first, and at the time the world’s most comprehensive, National Environment Policy23, and in 1992
the first UN Conference on Environment and Development, known as the Earth Summit, was held in Rio de
Janeiro24. During these years, further evidence of major environmental concerns and social inequities were raised
to public consciousness. Indications of significant ozone layer depletion over the Polar regions, and of global
warming trends were revealed by scientists25. In the early 1980’s reports of the debt crisis faced by many
developing countries was followed by pictures in the press of mass starvation in Africa, especially in Ethiopia
(Grimwood, 1986, p.186). The gross inequities between the rich countries and the poor countries were raised to
new levels of public awareness through the Live Aid Concerts organised by Bob Geldof (Grimwood, p.190), and,
during the mid-1990’s there were numerous reports in the western press of the use of sweatshop labour by firms
in developing countries that were supplying goods to US companies for consumption in the west (Marlow, 1995;
Sylvester, 1996; Lloyd-Roberts, 1996).

Environmental degradation and increased awareness of the gross inequities between rich and poor countries have,
in recent years, spurred more protests and riots around the world. The targets of these protests have been the
major corporations, and political leaders who make agreements that, according to the protesters, exacerbate social
inequities and environmental harm. Demonstrations and violence were seen at the World Trade Organization
Meeting in Seattle in 1999, and again at the G8 Summit of world leaders in Genoa, Italy in 2001. Fortunately,
violence was avoided during demonstrations at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada in 2002. In early 2003 the
world saw the reappearance of the peace march with the largest international displays of protest since the 1960’s
– these marches were organised to demonstrate against the American led war in Iraq. And in Cancun, Mexico in
September 2003, World Trade Organization talks collapsed amid further protests and serious differences between
rich and poor countries – especially with respect to government subsidies given to farmers in the richer economies
which, it is alleged, render produce from developing countries less competitive (BBC, 2003).

These diverse events, changes and reforms constitute a significant shift in attitudes, understandings, expectations
and behaviours. The Modern worldview has, to a great extent, become replaced by a Post-modern worldview,
where absolute certainties have been replaced by more relativistic, and in many cases, more tolerant attitudes.
Environmental responsibility, social equity and human rights have become established in our legislations and in
our thoughts and actions. The notion of achieving more sustainable ways of living is held up by political and
business sector leaders as something worth striving towards – even if there is little understanding of what a
sustainable society might actually look like and even less understanding of how we might get there from our
current state of high energy use, resource depletion and consumption.

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT DESIGN

In terms of what all this means to the designer, there are numerous ways these changing understandings have
been impacting the product design and manufacturing sectors. A variety of legislations in many countries now
control air emissions, water pollution and the dumping of toxic substances. International voluntary programs such
as ISO 1400026 lay down best practice guidelines for environmental responsibility, programs such as The Natural
Step27 have been taken up by a number of major corporations, and tools such as Life Cycle Assessment
software28 have been developed to aid companies in designing products that have lower environmental impacts.
However, there have also been developments that run counter to understandings of sustainable development.
Labour exploitation in developing countries is still widespread, and is often associated with major western
corporations. The production of very large automobiles with high fuel consumption has returned, especially in the
 Design Explaining Sustainability / 7

United States29. And there is massive dependence on road transport in general, rather than on more energy
efficient and more environmentally benign methods of transportation such as rail. The links that must be formed
between local scale initiatives and mass-production, in order to further both environmental responsibilities and
social equities and self-reliance have received relatively little attention, and the rates of production, consumption
and waste production in the Western nations continue apace.

THE SUSTAINABILITY MYTH

The vision of a sustainable society especially when the population of the world exceeds six billion is, it seems,
much more an ideal than a feasible possibility. In this sense, and in a variety of other ways, sustainable
development bears all the hallmarks of a mythic story – a story that tries to come to terms with, and provide
resolution to, something that is beyond our grasp. Steiner has explained the criteria for attributing to a body of
thought the status of a ‘mythology’. Firstly, it must provide an idea of completeness – a total picture of humanity
in the world. Secondly it must have a recognisable beginning and development, including key founders, texts and
so on. And thirdly, it will develop its own stories, language and scenarios (Steiner, 1974, 2-4).

In sustainable development we have clear evidence of all three criteria. It contains many of the moral and ethical
elements that are present in the traditional myths and religions, but re-presented in a contemporary and highly
secularised form. Furthermore, the three key elements of environment, ethics and economics cover our physical
environment, our moral sense and our social well-being.

From the foregoing it is also clear that, while the seeds of sustainability may have been sown earlier, it began in
earnest during the 1960’s and early 1970’s through the protest movement, through social changes such as
environmentalism and feminism, and through the writings of key people such as Carson and Schumacher, and in
product design, Papanek. These ideas became cemented during the 1970’s and 1980’s and the term sustainable
development was popularised through the publication of the so called Brundtland report in 1987.

We also have the evangelists and prophets who proclaim the new vision and who warn of dire consequences if we
do not heed their words and change our ways. The sandwich board apocalyptic that once roamed our city streets
proclaiming, ‘The end of the world is nigh’ has been replaced by often sensationalist newspaper columnists who
base their assertions on the authority of science. In addition, there are a plethora of books now available that assert
the dangers of continuing on our current course, that document environmental disasters, warn of the dangers to
health of air pollution, or speak out against the policies of major corporations. Some of these arguments are well
founded, while others are more sensational but frequently more tenuous in their assertions. Nevertheless, the body
of work that has arisen over recent years to address and begin implementing the ideas contained under the
‘sustainable development’ umbrella constitute a rich and diverse set of ideas. Moreover, terms such as ‘the Natural
Step’ and ‘Factor 10’, together with the three E’s of sustainability, ‘product/service systems’ and ‘back casting and
scenario development’ are all familiar to those working in the field.

Hence, ‘sustainable development’ does offer an idea of completeness – a total vision. It also has a recognisable
beginning, identifiable founders, and is spawning a burgeoning collection of narratives, terminologies and
scenarios. It can therefore be confidently viewed as a contemporary myth.

These observations do not negate the value and importance of sustainable development, they simply allow us to
see it from a somewhat different, perhaps more philosophical, perspective. While sustainability may not actually
be physically achievable, its very presence in our consciousness indicates a discontent with the current state of
things and a need to strive towards something we believe to be better – for the environment, for people and for
ourselves. As Holloway has put it,
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‘Throughout history there have been many of these eschatologies of human equality; the
fact that they never entirely succeed nor entirely fail is the main point. They act as a
stimulus to the work that is always to be done of bringing out of the chaos of desire and
greed some order of mercy and justice.’’ (Holloway, p.197)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – is it enough to sustain us?

We have seen in this discussion that sustainable development encapsulates and represents particular aspects of
traditional teachings; it consists of several broad, interconnected themes that address some of the major
pragmatic challenges of our time. However, it is often considered as a kind of ‘cure-all’ for today’s environmental
and social problems – and not as merely an element within a much larger narrative of meaning and significance.
But without some greater aspiration or vision of human existence it is hardly enough to inspire us, let alone,
sustain us. Sustainable development yields only a partial and, ultimately, a rather meagre picture of the human
condition. It may address some of the important practical issues of environmental stewardship, social justice and
economic security, but it is often stultifyingly prosaic. It is largely bereft of ideas that nurture and develop the inner
person - the inspirational, the imaginative, the transcendent and the struggle for self-knowledge. These are
aspects of our existence that fuel the artist, the composer, the musician and the poet. We have a long heritage
of mythical, spiritual, philosophical and artistic traditions that can provide us with a foundation on which to base
our current endeavours and to address our environmental and social responsibilities. Sustainable development
must embrace this heritage, and these aspects of human culture if it is to making a meaningful and lasting
contribution.

In an age that gives short shrift to religion and the traditional mythical views of the world, it is sobering to realise
that we have, in effect, created our own myth for our own time and in language that we can accept. But, as
many are now rejecting literal interpretations of traditional sacred texts, we must be prepared to do the same for
our own. If the question to ask of the traditional myths is not ‘Are they true?’ but ‘What do they mean?’ then
we must ask the same question of the evolving myths of sustainable development and sustainable product
design. We must not ask, ‘Are they possible to achieve?’ but, ‘What does the creation of these new narratives
mean for us in contemporary society and for us personally in our work and our lives?’ By asking such a question
we can begin to see sustainable development from a somewhat different perspective. On the one hand, it
represents much more than simply an analytical approach to environmental auditing or improving business
accountability. It also encompasses and represents a way of acknowledging our values and beliefs, and ascribing
meaning to our activities. In this sense, sustainable development offers a contemporary way of, at least partially,
filling the void left by the demise of religion in public discourse. On the other hand, it must also be acknowledged
that sustainable development is both ideological and immature. As such, it has neither the breadth nor the
profundity of the traditions that, to an extent, it supersedes. It would seem, therefore, that our contemporary
myth of sustainability will be insufficient to sustain us.
 Design Explaining Sustainability / 9

FOOTNOTES
1. A wide variety of principles, frameworks and guidelines for sustainable development in diverse areas can be
found at http://www.sdgateway.net/
2. see Bierlein (1994) - Bierlein describes myths of ‘the Fall’ from the Talmudic and Biblical traditions and myths
of ‘apocalypse’ from India, Persia, the Norse myths, North American myths, as well as the Old and New
Testaments of the Bible.
3. References to riches, wealth and possessions in the New Testament include: Mark 10: 21-22; Matthew 19:24;
Luke 8:13-15; Luke16: 19-25.
4. Examples include: the Mennonites and Amish (1500’s); the Quakers and Baptists (1600’s); the Shakers and
Methodists (1700’s); and Christian Scientists (late 1800’s).
5. For example: ‘The Soul of Britain’ by Gordon Heald, published in the The Tablet, UK, June 3rd 2000, describes
a survey conducted by The Tablet and the BBC that reveals a drastic decline in traditional religious beliefs
in Britain over recent years. However, while traditional religion may be in decline there is an increase in
people who describe themselves as ‘spiritual’, rather than religious. In Canada, while only 21% of people
regularly attend a religious service, 85% identify with a religios denomination (Globe and Mail, Canada,
December 28th 2002, p.F3) The research of Canadian academic Reginald Bibby also shows that while
Church attendance has drastically declined, there is still a strong identifcation with the traditional religions
(see Bibby, 2002). Thus, while there has been significant secularization of the public realm, this does not
neccesarily mean that people are no longer religious or concerned with the ‘spiritual’. Indeed, the
Tablet/BBC survey indicates that relatively few people describe themselves as atheists (8%).
6. Yellowstone National Park, USA was established in 1872 and was the first national park in the world – see
http://www.nps.gov/yell/
7. The Sierra Club founded 1892 by John Muir and associates – see http://www.sierraclub.org/history/timeline.asp
8. In 1883, Germany established the first compulsory national insurance program, starting with a health insurance
program. Britain introduced unemployment insurance in 1908. The Scientific-Humanitarian Committee,
established in Germany in 1897, campaigned for the rights of homosexuals. In 1893 New Zealand became
the first country to grant women the right to vote. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica 2001 Deluxe
Edition CD-ROM - Timelines
9. James Rosenquist’s ‘Campaign’ 1965, and Larry Rivers’ ‘Cigar Box’, 1967; see Weitman, (1999) pp.58 & 75.
10. A brief history of the Club of Rome is at:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/drrennie/CACORhis.html#ClubofRome
11. Homepage of the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States is: http://www.epa.gov/
12. A history of Friends of the Earth is available at: http://www.foei.org/about/history.html
13. A history of Greenpeace is available at: http://www.greenpeace.org/history/
14. UN Environmental Program homepage: http://www.unep.org/
15. Sustainable Development Timeline : http://www.sdgateway.net/introsd/timeline.htm
16. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2001 Deluxe Edition CD-ROM - Timeline 1960
17. Britannica 2001- Timeline 1973
18. 1969 Stonewall gay rights uprising remembered, CNN News Report, June 22nd 1999, at:
http://www.cnn.com/US/9906/22/stonewall/ commemorates the riot at the Stonewall Inn, New York in
June 1969 where gays protested against police discrimination and harassment.
19. The photo of Earth from Apollo 17, taken on December 7th 1972, can be viewed at:
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-earth.html
20. Intermediate Technology Development Group homepage : http://www.itdg.org/
21. Britannica 2001 – Timeline 1983.
22. Montreal Protocol, 1987 – see Sustainable Development Timeline – International Meetings and Agreements
1987, SD Gateway at: http://www.sdgateway.net/introsd/timeline.htm
23. Britannica 2001 – Timeline 1989.
24. Earth Summit homepage: http://www.un.org/geninfo/bp/enviro.html
10 / Design Explaining Sustainability

25. For example: Britannica 2001 – Timeline 1985 (sharp season reduction in ozone layer revealed); 1986
(international moratorium on whaling); 1988 (deforestation rates in the Amazon cause international
outcry).
26. ISO 14000: http://www.iso14000.com/
27. The Natural Step: http://www.naturalstep.org/
28. Life Cycle Assessment Software: http://www.pre.nl/
29. see Globe & Mail, Canada, January 6th 2003, Section B “Auto show shines amid the gloom”, B1 and
“Japanese car firms focus on the U.S.” B1 and “SUV’s nab spotlight at auto show”, B9

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Stuart Walker PhD, IDSA
Associate Dean (Academic) and Professor of Industrial Design,
Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Alberta, CANADA T2N 2G9.
E-mail: [email protected]

Stuart Walker gained his PhD (Leeds) in engineering and worked as a petroleum engineer in the Netherlands,
the Middle East and London before turning to design. After gaining his MDes(RCA) he joined the professional,
graduate Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary. His work on sustainable product design
has been presented and published internationally and his experimental designs have been exhibited at VIRTU,
Toronto, the Design Museum, London and most recently at the Triangle Gallery, Calgary. He is Visiting Professor
of Sustainable Design at Kingston University, UK and serves on the editorial boards of The Design Journal (UK)
and The Journal of Sustainable Product Design (Netherlands).