This question comes up from time to time in the public consciousness, and I don’t feel there has ever been a great answer. neither do I think I will succeed where so many others have failed … but let’s have a crack at it anyway.
To live a life that is sustainable it seems that it is most important to change our thought process
to include new ideas.
It is great to think about our “carbon foot print” but instead of trading on carbon perhaps thinking of new ways to manufacture and not creating these harmful gases in the first place is more sustainable.
Not too long ago while debating some points of sustainability with a colleague I put forward the idea that philanthropy is indeed a sustainable action, as we all should know giving without thought of receiving pays vast and far reaching dividends not only to the giver and receiver but to society.
The fact that poverty exists and basic needs go unfulfilled is wasteful of our power & inherent human ability to change our circumstances, and therefore unsustainable.
Thinking of the lost opportunity of all the minds, undeveloped natural skills and talents that results from the lack of bear necessities should be seen as the height of unsustainable actions .
So maybe we can all give a thought to the extensions of our actions and think about what it really means to be sustainable … and maybe we may get closer to laying down our personal dogmas.
To my mind this is also a sustainable action.
Teachers love the idea of a portable unit with markers they can refill instead of throw away. 
