Sustainability Newspeak

by Natasha Chart · 2009-01-17 14:42:00 UTC
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"That word. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." - The Princess Bride

In his confirmation hearing for secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack said he ...

would "work with those who seek programs and practices that lead to more nutritious food produced in a sustainable way." He said: "The health care crisis aligns squarely with the need to promote better nutrition in our diets."

That sounds good, yeah? Hmm. Maybe.

When the Farm Bill was going through its House hearings, at least one member of the committee asked Chairman Collin Peterson repeatedly to clarify that the word "sustainable" was not being used as a synonym for organic. Peterson denied that the terms meant the same thing, that the inclusion of the word sustainable in the Farm Bill shouldn't be interpreted to mean organic.

Vilsack wasn't there, but I bring this up to point out that champions of organic food shouldn't assume that government officials mean the same thing we do when they use the word sustainable.

Case in point, Vilsack intends to promote "renewable" biofuels during his tenure. These are not, as grown at present, sustainable at all. The corn grown for ethanol is raised in such a way as to promote soil erosion, aquifer depletion and wasteful fossil fuel inputs. What's renewable about that? And even if cellulosic ethanol becomes viable during the next four years, it may not necessarily get rid of the practice of taking land that could grow food and using it to grow fuel.

Corporations, candidates and government officials have long managed the art of using the terminology of popular movements to disguise actions that betray the ideals of these appropriated words. Not only do I try not to get my hopes up when I hear them talking the talk, I won't give them my trust until I see them walking the walk.

(Photo credit: IowaPolitics.com)

Natasha Chart
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