What is Sustainability?
No one really knows, but a few common themes run through most definitions of sustainability. The environment, the economy, society and similar themes are being recycled and reused in policy statements everywhere today. I've even seen logoed baby doll tank tees.
My principles of sustainability promote the development of slogans and PowerPoint presentations that pass these three essential tests: Is the word 'sustainability' used in each point, is it spelled correctly, and does it do anything to help reduce the unsustainable expectation for having to have a third point?
Let's go directly to a slide with some bullet points...
This is a great start, but obviously more must be done to incorporate the word "sustainability" into each of these points. Those of you with a total body mass consisting of less than 10% hemp right now may detect that the third one -- "Sustainable Inquisitions" -- makes excellent use of the adverbial form. Kudos to our intern, Ms. Freda Downey-Funnelle, for all her work in bringing this very important bullet point up to this level of sustainability! Freda, I'll have you know, produced this entire presentation using only a refurbished USB thumb drive, some photons and a locally grown organic sugar plum, which will be made available to all attendees following the presentation as both a .PDF and a tasty, bowl-less fruit salad.
And indeed, as this bullet point suggests, renewable bamboo pikes and shivs are excellent tools for obtaining confessions sustainably from nonbelievers and non-sorters alike -- as is waste cooking oil, by the way, which can be reused without it ever needing to go through any toxic transesterification process. What's more, using torture to encourage everything from recycling to religious conversion is a surprisingly easy sell -- even among those being tortured -- if it kind of smells like french fries.
All right, next up is this slogan suggestion...
OK, I don't think any quality patriotic person of faith disputes the need for human sacrifice in this effort, or the related sustainable benefits of ritual cannibalism. And the wordplay referencing the sacred Xmastime colors is certainly snappy. But what again is the fundamental flaw with this slogan? Anyone? "Needs some festive holiday clip art?" Sure, that would be nice. What else? "Fill in the words 'red' and 'green' with the corresponding font colors?" Good, but there's still something else... Hmmm, maybe we can hear from someone who was motivated to attend this morning's seminar by something other than the complimentary Red Bull Rickies and cigarettes...?
Does the word "sustainability" appear anywhere in this slogan? No!
So what is the real effect of omitting the word "sustainability" in our church slogans? I ask you: What happens when a desperate, seeking soul Googles the sustainability policies of the various faiths and we don't come up at the top of those search engine results? I'll tell you what: Nine times out of ten, Scientology snags them! And these are often CELEBRITIES, people!
OK, next side...
Let me offer a practical example. Yes, my constant careless tossing of redeemable aluminum Coors cans in with my trash may do the planet irreparable harm, and could ultimately provoke it to the point where I'll be chased down and strangled with vines. However, a balance is achieved in the valuable lesson imparted to that dirty drifter who had to work just a little harder to claim his pathetic treasure from my garbage. Though his flesh hath suffered a few barely discernible taser burns, I assure you, his soul is righteously fearful of my many mysteries and powers now!
I'm sorry, I took that with my cell phone so it's a little blurry. Since I notice that the herbicide-free hemlock is already beginning to affect many of you, I'll wrap this up quickly. Freda, can you slip in the Al Gore DVD to speed things along here? And put some fresh cellophane over that salad for the next group. Thank you.
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