The 4 differences between sustainable and sustainable

A series of ideas to differentiate between the concepts of sustainable and sustainable.

We live in a world with a great variety of resources, but human beings have been exploiting them to an increasing extent and often without worrying about whether such exploitation may end up causing damage to nature or whether these resources may be depleted.

Fortunately, with the passage of time the awareness that the resources present in nature are limited and that we must look for ways to use them more efficiently.We need to look for ways of supplying ourselves that do not waste our world and that can be sustained over time. This has generated the concern to look for ways to make economies, resources or infrastructures that are sustainable and sustainable. These two concepts, which are very frequent and widely used today, are often used as synonyms and in fact have much in common.

However, the meaning of each of them has certain nuances that make them not completely refer to the same reality. That is why, for a better use of both words, throughout this article we are going to discuss the main differences between them. the main differences between sustainable and sustainable, with concepts to differentiate them.with concepts to know how to differentiate them.

Sustainable vs Sustainable: defining both concepts

In order to analyze the differences between sustainable and sustainable it is advisable to make a brief definition of each of the terms, in order to see their similarities and perhaps visualize some differentiating nuances.

Sustainable is understood as the quality that indicates the capacity to maintain and persist for a prolonged period of time, without generating damage to the environment or depleting environmental resources.without causing damage to the environment or depleting environmental resources. As a general rule, it is used in concepts such as development, exploitation and use of resources, requiring for sustainability a balance between economic, social and environmental aspects. Likewise, the concept implies the non-use of resources at rates higher than those required by nature for their creation.

The term sustainable refers to the quality of being able to be sustained or defended, generally referring to ideas and arguments, by itself. It usually implies defense through reason and logic, and tends to refer to ideas and arguments, although it is also used to speak of a regulated development that allows for the satisfaction of the needs of the environment. a regulated development that allows the satisfaction of present needs without jeopardizing those of the future.. It implies self-sufficiency, since it does not require anything other than itself and the different elements that are part of the sustainable element itself to remain unaltered.

Main differences between sustainable and sustainable

Sustainable and sustainable are, as we have seen, very similar concepts whose differences are minimal. In fact, there are major discrepancies as to whether they can be used interchangeably or have differences between them, and they are often considered synonymous.and are often considered complete synonyms. But apart from this, it is possible to find a number of nuances (although not excessively powerful) in which they differ. Among them we can consider the following.

1. What does it refer to?

Although they are often used as full synonyms and at the lexical level this would not be technically wrong, some differences can be observed with respect to the areas in which each concept is applied.

Generally, the term sustainable is used to talk about processes such as the development or maintenance of an economy, resource collection, social functioning or activity, while sustainable is usually used in relation to ideas, arguments, approaches, points of view or concepts (e.g. in a trial or debate).

It should be noted, however, that there are regional differences in this sense. there are regional differences. In Spain, in general, the term linked to development tends to be sustainable, whereas in Latin America there is a tendency to use the term sustentable more often in this field.

2. Exogenous vs. endogenous

A second difference between sustainable and sustainable refers to the fact that the idea of sustainability is more often used in Latin America than in the rest of the world. implies the existence of an external something that is capable of sustaining and supporting the unchanged state of that which is sustainable.. This could be the implementation of policies or human activity itself in order to preserve the current state of things, for example. The idea of sustainability would thus imply a certain exogeneity, since what is sustained requires an effort or the involvement of external elements.

On the other hand, when we speak of something sustainable we are talking about something that, although it requires something to maintain it (sustentable comes from sustenance, in Spanish), this element is internal or endogenous.

That is to say, in this case there would be no need for something external to intervene to achieve the maintenance of the current state.An idea or argument is sustainable because it is capable of justifying itself, just as an environment can be sustainable if it does not need anything that is not part of itself to remain unchanged.

3. Structure vs. maintenance

One of the differences between sustainable and sustainable is that as a general rule the concept of sustainable only indicates that at a structural level what it refers to is capable of being maintained, while that of sustainable also includes the idea that at a structural level what it refers to is capable of being maintained, while that of sustainable also includes the idea that at a structural level what it refers to is capable of being maintained. sustainable also includes the idea that this quality requires something to maintain it (even if it is internal). (even if it is internal).

4. Temporal approach

Another small nuance that is generally not taken into account is the temporal duration implied by each concept. Although in both cases we are talking about something with the capacity to be maintained over time, in general, sustainable usually indicates a present state. sustainable usually indicates either a present state or a capacity for immutability.while the idea of sustainable has a more nuanced focus on the state of what it refers to in the future.