Sustainable Living

The most commonly accepted definition of this term is the increasingly common lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of our Earth's natural resources. However, I suggest we look at it from a different angle. Here is the actual definition of 'sustain' from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:


Main Entry:
1sus·tain
Pronunciation:
\sə-ˈstān\
Function:
transitive verb
Etymology:
Middle English sustenen, from Anglo-French sustein-, stem of sustenir, from Latin sustinēre to hold up, sustain, from sub-, sus- up + tenēre to hold — more at sub-, thin
Date:
13th century
1: to give support or relief to
2: to supply with sustenance : nourish
3: keep up , prolong
4: to support the weight of : prop ; also : to carry or withstand (a weight or pressure)
5: to buoy up
6 a: to bear up under b: suffer , undergo
7 a: to support as true, legal, or just b: to allow or admit as valid
8: to support by adequate proof : confirm
— sus·tained·ly \-ˈstā-nəd-lē, -ˈstānd-lē\ adverb
— sus·tain·er noun

As you read the above definitions, I encourage you to think of your finances. Can your current lifestyle be sustained by your current income?