We talk about sustainability all the time—at work, in policy, in business, in environmental conversations. But rarely do we stop to ask a deeper question:
What do we actually want to sustain—and why?
That question sits at the heart of a powerful recent conversation on the Walk With Me podcast with David Auger, an environmental engineer, author, and lifelong student of meaning.
And it turns out, sustainability isn’t just a technical problem to solve—it’s a human one.
Sustainability Is Not Just Scientific—It’s Personal
David has spent decades working in environmental engineering, specializing in water systems, air modeling, industrial compliance, and wildlife habitat protection. On paper, sustainability is measured in data points, models, and regulations.
But as David explains, something has been lost along the way.
Sustainability was never meant to be only measurable. It’s also normative—rooted in values, expectations, participation, and shared responsibility.
In other words: Before asking how to sustain something, we have to ask why it matters in the first place.
When Life Forces the Question of “Why”
That question became unavoidable for David and his family when his youngest son was diagnosed with childhood leukemia at the age of three.
What followed was a four-year medical ordeal that brought emotional strain, financial pressure, and the very real risk of losing both stability and connection—something doctors openly warned most families do not survive intact.
Instead of pulling apart, David and his wife made a conscious choice to lock arms more tightly.
That topics like sustainability, resilience, and meaning stopped being abstract ideas. They became lived realities.
Because when everything is fragile, you learn very quickly what you’re willing to fight to sustain.
Unexpected Teachers: Honeybees and Desert Locusts
One of the most compelling parts of the conversation comes from David’s research for his book, Man’s Search for Sustainability—where he examines two unlikely teachers from nature:
- Honeybees, often celebrated, yet surprisingly fragile
- Desert locusts, feared and destructive, yet remarkably adaptive
Locusts, David explains, undergo a radical transformation under stress—changing behavior, biology, even brain size—becoming stronger as a collective. There is no single leader. Instead, they move through shared awareness, responding to one another.
The lesson? Collective intelligence and shared purpose often matter more than individual control.
A truth that applies just as much to organizations, communities, and families as it does to ecosystems.
Sustainability Is a Journey, Not an Endpoint
One of David’s most important insights is this:
Sustainability is not a fixed destination. It evolves as expectations change.
What was once “clean water” from a mountain well becomes treated municipal water, then bottled water. Our standards shift. Our needs shift. And so must our understanding of what it means to sustain something responsibly.
This is where philosophy meets practice—and where Viktor Frankl’s famous idea becomes essential:
“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
Without a “why,” sustainability efforts become hollow. With one, they become deeply human.
The Question We’re All Being Asked
Whether you’re leading a company, raising a family, shaping policy, or simply trying to live with intention, the question remains the same:
What do you want to sustain—and why is it worth the effort?
That question doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer. But asking it changes everything.
🎧 Continue the Conversation
If this resonates, I invite you to listen to the full episode of Walk With Me featuring David Auger.
