The Sustainability Lessons from the Archaeological Work of Lynne Goldstein: The Curious Environmental Stories of Aztalan, Fort Ross, and Michigan State University

Summary

Sustainability can be defined as meeting the needs of the present without depleting natural resources for the future. With such a time focused definition, there is no doubt that the meaning of sustainability changes over time and by culture. An examination of three of Lynne Goldstein’s field sites, Aztalan, Fort Ross, and Michigan State University, provides an opportunity to dissect our modern take on sustainability. At Aztalan, sustainability of Native American culture comes into question as there is evidence that social equality did not lead to sustainable conditions. At Fort Ross, environmental conditions created problematic challenges for a pioneer settlement. At Michigan State, economic and environmental changes caused rapid constructions of what it means to be sustainable. Each case highlights the significance of the three pillars of sustainability (environment, social equity, and economic development) in analyzing past and present cultures. When taken together, the three sites challenge today’s thinking about the meaning of sustainability and how it can be achieved.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 20865