Principles for sustainability

1. To be sustainable, a society can not be dependent on storages

Neither of energy nor of nutrients (i.e. linear flows are not sustainable)

2. To be sustainable, a society (or any biological entity) must have a supportive net effect on the life-supporting services of its supersystem.

Sustainability, like other forms of functionality is a multi-leveled quality. Some of the constituting qualities are more basic than other. If a basic quality is not fulfilled, the fulfilment of 'higher level' qualities is not enough.

Compare the two quality-related properties of 'seaworthiness' and 'sustainability' (click!)
Nether of them can really be defined. They can only be defined, in a negative way, by their absence.
Which properties of this ship (or society) makes it unseaworthy or unsustainable? By avoiding those properties, you can increase seaworthiness/sustainability.

Basic principles for sustainability

1. To be sustainable, a society can not be dependent on storages

Neither of energy nor of nutrients (i.e. linear flows are not sustainable)

2. To be sustainable, a society (or any biological entity) must have a supportive net effect on the life-supporting services of its supersystem.