Sustainability balances the environment, the economy and culture by allowing people to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, all the while preserving the environment to maintain these ideals indefinitely. However, after taking Sustainability Principles and Practices, I learned there are two extreme ideals within this definition. And we learned them through two children’s books. Win.

Dr. Seuss writes the first book, The Lorax. Filled with the colorful pictures and silly rhymes we all grew up on, the book holds an even deeper message of preservation. However, logging companies thought this book was unfair to their business and came out with a rebuttal children’s book called The Truax. This book takes a more conservationist approach, arguing that the loggers can cut down trees if they replenish and replant what they take.

Personally, I don’t know which book is right in its perception of sustainability. I understand the capitalist market needs resources to make products and profits, but the means by which they gather those resources can also be harmful to our environment. It is some pretty deep stuff for children’s books. What do you think about the messages behind these stories? Can both be considered an equally sustainable option?