Krista Barzen-Hanson
Shannon Stein
 To explore the connections between sustainability and
stewardship (because the two words are often used
interchangeably)
 Where they intersect
 Where they diverge
 Research
 Compared definitions found
 Developed questions from definitions
 Created interviewee list
 Performed interviews
 Made comparison table
 Analyzed responses
 Sustainability :
 meeting current needs without sacrificing the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs by balancing
environmental, economic and social concerns
 Stewardship:
 the careful and responsible management of something
entrusted to one's care (natural resources)
 Sustainability
 Benedictine Values: To be content with living simply…
 RB80 Ch. 48: All things are done in moderation
 Stewardship
 Benedictine Values: To appreciate and to care lovingly
for all the goods of this place
 RB80 Ch. 31: Regard all utensils as if they were the
sacred vessels of the altar
 Sustainability:
 Social, economic, and environmental pillars.
Conserving resources now so they are available for
future generations.
 Stewardship:
 Managing and caring for resources and people.
 What does sustainability mean to you?
 What does stewardship mean to you?
 Where do you see the terms overlap?
 Where do the terms differ?
 Do you have a preference?
 Do the connotations of sustainability and stewardship
make one term seem better than another?
 4 students
 3 professors
 3 Sisters
 2 faculty members
 People with our complete definition:
 17%
 People who only mentioned 3 pillars:
 8%
 People who only mentioned the future:
 50%
 People who did not mention specifics:
 25%
 People with our complete definition:
 8%
 People who mentioned resources:
 58%
 People who mentioned people:
 8%
 People who did not mention specifics:
 25%
 People who had no preference:
 42%
 People who preferred sustainability:
 25%
 People who preferred stewardship:
 33%
 Monastic Community
 Environmental Studies
 No Preference
 Restructuring the Economy
 Don’t worry about yourself
 Sustainability as a “buzz word”
 Different mindset
 Importance of terms
 Larger sample size
 Greater variety in sample
 Continue face-to-face