The general definition of sustainability is the ability to maintain something at a certain rate or level. In education the issue of sustainability arises in the schools ability to fund, upgrade, maintain and plan for future technology and resources. Technology is constantly being updated and improved, which makes funding new technology difficult for schools. There are multiple factors to considered when purchasing technology in order to create a sustainable classroom. Schools must not only account for the original cost of the technology, but its replacement in a 3-5 year cycle and training for the teachers using it. Improving the life of technology in school goes along with going green efforts. From the article Understanding Sustainability, "the global Ecological Footprint is now over 23% larger than what the planet can regenerate. The U.S. Ecological Footprint is so large that if the rest of the world had the same lifestyle, we would need over 5 planets to support us." Schools are incorporating going green methods in order to reduce the waste that they are producing and help reuse recyclable resources.
