Here’s another thing about how crucial sustainability is for Wake County. We’re one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. We’re not the sleepy little county we were just 20 years ago. With more people arriving every day we need to ensure we have the resources to support them.

Above is a photograph of Falls Lake taken a little over four years ago when it was near its record low depth. It was a scary time. People here don’t normally think of our natural resources in Third World terms, but our frequent droughts present real, growth-killing crises. Falls Lake is Wake County’s primary water supply: if the lake disappears it will take Wake County’s future with it. How many companies do you think will want to set up shop here if all we’ve got is a muddy hole for a water supply? How many families will want to move here if their daily water rations number in the dozens of gallons?

As a community it is crucial that we smartly manage our limited natural resources or else we put our quality of life at risk. That’s what sustainability is all about. It’s not some amorphous, tree-hugging, UN-flag-waving creed, it’s prudent planning for an uncertain future. It’s certainly not something to be dismissed for the gain of short-term political points.