When concerning the argument of sustainable development being an oxymoron and that sustainability and high standards of living cannot coexist, I have to say that I both agree and disagree. I disagree with the statement that sustainable development is an oxymoron because I do believe it is possible to keep what you have and move on to bigger and better things at the same time. And with the help of the EPI, it should be a lost easier to see where improvements should be made and to help map out a course of action for the country. It is difficult, however, for individuals in the country to do their part when the cost of living has sky-rocketed at an all-time high. It’s difficult to afford what’s needed to get by for families who are doing well, let alone the ones that are part of the high unemployment rates. How are we to be expected to fork out the cash to give back what we needed plus more for our future generations. This is what’s going on in our own country, the outstanding USA, now think about all the under-developed and poorer countries of the world. The example that is being made is not a very promising one and it discourages developing countries from doing what should be done, and leads them down the exact same paths of mistakes that our country has made. Sustainable development is defined as “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” but we seem to be doing the exact opposite of this goal. The unemployment rates, the environmental