True sustainability means making a change in the way we think about our lives, workplaces and communities.

In my January column, I predicted that the next big idea would be the sustainability revolution — an idea larger than simply “going green.” In the future, the nations that are able to implement (and export) sustainable practices in the fields of research, technology, manufacturing, education, marketing and law will prove to be the most successful.

On paper, our chances to become the global leader in sustainability look good — we have the ability to redirect enormous amounts of knowledge, capital and labor toward this opportunity. But before we can truly become a leader, we must overcome one fundamental cultural shortfall.

We live in a society where the idea of “me” takes precedence over the idea of “we.” That is a major obstacle. Sustainability requires making decisions that might not benefit a person, company or community immediately, but prove correct in the long run.

A silly example: If your neighbor decides to use his gas-powered leaf blower at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning, he is obviously not taking into consideration the noise and pollution he’ll create for his neighbors. If he chooses instead to rake by hand — which takes the same amount of time but is better for his health and has zero impact on the environment — it wouldn’t really matter to his neighbors that he decided to make Sunday a work day. It’s easy to see how multiplying the daily choices made by individuals, corporations and governments by the millions, putting the we before the me would make a huge difference.

Many of us fail to understand how much the idea of me is embedded in our culture, because we have nothing to compare it to. The last time our nation really excelled in putting the we before me was during World War II (many of our readers remember that era, and if you are lucky enough to know one of them, ask what you can learn from their experience). More contemporary examples can be found in countries like Sweden, where the common good is often placed before individual gain in order to achieve their society’s definition of balance. We have all heard of the term “me generation” — though sociologists never formally adopted it — used to describe people born in the ’70s, ’80s or ’90s, and it’s no coincidence that anything with the letter “i” in front of its name has been a commercial success lately. The point is that we no longer have a choice but to work toward a life of sustainability, which will have to start with an attitude change. Maybe this recession has humbled us enough to be ready to understand — and even find it desirable — to seek a better, more meaningful way to live.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how fortunate we are to live in a community where we’re surrounded by people who truly do work for the greater good, as evidenced by the hundreds of nonprofit organizations and thousands of volunteers who tirelessly donate their time, ideas and money for causes they believe in. There is hope after all; I refuse to give in to the “all is lost” mentality, but I also will not agree with people who refuse to look at their lives and decisions as a part of a greater whole.

Onwards!