There are many competing definitions of sustainability, most of which derive from the long European tradition of managing natural resources. Anthropology is grounded in the very same ontology that made possible the global ecological crisis that ushered in the new era in which we now live. We can offer an alternative view of sustainability starting with the recognition that Anthropocene. Anthropologists have a responsibility to demonstrate the importance of social, cultural and ontological diversity for resilience, adaptation and sustainable innovation.