Social defense theory is used to explore the nature of anxiety and defense in sustainability initiatives. Taking seriously the suggestion that people use social institutions for both creative and defensive purposes, I examine how the organisational processes of a consortium case study seemed to be mobilised to cope with anxiety. The insights contained herein are useful if those working in that domain are to guard against the very wastefulness they ostensibly seek to redress. The data that inform the discussion come from a qualitative research project that sought to explore the psychodynamics of partnering for sustainability.