Cliff Notes on Sustainability
Sustainability is a tricky topic which runs the gamut from are we considering the environment too much and as a result the economy is being hurt, to are we on a brink of global disaster and we must act immediately. Throughout this website environmental concepts are introduced in various articles and this is a summary of the ones that have significant importance to the idea of sustainability, a kind of Cliff Notes. When considering the concepts all together they provide an image we can work with, starting with our imagination and working towards pragmatic solutions. Since this presentation is just a quick summary there will be links to more complete explanations from other articles on the website.
A great place to start is the concept of paradigm, the model or belief system that an individual or a group of individuals live by. The paradigm structure guides us through our everyday lives. There are certain cultural parameters we must abide by to fit in our society, going too far outside the boundaries and one becomes socially unacceptable or even worse, you may end up in prison. Much of our way of thinking develops in the earlier stages of life through a process of enculturation where these thinking patterns become an unconscious habit. As a global society we are a period of time when many of the societal norms are no longer working and we will have to change our ways of thinking and beliefs, but to what? The basic environmental concepts can help to secure a sound economic, social, and environmental atmosphere to insure a successful future. (Since paradigm involves are thinking and beliefs I have included links to many articles on this topic. For more information on paradigm -' Immovable Belief' http://www.lifecycling.net/immovable-belief.html, 'The Forward Progress of Technology?' http://www.lifecycling.net/the-forward-progress-of-technology.html, 'Moving Towards a New Paradigm?' http://www.lifecycling.net/moving-towards-a-new-paradigm.html, 'The Future or Not the Future?' http://www.lifecycling.net/the-future-or-not-the-future.html, 'Paradigm, Past, Present and Future', http://www.lifecycling.net/paradigm-past-present-and-future.html, 'From Parasitism to Mutualism' http://www.lifecycling.net/from-parasitism-to-mututalism.html, 'Old Ideas, New Intentions' http://www.lifecycling.net/old-ideas-new-intentions.html, 'Freedom to Choose' http://www.lifecycling.net/freedom-to-choose.html )
A favorite concept of mine is throughput. Simply put, throughput is all the resources, including energy, needed to perpetuate a system. If we consider all the resources needed to explore for future mining of resources, the mining itself, processing, shipping, pollution mitigation, and the military needed to keep our country going, it becomes over whelming. Years ago Howard T. Odum began collecting data on the flow of resources through our system and the objective was to quantify throughput and develop units of measure called emergy. When I was first introduced to this idea I thought it was great. As I studied throughput I began to realize how immense this was and how the need for more and more resources continually grew at a faster rate. I began to wonder how one would even put any kind of measurement to something that was so complex and had such extreme growth. I haven’t heard the term emergy for many years and I wonder if Howard, along with his wife Elizabeth, came to the same conclusion. I consider Howard a pioneer in developing a new way of thinking about sustainability. Under the umbrella of throughput is trade because resources to be utilized must get from point A, where they are mined, to point B, where thy may be developed into a usable product, with many more points between A and B. If the consumer product does not reach point B for any reason it cannot be utilized. If a consumer product requires 100 parts, and if 1 of the parts that perhaps makes the other 99 work does not reach point B, the consumer product is deemed useless. Economic conditions, global warming, computer hacking, etc. all can disrupt the flow of materials or goods from point A to point B. (more information on throughput - 'Throughput: An Illustration'http://www.lifecycling.net/throughput-an-illustration.html, 'Throughput In Action' http://www.lifecycling.net/throughput-in-action.html, 'Argument for a Low Throughput Society' http://www.lifecycling.net/argument-for-a-low-throughput-society.html)
When considering the enormity of throughput the concept of exponential growth comes to mind. Exponential growth is the rate at which something grows. This growth, at first, appears small and insignificant, however at a certain point starts to increase in numbers rapidly. Throughput is an exponential function. ( Exponential growth is difficult to conceptualize and a further explanation is in 'Understanding Exponential Growth' http://www.lifecycling.net/understanding-exponential-growth.html)
As we enter the throughput-exponential growth black hole what do we expect to get? Do we continue to chase the vision of positive results through efficiency? This is where the Law of Diminishing Returns can shed some light. Essentially, over time, more and more resources are used to obtain a decreasing amount of return. In other words, if we consider upgrading some kind of consumer good, we generally want to produce and make it operate more efficiently which takes research and development, along with retooling for manufacturing. Each successive upgrade will usually gain a decreased gain in efficiency until the amount of resources used in development outweighs the gains. Without considering throughput our culture continually chases the illusion of efficiency. (more information on the Law of Diminishing Returns -'New Mexico', paragraph #3 http://www.lifecycling.net/chapter-3-new-mexico.html, 'Building a Passive Refrigerator' http://www.lifecycling.net/building-a-passive-refrigerator.html )
The last concept is the Jevons Paradox which in the process of increasing efficiency the total amount of resource use increases due to the increase in demand. As the efficiency of the consumer good rises, the costs decrease allowing more people to purchase and utilize the good.
These concepts influence each other in a synergistic fashion all working together, and united they are greater than the sum. They operate with positive loops that increase their effect on the others. This synergistic effect can be illustrated by using our imagination. Just imagine living in Vermont without any cars when finally a person developed a car. Since the person only produced one car the efficiency of making the car was extremely low, using a great amount of resources and labor in its production and had to be sold at a high cost. The car itself was inefficient, only getting one mile per gallon. It just so happens that the neighbor discovered oil on their property and developed a way to process it into gasoline, however, it was also labor intensive and could only produce 12,000 gallons that ended up costly to sell. A wealthy entrepreneur purchased the vehicle at great costs and drove the car 12000 miles in that year using the 12,000 gallons of gas. After seeing this car driving around a group of individuals set up a system of mass production greatly increasing the efficiency of making the cars and instead of 1 mile per gallon it traveled 30 miles on a gallon. Instead of the car using 12,000 gallons to go 12,000 miles it would only use 400 gallons. Through efficient means the oil was refined into gas and the cost per gallon was greatly reduced. Now many people could afford to purchase and drive a car increasing the total resource use. As we extract resources, process, ship and produce with a greater amount of efficiency the resource flow begins to skyrocket. As we have seen in the car industry the amount of efficiency has not increased dramatically in the past few decades an indication of the Law of Diminishing Returns. What is important is not to throw away efficiency but consider these concepts in the mix because efficiency alone does not offer enough of a picture.
This imaginary example sheds light on the discussion about how high the minimum wage should be. In our high throughput society, people living on a low income are mostly not able to meet their needs. If we raise the wages needed to insure that people’s needs are met, the flow of global resources will have to increase to meet these needs. Just like the discussion on efficiency we should meet the wage demands; however, if the environmental concepts of throughput, Jevons Paradox, Law of Diminishing Returns and Exponential Growth are not included the benefits will be short lived.
Last year Mary and I visited the McDonald Observatory in West Texas. It was a great example of the advancement of technology, answering many questions we have about the universe. This furthering of knowledge is inherent in the human makeup. If we can greatly reduce our throughput per capita we can insure further development. I often hear of the great advances we have achieved and at this rate we could begin to think about inhabiting other planets, however, if we end our time fighting over the resources this vision will never manifest. This is where the synergistic effect of paradigm on the other concepts can have a positive outcome. Can we change our way of thinking to bring about the positive outcome we all desire?
A great place to start is the concept of paradigm, the model or belief system that an individual or a group of individuals live by. The paradigm structure guides us through our everyday lives. There are certain cultural parameters we must abide by to fit in our society, going too far outside the boundaries and one becomes socially unacceptable or even worse, you may end up in prison. Much of our way of thinking develops in the earlier stages of life through a process of enculturation where these thinking patterns become an unconscious habit. As a global society we are a period of time when many of the societal norms are no longer working and we will have to change our ways of thinking and beliefs, but to what? The basic environmental concepts can help to secure a sound economic, social, and environmental atmosphere to insure a successful future. (Since paradigm involves are thinking and beliefs I have included links to many articles on this topic. For more information on paradigm -' Immovable Belief' http://www.lifecycling.net/immovable-belief.html, 'The Forward Progress of Technology?' http://www.lifecycling.net/the-forward-progress-of-technology.html, 'Moving Towards a New Paradigm?' http://www.lifecycling.net/moving-towards-a-new-paradigm.html, 'The Future or Not the Future?' http://www.lifecycling.net/the-future-or-not-the-future.html, 'Paradigm, Past, Present and Future', http://www.lifecycling.net/paradigm-past-present-and-future.html, 'From Parasitism to Mutualism' http://www.lifecycling.net/from-parasitism-to-mututalism.html, 'Old Ideas, New Intentions' http://www.lifecycling.net/old-ideas-new-intentions.html, 'Freedom to Choose' http://www.lifecycling.net/freedom-to-choose.html )
A favorite concept of mine is throughput. Simply put, throughput is all the resources, including energy, needed to perpetuate a system. If we consider all the resources needed to explore for future mining of resources, the mining itself, processing, shipping, pollution mitigation, and the military needed to keep our country going, it becomes over whelming. Years ago Howard T. Odum began collecting data on the flow of resources through our system and the objective was to quantify throughput and develop units of measure called emergy. When I was first introduced to this idea I thought it was great. As I studied throughput I began to realize how immense this was and how the need for more and more resources continually grew at a faster rate. I began to wonder how one would even put any kind of measurement to something that was so complex and had such extreme growth. I haven’t heard the term emergy for many years and I wonder if Howard, along with his wife Elizabeth, came to the same conclusion. I consider Howard a pioneer in developing a new way of thinking about sustainability. Under the umbrella of throughput is trade because resources to be utilized must get from point A, where they are mined, to point B, where thy may be developed into a usable product, with many more points between A and B. If the consumer product does not reach point B for any reason it cannot be utilized. If a consumer product requires 100 parts, and if 1 of the parts that perhaps makes the other 99 work does not reach point B, the consumer product is deemed useless. Economic conditions, global warming, computer hacking, etc. all can disrupt the flow of materials or goods from point A to point B. (more information on throughput - 'Throughput: An Illustration'http://www.lifecycling.net/throughput-an-illustration.html, 'Throughput In Action' http://www.lifecycling.net/throughput-in-action.html, 'Argument for a Low Throughput Society' http://www.lifecycling.net/argument-for-a-low-throughput-society.html)
When considering the enormity of throughput the concept of exponential growth comes to mind. Exponential growth is the rate at which something grows. This growth, at first, appears small and insignificant, however at a certain point starts to increase in numbers rapidly. Throughput is an exponential function. ( Exponential growth is difficult to conceptualize and a further explanation is in 'Understanding Exponential Growth' http://www.lifecycling.net/understanding-exponential-growth.html)
As we enter the throughput-exponential growth black hole what do we expect to get? Do we continue to chase the vision of positive results through efficiency? This is where the Law of Diminishing Returns can shed some light. Essentially, over time, more and more resources are used to obtain a decreasing amount of return. In other words, if we consider upgrading some kind of consumer good, we generally want to produce and make it operate more efficiently which takes research and development, along with retooling for manufacturing. Each successive upgrade will usually gain a decreased gain in efficiency until the amount of resources used in development outweighs the gains. Without considering throughput our culture continually chases the illusion of efficiency. (more information on the Law of Diminishing Returns -'New Mexico', paragraph #3 http://www.lifecycling.net/chapter-3-new-mexico.html, 'Building a Passive Refrigerator' http://www.lifecycling.net/building-a-passive-refrigerator.html )
The last concept is the Jevons Paradox which in the process of increasing efficiency the total amount of resource use increases due to the increase in demand. As the efficiency of the consumer good rises, the costs decrease allowing more people to purchase and utilize the good.
These concepts influence each other in a synergistic fashion all working together, and united they are greater than the sum. They operate with positive loops that increase their effect on the others. This synergistic effect can be illustrated by using our imagination. Just imagine living in Vermont without any cars when finally a person developed a car. Since the person only produced one car the efficiency of making the car was extremely low, using a great amount of resources and labor in its production and had to be sold at a high cost. The car itself was inefficient, only getting one mile per gallon. It just so happens that the neighbor discovered oil on their property and developed a way to process it into gasoline, however, it was also labor intensive and could only produce 12,000 gallons that ended up costly to sell. A wealthy entrepreneur purchased the vehicle at great costs and drove the car 12000 miles in that year using the 12,000 gallons of gas. After seeing this car driving around a group of individuals set up a system of mass production greatly increasing the efficiency of making the cars and instead of 1 mile per gallon it traveled 30 miles on a gallon. Instead of the car using 12,000 gallons to go 12,000 miles it would only use 400 gallons. Through efficient means the oil was refined into gas and the cost per gallon was greatly reduced. Now many people could afford to purchase and drive a car increasing the total resource use. As we extract resources, process, ship and produce with a greater amount of efficiency the resource flow begins to skyrocket. As we have seen in the car industry the amount of efficiency has not increased dramatically in the past few decades an indication of the Law of Diminishing Returns. What is important is not to throw away efficiency but consider these concepts in the mix because efficiency alone does not offer enough of a picture.
This imaginary example sheds light on the discussion about how high the minimum wage should be. In our high throughput society, people living on a low income are mostly not able to meet their needs. If we raise the wages needed to insure that people’s needs are met, the flow of global resources will have to increase to meet these needs. Just like the discussion on efficiency we should meet the wage demands; however, if the environmental concepts of throughput, Jevons Paradox, Law of Diminishing Returns and Exponential Growth are not included the benefits will be short lived.
Last year Mary and I visited the McDonald Observatory in West Texas. It was a great example of the advancement of technology, answering many questions we have about the universe. This furthering of knowledge is inherent in the human makeup. If we can greatly reduce our throughput per capita we can insure further development. I often hear of the great advances we have achieved and at this rate we could begin to think about inhabiting other planets, however, if we end our time fighting over the resources this vision will never manifest. This is where the synergistic effect of paradigm on the other concepts can have a positive outcome. Can we change our way of thinking to bring about the positive outcome we all desire?
