Thursday, April 10, 2014

4 system conditions - a definition for sustainability

Last week I related the 9 human needs to the model of strong sustainability, by showing that the environment is essential in all of this.

Now I'd like to explain how the 4 system conditions are a definition of sustainability and how they can be used to audit your own impact on the environment at home or at work.  They also help to give a baseline from which to improve and you can use them to show what a sustainable future would look like at work/home/the world - depending on what you audit against.


The funnel

Before we detail the 4 system conditions lets have a look at drivers for change globally.  Using the funnel metaphor we can present to a group the drivers of change.  A funnel shows that we are heading for a squeeze due to declining resources and increasing demand.  We need to find a way to navigate this squeeze and return to a place where the edges of the funnel are parallel lines when demand and supply are equal or potentially when demand is less than supply as shown by the dotted lines).  In this funnel it is showing some global drivers of change.



We can also do this for a given industry.  Here is an example of some drivers for change in a veterinary clinic:




You could also create a funnel for your own home or any other business.  At the end of the day there is no right or wrong here, its just a visual way of saying, look we need to make changes.


Four system conditions

In order to be sustainable we need to adhere to the 4 system conditions, as shown in the image below


Image from http://www.naturalstep.org/ 

In other words


  • In system condition 1 we are not taking more from the earths crust that is being replaced (consider oil and minerals)
  • In system condition 2 we are not making substances that poison the earth (consider chemicals and disinfectants
  • In system condition 3 we are not breaking natures systems (consider deforestation for product production)
  • In system condition 4 we are ensuring people are able to meet their needs (refer back to Max Neef's 9 Human Needs and consider whether this is being meet locally, nationally, internationally)


Now that you understand a definition of sustainability that is measurable, you can take an area of your life and audit it against these conditions.  Consider where you are meeting the system conditions and where you are violating them.
For example -

  • You may always select paper from sources that use FSC paper (recognised as sustainable) which is a positive on system condition 3
  • Perhaps you always select disinfecting products that have proven no effect on environment (and are VOC free)  which is a positive on system condition 2 
  • Perhaps you drive a gas guzzling V8 - this is a violation on system condition 1, and so on

To review an example of a system conditions audit, you will find one embedded in this presentation relating to a generic veterinary clinic.  


Key message:

When we adhering to the four system conditions then our society will be sustainable.  The 4 system conditions are not taking more from the earth than can be replace, not making products that damage the environment, not breaking natural systems and making sure everyone's needs can be met.  


Challenge:

Audit your life or an aspect of it against the 4 system conditions and identify a measurable change you could make.
For example: you might want to reduce your driving miles from 12,000km to 10,000km over the next 12 months - this has an impact on improving your sustainability in terms of decreasing carbon outputs, but if you walk or bike instead of take the car, it can also have unexpected effects of increasing fitness and reducing stress. Your set target could be re-evaluated annually too.  

What other ones have you come up with? Please tell us! 

Next week: I will present a summary of your survey results, from the beginning of the year sustainability survey you completed.  




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