What Is Sustainability ?

Something is sustainable if it is able to be maintained. The dictionary defines Sustainability as;

Dunn County’s Definition of Sustainability Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. U.N. World Commission on Environment & Development,Our Common Future, 1987

Now that we have defined sustainability….let’s examine it…

Sustainable development meets the needs of the present….

Sustainable development meets the needs of the present…. What are needs? What are needs?

Needs Things We Need to Survive FoodFood ShelterShelter Clean AirClean Air Clean WaterClean Water

Fundamental Human Needs SubsistenceSubsistence ProtectionProtection AffectionAffection UnderstandingUnderstanding ParticipationParticipation LeisureLeisure CreationCreation IdentityIdentity FreedomFreedom

Sustainable development meets the needs of the present….

…without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Now lets dig a bit deeper…

Sustainability Is Made Up Of Three Components

P EOPLE Every living person on earth today (like you and me) and every person that will live on earth tomorrow (Our future children & grandchildren).

PLANET Our Planet is made up of Ecosystems which include: Plants, Trees, Animals, Fish, Birds, Water, Soil, Micro- organisms and People.

PROFIT How much is left after all the costs, are deducted.

“P”lanet Sustainability: The 3 P’s Everybody and everything working together, Like a team “P”rofit “P”eople

“P” EOPLE “P” LANET “P” ROFIT The Three P’s Must remain parallel Sustainable

SUPPLY IS DECREASING DEMAND IS INCREASING This is where we are at WARNING! Supply is our resources and Ecosystems (food, air, water and raw materials). Demand is what we want or need, things we (buy).

We don’t want the lines to cross!!! SUPPLY IS DECREASING DEMAND IS INCREASING This is where we’re headed! EMERGENCY

What would an Emergency Look Like?

MORE AND MORE FARMLAND IS DEVELOPED SUPPLY IS DECREASING DEMAND IS INCREASING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WANT MORE AND MORE FOOD FOOD

SUPPLY IS DECREASING DEMAND IS INCREASING The Price Of Food Goes Up And/Or Some People Won’t Get To Eat FOOD

More than any other time in history, humankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction. Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly. Woody Allen

So…What Do We Do?

The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking used when we created them. -Albert Einstein

We Need To Think Outside The Box!

SUPPLY DEMAND We need to level out supply and demand…make both of them equal. SUSTAINABILITY The Three P’s

SUSTAINABILITY The Funnel Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. SUPPLY DEMAND The Three P’s

The Natural Step Framework Sustainability: Critical for Success

The Natural Step Framework PhilosophyApplication

Philosophy System's ThinkingSystem's Thinking Common LanguageCommon Language Upstream Approach (Proactive)Upstream Approach (Proactive)

System’s Thinking Let’s Examine

Systems Thinking Recognizes that what happens in one part of a system affects every other part.

Think of it as a football team You can’t understand why the team lost the game until you look at how each player, all worked together on the field.You can’t understand why the team lost the game until you look at how each player, all worked together on the field. You won’t learn much if you study just one member of the team.You won’t learn much if you study just one member of the team.

CommonLanguage Let’s Examine

Common Language Any successful team must have a Common Language and understanding in order to facilitate cooperation.Any successful team must have a Common Language and understanding in order to facilitate cooperation.

Upstream Approach Approach Let’s Examine

Upstream Approach Anticipates and avoids problems before they occur, rather than reacting to their downstream effects.Anticipates and avoids problems before they occur, rather than reacting to their downstream effects.

Time To Re-Cap Systems ThinkingSystems Thinking Common LanguageCommon Language Upstream ApproachUpstream Approach

Left to its own devices, the earth is a sustainable system. However, the accumulative impacts of human activity are threatening our continued well-being.

The Natural Step Framework Application The “Funnel” (metaphor)The “Funnel” (metaphor) The 4 Principles Of SustainabilityThe 4 Principles Of Sustainability Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning Backcasting Backcasting

TheFunnel Let’s Re-Examine

SUSTAINABILITY “The Funnel” Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. SUPPLY DEMAND The Three P’s

The 4 Principles Of Sustainability Let’s Examine

The 4 Principles Of Sustainability There are just four basic operating rules.There are just four basic operating rules. If we follow these four rules we’ll have a sustainable present and future.If we follow these four rules we’ll have a sustainable present and future. However, we have to follow all four rules. 3 of 4 isn’t enough. It’s all or nothing.However, we have to follow all four rules. 3 of 4 isn’t enough. It’s all or nothing.

The 4 Principles Of Sustainability Things we take from the earthThings we take from the earth Things we makeThings we make Natural environment (systems)Natural environment (systems) PeoplePeople

1 st Principle of Sustainability Things we take from the earth To become a sustainable society we must… Eliminate our contribution to the progressive buildup of substances extracted from the earth’s crust (heavy metals and fossil fuels).Eliminate our contribution to the progressive buildup of substances extracted from the earth’s crust (heavy metals and fossil fuels).

2 nd Principle of Sustainability Things we make To become a sustainable society we must… Eliminate our contribution to the progressive buildup of chemicals and compounds produced by society (dioxins and PCB’s).Eliminate our contribution to the progressive buildup of chemicals and compounds produced by society (dioxins and PCB’s).

3 rd Principle of Sustainability Natural environment (systems) To become a sustainable society we must… Eliminate our contribution to the progressive physical degradation and destruction of nature and natural processes (overharvesting and building over critical habitat).Eliminate our contribution to the progressive physical degradation and destruction of nature and natural processes (overharvesting and building over critical habitat).

4 th Principle of Sustainability People To become a sustainable society we must… Eliminate our contribution to conditions that undermine people’s capacity to meet their basic human needs (unsafe working conditions and not enough pay to live on).Eliminate our contribution to conditions that undermine people’s capacity to meet their basic human needs (unsafe working conditions and not enough pay to live on).

With Respect To Needs Things we need to survive Fundamental human needs We Cannot Substitute One For Another Lack Of Any Of Them Represents Poverty Of Some Kind

These principles DO NOT imply that as a society we must stop extracting materials from the earth or that all substances we produce are bad, nor does it imply we should never disturb the natural environment.

The problem isn’t… The problem isn’t… …we mine heavy metals, or use chemicals and compounds, or disrupt natural processes, or even that we temporarily interfere with people’s capacity to meet their basic needs.

The problem is… The problem is… …our industrial system has developed so that substances extracted from the earth and chemicals produced are continuing to build up in the natural systems.

The problem is… …this progressive build up of pollutants and compounds are harming us directly and damaging natural processes that took billions of years to develop.

Backcasting Let’s Examine

Backcasting (strategic planning) Backcasting (strategic planning) Backcasting is a way of planning in which a successful outcome is imagined in the future.Backcasting is a way of planning in which a successful outcome is imagined in the future. What do we need to do today to reach that successful outcome? What do we need to do today to reach that successful outcome?

Backcasting is more effective than forecasting, which tends to present a more limited range of options, discourages creativity, and it projects today's problems into the future.

With a desired future in mind you can ask; What actions do I need to take to achieve my vision?What actions do I need to take to achieve my vision? Taking those steps bridges the gap between our current reality and our desired future.

Natural Step Framework Final Re-Cap Philosophy System's ThinkingSystem's Thinking Common LanguageCommon Language Upstream Approach (Proactive)Upstream Approach (Proactive)

Application The “Funnel” (metaphor)The “Funnel” (metaphor) The 4 Principles Of SustainabilityThe 4 Principles Of Sustainability What we take from the earth What we take from the earth What we make What we make Natural environment (systems) Natural environment (systems) People People Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning Backcasting Backcasting

Questions ?