The Natural Step

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The Natural Step

• Presentation by Dan Wilson
• Whistler 2020

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Why Sustainability?

• If todays entire world population enjoyed the
  same consumer lifestyles as North Americans, it
  would take four additional planets to accommodate
  everyone sustainably.

Problem Good Planets are hard to find
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Confused about Sustainability?
Smart Growth
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A Systems Approach
Sustainability requires planning in complex
systems
Level 1 The Natural Step builds on a
science-based understanding of society within
nature Level 2 Four sustainability principles
connect the vision of sustainability with the
realm of effective action
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What can we agree on?
Open System with respect to energy
Closed System with respect to matter
1) Nothing disappears
Photosynthesis pays the bills
2) Everything disperses
Sustainability is about the ability of these
cycles to run forever.
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How do we influence the cycles?
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Natural Step System Conditions
A sustainable society does not
Mine and disperse materials at a faster rate than
they can be redeposited into the Earths
crust Produce substances and disperse them
faster than they can be broken down by natural
processes if they can be broken down at
all Deplete or degrade resources at a faster
rate than they are replenished (over-harvesting
trees or fish) or by other forms of ecosystem
manipulation (paving over fertile land or causing
soil erosion) Create conditions that
increasingly undermines peoples capacity to meet
their needs.
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System Condition 1
Inefficient Use
Efficient Use
Dissipative Use
Tight Technical Cycles
Scarce metals
Abundant metals
Fossil Fuels
Renewables Sequestration