The Natural StepYou can learn about The Natural Step by reading this book: The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to Sustainable Practices by Sarah James and Torbjorn Lahti You can also learn more at these websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Natural_Step http://www.naturalstep.org/com/nyStart/ http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC28/Robert.htm http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC41/Hawken2.htm http://www.ortns.org/framework.htm
From the last of those websites: What are The Natural Step's Four System Conditions? 1. In order for a society to be sustainable, nature's functions and diversity are not systematically subject to increasing concentrations of substances extracted from the earth's crust. In a sustainable society, human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, and the mining of metals and minerals, will not occur at a rate that causes them to systematically increase in the ecosphere. There are thresholds beyond which living organisms and ecosystems are adversely affected by increases in substances from the earth's crust. Problems may include an increase in greenhouse gases leading to global warming, contamination of surface and ground water, and metal toxicity which can cause functional disturbances in animals. In practical terms, the first condition requires society to implement comprehensive metal and mineral recycling programs and to decrease economic dependence on fossil fuels. 2. In order for a society to be sustainable, nature's functions and diversity are not systematically subject to increasing concentrations of substances produced by society. In a sustainable society, humans will avoid generating systematic increases in persistent substances such as DDT, PCBs, and freon. Synthetic organic compounds such as DDT and PCBs can remain in the environment for many years, bio-accumulating in the tissue of organisms and causing profound deleterious effects on predators in the upper levels of the food chain. Freon, and other ozone depleting compounds, may increase risk of cancer due to added UV radiation in the troposphere. Society needs to find ways to reduce economic dependence on persistent human-made substances. 3. In order for a society to be sustainable, nature's functions and diversity are not systematically impoverished by physical displacement, over-harvesting, or other forms of ecosystem manipulation. In a sustainable society, humans will avoid taking more from the biosphere than can be replenished by natural systems. In addition, people will avoid systematically encroaching upon nature by destroying the habitat of other species. Biodiversity, which includes the great variety of animals and plants found in nature, provides the foundation for ecosystem services which are necessary to sustain life on this planet. Society's health and prosperity depends on the enduring capacity of nature to renew itself and rebuild waste into resources. 4. In a sustainable society, people are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs. All human beings have intrinsic needs. The goal of the social system is to provide the opportunity for all to meet those needs, as a precondition to a dignified way of life for everyone. “What” we do and “how” we do it matters. To make decisions which take us toward this goal, in consideration of any policy, product, marketing or investment, we should always identify in advance the people who are going to be affected, taking the widest possible systems view. We should ask ourselves: "Would we like to be subjected to the conditions we create?” In addition, the manner in which we make these decisions should allow for participation, be transparent, hold actors accountable and be honest.
|
|
