System Conditions And Thinking

Sustainability : systems thinking

Anna Hughes, Otago Polytechnic 2009

“Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-

called scientific knowledge” Thomas Edison

1. Nothing disappears!

• there is no “away” to throw your rubbish

2. Everything spreads!

• all products break down eventually

3. It is the material structure and quality of matter that we

consume

• energy and matter combined into useful / valuable forms

4. Plants using solar energy are the only net producers of

structure and quality

• photosynthesis “pays the bills” and retains order

Sustainability – the science

Copyright © The Natural Step

Accumulating concentrations of substances from the Earth’s crust

Accumulating concentrations of synthetic substances that do not easily break down in nature

Destruction of natural systems

Barriers to people meeting their basic needs

4 basic disruptions to natural cycles


What is sustainable?

1. We take what nature replaces.

2. We make what nature can process.

3. We avoid breaking nature.

4. We are equitable.


The system conditions

In a sustainable society,

nature is not subject to systematically increasing…

1. concentrations of substances from the Earth’s crust

2. concentrations of substances produced by society

3. degradation by physical means

and in that society,

people are not subject to conditions that systematically…

4. undermine their capacity to meet their needs.


WHAT WE TAKEContinually reduce and eliminate our dependence on mined metals, minerals and fossil fuels - extract less, reuse, recycle, use renewable resources

WHAT WE MAKEContinually reduce and eliminate our use of manufactured non-degradable chemicals and substances - use natural alternatives and recyclable materials

WHAT WE BREAKContinually reduce and eliminate our dependence on activities that cause physical encroachment upon the natural environment - draw resources from sustainably managed eco-systems, restore nature, protect biodiversity

HOW WE SHARE THE CAKEEnsure that people are treated fairly and with respect to enable them to meet their needs efficiently – look after people, share resources fairly

Sustainability objectives1

3

2

4

Adapted from The Natural Step Framework 4 System Conditions

• Reduce reliance on mined resources• What we take

• Use products and materials that nature can process• What we make

• Prevent destruction of natural environments• What we destroy

• Look after everybody in the process• How we share

Copyright © Adapted from The Natural Step Framework, 4 System Conditions

1

3

2

4

Operating within the System Conditions

Seeing the whole picture


Supply chain systems

The organisational system

What do we deliver?

Earlier stages inthe supplier

chain

Use of product/service

What do we depend on?

What is left?

2

3

Energy

Water

Transport

Land, Building, Equipment

Investment

People

Products

Services

Waste

By-products

1


Wh

at is left?

Manufacturing Process

Raw Materials

6% Product

94% Waste

0% Waste

US$33 trillion p.a.

Natural systems

Supply chain systems and life cycle thinking

The life of a …

Adapted from Forum for the Future’s ”Buying a Better World”

Raw materials extraction & processing

Manufacturing Transportation Use Disposal

Minerals, timber, oil, water, electricity, fossil fuels, pesticides, labour, $ etc

Heavy metals, greenhouse gases, persistent chemicals, dioxins, landfill waste, traffic congestion, illness, $ etc

Recycling and reuse

Lost in the details

Piecemeal approach

Copyright © 2004 The Natural Step

A systems approach

A systems approach

Copyright © 2004 The Natural Step

Structuredoverview

Know the rules, then set strategy

Copyright © BusinessLAB Ltd 2008

1.1. UnderstandUnderstand - what sustainable success means

2.2. VisionVision – using sustainability as a guiding light

3.3. BaselineBaseline - where are you now?

4.4. Plan / doPlan / do – set strategy / take action

5.5. MeasureMeasure - evaluate, review

Copyright © BusinessLAB Ltd 2008

Planning for sustainability

Understand

Vision

Baseline

Plan / do

Measure

Education

System Conditions And Thinking