S ustainability Back to the future or Forward to the past ?

A new old concept My grandmother did not know the word “sustainability” It was called common sense Think about this: per definition what is not sustainable has no future.

My grandmother did not know the word “sustainability”

It was called common sense

Think about this: per definition what is not sustainable has no future.

W hy does it pay off to have good environmental practices? Economy is more than just money and profits. Origin of two terms often seen as antagonistic: Economy comes from the Greek oikos (house, habitat) and nomos (administration) Ecology comes from the Greek words oikos and logos (knowledge)

Economy is more than just money and profits.

Origin of two terms often seen as antagonistic:

Economy comes from the Greek oikos (house, habitat) and nomos (administration)

Ecology comes from the Greek words oikos and logos (knowledge)

W hy did people repair and recycle? Not enough money to throw away and replace. Little disposable income. No easy credit. Repairing cost less than replacing. There were spare parts!

Not enough money to throw away and replace.

Little disposable income.

No easy credit.

Repairing cost less than replacing.

There were spare parts!

W hy did people repair and recycle? Painting by Van Gogh

W hat is not sustainable? Anything that consistently increases contaminant levels in: Air Water Soil Us

Anything that consistently increases contaminant levels in:

W hat is not sustainable? Anything that is not quickly biodegradable. Anything that consistently deplete resources necessary for our essential needs. Ex. 1: Oceans Ex. 2: Forests Ex. 3: Genetic diversity

Anything that is not quickly biodegradable.

Anything that consistently deplete resources necessary for our essential needs.

Ex. 1: Oceans

Ex. 2: Forests

Ex. 3: Genetic diversity

W hat changed? Higher disposable income Consumption society Easy credit Aggressive marketing Individualism Vacations/Leisure time Short-term thinking Shift from local/regional economy to global economy Frequent relocation of industrial units Strong world population increase

Higher disposable income

Consumption society

Easy credit

Aggressive marketing

Individualism

Vacations/Leisure time

Short-term thinking

Shift from local/regional economy to global economy

Frequent relocation of industrial units

Strong world population increase

W hat changed? Pyramid of Maslow Used to be: mostly two lower layers Became: focus on higher levels, taking the lower level for granted

Pyramid of Maslow

Used to be: mostly two lower layers

Became: focus on higher levels, taking the lower level for granted

W hat did we do wrong? We focused on short-term gratification and profit. We did not master our technological progress and become too efficient. Ex. 1: Fisheries Ex. 2: Deforestation We forgot to factor the environmental cost in the pricing of goods and services Damage takes time to come to light Preference of the present What would have been the actual price?

We focused on short-term gratification and profit.

We did not master our technological progress and become too efficient.

Ex. 1: Fisheries

Ex. 2: Deforestation

We forgot to factor the environmental cost in the pricing of goods and services

Damage takes time to come to light

Preference of the present

What would have been the actual price?

W hat did we do wrong? Technology Efficiency Social Responsibility Individualism 40’s 80’s NOW Restoring sustainability

H ow to become sustainable again? Simple answer: by reducing waste and wasting. Energy Water Food Use only what we need. No excesses. Management of environment integral part of human activities. Recycle everything: nothing to a landfill unless biodegradable. Reintroduce spare parts. Education, starting at young age.

Simple answer: by reducing waste and wasting.

Energy

Water

Food

Use only what we need.

No excesses.

Management of environment integral part of human activities.

Recycle everything: nothing to a landfill unless biodegradable.

Reintroduce spare parts.

Education, starting at young age.

I s a sustainable society sustainable? Simple answer: Yes. Been done for millennia. But: it means moving to a different type of society From consumption to maintenance Different jobs More in maintenance, care and repair Less in mass consumer goods Blue collar jobs will be revalued up: useful vs. superfluous

Simple answer: Yes. Been done for millennia.

But: it means moving to a different type of society

From consumption to maintenance

Different jobs

More in maintenance, care and repair

Less in mass consumer goods

Blue collar jobs will be revalued up: useful vs. superfluous

I s a sustainable society sustainable? From quantity to quality: longer lasting products with repair service. End of mass production of “stupid” products. Household spending/Overall economy to shift from shopping to society purposes. Will define a new comfort zone: from convenience to practical. It is a whole new mindset!

From quantity to quality: longer lasting products with repair service.

End of mass production of “stupid” products.

Household spending/Overall economy to shift from shopping to society purposes.

Will define a new comfort zone: from convenience to practical.

It is a whole new mindset!

I s a sustainable society sustainable? A few examples If North American cars run on same fuel efficiency as European cars = Equivalent of 80-100 millions cars less on N. Am continent, on a gas emission basis! A flushing of the toilet uses the daily need for drinking water of 4-5 people! One flushing less a day by all Westerners = saving equivalent of drinking water needs of population of China + India If the Westerners ate the meat quantity that is just needed for covering their basic needs instead of over consuming = Equivalent of the basic needs for meat of whole of China becomes immediately available, with no meat production increase!

If North American cars run on same fuel efficiency as European cars = Equivalent of 80-100 millions cars less on N. Am continent, on a gas emission basis!

A flushing of the toilet uses the daily need for drinking water of 4-5 people! One flushing less a day by all Westerners = saving equivalent of drinking water needs of population of China + India

If the Westerners ate the meat quantity that is just needed for covering their basic needs instead of over consuming = Equivalent of the basic needs for meat of whole of China becomes immediately available, with no meat production increase!

W hat is needed to manage the change? Strong leadership and political will (politicians and economic agents). Lots of communication. Based on science and facts. Collective understanding of the issues, and collective action . Incentives (and penalties?): Money always talks in the end. Education: youth will define the future.

Strong leadership and political will (politicians and economic agents).

Lots of communication.

Based on science and facts.

Collective understanding of the issues, and collective action .

Incentives (and penalties?): Money always talks in the end.

Education: youth will define the future.

T he lessons from Nature and from the Great Recession of 2008-2009 Nature is about balance. When the pendulum swings to far, it will swing back! Economic model was dysfunctional: leading to environmental and financial disaster. First concern was on environment, before financial markets. Now it is the opposite. What the financial crisis did: Less spending and more saving Less credit=less consumption Less money=less consumption Leads to less CO2 emissions=good for the environment Unfortunately, many jobs lost and foreclosures

Nature is about balance. When the pendulum swings to far, it will swing back!

Economic model was dysfunctional: leading to environmental and financial disaster.

First concern was on environment, before financial markets. Now it is the opposite.

What the financial crisis did:

Less spending and more saving

Less credit=less consumption

Less money=less consumption

Leads to less CO2 emissions=good for the environment

Unfortunately, many jobs lost and foreclosures

T he lessons from nature and from the Great Recession of 2008-2009 Economy supposed to restart with Stimulus Packages (maintenance projects) all around the world, not with consumption. Oil price spike brought serious change: US car industry undergoing major shift People were changing their habits (public transportation, carpooling) Realization that oil reserves are finite=need for alternatives Alternative energies will become more competitive (but cheap energy might soon be a thing from the past) Means shift from consumption to maintenance is starting.

Economy supposed to restart with Stimulus Packages (maintenance projects) all around the world, not with consumption.

Oil price spike brought serious change:

US car industry undergoing major shift

People were changing their habits (public transportation, carpooling)

Realization that oil reserves are finite=need for alternatives

Alternative energies will become more competitive (but cheap energy might soon be a thing from the past)

Means shift from consumption to maintenance is starting.

S ustainability and modernity Can we have comfort and sustainability? Yes, just as good but different. Thanks to responsible attitude. Thanks to new technologies. Can we have industry and sustainability? Yes, a sustainable industry. By refusing unsustainable products. By rewarding sustainable producers. Can we meet the increasing world population needs and be sustainable? Will be challenging. We can handle 9 billion people. We need proper leadership.

Can we have comfort and sustainability?

Yes, just as good but different.

Thanks to responsible attitude.

Thanks to new technologies.

Can we have industry and sustainability?

Yes, a sustainable industry.

By refusing unsustainable products.

By rewarding sustainable producers.

Can we meet the increasing world population needs and be sustainable?

Will be challenging.

We can handle 9 billion people.

We need proper leadership.

F or more on this topic and how we can help Website: www.hfgfoodfuturist.com Email: info@happyfuturegroup.com

Website: www.hfgfoodfuturist.com

Email: info@happyfuturegroup.com