Meadows and Easterbrook: Broaden the Conversation

In both readings this week we were introduced to loose guidelines that push us, when trying to change a system, to focus more on fundamental changes as opposed to superficial changes. Quick fixes only, as the name suggests, fix something for a short amount of time. As newly emerging systems thinkers we need to instead "broaden the conversation" and move beyond what we generally hear those around us talking about (Easterbrook, 2011).

Below I am going to outline the leverage points (in order from least to most effective) a household could attempt to use in order to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Let's pretend that none of them are in environmental jobs, and that they have no prior experience with this.

1. Change in Constants: use lighting and appliances less often, turn the thermostat down or up a few degrees (depending on season) and incorporate some recycling and composting, but don't change actual buying habits.
2. Change Size of Buffers Relative to Flows: have everyone shower and use electronics around the same time in order to reduce sustained energy use throughout the day, carpool in order to reduce emissions per person
3. Change the Structure of Material and Stock Flows: get heating system checked for leaks, upgrade to more efficient appliances, switch light bulbs, make sure everything is recycled or composted.
4. Change the Length of Delays: delay turning up the heat by putting on a blanket, or turning cooling on by taking some clothing off, reuse products, don't shower until you're actually really dirty, and only go grocery shopping when all food has been consumed.
5. Increase Strength of Negative Feedback: create a cost jar for household members driving too often that will go towards utilities, and keep track of heating and cooling bills very closely.
6. Reduce Gain Around Positive Feedback Loops: switch heating/cooling/lighting over to something like a Nest system that allows for finer control.
7. Change Structure of Information Flow: put energy use/bill on fridge or in common area, put timers in the shower and on lights, educate the household on sustainable/environmentally friendly consumerism.
8. Change the Rules: Only allow 5 minute showers, force the home to be vegan or meatless.
9. Nurture the Power to Change the System: start planting your own food, become accustomed to lower temps, create a car share program in your neighborhood.
10. Change the Goal of the System: Are we actually trying to ave money? become more connected to the Earth? Reduce our waste as a whole? Become closer as a family?
11. Change the Paradigm of Which System Arises: Do we really need to be living in this big of a house? Why do we buy all of this stuff? What has brought us to this point?
12. Transcend Paradigms: How are other people living? Should I switch careers or where I am living? What are alternative ways to doing the things we do?

Question: have these readings pushed you to think bigger about your capstone project, especially if your project is aimed at solving a specific problem. Can you in any way steer that towards thinking more generally and getting at solving fundamental problems?

Comments

[Alec Brazeau]

I think that these readings - and this systems class in general - have helped me wrap my brain around my capstone project. I am working with The Nature Conservancy and three other students (the lone group of four), and our project is HUGE! Thinking about my capstone projects from a systems perspective has helped my group decide where to focus most of our energy. I think that these 12 leverage points will also be quite useful in the policy analysis side of our project: how can we exploit these leverage points in a way that creates positive conservation policy? Analyzing the policy behind carbon sequestration and land management for the whole state of Colorado is a big task, however I think that focusing on these leverage points within our policy system will help us tackle the project.