Sustainability

Creating Waste

We don't have to burn so much stuff!

In any habitat, one creature's waste is another creature's food!

What is our waste feeding?

If we create waste that nothing in our habitat can eat...

Growing Bigger

When you hear somebody say...

They're really saying,

"We're too stupid & lazy to find a better way to do things."

It's time to grow smarter!

• styrofoam and most other plastics

• radioactive waste

• pesticides and other poisons

Burning stuff is not very creative!

Nothing can grow forever -- it would run out of

• space

• food

• water

• human population

• cities (human habitat)

• our use of resources

• the economy

There are other ways to grow!

We're creating habitat for something new!

(and it may not be friendly!)

THIS NEVER HAPPENS

Burning stuff is unsustainable!

• Grow Up!

• Grow Smarter!

• Grow Better!

What's growing bigger?

What does it mean for something to be "sustainable?"

• It uses up fuel

• It pollutes the air and water

• It destroys habitat

Monster Habitat!

But what's unsustainable?

When you hear somebody say...

They're really saying,

"Don't worry, monsters will eat it!"

• Growing bigger

• Burning stuff

• Creating waste

What are we trying to sustain?

It means you can keep doing it.

• spider silk is stronger than steel

• sea shells are harder than concrete

• feathers are more colorful than paint

• trees are as tall as buildings

• birds are as fast as cars

All these things are done at

cool temperatures!

Biomimicry: imitating the way

nature makes things

Nature rarely burns stuff

So if something is "unsustainable..."

You can't keep doing it. Because:

• You'll run out of something you need

• You'll have too much of something you can't get rid of

• The way we do things

• Our way of life

• Human habitat

• Life as we know it

Babies! Kids! Immature stuff.

When you hear somebody say...

They're really saying,

"We're immature, and we're not ready to grow up yet!!"

What grows in nature?

Sustainability

What's unsustainable?

Burning Stuff

Pretty much everything we've done for the last 250 years.

We need to grow bigger!

For the last 250 years, any time we

• were cold

• wanted to make something

• needed light or energy

... we've set something on fire!

It's time to Grow Better!

• Reduce the stuff you use!

• Reuse the stuff you have!

• Recycle what you can!

• Compost what you can!

• Recycling alone won't get the job done!

Can we change in time?

Absolutely!

• More people alive than ever before

• More connected than ever before

• Really fast changes have happened before

...but we can't wait much longer!

Design your Human Habitat

Sustainability begins at home!

plants

compost

recycling

Ben Stallings

Interdependent Web

things you waste

things you make

what you do

good food

clean air

clean water

things you need

things you want

It's all about habitat, and your home is your habitat!

But so is Emporia. So is the USA. So is the planet Earth.

"Think Globally, Act Locally." But sometimes you can also act globally!

thrift shops

job

money

Learn more!

These words are defined on your handout. Learn more on Wikipedia or ask your librarian!

• population growth

• renewable energy

• biomimicry

• recycling

• composting

• permaculture