building a sustainable society (green party)
DESCRIPTION
I presentation I gave to the Green Party in Sweden on how to build a sustainable society taking nature as a source of inspiration.TRANSCRIPT
Building a sustainable society
Dr. Andrew Wallace PhD BEng(hons) EurIng
Overview
Why? Nature as a holonic system Foundations The Design People Knowledge and ability Putting it all together Questions?
Why?
Exponential growth Money - money - money!
Why?
Self destructiveEnvironmental destruction
Why?
Are people stupid? It’s a mad world The court of public opinion has fools for
a jury
More complex People are clever but …▪ Complexity▪ Limits
Why
Human evolutionHunter gathersSmall groupsIntuitive ideas▪Work well day to day but are wrong!
Why?
LimitsTimeKnowledge
Education
Nature as a holonic system
Nature as a highly complex system
Nothing exists in true isolation Networks Web of life Everything interconnected
Things make other thingsBalance
Nature as a holonic system
Holon – “part – whole”
Cells:
Body Organs Cells Organelles molecules
Lego!!
Nature as a holonic system
Handling complexitySimplifyDivide and conquer
Nature as a holonic system
Nature doesn’t care!Nature is a harsh mistress
LimitsWe do care!
Foundations
Take nature as a source of inspiration Work with nature not against nature
A fair and just system for allGoal :
Highest standard of living for the longest time possible
The Design
Work with people People have areas that they know well
Not everything has a right answer People - knowledge and ability
Distribute power A holonic system (emulate nature)
localise
People
People
One person’s utopia is another’s dystopia
Let people be people
People
Communities (up to 200 people)Manage own wasteManage own energy production
Manage own food productionHas a little bit extra
People
Diversity Own government – legislative council
(direct democracy) Each community manages its own affairs
Limits Basic human rights
Urbanates Sustainable cities Networks of networks
People
People
Minimise workMinimise production
More time to be human!
Knowledge and ability
Build around what people know and can do
Projects Project leaders Goals Communications
Localise – holonic structure Push upwards - dynamic
Knowledge and ability
Knowledge and ability
Keeping it all together Directors Goals Communications
Sequences skeleton
Knowledge and ability
Managing resources (no money) Nature and energy flows
Exergy
Energy In Energy out
Knowledge and ability
Exergy measures Usable energy Material Information Differences in the environment
Common accountancy unit
Knowledge and ability
How much can we make (in a given timer period)?
How much exergy do we need? Each person has equal share –
energy credit
Putting it all together
Will it work?Testing, testing, testing!
Proto-technateNetwork of communities
Putting it all together
Questions?