NCSSM Online

Honors Energy and Sustainability

Morgan Cockman
February 7, 2017
Reading Questions -- Sustainability Primer

Reading questions will often be assigned in this course. The purpose of reading
questions is to help students to identify key or important points within the
context of a report, article or primer. It is not a test of reading retention or your
memorizing skills. A grade is assigned but that is for completion and an honest
effort to understand and reformulate information in your own way, using your
own words and your own experiences. Use reading question assignments to
focus on the parts of the assigned reading that are worth exploring in more
depth perhaps even through additional Internet or other research on your
part.

1. What was the Brundtland Commission? How did that commission define
sustainability?
The Brundtland Commission was a commission convened by the United Nations to address
concerns about declining environmental systems as well as what that meant for humans and the
economy as a result of their decline. That commission defined sustainability as development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs.

2. What fields of academic study are important to finding sustainable

solutions globally?
The fields of academic study that are important to finding sustainable solutions globally are earth
and environmental science, climate change, energy usage, understanding ecosystems, water usage,
economics, population, and much more. It is important to understand society, social changes,
agriculture, sustainability itself, and even global history. Most fields of academic study can aid the
process of finding sustainable solutions globally, because these problems are often very complex,
wicked problems. Mathematicians could help, scientists could help, economists could help. It
requires a broad range of studies working together to come up with the best solutions.

3. How are we contributing to these problems even now, even 28 years after
the Brundtland Commission Report? What are the basic problems that make
our current ways of living unsustainable? (describe 3 key problems).

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Even 28 years later, we are contributing to these problems by committing everyday actions that are
unsustainable in nature. Instead of recycling, most people throw away waste, and most people do
not conserve water, taking long showers or filling their pools with public water. People, especially
in developed countries, consume way more energy than is necessary, emitting much greater
volumes of CO2. Also, resources are being diminished without replacement. Trees are being cut
down and not being replanted, fish populations are being killed at young ages so they do not have
time to reproduce, and much, much more. One basic problem that makes our current ways of living
unsustainable is the fact that we extract materials from the earths crust through mining or oil
exploration, and dump these materials in the biosphere at a much faster rate than these materials
would naturally show up, which overwhelms natural systems. A second problem is that we are
producing many substances that build up in the environment. Natural substances, when produced
in excess like this, overwhelm natures ability to process them, and synthetic substances are foreign
to the environment so they often cannot be broken down and reused in natures cycles. A third
problem is that we negatively impact natural systems, eliminating ecosystems or cutting down
forests. This greatly reduces our resources and all of the industrialization the world has undergone
has deteriorated natures ability to sustain us.

4. How well does the Funnel Metaphor work for you? Does it help you to
understand the problem better? Would you use it to explain sustainability to
a friend or a colleague? Why or why not?
I understand the funnel metaphor, meaning that the pressure to find resources and ecosystem
services is constantly increasing over time, however it doesnt work that well for me. I understand
the metaphor, but it doesnt necessarily help me to understand the problem better, so I most likely
would not use it to explain sustainability to a friend or colleague. Instead, I would use a metaphor of
a room in which the walls are slowly closing in so you must find a way to escape. I think this
represents the problem better, as the pressure is constantly increasing to find resources as walls
closing in closer and closer would increase the pressure to find a way to escape, and just as we are
running out of resources, the room is running out of space. I think my version of the metaphor
exemplifies the seriousness of the problem - if we reach the point where the walls close in, we will
no longer be able to sustain ourselves. Something must be done so that future generations have the
ability to meet their needs.

5. What is a system and how will understanding how systems functions help
us to build a more sustainable world?
A system is something that consists of individual, but interrelated parts, whose relationships make
the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Understanding how systems function helps us to build a
more sustainable world as we are able to tackle individual problems in the system before they
affect the greater whole. Understanding systems allows us to understand the actual causes of those
problems so that we can resolve them and avoid their later impacts.

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6. What Max-Neefs nine human needs? Do you think this list covers all of
your own and your familys needs? Are there some needs on the list that you
think are not essential?
Max-Neefs nine human needs are subsistence, protection, affection, understanding, participation,
leisure, creation, identity, and freedom. Im not sure that this list covers all of my own and my
familys needs. I personally need education and learning, something I consider to be more than
simple understanding. While Im sure that being educated is not a necessity for everyone, it is for
me. Also, I think as a Christian family, my family and I would say that we need faith, we need God.
There are some needs on the list that I think are not essential. I am not so sure that everyone needs
creation. While I see its value, and I think the world itself needs creation, I would not say that this is
a universal human need. I personally do not feel the need to create music or create works of art. I
appreciate people that can create these things, and I think they are crucial to the world, but I dont
think this element is crucial for each specific person.

7. What is the Triple Bottom Line? What does it mean for creating a more
sustainable world?
The Triple Bottom Line is the three-legged stool comprised of the environment, society, and the
economy. The environment - Earth - supports the other two spheres, as it provides all of the
resources and ecosystem services that we need. The middle sphere is society - human capital, and
the economy is the third sphere as it is dependent on both the environment and society, as these
two spheres govern the economy with rules, regulations, and structures. In terms of creating a more
sustainable world, this means that society and the economy must operate within the natural laws
and principles that govern all life on Earth. Essentially, the middle and the third spheres must
change the way they are run so as to keep the environment sustainable, which in turn keeps society
and the economy sustainable. It is a dependent relationship, as the actions of one affect the other.

8. How does the concentration of wealth in the hands of a small portion of

society make us less sustainable? Can you provide an example from your own
experience or from something you have read other than this Sustainability
Primer?
The concentration of wealth in the hands of a small portion of our society makes us less sustainable
as the larger portion of poorer people are undermined, becoming unable to meet their most basic
human needs. This occurs as people of extreme poverty do not have the wealth to sustain
themselves, and so they commit actions to better their well-being. They cannot be concerned with
how sustainable these actions are, as they are simply trying to provide food for their family or
obtain a home away from the elements. Therefore, to meet their short term needs, people may
commit unsustainable actions such as cutting down trees, even though this may not be good for the
environment in the long-run. The few wealthy members of the society consume resources
unsustainably, which makes it harder for those of less fortune to find resources. A prime example of

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this situation is the mosquito nets used for fishing in impoverished societies of Africa. These people
are struggling to find enough food to sustain themselves, so they use pesticide covered nets, which
are actually intended to prevent malaria, for fishing. This is causing a large reduction in the fish
population in those areas, and it is polluting waters in those areas. However, these people do not
realize the long-term effects of their actions; they are simply trying to meet their short term needs.

9. What is backcasting? Have you ever used this method to accomplish goals
before? Describe an experience where you have used backcasting. Was it
helpful?
Backcasting is starting with the end in mind, which is basically starting with an end goal in mind. I
have used this method many times to accomplish goals. I have used backcasting throughout my
high school career; as a freshman I determined that I wanted to become the valedictorian of my
graduating class. Since then, I have taken the steps to reach that goal, so I have taken many honors
classes, AP classes, obtained all As thus far, and joined programs such as NCSSM Online. Currently, I
am number one in my class so when I graduate in June, I will hopefully be the valedictorian. I have
found that backcasting is helpful. If you start with the end in mind, it gives you motivation along the
way to do what is necessary to accomplish your goal.

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