My City My Responsibility - Our attitude matters!!!

Dear All,

While learning Sustainability and working with different people on executing Sustainability, I came across something that is very basic to humans, its our own behaviour, attitude or way of looking at resources. People's behaviour and their approach towards resources is one of the reasons that led to consumerism and hence unsustainable production.

I realized this, while conducting an activity for undergraduate students on using resources sustainably. The students were divided into two groups of three each. Each group was given a set of 12 coins and each one from the group was instructed to pick up as many coins as they wish from the set. The rule was to pick at least one coin from the set in order to survive in the game. They were not supposed to communicate with each other while playing the game. Once all the students were done with picking the coins, whatever coins remained in their set, exactly same number of coins were provided to the group for playing the next round. We played four such rounds. 

Note that, here the coins represent a renewable resource available to us. At the end of the game, the group that had at least 6 coins remaining in their set was using their resources sustainably.

One of the two groups ended up exhausting all the coins by the third round, so that effectively none of them survived in the fourth round. The other group managed to have a few coins left over at the end of round 4.

We asked the students what did they feel while playing the game. Their answers reflected on the various human behaviours we see in society. While the rule was to have only one coin for survival, only one student had figured out that having leftover coins at the end of each round was necessary for survival, and that the best strategy was to pick up only one or two coins in each turn. One of the students in a group having left with no coins at the end of the game simply mentioned that she was thinking only for herself and didn't want her colleagues to have any coins at all. 

It is noteworthy that in the instructions we had never mentioned what would be the 'win' state. Most of the students worked towards amassing as many coins in their own hands as possible. Some tried to figure out a strategy that would maximise own benefit while leaving a balance on the table in order to get additional coins for the next round, but other members of the group did not quite catch on to the strategy, as no communication was allowed among the group members.

I feel that in every situation having an attitude of considering our fellow beings is crucial, because if all the coins in a set would be over the entire group would be out of the game. Having a greedy attitude will lead us nowhere, inspite of having resources that are renewable. And now that we are going towards the use of renewable sources of energy, its important to use them wisely as well.  

Pournima Agarkar.

My City My Responsibility - Cradle to Cradle

Dear All,

Do you know that the rate at which we are using our resources to produce new stuff everyday, we will require three Earth like planets to fulfill our needs by 2050. Is it possible to get more planets? Are there any other Earth like planets from where we can get more resources?

The answer is NO, we have only ONE EARTH and we have to fulfill all our needs within the boundaries of this planet only. Its just like having a savings account in a bank from which you can withdraw only what you have deposited not more. Unlike a credit card where you can use more but then you are in a debt and for which you have to pay extra interest as well. If you cannot pay back the debt with interest, you are going to go bankrupt! Currently we are in a debt to our planet in terms of resources, in order to compensate we have to take some conscious measures.

Measures like conscious consumption and efficient consumption by using the 4R's i.e. refusing, reducing, reusing, and recycling can save our resources to an extent. But we will be more effective if we take certain measures while we are producing the stuff.

We saw the concept of lifecycle which  is the entire journey of any product right from the time its born till its death, also known as Cradle to Grave. However, there is nothing like death in nature, everything that dies is used up by other organisms as their food and is thus part of a natural cycle. For example we all learnt about the food chain in our schools. After the predator its the decomposers or bacteria who mix with the soil and help in the growth of the plants or producers. 

Can we produce or manufacture, using this Nature's concept also known as Cradle to Cradle by making industrial processes more innovative and efficient, where the waste of one product becomes source for another product. 

As consumers can we demand such production pattern? If yes, please comment with an example if you know of one!

Pournima Agarkar.

My City My Responsibility - Benefits of responsible consumption

Dear All,

Since we have been consuming a lot, if we are now considering our resources while consuming its great news!!! We now know that consuming stuff in a responsible manner is helping us conserve our resources and ultimately our planet. Do you realise that there are bigger benefits of consuming in a responsible manner? 

Linkages of Responsible Consumption

- Reduction in overall wastes generation

When we start using the principles of R's i.e refuse to buy new stuff (unless required) reduce, reuse and recycle our stuff. We start contributing towards generating lesser waste as an individual that leads to overall reduction of wastes ultimately. For example, its about avoiding unnecessary wastage of food according to the United Nations Development Programme, 40% of the food produced is India is wasted.

- Reduction in overall Pollution

Wastage is also an indicator for pollution,the moment we reduce wastage, pollution reduces. Pollution of air, water and soil is directly related to the amount of waste that is generated and treated. Today we are generating more wastes than nature can treat and hence we are facing huge levels of pollution. 

Using alternatives that are environment friendly can help us reduce pollution.

- Better Health and Wealth

Reduction in pollution will definitely result in better health quality due to the reduced illness and diseases. This will at least ensure saving our money that is spent in paying the hospital bills. For example, demanding a better managed and affordable public transport for daily commute can keep you both healthy (less vehicles on roads means less air pollution) and wealthy (not having to invest in own vehicle).   

- Better Earth

Earth is a biosphere that is home to other living creatures as well, which are vanishing rapidly due to the increased pollution and resource stress created by us. Responsible consumption and equitable use of resources ensures their survival as well making the Earth a better place for all to coexist happily.

Responsible consumption is just one side of the coin, the other side is responsible production and we shall talk about it in the next blog. 

Pournima Agarkar.