Givens of Earth?

[Jeff Aitken]

This brings to mind something else on "givens": Harrison suggests "the law of gravity." Jennifer writes about city planning and OST.

I suggest there are "givens" of planet Earth. Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert and his colleagues with The Natural Step developed four elegant "system conditions" which can be thought of as "givens" for human endeavors of all kinds. From the website:

In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing:
1.      concentrations of substances extracted from the earth's crust;
2.      concentrations of substances produced by society;
3.      degradation by physical means.

and, in that society. . .
4.      human needs are met worldwide.

These "system conditions" are being used to focus attention on transition strategies in large corporations, governments, and communities. Ray Anderson's Interface carpet corporation is a highly visible example. It's a remarkable achievement. Of course, we in global civil society still must keep 'em honest.

Jeff Aitken
Petaluma California

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