Axioms of Environmental Sustainability And Social Sustainability Heinbergs

Axioms of Environmental Sustainability And Social Sustainability

Heinberg’s Axioms � 1. Societies that use resources unsustainably will collapse. Unless they find more resources. But resources are limited and finite.

Heinberg’s Axioms � 1. Societies that use resources unsustainably will collapse. Unless they find more resources. But resources are limited and finite. � 2. Growth in both population and/or consumption is ultimately unsustainable

Heinberg’s Axioms � 1. Societies that use resources unsustainably will collapse. Unless they find more resources. But resources are limited and finite. � 2. Growth in both population and/or consumption is ultimately unsustainable � 3. Renewable resources must be used at a slower rate than they’re being renewed

Heinberg’s Axioms � 1. Societies that use resources unsustainably will collapse. Unless they find more resources. But resources are limited and finite. � 2. Growth in both population and/or consumption is ultimately unsustainable � 3. Renewable resources must be used at a slower rate than they’re being renewed � 4. Rate of use of unrenewable resources must decline more quickly than they’re being depleted

Heinberg’s Axioms � 1. Societies that use resources unsustainably will collapse. Unless they find more resources. But resources are limited and finite. � 2. Growth in both population and/or consumption is ultimately unsustainable � 3. Renewable resources must be used at a slower rate than they’re being renewed � 4. Use of unrenewable resources must decline more quickly than they’re being depleted � 5. Pollution is unsustainable when it harms the biosphere. Rate of activity that pollutes must decrease.

Questions at Issue “Q@I”

Good Q@Is: �Demand an answer & need to be asked �Matter to the community—people care �Allow for reasonable inquiry and possible change of mind �Produces genuine disagreement & divergent answers �Is focused and narrow

Kinds of Q@I (aka Stasis): �FACT—Is X the case? Is X true? �DEFINITION—What is X? �INTERPRETATION—Can X be considered Y? What is the significance of X? �CONSEQUENCE—Will/did X cause Y? �VALUE—Is X good? �POLICY—Should someone Z do X?