Is Our Global Society On-Track to a Healthy Future?
(Section Summary)

The Earth and all its resources are a closed system governed by irreversible energetic processes (Laws of Thermodynamics). As such it behaves as a single, self-regulating structure comprised of physical, chemical, and biological components, including humans (Robert, et al., 1997). Because of this closed system, over the last few decades people and institutions have come to better understand that Earth has limits to its ability to provide for the exponential growth in impact of its human population (Bartlett, 1999). Increasing population trends could have serious social, economic, and environmental consequences unless we find means to use fewer resources in more efficient ways. And yet, we are continually hearing from government that we must continue to grow our economies, regionally, nationally, and globally. Likewise, the markets are telling us to buy, buy, buy! Why should we sacrifice the good life, decrease our consumption, or worry, since things seem to be OK? But things are not OK! There is consistently a dependence of economic activity on human and natural resources. Society’s collective demand on resources is nearing the productive capacity level of the Earth. Much about our current situation is clearly unsustainable, with dire consequences for our way of life if not addressed. And the consequences for future generations are sobering.

As we know from biology and ecology, the underlying organization of life in Earth’s biosphere has endured for over 3 billion years because it is very good at always striving for stability among systems. Therefore, the reality of impacts on these complex systems from human activity is that circumstances will change toward some kind of equilibrium condition over time. The only question is whether changes will occur in pleasant ways of our own choice, or in unpleasant ways not of our choosing (Sagoff, 1997; Orr, 2002). We live in a time of significant global environmental change, the consequences of which remain poorly understood. Given current trends and uncertainty in future events, human’s secure presence on Earth is not necessarily guaranteed over the next millennium (Marshall and Toffel, 2005). .......... read more!

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