Making the Most of Wickedly Complex Situations

Keep your DUCs in order

From: Bill Watterson, 1991. Scientific Progress Goes “Boink”. Kansas City, MO: Andrews and McMeel Books.

Echoes from Penn’s Woods:

“For every action, there’s a reaction;For each cause, an effect;For every choice, a consequence;For each decision, an outcome.”

NO DECISION IS STILL A DECISION

Dynamic Unforeseen ConsequencesD.U.Cs.

TimberState ParkPine/Hemlock Oak/Maple/Hickory/Cherry

Coal MiningSteelWaterLand Use and Development

The Land Ethic & SustainabilityLand Ethic

A perspective that treats the land, flora, fauna, water, and other natural resources as part of humanity’s community. Each person has a personal obligation to take responsibility for the land and their actions in regards to utilizing, conserving, preserving, and protecting the land community.

Society

Economy

Environment

Economy

Environment

Society

The Land Ethic and SustainabilitySustainability

Intergenerational Equity - acting in a way so that the future generations are inheriting a healthy environment, society and economy.A land ethic is a step toward this goal.

BUT WHY...Why do we continue to act un-sustainably?

Put wastes into our watersBury our wastes in the ground“Trade” pollutionContinue to build new developments and commercial areas while places hollow out

Why do we not have a Land Ethic as a society?

A/B Cleavage - LeopoldDiffering perspectives on what is “correct”prevent actionOnly when we reach a crisis do we act

Make the problem biggerMake it more expensive to fixPotentially put more people at risk

Growth vs. DevelopmentGlobal climate change

The Land Ethic – The Total EconomyKey – Leopold p. 262“...quit thinking about decent land-use as solely an economic problem. Examine each question in terms of what is ethically and esthetically right, as well as what is economically expedient. A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”

The Land Ethic – The Total Economy“...quit thinking about growth and development as solely an economic problem. Examine each question in terms of what is ethically and esthetically right, as well as what is economically expedient. A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the community, its surrounding environment, and the local economy. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”This is Power’s Total Economy in a nutshell

Four Laws of Nature – Jim Weaver1. Everything is connected to everything else2. Everything has to go somewhere3. There is no such thing as a free lunch4. Mother nature always bats last

Yoda

Try not. Do...or do not.There is no try.