Creating sustainable futures/CSF102/Understanding the challenge/Sustainable vs restorative

Sustainability Funnel

In this image (click to enlarge) you can see an ecological trajectory towards regeneration. The funnel is narrowing when our systems are becoming broken in our CONVENTIONAL industrial model in red. Reductionist by design, as the arrows heading for the wall indicate, we are destined to crash if we continue this path.

By GREENING what we do we begin to move away for the wall, be less bad and buy time but remain towards a crash.

Being SUSTAINABLE means we are being cyclic and passing through the neck of the funnel. Even this will not restore the broken ecological and social systems we have impacted because it means no harm.

Being RESTORATIVE means adding benefit to the cyclic systems as shown in the arrows spinning off so the harm done is restored. This can be temporary and requires effort to maintain.

When we are being REGENERATIVE, it means multiple systems are being enhanced. The process of becoming regenerative requires an understanding of the nested systems, shown by multiple circles and that these are interdependent. So sustainability is the pivot point between degeneration and regeneration. For more detail, see Bill Reed's lecture in CSF101 or visit regenesisgroup.com

WEnote activity

1. Read the Regenesis Manifesto
2. Think about what steps have you taken to move your life from a conventional to sustainable to regenerative lifestyle?
3. Consider what you buy, what you eat, how you share.
4. Let us know what you think by posting a comment in WEnotes:
   • I have changed what I buy, eat and share by...
   • The biggest step I have taken to be more sustainable is...
   • For me having a regenerative lifestyle means...

Learning journal activity

For those seeking formal credit at Level 7 (3rd year Bachelors)

1. Analyse the likely trajectory for a chosen system when conventional, sustainable and regenerative. (This might be an individual, group or organisation, or whole sector)