Active8-planet Wiki - User contributions [en]

Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems

2022-03-28T08:50:07Z

Soesja:

= Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems - an illusionary division =
Wikipedia defines an ecosystem as follows: An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact.

 In this definition the title of this piece is already explained. The ecosystem encompasses both human and ecological worlds. Splitting these is possible only in linguistics, in reality they are completely intertwined on Earth.

 Unfortunately, in human society this disconnection is often presented as fact, or worse - the ecological systems are ignored. The economic systems that drive most current societies exclude Earth’s resources. Economy students get taught the following economic system:
[[image:Busnesses.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Economy - source: https://conspecte.com/en/economics/economic-systems.html]]Thankfully, this picture is getting outdated. Many new classes are representing economy like this:
[[image:Linear_Economy.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Linear economy - source: https://ecochain.com/knowledge/circular-economy-guide/]]
Or, in very innovative classes, the system becomes even more inclusive, like this:
[[image:Doughnut_Economy.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Doughnut economy - source: https://sustainablereview.com/amsterdam-doughnut-model/]]
 These three models give an overview of what scientists might call the Human Ecosystem, albeit from an economic perspective.
Unfortunately, looking at the more inclusive models does not always translate to appropriate actions. The awareness of our planet’s finite resources and our dependency on and integration in Earth’s ecosystem is something that makes many humans uncomfortable. Staying in denial, avoiding the threat, but also making governmental decisions more in line with the linear economic systems is a habit that seems hard to shake.

 
== Ecosystems ==
In ecology, however, there is nothing to fear or deny. First of all; denial is not making anything any better. Moreover, ecology is not a threat at all. On the contrary, it is the source of all life and the structures in which it works are beautiful in its simple complexity.
Now, ‘simple complexity’ might sound like a contradiction. But look at the first lessons on ecosystems in elementary school where food chains are discussed. They are usually illustrated like this;
[[File:Food Chain.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food chain - source: https://nl.123rf.com/stock-foto/food_chain.html]]Pretty simple, right? Unfortunately, the reality of food chains, similar to the economic systems, is in most cases not so neatly linear. Studying food chains reveals they are not chains, but rather intricate webs that look more like this:
[[File:Foodweb.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food web - source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10452-019-09698-0]]But now it looks complex! All these lines criss-crossing through each other. All these different species interacting. Some of the babies of one species might be eaten by the prey of its adult version. Although, through its complexity there is a simplicity:
[[image:Food_Pyramid.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food Pyramid - source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/marine-food-pyramid-1/]]''''It is simply a pyramid! Alas, in this picture level 0 is missing, which represents the resources. And again, the pyramid suggests an illusory linearity. All these organisms will at the end of life be reduced to (non) organic material that becomes a resource for others. So, what makes it simple? It will happen all by itself. Even if it is not completely understood by scientists, ecologists or economists. Even if one of the many criss-crossing lines was missed in the observations, it will happen.
The ecosystem may not be self explanatory, but it is self governing.

 
== The Clash ==
Even so, what happens when these so-called ‘human’ and ‘ecological’ ecosystems meet? First of all, they already do by existing. As stated earlier, humans are part of Earth’s ecosystem. But at this point in time, human activity is tipping some scales and causing disruption in age-old systems. Is this detrimental to the Earth's ecosystem? Actually, no. Earth’s ecosystem is self-governing. It will adjust to these new settings and continue on.
[[File:Keep Calm.png|300px|center|middle|frame]]
Unfortunately, humans are not that flexible. As a species we are thriving in Earth’s current settings. Many changes will be detrimental to our ability to live on this planet. From an ecosystem perspective, we are a plague that has outgrown its place in the ecosystem and, due to resource depletion, will be knocked off its spot in the food web and suffer great loss of the population. It is sad that human activities, affecting not just Earth’s resources but the entire climate, also bring down a lot of other species.

 
== Ecosystem Integration ==
But there is hope! By embracing human interconnectedness with ecosystems, many fruitful collaborations become visible all around us. Affecting the ecosystem does not make humans unique. Many species, called ecosystem engineers, change their environment actively to make it suit their needs. Ants, bevers, elephants, but also coral and kelp are all examples of species that engineer an ecosystem to enable them to thrive. The key thing is that, since they have been doing this for a long time, many other spots (niches) have opened up for other species to join their created ecosystem. In many cases species actively create habitat for other species to invite their function into their ecosystem. Leaf cutter ants for example ‘farm’ a fungus in their nest. They feed them leaves and ‘milk’ them for sugar. Closer to home in Europe, ants are known to farm aphids. Guarding them from predators and milking them for honeydew.
[[File:Ant Milking Aphid.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Ant milking aphid - source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeydew_(secretion)]]These ecosystem engineers create flourishing ecosystems that benefit many species. They don’t do this from an altruistic perspective, but with a purely functional aim; to create room for their life. 
A good example of human ecosystem engineering is the story of the redevelopment of the Loess Plateau in China. This video shows you how this area, first degraded by human activity and erosion, was restored by ecological restoration. The process was not simple and the experience gained cannot simply be extrapolated to all other ecosystems. But it gives hope on how human ecosystem engineers can integrate and collaborate within earth's ecosystems.

Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems

2022-03-28T08:48:57Z

Soesja:

= Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems - an illusionary division =
Wikipedia defines an ecosystem as follows: An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact.

 In this definition the title of this piece is already explained. The ecosystem encompasses both human and ecological worlds. Splitting these is possible only in linguistics, in reality they are completely intertwined on Earth.

 Unfortunately, in human society this disconnection is often presented as fact, or worse - the ecological systems are ignored. The economic systems that drive most current societies exclude Earth’s resources. Economy students get taught the following economic system:
[[image:Busnesses.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Economy - source: https://conspecte.com/en/economics/economic-systems.html]]Thankfully, this picture is getting outdated. Many new classes are representing economy like this:
[[image:Linear_Economy.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Linear economy - source: https://ecochain.com/knowledge/circular-economy-guide/]]
Or, in very innovative classes, the system becomes even more inclusive, like this:
[[image:Doughnut_Economy.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Doughnut economy - source: https://sustainablereview.com/amsterdam-doughnut-model/]]
 These three models give an overview of what scientists might call the Human Ecosystem, albeit from an economic perspective.
Unfortunately, looking at the more inclusive models does not always translate to appropriate actions. The awareness of our planet’s finite resources and our dependency on and integration in Earth’s ecosystem is something that makes many humans uncomfortable. Staying in denial, avoiding the threat, but also making governmental decisions more in line with the linear economic systems is a habit that seems hard to shake.

 
== Ecosystems ==
In ecology, however, there is nothing to fear or deny. First of all; denial is not making anything any better. Moreover, ecology is not a threat at all. On the contrary, it is the source of all life and the structures in which it works are beautiful in its simple complexity.
Now, ‘simple complexity’ might sound like a contradiction. But look at the first lessons on ecosystems in elementary school where food chains are discussed. They are usually illustrated like this;
[[File:Food Chain.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food chain - source: https://nl.123rf.com/stock-foto/food_chain.html]]
 Pretty simple, right? Unfortunately, the reality of food chains, similar to the economic systems, is in most cases not so neatly linear. Studying food chains reveals they are not chains, but rather intricate webs that look more like this:
[[File:Foodweb.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food web - source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10452-019-09698-0]]But now it looks complex! All these lines criss-crossing through each other. All these different species interacting. Some of the babies of one species might be eaten by the prey of its adult version. Although, through its complexity there is a simplicity:
[[image:Food_Pyramid.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food Pyramid - source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/marine-food-pyramid-1/]]'' ''

 It is simply a pyramid! Alas, in this picture level 0 is missing, which represents the resources. And again, the pyramid suggests an illusory linearity. All these organisms will at the end of life be reduced to (non) organic material that becomes a resource for others. So, what makes it simple? It will happen all by itself. Even if it is not completely understood by scientists, ecologists or economists. Even if one of the many criss-crossing lines was missed in the observations, it will happen.
The ecosystem may not be self explanatory, but it is self governing.

 
== The Clash ==
Even so, what happens when these so-called ‘human’ and ‘ecological’ ecosystems meet? First of all, they already do by existing. As stated earlier, humans are part of Earth’s ecosystem. But at this point in time, human activity is tipping some scales and causing disruption in age-old systems. Is this detrimental to the Earth's ecosystem? Actually, no. Earth’s ecosystem is self-governing. It will adjust to these new settings and continue on.

 [[File:Keep Calm.png|300px|center|middle|frame]]
Unfortunately, humans are not that flexible. As a species we are thriving in Earth’s current settings. Many changes will be detrimental to our ability to live on this planet. From an ecosystem perspective, we are a plague that has outgrown its place in the ecosystem and, due to resource depletion, will be knocked off its spot in the food web and suffer great loss of the population. It is sad that human activities, affecting not just Earth’s resources but the entire climate, also bring down a lot of other species.

 
== Ecosystem Integration ==
But there is hope! By embracing human interconnectedness with ecosystems, many fruitful collaborations become visible all around us. Affecting the ecosystem does not make humans unique. Many species, called ecosystem engineers, change their environment actively to make it suit their needs. Ants, bevers, elephants, but also coral and kelp are all examples of species that engineer an ecosystem to enable them to thrive. The key thing is that, since they have been doing this for a long time, many other spots (niches) have opened up for other species to join their created ecosystem. In many cases species actively create habitat for other species to invite their function into their ecosystem. Leaf cutter ants for example ‘farm’ a fungus in their nest. They feed them leaves and ‘milk’ them for sugar. Closer to home in Europe, ants are known to farm aphids. Guarding them from predators and milking them for honeydew.
[[File:Ant Milking Aphid.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Ant milking aphid - source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeydew_(secretion)]]
 These ecosystem engineers create flourishing ecosystems that benefit many species. They don’t do this from an altruistic perspective, but with a purely functional aim; to create room for their life. 
A good example of human ecosystem engineering is the story of the redevelopment of the Loess Plateau in China. This video shows you how this area, first degraded by human activity and erosion, was restored by ecological restoration. The process was not simple and the experience gained cannot simply be extrapolated to all other ecosystems. But it gives hope on how human ecosystem engineers can integrate and collaborate within earth's ecosystems.

File:Food Pyramid.png

2022-03-28T08:48:35Z

Soesja: Soesja uploaded a new version of File:Food Pyramid.png

File:Linear Economy.png

2022-03-28T08:47:46Z

Soesja: Soesja uploaded a new version of File:Linear Economy.png

File:Doughnut Economy.png

2022-03-28T08:45:35Z

Soesja: Soesja uploaded a new version of File:Doughnut Economy.png

File:Doughnut Economy.png

2022-03-28T08:44:36Z

Soesja: Soesja uploaded a new version of File:Doughnut Economy.png

Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems

2022-03-28T08:42:48Z

Soesja:

= Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems - an illusionary division =
Wikipedia defines an ecosystem as follows: An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact.

 In this definition the title of this piece is already explained. The ecosystem encompasses both human and ecological worlds. Splitting these is possible only in linguistics, in reality they are completely intertwined on Earth.

 Unfortunately, in human society this disconnection is often presented as fact, or worse - the ecological systems are ignored. The economic systems that drive most current societies exclude Earth’s resources. Economy students get taught the following economic system:
[[image:Busnesses.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Economy - source: https://conspecte.com/en/economics/economic-systems.html]]Thankfully, this picture is getting outdated. Many new classes are representing economy like this:
''''
[[File:Linear Economy.png|150x50px|center|frame|Linear economy - source: https://ecochain.com/knowledge/circular-economy-guide/]] 
Or, in very innovative classes, the system becomes even more inclusive, like this:

 ''''
[[File:Doughnut Economy.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Doughnut economy - source: https://sustainablereview.com/amsterdam-doughnut-model/]]
 These three models give an overview of what scientists might call the Human Ecosystem, albeit from an economic perspective.
Unfortunately, looking at the more inclusive models does not always translate to appropriate actions. The awareness of our planet’s finite resources and our dependency on and integration in Earth’s ecosystem is something that makes many humans uncomfortable. Staying in denial, avoiding the threat, but also making governmental decisions more in line with the linear economic systems is a habit that seems hard to shake.

 
== Ecosystems ==
In ecology, however, there is nothing to fear or deny. First of all; denial is not making anything any better. Moreover, ecology is not a threat at all. On the contrary, it is the source of all life and the structures in which it works are beautiful in its simple complexity.
Now, ‘simple complexity’ might sound like a contradiction. But look at the first lessons on ecosystems in elementary school where food chains are discussed. They are usually illustrated like this;
[[File:Food Chain.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food chain - source: https://nl.123rf.com/stock-foto/food_chain.html]]
 Pretty simple, right? Unfortunately, the reality of food chains, similar to the economic systems, is in most cases not so neatly linear. Studying food chains reveals they are not chains, but rather intricate webs that look more like this:
[[File:Foodweb.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food web - source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10452-019-09698-0]]But now it looks complex! All these lines criss-crossing through each other. All these different species interacting. Some of the babies of one species might be eaten by the prey of its adult version. Although, through its complexity there is a simplicity:
 
[[File:Food Pyramid.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Food Pyramid - source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/marine-food-pyramid-1/]]'' ''

 It is simply a pyramid! Alas, in this picture level 0 is missing, which represents the resources. And again, the pyramid suggests an illusory linearity. All these organisms will at the end of life be reduced to (non) organic material that becomes a resource for others. So, what makes it simple? It will happen all by itself. Even if it is not completely understood by scientists, ecologists or economists. Even if one of the many criss-crossing lines was missed in the observations, it will happen.
The ecosystem may not be self explanatory, but it is self governing.

 
== The Clash ==
Even so, what happens when these so-called ‘human’ and ‘ecological’ ecosystems meet? First of all, they already do by existing. As stated earlier, humans are part of Earth’s ecosystem. But at this point in time, human activity is tipping some scales and causing disruption in age-old systems. Is this detrimental to the Earth's ecosystem? Actually, no. Earth’s ecosystem is self-governing. It will adjust to these new settings and continue on.
 [[File:Keep Calm.png|300px|center|middle|frame]]
Unfortunately, humans are not that flexible. As a species we are thriving in Earth’s current settings. Many changes will be detrimental to our ability to live on this planet. From an ecosystem perspective, we are a plague that has outgrown its place in the ecosystem and, due to resource depletion, will be knocked off its spot in the food web and suffer great loss of the population. It is sad that human activities, affecting not just Earth’s resources but the entire climate, also bring down a lot of other species.

 
== Ecosystem Integration ==
But there is hope! By embracing human interconnectedness with ecosystems, many fruitful collaborations become visible all around us. Affecting the ecosystem does not make humans unique. Many species, called ecosystem engineers, change their environment actively to make it suit their needs. Ants, bevers, elephants, but also coral and kelp are all examples of species that engineer an ecosystem to enable them to thrive. The key thing is that, since they have been doing this for a long time, many other spots (niches) have opened up for other species to join their created ecosystem. In many cases species actively create habitat for other species to invite their function into their ecosystem. Leaf cutter ants for example ‘farm’ a fungus in their nest. They feed them leaves and ‘milk’ them for sugar. Closer to home in Europe, ants are known to farm aphids. Guarding them from predators and milking them for honeydew.
[[File:Ant Milking Aphid.png|300px|center|middle|frame|Ant milking aphid - source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeydew_(secretion)]]
 These ecosystem engineers create flourishing ecosystems that benefit many species. They don’t do this from an altruistic perspective, but with a purely functional aim; to create room for their life. 
A good example of human ecosystem engineering is the story of the redevelopment of the Loess Plateau in China. This video shows you how this area, first degraded by human activity and erosion, was restored by ecological restoration. The process was not simple and the experience gained cannot simply be extrapolated to all other ecosystems. But it gives hope on how human ecosystem engineers can integrate and collaborate within earth's ecosystems.

File:Ant Milking Aphid.png

2022-03-28T08:42:06Z

Soesja:

File:Keep Calm.png

2022-03-28T08:41:31Z

Soesja:

File:Food Pyramid.png

2022-03-28T08:40:55Z

Soesja:

File:Foodweb.png

2022-03-28T08:39:47Z

Soesja:

File:Food Chain.png

2022-03-28T08:39:18Z

Soesja:

File:Doughnut Economy.png

2022-03-28T08:38:02Z

Soesja:

File:Linear Economy.png

2022-03-28T08:35:53Z

Soesja:

File:Busnesses.png

2022-03-28T08:33:47Z

Soesja:

Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems

2022-03-28T08:27:27Z

Soesja: Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems - an illusionary division

= Human ecosystems vs ecological ecosystems - an illusionary division =
Wikipedia defines an ecosystem as follows: An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact.

 In this definition the title of this piece is already explained. The ecosystem encompasses both human and ecological worlds. Splitting these is possible only in linguistics, in reality they are completely intertwined on Earth.

 Unfortunately, in human society this disconnection is often presented as fact, or worse - the ecological systems are ignored. The economic systems that drive most current societies exclude Earth’s resources. Economy students get taught the following economic system:''Economy - source: https://conspecte.com/en/economics/economic-systems.html''

 Thankfully, this picture is getting outdated. Many new classes are representing economy like this:''Linear economy - source: https://ecochain.com/knowledge/circular-economy-guide/''

Or, in very innovative classes, the system becomes even more inclusive, like this:

 ''Doughnut economy - source: https://sustainablereview.com/amsterdam-doughnut-model/''

 These three models give an overview of what scientists might call the Human Ecosystem, albeit from an economic perspective.Unfortunately, looking at the more inclusive models does not always translate to appropriate actions. The awareness of our planet’s finite resources and our dependency on and integration in Earth’s ecosystem is something that makes many humans uncomfortable. Staying in denial, avoiding the threat, but also making governmental decisions more in line with the linear economic systems is a habit that seems hard to shake.

 
== Ecosystems ==
In ecology, however, there is nothing to fear or deny. First of all; denial is not making anything any better. Moreover, ecology is not a threat at all. On the contrary, it is the source of all life and the structures in which it works are beautiful in its simple complexity.Now, ‘simple complexity’ might sound like a contradiction. But look at the first lessons on ecosystems in elementary school where food chains are discussed. They are usually illustrated like this; ''Food chain - source: https://nl.123rf.com/stock-foto/food_chain.html''

 Pretty simple, right? Unfortunately, the reality of food chains, similar to the economic systems, is in most cases not so neatly linear. Studying food chains reveals they are not chains, but rather intricate webs that look more like this: ''Food web - source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10452-019-09698-0''

 But now it looks complex! All these lines criss-crossing through each other. All these different species interacting. Some of the babies of one species might be eaten by the prey of its adult version. Although, through its complexity there is a simplicity: ''Food Pyramid - source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/marine-food-pyramid-1/ ''

 It is simply a pyramid! Alas, in this picture level 0 is missing, which represents the resources. And again, the pyramid suggests an illusory linearity. All these organisms will at the end of life be reduced to (non) organic material that becomes a resource for others. So, what makes it simple? It will happen all by itself. Even if it is not completely understood by scientists, ecologists or economists. Even if one of the many criss-crossing lines was missed in the observations, it will happen.The ecosystem may not be self explanatory, but it is self governing.

 
== The Clash ==
Even so, what happens when these so-called ‘human’ and ‘ecological’ ecosystems meet? First of all, they already do by existing. As stated earlier, humans are part of Earth’s ecosystem. But at this point in time, human activity is tipping some scales and causing disruption in age-old systems. Is this detrimental to the Earth's ecosystem? Actually, no. Earth’s ecosystem is self-governing. It will adjust to these new settings and continue on.

''''

''[insert pic Keep Calm and Carry On]''

Unfortunately, humans are not that flexible. As a species we are thriving in Earth’s current settings. Many changes will be detrimental to our ability to live on this planet. From an ecosystem perspective, we are a plague that has outgrown its place in the ecosystem and, due to resource depletion, will be knocked off its spot in the food web and suffer great loss of the population. It is sad that human activities, affecting not just Earth’s resources but the entire climate, also bring down a lot of other species.

 
== Ecosystem Integration ==
But there is hope! By embracing human interconnectedness with ecosystems, many fruitful collaborations become visible all around us. Affecting the ecosystem does not make humans unique. Many species, called ecosystem engineers, change their environment actively to make it suit their needs. Ants, bevers, elephants, but also coral and kelp are all examples of species that engineer an ecosystem to enable them to thrive. The key thing is that, since they have been doing this for a long time, many other spots (niches) have opened up for other species to join their created ecosystem. In many cases species actively create habitat for other species to invite their function into their ecosystem. Leaf cutter ants for example ‘farm’ a fungus in their nest. They feed them leaves and ‘milk’ them for sugar. Closer to home in Europe, ants are known to farm aphids. Guarding them from predators and milking them for honeydew.''Ant milking aphid - source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeydew_(secretion)''

 These ecosystem engineers create flourishing ecosystems that benefit many species. They don’t do this from an altruistic perspective, but with a purely functional aim; to create room for their life. A good example of human ecosystem engineering is the story of the redevelopment of the Loess Plateau in China. This video shows you how this area, first degraded by human activity and erosion, was restored by ecological restoration. The process was not simple and the experience gained cannot simply be extrapolated to all other ecosystems. But it gives hope on how human ecosystem engineers can integrate and collaborate within earth's ecosystems.

Renewable Energy Transition

2022-03-15T15:12:06Z

Soesja: /* Renewable Energy Transition */

= Renewable Energy Transition =
 To get an overview of all the different energy types in an easy to read, funny way, read;

 [https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/03/energy-dummies.html Energy For Dummies Blog] 

 The blog has described the different types of energy, and which ones are considered renewable. The rest of this article will focus on the transition. The article you just read is from 2014. It is very telling how relevant this information still is. The transition since then has not been big. The main reason for this, simply put, is money. As explained in the blog, generating renewable energy is significantly more expensive than generating fossil fuels. Not just because the engineering is more expensive, but also because the fossil fuel extraction and use already exists. Any transition, even to a cheaper option, costs money. And many companies are invested in keeping their old investments secure by prolonging the extraction and use of fossil fuels.

 Some key steps in the transition can be as follows;
*Divesting (hitting fossil fuels where it hurts)
*Grand Scale Renewable Operations (scaling up makes it cheaper)
*Carbon Tax (by making fossil fuel more expensive, the tipping point to renewable is reached sooner)
*Resource Depletion (fossil fuels are naturally running out and getting harder to reach, where as renewable energy is ever present)
*Global Energy System (energy measures can be restricted by borders)
*Energy Storage (renewable energy sources fluctuate in delivery, unfortunately this is not synchronised with the demand)

 This topic is not easy to summarise, and depending on your interest can diverge greatly. These key steps are a good starting point for further investigation.

 How these steps will develop or take place in the future is very hard to predict. The differences per country are significant, and the changes in opportunities and needs are unpredictable. However, it is clear that the transition needs to happen as soon as possible for society to continue to function. Fossil fuels are running out and the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is speeding up climate change with disastrous consequences. This makes transition to renewable energy a very important topic. 

 Unfortunately, as with many important topics nowadays, many different narratives are circling the news. Are electric cars actually more environmentally friendly? Is nuclear energy a good alternative? From an academic perspective these questions are often lacking. More environmentally friendly than what other mode of transportation? A good alternative to what other energy source? And in what country are you using the electricity? These uncertainties create doubt in the public and allow for wriggle room for politicians and companies. Together this slows down the transition. It is important to clarify these doubts, remove the wriggle room and take all the key steps into this transition as soon as possible.

 More to read on this topic;
[https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/06/how-tesla-will-change-your-life.html An in depth study into the role of the Tesla car in the energy transition]
[//www.dinc.nu/autos A Dutch blog on the sustainability of Electric Cars]
[//www.dinc.nu/groenestroom A Dutch blog on Sustainable Electricity]

Renewable Energy Transition

2022-03-15T15:08:52Z

Soesja: Created page with "= Renewable Energy Transition = To get an overview of all the different energy types in an easy to read, funny way, read; [https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/03/en..."

= Renewable Energy Transition =
 To get an overview of all the different energy types in an easy to read, funny way, read;

 [https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/03/energy-dummies.html Energy For Dummies Blog] 

 The blog has described the different types of energy, and which ones are considered renewable. The rest of this article will focus on the transition. The article you just read is from 2014. It is very telling how relevant this information still is. The transition since then has not been big. The main reason for this, simply put, is money. As explained in the blog, generating renewable energy is significantly more expensive than generating fossil fuels. Not just because the engineering is more expensive, but also because the fossil fuel extraction and use already exists. Any transition, even to a cheaper option, costs money. And many companies are invested in keeping their old investments secure by prolonging the extraction and use of fossil fuels.

 Some key steps in the transition can be as follows;
*Divesting (hitting fossil fuels where it hurts)
*Grand Scale Renewable Operations (scaling up makes it cheaper)
*Carbon Tax (by making fossil fuel more expensive, the tipping point to renewable is reached sooner)
*Resource Depletion (fossil fuels are naturally running out and getting harder to reach, where as renewable energy is ever present)
*Global Energy System (energy measures can be restricted by borders)
*Energy Storage (renewable energy sources fluctuate in delivery, unfortunately this is not synchronized with the demand)
 This topic is not easy to summarise, and depending on your interest can diverge greatly. These key steps are a good starting point for further investigation.

 How these steps will develop or take place in the future is very hard to predict. The differences per country are significant, and the changes in opportunities and needs are unpredictable. However, it is clear that the transition needs to happen as soon as possible for society to continue to function. Fossil fuels are running out and the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is speeding up climate change with disastrous consequences. This makes transition to renewable energy a very important topic. 

 Unfortunately, as with many important topics nowadays, many different narratives are circling the news. Are electric cars actually more environmentally friendly? Is nuclear energy a good alternative? From an academic perspective these questions are often lacking. More environmentally friendly than what other mode of transportation? A good alternative to what other energy source? And in what country are you using the electricity? These uncertainties create doubt in the public and allow for wriggle room for politicians and companies. Together this slows down the transition. It is important to clarify these doubts, remove the wriggle room and take all the key steps into this transition as soon as possible.

 More to read on this topic;[https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/06/how-tesla-will-change-your-life.html An in depth study into the role of the Tesla car in the energy transition][//www.dinc.nu/autos A Dutch blog on the sustainability of Electric Cars][//www.dinc.nu/groenestroom A Dutch blog on the Green Electricity]

Biodiversity

2021-09-27T13:59:58Z

Soesja:

= Biodiversity =
This term from the field of ecology has become very popular for biological sustainability, and with good reason. Biodiversity implies the presence of many different species in a given area. The benefit of a biodiverse site is that it is more resilient to external change. Some might even refer to it as ‘healthy’ or ‘successful’, however these are mainly anthropomorphic interpretations of ecology. An ecosystem is not something that can be successful: it simply is. Success implies a purpose, however ‘purpose’ does not really exist in ecosystems. It is important to keep this in mind to understand the use and misuse of the concept of biodiversity.

 
== Our skewed perspective on life ==
 
[[File:Eco Planet-centred Mindset.png|300px|center|thumb|Eco Planet-centered Mindset]]This image, taken from the Active8-Planet newsletter, shows a typical representation of biodiversity. We see a variety of animals, mostly mammals, some plants and one arthropod. Pretty diverse right? Sure, from a human perspective this is the diversity we encounter consciously in our daily life. But it is not even close to representing the actual diversity of life on earth.
[[File:Biomass Distribution Animal Kingdom.png|300px|center|thumb|Biomass Distribution Animal Kingdom]]In this image you can see a visual interpretation of the actual worldwide biodiversity in the animal kingdom. It shows that mammals and birds are only a very small part of the world’s ecosystem. Arthropods and fish have a much bigger presence! And this image is not representing numbers of individuals. You probably know that we are easily outnumbered by the number of ants living under our house. But this picture shows biomass! The sheer volume of arthropods on our planet outshines our presence almost 20 times. Also note that this is only the animals. If we take all living organisms into account, such as fungi, plants and bacteria, we get this picture.

 [[File:Biomass Distribution by taxa.jpg|300px|center|thumb|Graphic representation of the global biomass distribution by taxa. Source: ‘The biomass distribution on Earth’ by Bar-On, Yinon M. et al. (2018)]]In the graphic above you can see that the animals we see as symbols of biodiversity make up only a fraction of life on earth. The majority are by far plants, and next up we have bacteria and fungi. Even this group called archaea have a bigger, more voluminous presence on our planet than all animals combined. Interestingly, this distribution is not something that has changed much over time. Sadly, not many people are considering plants, bacteria or fungi when measuring biodiversity, even though their vast presence on our planet has an immense impact on our climate. 

 
== Less is more, smaller is bigger ==
Some ecosystems have been existing steadily for hundreds of thousands of years with a very low biodiversity of, say, 2 to 3 multicellular species. Examples of these sustainable low biodiversity ecosystems can be found in deserts or in extremely acidic lakes. Striving for more biodiversity in such sites could actually make these ecosystems less sustainable.
Indeed, biodiversity could indicate a higher resilience against external or internal stressors, however this is not always the case. Neither is the lack of change necessarily beneficial or more sustainable than certain fluctuations. The changing tide, for example, creates an environment of high biodiversity. If the tides would stop, the sudden stability of the seawater would disrupt many life-cycles and cause massive extinction in marine life.
Note also the addition of the word ‘multicellular’ to the species count. Unfortunately in our strive for biodiversity we tend to focus on species we can see, or in worse cases, species we find useful. This forgoes the essential ecosystem functions of microbes. Though many of them are hard to eradicate, forgetting about these microbes in our biodiversity ambition could create areas where they cannot thrive and therefore cause the collapse of the entire ecosystem. Also, since biodiversity tends to work with counting species, microbes can really throw off the count! They tend to be present in very high numbers, and possibly coexisting with thousands of different species, but still be invisible to the naked eye. In some cases their presence is negligible and in others they are essential. Once again proving that biodiversity is not a synonym for a sustainable ecosystem.

== Let us embrace our flaws ==
So no, biodiversity is not in and of itself a useful goal to tally our biological sustainability. Does this mean we should ignore biodiversity? No. In many cases aiming for biodiversity has created more sustainable ecosystems. It is however not a one-size-fits-all solution. Ecosystems do not adhere to our human centric view of ‘healthy’ or ‘successful’. Each ecosystem is unique, has its own needs and many to us invisible and wholly important species working together, or destroying one another in harmony. Sustainability in ecosystems can be reached by giving it space and trusting nature to do what it does best. Most of these systems are simply beyond our understanding, but luckily they do not need us to understand in order to exist.
[[File:James-wheeler-9zXMb-E8pI0-unsplash.jpg|300px|center|thumb|Photo by James Wheeler on Unsplash]]
== Some interesting links for further reading ==
[https://restor.eco/ A world encompassing living map of biodiversity]

[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/12/what-is-biodiversity-and-why-does-it-matter-to-us An explanation of Biodiversity and its importance to newspaper The Guardian]

[https://theecologist.org/2015/nov/16/health-and-biodiversity-restored-how-farming-can-rediscover-its-long-lost-roots Health and biodiversity restored? How farming can rediscover its long-lost roots - by Dave Goulson] 

[https://www.vpro.nl/programmas/tegenlicht/kijk/afleveringen/2021-2022/boeren-burgers-en-beren.html (In Dutch) Episode of Tegenlicht on nature conservation]

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDZ8UHEERMM&ab_channel=WWFUK Video of David Attenborough on Biodiversity]

Biodiversity

2021-09-21T14:24:56Z

Soesja: Created page with "= Biodiversity = This term from the field of ecology has become very popular for biological sustainability, and with good reason. Biodiversity implies the presence of many..."

= Biodiversity =
This term from the field of ecology has become very popular for biological sustainability, and with good reason. Biodiversity implies the presence of many different species in a given area. The benefit of a biodiverse site is that it is more resilient to external change. Some might even refer to it as ‘healthy’ or ‘successful’, however these are mainly anthropomorphic interpretations of ecology. An ecosystem is not something that can be successful: it simply is. Success implies a purpose, however ‘purpose’ does not really exist in ecosystems. It is important to keep this in mind to understand the use and misuse of the concept of biodiversity.

 
== Our skewed perspective on life ==
[IMAGE ECO]This image, taken from the Active8-Planet newsletter, shows a typical representation of biodiversity. We see a variety of animals, mostly mammals, some plants and one arthropod. Pretty diverse right? Sure, from a human perspective this is the diversity we encounter consciously in our daily life. But it is not even close to representing the actual diversity of life on earth. 

[IMAGE BIOMASS ANIMAL]In this image you can see a visual interpretation of the actual worldwide biodiversity in the animal kingdom. It shows that mammals and birds are only a very small part of the world’s ecosystem. Arthropods and fish have a much bigger presence! And this image is not representing numbers of individuals. You probably know that we are easily outnumbered by the number of ants living under our house. But this picture shows biomass! The sheer volume of arthropods on our planet outshines our presence almost 20 times. Also note that this is only the animals. If we take all living organisms into account, such as fungi, plants and bacteria, we get this picture.

[IMAGE BIOMASS TAXA]''Graphic representation of the global biomass distribution by taxa. Source: ‘The biomass distribution on Earth’ by Bar-On, Yinon M. et al. (2018)''

 In the graphic above you can see that the animals we see as symbols of biodiversity make up only a fraction of life on earth. The majority are by far plants, and next up we have bacteria and fungi. Even this group called archaea have a bigger, more voluminous presence on our planet than all animals combined. Interestingly, this distribution is not something that has changed much over time. Sadly, not many people are considering plants, bacteria or fungi when measuring biodiversity, even though their vast presence on our planet has an immense impact on our climate. 

 
== Less is more, smaller is bigger ==
Some ecosystems have been existing steadily for hundreds of thousands of years with a very low biodiversity of, say, 2 to 3 multicellular species. Examples of these sustainable low biodiversity ecosystems can be found in deserts or in extremely acidic lakes. Striving for more biodiversity in such sites could actually make these ecosystems less sustainable.Indeed, biodiversity could indicate a higher resilience against external or internal stressors, however this is not always the case. Neither is the lack of change necessarily beneficial or more sustainable than certain fluctuations. The changing tide, for example, creates an environment of high biodiversity. If the tides would stop, the sudden stability of the seawater would disrupt many life-cycles and cause massive extinction in marine life.Note also the addition of the word ‘multicellular’ to the species count. Unfortunately in our strive for biodiversity we tend to focus on species we can see, or in worse cases, species we find useful. This forgoes the essential ecosystem functions of microbes. Though many of them are hard to eradicate, forgetting about these microbes in our biodiversity ambition could create areas where they cannot thrive and therefore cause the collapse of the entire ecosystem. Also, since biodiversity tends to work with counting species, microbes can really throw off the count! They tend to be present in very high numbers, and possibly coexisting with thousands of different species, but still be invisible to the naked eye. In some cases their presence is negligible and in others they are essential. Once again proving that biodiversity is not a synonym for a sustainable ecosystem.
== Let us embrace our flaws ==
So no, biodiversity is not in and of itself a useful goal to tally our biological sustainability. Does this mean we should ignore biodiversity? No. In many cases aiming for biodiversity has created more sustainable ecosystems. It is however not a one-size-fits-all solution. Ecosystems do not adhere to our human centric view of ‘healthy’ or ‘successful’. Each ecosystem is unique, has its own needs and many to us invisible and wholly important species working together, or destroying one another in harmony. Sustainability in ecosystems can be reached by giving it space and trusting nature to do what it does best. Most of these systems are simply beyond our understanding, but luckily they do not need us to understand in order to exist.

 [IMAGE BIG TREE IN RUIN]

''Photo by James Wheeler on Unsplash''