climate science
What are GHGs?
Natural and human created gases emitted that create a blanket over the earth that traps heat from the sun and generated by biological and human activities. The blanket does not allow the heat to escape or release again setting off warming feedback loops in earth's systems.
What is systems thinking?
Thinking in systems looks at the world through interconnectedness and stresses the idea that nothing exists in isolation. Everything is a system within a system in each direction (up, down, left, right).
4.5 billion years old.
What is economics?
Determining the best way to care for 'the house' (earth) and distributed its resources in a sustainable way.
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is using the wisdom that nature has gained over vast time to help humans design for and solve problems in ways that are compatible with natural laws and systems.
What are 3 GHGs, how are they emitted and what are their qualities?
Carbon dioxide (burning of fossil fuels, deforestation etc - 1000+ years) , methane (natural gas, factory farming etc - 10+ years) and nitrous oxide (industrial activities, wastewater treatment etc. - 100+ years).
Why is systems thinking important?
To avoid unintended consequences.
If the history of the earth were a 12 hour clock, when did humans appear on the clock?
2 seconds before midnight.
What is considered current mainstream economic purpose?
To grow and build the economy by increasing industry through extraction, processing, and distribution of 'things'. ie. = for people to buy the stuff that we're making
Name 3 of Natures' Unifying Patterns.
Nature:
• uses only the energy it needs and relies on freely available energy,
• recycles all materials,
• is resilient to disturbances,
• tends to optimize rather than maximize,
• provides mutual benefits,
• runs on information,
• uses chemistry and materials that are safe for living beings,
• builds using abundant resources, incorporating rare resources only sparingly,
• is locally attuned and responsive, and
• uses shape to determine functionality.
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed.
The Behavroiur Over Time Graph, The Iceberg Model, the Sustainability Compass, Donella Meadows' Leverage Points
What was the first living organism to appear on Earth?
Prokaryotes, 4.1 billion years ago.
What is the riddle of the lily pad pond and what does it exemplify?
The little pad pond shows that exponential growth, or the immense and high speed growth that accompanies doubling, can happen without us realising it. Leaving us past the point of return before we even realised there was a problem.
What is the difference between Mind, Consciousness and Thought (according to Sydney Banks)?
Mind - universal wisdom - this is what makes a flower, or you!, grow without human-created interventions - the wisdom that keeps the universe expanding and gaining in complexity with each new day whether we want it to or not.
Consciousness - the awareness of oneself and the the world around us - this is the part of being human that is seemingly unique to many other creatures; our ability to step back from ourselves and observe what we are thinking and doing and why
Thought - the chatter that runs through your head throughout the day - these are ideas and ways to achieve a certain goal or try to explain why someone behaved the way they did or figure out why you got a 70% on your test even though you really deserved an 80%. Basically, this stuff is mostly made up but sometimes it's true - the important thing here is you can choose what to believe and act on and what to dismiss and let go.
The 3 Principles put forth by Sydney Banks are reflected in many philosophical and faith traditions.
Why is renewable energy alone not a long-term solution to climate crisis?
Because low grade heat it always produced when burning energy, including renewable, so it needs to be accompanied with solutions to consume less energy and drawdown carbon and methane.
What are the 4 levels of the systems Iceberg?
Events, Patterns, Structure of the System, Mental Models
Name three of the major human revolutions and when did they occur?
cognitive (70K BCE), agriculture (10K BCE), scientific (1543 CE), industrial (1760 AD), digital (now
What is a doughnut economic model?
An economic model consisting of two concentric rings which take into account the minimum threshold for social wellbeing along with the boundaries of the Earth, its' resources and its systems. The safe operating safe in the doughnut model is in between these two parameters. It defies the impossible current model of endless economic growth.
How does box-breathing, or any other breath awareness exercise, work?
Box breathing, or any other breath awareness exercise regulates our parasympathetic nervous system and helps keep us in a rest and digest operating mode instead of a fight or flight mode. We often think our selves into our feeling so taking just one conscious breath can allow us a the pause/space for a parasympathetic system to kick in again and keep us from spiralling into anxiety.
Can the effects of climate change be reversed?
No but they can be mitigated and adapted to through changes in behaviour and advancements in technology.
What is the deepest leverage point for change? Why?
Because these invented "truths" often usually served a small few at eh expense of the very many and don't create better overall outcomes and futures for planet or people.
What is the Anthropocene?
The Anthropocene Epoch is an unofficial unit of geologic time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth's history where human activity has had a significant impact on the planet's climate and ecosystems.
What is the circular economy?
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. The circular model includes biological and technological loops.
Why are breathing exercises, visualisations and other contemplative practices important for climate crisis response?