The
Funnel Metaphor
The current situation on
Earth can be viewed as a funnel with ever diminishing room to
maneuver. Life-support systems for our continued existence on the
planet––those providing clean air, clean water, and food – are in
decline. At the same time, the global population and global demand
for these resources are both increasing.
Many of our current
practices and activities are leading us to "hit the wall" of this
funnel. Using the funnel metaphor, the goal is to make choices over
time that avoidi the constraints of the ‘walls’ by moving toward
sustainable ways of living, and ultimately to restoration of the
natural system.
What are some signs
that the funnel walls are, in fact, narrowing?
-
The population
on our planet has more than doubled in recent years, and the human
population will grow from 6.1 billion to 9 billion by 2050 =
increased demand
-
Underground aquifers are
being depleted for 480 people = decreased
supply
-
15 of 24 global
ecosystems are in dramatic decline = decreased
supply
-
Global emissions of
carbon dioxide has quadrupled since the 1940s = decreased
supply
-
Nearly half of the
world’s old growth forests are gone = decreased
supply
-
Municipal waste grew by
30% in developed nations since 1975 = increased
demand
-
75 percent of the major
marine fish stocks are being fished at or beyond their biological
limit = decreased supply
Yet sustainability is not
only about the environment. The uneven pace and impacts of global
development contributes to many of the factors noted above.
Currently, within the entire global
population:
-
Almost 50% live on less
than $2 per day
-
41% lack access to basic
sanitation
-
17% are unable to
read
-
13% suffer from
malnutrition
-
2% have a college
education
In this context,
can we really afford not to work towards increased
sustainability?
Source: Population
Connection (www.populationconnection.org)