Chapter 2: Solving Ecology and Compliance Problems

Todays call reminded me of this book.  So, I guess I will be the first to comment on chapter 2.

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-What are the nine planetary boundaries, and how do they relate to product sustainability?

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Novel Entities, Stratospheric Ozone Depletion, Atmospheric Aerosol Loading, Ocean Acidification, Biogeochemical Flows, Freshwater Change, Land-System Change, Biosphere Integrity, & Climate Change

This is the first time I have heard of the nine planetary boundaries.  It is an interesting way to look at how we are affecting our planet.  It is also a bit scary to see how far we are out of the safe operating space in most categories.  There are, however, three bright spots where we are within safe limits.  We have been working on ozone and aerosol for decades and it seems to be working.  Ocean acidification has been in the news lately and we are close to the safe limit.  Hopefully we can keep the acidification in the green zone.

Product sustainability can be measured against how each of these categories are affected by the manufacture, distribution, use, and decommissioning of the product.

I think the biggest challenge in sustainable practices is the cost.  Many sustainable practices are usually more expensive and/or have expensive upfront costs.  Our products have competition from many competitors and there is little call for sustainability from our customers.  This means that we need to keep our costs down limiting our ability to drive toward sustainability.

At home I feel we are more sustainable than many, driven by saving money and wanting to protect the environment for our descendants.  Our thermostat is set high in the summer (78-80°) and low in the winter (60-62°).  I just watered the garden with old pool water.  All of the light bulbs are LED and turned off when not needed. We try to buy long lasting products and repair when we can.

I feel that we could be more sustainable if we were to make investments and put a bit of work into it.  Rain barrels and a graywater system could save even more fresh water.  But there is a significant cost to implementing these when our cost is relatively low.  I would like to install solar panels and battery storage.  The purchase and installation cost is high and payback is long when our electricity use and cost is low.  But I am closer to being able to afford it.  Though a bit further away with the recent tariffs and decision end the tax credit.

Competitive developments between global partners and global values can be a challenge.