There exist an increasing awareness within the scientific community for the need
to deal with the complex dimension of social systems. This paper examines three
approaches to incorporate complexity theory into the practice of social sciences. The first
approach consists of supplementing the modernist program with chaos theory. The
second one proposes a metaphoric application of complexity theory to describe social
systems. The third approach is based on Post-Normal Science. Both the first and the
second try to fit complexity theory into the paradigms used up to now in social sciences.
Although this exercise can provide some interesting methods for understanding of social
systems, it is argued that a fundamental change in the way Western society conceives
science is necessary. Complexity analysis (or synthesis) should not only consist of adding
more or different syntactical rules to the mathematical formal systems used to model the
causal relations perceived in the outside world. Rather, it should imply a generalization of
the scientific formalisms in order to include semantic relations, subjectivity, and context
dependency. Even more, this generalization should go as far as to include into the
umbrella of science a plurality of systems of knowledge in order to better understand the
multidimensionality of social systems. The legitimation of a broader spectrum of formal
systems of representation and communication of reality, will affect profoundly the
collective and individual way in which Western societies perceive the world, and the very
evolution of human beings as species.
Double coupling: modeling subjectivity and asymmetric organization in social-ecological systems.
Social-ecological organization is a multidimensional phenomenon that combines material and symbolic processes. However, the coupling between social and ecological subsystem is often conceptualized as purely material, thus reducing the symbolic dimension to its behavioral and actionable expressions. In this paper I conceptualize social-ecological systems as doubly coupled. On the one hand, material expressions of socio-cultural processes affect and are affected by ecological dynamics. On the other hand, coupled social-ecological material dynamics are concurrently coupled with subjective dynamics via coding, decoding, personal experience, and human agency. This second coupling operates across two organizationally heterogeneous dimensions: material and symbolic. Although resilience thinking builds on the recognition of organizational asymmetry between living and nonliving systems, it has overlooked the equivalent asymmetry between ecological and socio-cultural subsystems. Three guiding concepts are proposed to formalize double coupling. The first one, social-ecological asymmetry, expands on past seminal work on ecological self-organization to incorporate reflexivity and subjectivity in social-ecological modeling. Organizational asymmetry is based in the distinction between social rules, which are symbolically produced and changed through human agents’ reflexivity and purpose, and biophysical rules, which are determined by functional relations between ecological components. The second guiding concept, conscious power, brings to the fore human agents’ distinctive capacity to produce our own subjective identity and the consequences of this capacity for social-ecological organization. The third concept, congruence between subjective and objective dynamics, redefines sustainability as contingent on congruent relations between material and symbolic processes. Social-ecological theories and analyses based on these three guiding concepts would support the integration of curren
Heads of Climate Base Camps
The Heads of Climate Base Camp is a recurring immersive leadership program organized by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and led by Thomas Bruhn from the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS). Launched in 2023, the initiative brings together Heads of Climate from multinational companies for a multi-day, in-person experience designed to strengthen climate leadership, foster peer exchange and deepen collaborative capacity.
Hosted annually in Potsdam, Germany, at RIFS (2023, 2024 and 2025), the Base Camp combines strategic dialogue with experiential learning formats that encourage reflection, trust-building and systems thinking. The program creates a confidential space for senior climate leaders to share best practices, discuss common challenges and co-develop solutions that accelerate corporate climate action.
In January 2026, the concept expanded with the first APAC Heads of Climate Base Camp in Hong Kong.
On the Difficulties People Have in Dealing With Complexity
In On the Difficulties People Have in Dealing with Complexity (1980), Dietrich Dörner shows through computer-simulated experiments (e.g., the “Lohhausen” city model) that individuals systematically struggle with complex systems. Typical patterns include linear instead of systemic thinking, failure to understand exponential dynamics, reduced self-reflection under stress, oversimplified “reductive” explanations, and increased risk-taking. The study highlights how cognitive overload and loss of control can lead to poor decision-making and even socially destructive outcomes.
On the Logic of Failure: Thinking, Planning and Decision Making in Uncertainity and Complexity.
Unlike other living creatures, humans can adapt to uncertainty. They can form hypotheses about situations marked by uncertainty and can anticipate their actions by planning. They can expect the unexpected and take precautions against it. In numerous experiments, we have investigated the manner in which humans deal with these demands. In these experiments, we used computer simulated scenarios representing, for example, a small town, ecological or economic systems or political systems such as a Third World country. Within these computer-simulated scenarios, the subjects had to look for information, plan actions, form hypotheses, etc.
The Patterns of Aliveness Theory.
This chapter argues that approaches to navigating complex world making and transformative change for sustainability are more effective when they are anchored in a profound understanding of life processes. The chapter takes the concept of systems aliveness as a quality element of a pattern approach one step further. It advances 13 propositions regarding essential features of life enhancement in systems that can also inform a better understanding of enlivening human co-creation. The propositions lay the basis for the Patterns of Aliveness Theory, which shows how six essential organizing principles allow life to emerge, thrive, and re-create itself in natural as well as social systems. The chapter suggests that these principles must be taken into account in the practice of leading collectively and shows how they become the foundation of a conceptual architecture for stewarding sustainability transformations.
The systems view of life: A unifying vision.
Over the past thirty years, a new systemic conception of life has emerged at the forefront of science. New emphasis has been given to complexity, networks, and patterns of organisation, leading to a novel kind of ‘systemic’ thinking. This volume integrates the ideas, models, and theories underlying the systems view of life into a single coherent framework. Taking a broad sweep through history and across scientific disciplines, the authors examine the appearance of key concepts such as autopoiesis, dissipative structures, social networks, and a systemic understanding of evolution. The implications of the systems view of life for health care, management, and our global ecological and economic crises are also discussed. Written primarily for undergraduates, it is also essential reading for graduate students and researchers interested in understanding the new systemic conception of life and its implications for a broad range of professions – from economics and politics to medicine, psychology and law.
At home in the universe: The search for the laws of self-organization and complexity
We live in a world of stunning biological complexity. Molecules of all varieties join in a metabolic dance to make cells. Cells interact with cells to form organisms; organisms interact with organisms to form ecosystems, economies, societies. Where did this grand architecture come from? For more than a century, the only theory that science has offered to explain how this order arose is natural selection. As Darwin taught us, the order of the biological world evolves as natural selection sifts among random mutations for the rare, useful forms. In this view of the history of life, organisms are cobbled-together contraptions wrought by selection, the silent and opportunistic tinkerer. Science has left us as unaccountably improbable accidents against the cold, immense backdrop of space and time. Thirty years of research have convinced me that this dominant view of biology is incomplete. As I will argue in this book, natural selection is important, but it has not labored alone to craft the fine architectures of the biosphere, from cell to organism to ecosystem. Another source-self-organization-is the root source of order. The order of the biological world, I have come to believe, is not merely tinkered, but arises naturally and spontaneously because of these principles of selforganization-laws of complexity that we are just beginning to uncover and understand. The past three centuries of science have been predominantly reductionist, attempting to break complex systems into simple parts, and those parts, in turn, into simpler parts. The reductionist program has been spectacularly successful, and will continue to be so. But it has often left a vacuum: How do we use the information gleaned about the parts to build up a theory of the whole? The deep difficulty here lies in the fact that the complex whole may exhibit properties that are not readily explained by understanding the parts. The complex whole, in a completely nonmystical sense, can often exhibit collective properti
Systems Theory, Complexity Theory, and Radical Emergence
Systems theory, complexity theory, and emergence help biologists to understand the evolution of radical
novelty. Together they stretch traditional conceptions of science. This working group begins with the groundbreaking
contributions of Stuart Kauffman, who will be present. We examine these important resources in the biological sciences and
the new vision of the biosphere that they are producing.
Prof. Peter Kruse on Creativity – How It Is Suppressed and How It Emerges Description:
In this interview excerpt, Peter Kruse explains why creativity and innovation cannot be directly produced or commanded. Instead, he frames creativity as an emergent phenomenon that arises from specific systemic conditions rather than from individual effort or top-down control.
A core argument of the talk is the distinction between direct and indirect variables: culture, creativity, and innovation are indirect variables that cannot be managed through projects or instructions. They only emerge when appropriate enabling environments are created. According to Kruse, key enabling factors include diversity, internal tension, networks, and non-linear feedback loops. Systems that are overly harmonious and uniform tend to be stable but unintelligent, whereas systems that allow contradiction, disturbance, and difference can enter unstable phases where new patterns—and thus creativity—can emerge.
Drawing on systems theory, neuroscience, and swarm intelligence, Kruse argues that complex, dynamic problems can only be addressed by systems with an equivalent level of complexity (referencing Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety). He highlights the importance of networking as a way to increase complexity and collective intelligence.
In the final part, Kruse describes three key roles within creative networks—Creators, Owners, and Brokers—and compares their interaction to functional components of the human brain. When these roles are effectively connected, the collective intelligence of the system exceeds the sum of individual intelligences.
The video offers a profound systems-theoretical perspective on creativity, innovation, organizational design, and collective intelligence, making it highly relevant for leadership, management, transformation processes, and social change.
Integration and Implementation Insights (i2Insights)
Integration and Implementation Insights (i2Insights) is a global initiative dedicated to advancing Integration and Implementation Sciences (i2S). It functions as a living, evolving toolkit and an open knowledge platform where community members contribute practical tools and conceptual reflections in the form of blog posts. These contributions are curated and stored in an accessible repository, fostering collective learning across disciplines and sectors.
i2Insights aims to strengthen the capacity to address complex societal challenges by improving how diverse forms of knowledge are integrated and translated into practice. It is particularly relevant for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and boundary-spanners working at the science–policy–society interface.
The platform not only features new and highlighted contributions on its homepage, but also maintains a comprehensive archive of posts, alongside updates, statistics, and documented milestones that trace its development. Through partnerships and a global network of i2Insights Ambassadors, the initiative continuously expands its reach and supports knowledge exchange across regions and disciplines.
By streamlining administrative processes and fostering community-driven authorship, i2Insights sustains a collaborative and accessible environment. In doing so, it contributes to building shared methodological foundations for transdisciplinary research and implementation practice worldwide.
Daring to Do Scientific Conferences Differently
In this blog, Thomas Bruhn reflects on the limitations of conventional scientific conferences and explores how alternative, highly interactive formats can foster deeper exchange, collaboration, and collective creativity. Drawing on his experience designing and co-creating the reimagined FONA Forum with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, he illustrates how conferences can move beyond information consumption toward genuine participation and community-building. The article invites researchers and organisers to experiment with bold, participatory formats that better support inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex societal challenges.
Safe Spaces in Unsafe Environments – Facilitating Dialogue and Reflection at the UN Climate Conference
This blog presents insights from designing and facilitating spaces for dialogue and reflection at UN Climate Conferences. Drawing on experiences from the Co-Creative Reflection and Dialogue Spaces (CCRDS) hosted at COPs, the authors show how relationship-building, embodied practices, and reflexive facilitation can foster trust, mutual learning, and constructive exchange across diverse stakeholder groups. The article offers practical lessons on transdisciplinary process knowledge and highlights the importance of relational and facilitative approaches for collaboration in politically contested and high-pressure settings.
COP28 in Dubai: Greenwashing or Genuine Ambitions?
This blog reflects on the tensions and contradictions experienced at COP28 in Dubai, asking whether the conference marked a genuine turning point in climate ambition or largely reproduced patterns of greenwashing. Drawing on participant observation, the authors examine the contrast between official commitments to climate action and the host country’s resource-intensive development model, as well as the ambivalent messages conveyed through the conference’s imagery and discourse. The article situates the COP28 agreement within broader debates on fossil fuel phase-out, innovation, and planetary boundaries, and argues for transparent, evidence-based approaches to assess the credibility of climate commitments and rebuild trust in global climate governance.
Organizational Transformation in the European Commission
This blog explores organizational transformation within the European Commission, focusing on emerging participatory leadership practices and new approaches to collaboration in political administration. Drawing on an exchange between the TranS-Mind research group and the European Commission’s Centre for Organisational Transformation, the authors reflect on how rigid administrative structures can be reshaped to better address complex sustainability challenges. The article highlights the role of dialogue, co-creation, and capacity building in fostering healthier, more resilient, and adaptive work environments within large public institutions.
Fear and trust in UN climate policy at UNFCCC COP27
This blog explores the role of fear and trust as inner dimensions shaping communication, agency, and collaboration in UN climate policy, using COP27 as a case study. Drawing on research and practical experience from the Co-Creative Reflection and Dialogue Spaces (CCRDS), the authors examine how political spaces can be designed to consciously address emotions, values, and worldviews that are usually sidelined in formal negotiations. The article argues that engaging with fear and trust through reflective and dialogic formats can strengthen collective agency, improve the culture of communication at UN Climate Conferences, and support more transformative approaches to climate governance.
Confronting fears – Strengthening trust
This blog introduces the Co-Creative Reflection and Dialogue Space (CCRDS) at UN Climate Conferences as an experimental format to address fear, mistrust, and emotional overload in climate negotiations. Drawing on experiences from COP24–COP26 and preparing for COP27, the authors reflect on how consciously designed spaces for dialogue, reflection, and co-creation can strengthen trust, agency, and collaboration among diverse stakeholders. The article highlights the importance of engaging inner dimensions such as emotions, values, and mindsets to improve the culture of communication and support more transformative approaches to global climate action.
On the culture of untapped potential
This blog offers a critical reflection on the communication and working culture at UNFCCC COP23, based on participant observation in the Bonn Zone. The author describes a prevailing atmosphere of consumption, superficial networking, and one-way knowledge transfer that, in his view, leaves much of the conference’s collective potential untapped. At the same time, the article points to emerging alternatives—such as dialogic and participatory formats like the Talanoa Space—and argues for a fundamental shift toward more reflective, interactive, and co-creative modes of engagement to better address the challenges of climate change.
The system within: Addressing the inner dimensions of sustainability and systems transformation
As part of the Earth4All project, collaborators have submitted deep-dive papers to delve further into the issues and solutions needed to transform our economic system and provide an equitable future for all on a finite planet. This paper highlights the overlooked inner dimension of system change, and offers systems thinkers the language to advocate for psychological, social and spiritual factors crucial to sustainable solutions.
Relational Leadership as a Leverage Point: a Transdisciplinary Collaboration for Climate-Related Transformation in Business
This blog explores relationship-oriented leadership as a powerful lever for climate-related transformation in business. Using the Head of Climate Base Camp as a case study, it illustrates how transdisciplinary collaboration, trust-building, and reflective dialogue can enable leaders to activate individual, organisational, and systemic leverage points for sustainability transitions, bridging research and practice.
Kassel Institute for Sustainability
The “Kassel Institute for Sustainability” bundles top sustainability-related expertise at the University of Kassel. Three core characteristics characterize the Institute’s work: Research at the Kassel Institute combines normative-critical research on the concept of sustainability with solution-oriented research in concrete areas of application. The Kassel Institute conducts holistic research into socio-ecological aspects of transformation. The Kassel Institute realizes the unity of research and teaching and develops new sustainability courses at the University of Kassel.
LEVER (Our sustainabLe futurE, the ValuEs that dRive it, and how to get there)
How can sustainability science support society in overcoming today’s global crises?
Between studying change and contributing to change, sustainability science seeks both to analytically understand sustainability problems, but also to design interventions that can contribute solution-options to these problems. However, knowledge about how to intervene in order to reach a desirable vision (i.e., transformation knowledge) is typically missing. Especially how to deliberately engage with values as places of intervention (leverage points), as proposed by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, remains a critical knowledge gap.
LEVER hypothesizes that the methods of traditional analytical frameworks that consider change and values are not sufficient to address sustainability transformation. It assumes that new transformative methods are necessary to generate transformation knowledge. To fill these gaps, LEVER aims to critically develop and apply a transformative theory and practice to support the (co-)production of transformation knowledge, including a focus on transformation knowledge necessary to unleash values as leverage points for sustainability transformation. To this end, LEVER weaves mode-2 and mode-1 science. It combines transdisciplinary research with empirical methods and experiments with novel transformative tools.
Sustainability Leadership
The book shows how SMEs can master their company’s sustainability transition with the help of sustainability leadership. Companies and organizations are facing new challenges – old leadership and management patterns no longer fit. As a manager, it is not always easy to keep your bearings in the face of great complexity and uncertainty and to harmonize your own sustainability strategy with the needs of employees and external stakeholders.
Using practical examples and concrete tools, the authors demonstrate a holistic and integrative leadership approach to how managers of medium-sized companies can successfully anchor sustainability in their company. Particularly noteworthy: this could be the birth of “Entrepreneurship 2.0”. It is based on the often deep roots of the company and new, innovative perspectives. Interviews with business personalities provide inspiration and insights into their experiences with the sustainability transformation.
Grand Theory of Societal Advancement
Grand Theory of Societal Advancement
A comprehensive theory, a historic echo of our first version of civilization formed from the Neolithic package of upgrades. Comprised of specialized works from a broad spectrum of fields of study and independent researchers. The overarching goal of GTSA is to provide humanity with the necessary tools and systems for enhanced global cooperation, innovation, and unity, particularly in navigating the challenges of the 21st century and the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene is a major adaptation in our evolutionary journey of civilization:
a. Civilization 1.0: Marked by the stability and developments of the Neolithic Package, representing the dawn of structured human society.
b. The Industrial Age: Characterized by significant technological and industrial advancements.
c. The Great Acceleration: A period of rapid development with both benefits and challenges, marking a significant leap in human capability and impact.
d. Civilization 1.95: Defined by persistent crises, highlighting the need for a significant shift in societal management.
e. Civilization 2.0: The ultimate goal of GTSA, aiming for enhanced societal functioning and problem-solving.
Bruhn, Isabella
I am writing this text about myself and it is not exactly easy.
The most amazing compliment ever, was given to me by my teacher Gary Friedman who said he had never seen such integrity.
It is a very special and no light compliment but I handle it with great respect and care.
It describes how I try to approach my clients as they offer me their trust in the midst of their life crisis.
So with the appreciation of their confidence in me, I try to stay respectfull and be honest about myself. I keep them informed, I share my intuitions, I hold but do not control, I do not manipulate by using methods, and I try to envision their system outside in and inside out.
I love life, I love this world, and I deeply believe in the inner strength of our eco system.
I am mother of 2, an occasional farmers market apple seller to get some balance in my work life, a gardener and very happy about my bicycle :)))
Martin, Laura
John Sterman, 2016
Research shows that showing people research doesn’t work. (John Sterman, MIT)
Langner, Fanny
Ihrer Vision einer nachhaltigen, sozialen und ökologischen Transformation nähert sich Fanny Langner auf multiperspektivische Weise. Sie ergänzt ihre akademischen Grundlagen in Philosophie (B.A.), Kunst, ökologischer Landwirtschaft und Global Change Management (M.Sc.) mit Achtsamskeitspraktiken als auch künstlerisch musischen Tätigkeiten. Als Mitglied des Performancekollektivs „gez. Euer Ernst“ (euerernst.de) schaffte sie Erfahrungsräume die philosophische, gesellschaftliche, spirituelle sowie nachhaltige Themen und deren künstlerische Vermittlung in einen Wirkungs-zusammenhang bringen. Sie arbeitet als Yogalehrerin, betreut psychisch labile Menschen und engagiert sich als wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin an der Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (HNEE). Als Veranstalterin von Musikevents und Phase Odyssey Bandmitglied versucht sie ihre Leidenschaft für Musik und die Magie des Zelebrierens zu teilen.
Ihre Verbindung zu sich selbst und ihrer Mitwelt hilft ihr sich zu erden. Es inspiriert zugleich auf spielerische Weise ihre Mitmenschen, neugierig auf die Natur und sich selbst zu werden.
Herrmann, Lukas
Lukas investigates the cultivation of generative social fields through long-term whole-school co-creation processes based on a training program in 3 elementary schools with over 1,000 school kids in Berlin, Germany. The training program addresses in particular the schools’ 180 teachers by developing their mindfulness, empathy, and relational competence. Furthermore, Lukas works with Peter Senge and Mette Böll from the center for systems awareness to foster systems change within the education sector in California.
Voggenreiter, Valerie
Sustainability – Self – Silence
Silence Spaces is a collective of four people, which resulted out of sustainable higher education at the Eberswalde University for sustainable development. During the M.Sc. program we realised, that the inner dimension is under represented when sustainability efforts come into action. Hence, we created a space for the self to empower sustainable behavior in silence and finally helping to transform mindsets and societies. Silence Spaces are physical as well as symbolic spaces. They are free of cyber activities, talking, reading, writing or any kind of input as long as there is not a a conceptualized learning journey taking place. In Silence we learn how to drop into ourselves, observe, reflect, relax – deep learning can take place and this environment can help us to deal more sustainable with ourselves instead of exploiting our own resources. Finally, Silence Spaces want to empower each single individual to invite inner change in order to initiate and shape sustainable outer change – and Silence is the container where this processes can origin from. Silence allows to LISTEN to our inner needs, become more empathic and caring towards oneself as well as the surroundings.
Silence Space
What is sustainability? Often, environmental aspects are in the foreground, while the social dimension is neglected. A transformation towards a more sustainable society, though, needs to consider the social and individual dimension as inner change causes outer change – and vice versa. We see the inner dimension underrepresented in public spheres.
We raise the awareness, that we need more than a technological understanding of sustainability, which cares primarily about the ecological consequences of our actions. We call for a shift in consciousness, too, which influences our thinking and action.
To think critically and acting according to it, is asked from each one of us. We believe that these capacities can be found in Silence. It offers a container for subjective transformation processes – by pausing consciously and taking part at learning journeys on (self)transformation. Deep inner change towards sustainability can’t happen in times of overwhelming stress and acceleration.
Silence Spaces in public places allow a transformation on both levels with the emphasis on internal spaces. The potential to become a part of the solution of grievances lies in every one of us and is able to unfold here. Silence Spaces are physical as well as symbolic spaces. They are free of cyber activities, talking, eating or any kind of input as long as there is not a learning journey taking place. In Silence we can drop into ourselves, observe, relax and reflect. We can gather strength and become observers when we exploit ourselves or witness exploitation of others and the environment. We need an economic and political shift and therefore promote spaces where critical thinking can happen, which is needed to bring along system change. The time for cool headed action is now.
Ecological Footprint of the Findhorn Foundation and Community
“The study was commissioned by HIE Moray, a Highlands and Islands Local Enterprise Company, to measure the Ecological Footprint of the Findhorn Foundation and Community. The ecological footprint method has been used to determine the extent to which the Findhorn Foundation’s sustainable practices are reducing the Community’s environmental impact.”
Restoration of the tropical dry evergreen forest of peninsular India
“Abstract: The Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest (TDEF) ofIndia is only found on the south eastern seaboard of thepeninsular. It has a very limited range, and extends only 60km inland. The TDEF occurs in an area of high populationdensity and consequently it is the rarest type of forestecosystem found in the subcontinent.The establishment of the Auroville International Township in1968 initiated a major work of eco-restoration which has turneda highly eroded lateritic plateau into a re-emerging ecosystemof the TDEF.The work now spreads out beyond the boundaries of theinternational township and involves working with local people,especially women and children. Many lessons have beenlearnt and the work continues to reintegrate the forest in thesocial fabric of a rapidly changing rural environment.”
(source: Blanchflower, P. (2005). Restoration of the tropical dry evergreen forest of peninsular India. Biodiversity, 6(1), 17-24.)
The Bridge
RESEARCH EXCHANGES IN AUROVILLE
Auroville is the largest and longest-standing intentional community in the world, practically researching into the evolutionary potential of humankind, developing award-winning transformational practices across fields of culture, economics, governance, education, environment, and health, recognized by UNESCO, the Indian Government, and major industries such as Tata. Visiting researchers can bridge this future-facing body of experimentation with developments in their fields worldwide, for the benefit of humanity as a whole.
WHO WE ARE
The Bridge promotes exchange between Auroville and visiting researchers similarly dedicated to the progress of human society.
We curate presentations and forums that facilitate exchange and the intiation of collaborative projects between Aurovilian and visiting experts.
WHO ARE YOU?
Are you an Aurovilian or visiting expert – in any field? We invite you to offer a presentation of your work.
Contact: thebridge@auroville.org.in
Are you an Auroville community member, volunteer, or visitor? You are welcome to attend our public events series!
Wasteless
Waste is a serious and growing global problem. The way we use and discard it is quickly destroying the earth and damaging our health faster than most people realise. Our planet can’t handle it, and neither can we.
Presently, when we think of waste we follow a linear model. A product is created, we purchase it and, when we’ve used it, we throw away whatever’s left. However, this approach generates an amazing amount of ‘unseen’ waste long before consumers touch it. Conservative experts claim that each kilo of garbage we dispose of in our bins produces 40 kilos of waste upstream (extraction, production and distribution).
After waste is generated, it is typically transported from our lives without much thought. For us, it’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’. For our public systems, it’s a nuisance to be dealt with cheaply and quickly. For future generations, it’s one of the biggest mistakes we are making.
We urgently need to raise awareness, change behaviour and inspire an estimated 7 billion+ people to generate less waste.
(Source: wastelessindia.org)