Thinking by Connections and the Dynamics of Nature for Food Production

Abstract

So far human development has been based on the accelerated ­exploitation of resources such as air, water, and earth, from which most human resources derive. Until recently those global commons were considered valueless and were therefore exploited in the belief of unlimited availability. Recently, the accumulation of major environmental issues has challenged this behaviour. On one hand we are witnessing the continuous rise in the price of raw materials and a strong demand for recyclable materials, while on the other hand we are producing more waste. Hence we should not expect Earth to produce more but we should do more with what Earth produces, and adopt a sustainable waste management. We must wake up to the fact that the growing mass of waste generated by industrial activities is becoming critical because it causes serious damage to human health and the environment. We must start to consider wastes like resources and be inspired by Nature, where surpluses are metabolized by the system itself. If we adopt this principle in production, it will favor the development of zero-emission production, because the waste – or output – of one process is used as a resource – or input – for another production process. This leads us to a change of perspective that goes in the direction of thinking by connections. Thinking by connections means for instance that industries organize themselves into local sustainable networks. In such networks waste products from one industry is sold as a resource to another industry, and thus benefits both of them. In these systems the flows of material and energy generate internal connections. Waste enriched with new values becomes a resource and is available for producing new products strictly connected to the local know-how. By applying the systemic approach the cultural identity of the territory where the crops are grown is reinforced, the biodiversity is conserved and the quality of the products generated is improved. This concept of thinking by connections therefore creates positive effects on the territory in both environmental and economic terms.