My diagram shows the connections between the social systems and ecosystems in India and how they are positively as well as negatively impacted by each other. The transition from wood burning stoves to methane stoves had huge impacts on both systems. Wood burning stoves cause health problems as well as negative impacts on the education of children, while methane stoves are healthier and introduce more job opportunities for women that can now be the provider for their families instead of relying on their husbands or fathers. The diagram represents a feedback loop. It clearly shows the connections between how humanity impacts the environment which then affects how the environment impacts humanity. Both negative and positive feedback loops were shown. Stability in agriculture is extremely important and was positively impacted by biogas production. By having the excess compost be used on the farms, the crops were better which caused the people to be able to live better lives. The soil became more stable and able to continue to grow crops for the people.

Just at first glance, my diagram is broken up into two main sections, social systems and ecosystems just as Gerry Marten did in his diagram. Both of our diagrams reference the need for child labor to be able to gather the necessary fuel. Marten’s diagram included the impacts on farms and plants while mine focuses more on the people and the benefits they receive from no longer using wood burning stoves. By comparing these two diagrams, we can learn that there are more connections between the social systems and the ecosystem than we can see at first look.