Module 2: Gershom Espinoza

biogas_gbe5025

This diagram illustrates the multiple “links” or feedback mechanisms a human society can have on the natural landscape. Every human activity done on the environment can have positive or negative affects for both systems. For instance, in rural India a longstanding fuel source was wood, which, when used creates ash. Not only are the benefits of wood as fuel few but as time progresses the resiliency and stability of the surrounding habitat of  the area with be critically strained under a bigger demand for resources with a shorter recovery time. The net effect of such ongoing activities means that humans as well as the environment will be progressively worse off. However, with the implementation of a biogas generator, the human populace’s impact on the landscape will be mitigated to a certain degree. By moving away from a linear system (Production-Consumption-Waste) into a closed loop system (Pro.-Cons.-Waste-Pro) the populace is able to maintain or increase their standard of living while at the same time doing the same for the environment because not as many resources are needed. A more important aspect of such a change means that the human populace and environment are better off in the short term as well as the long term (assuming no “drastic changes”).

My diagram was more “illustrative” in how the objects were depicted which may detract from the goal of keeping things as comprehensive and simple as possible amidst all the connections. Also, it was difficult to not include more text captions in the diagram as each effect could be further developed. I could do better at using every niche of space better.