Systems Effects

One particular feedback loops is especially obvious these days. From our current views and behaviors, we are creating a situation for ourselves that (a) will lead to large numbers of us dying off and/or (b) a change in our views and behaviors.

We are operating from views and patterns that served us well in the past, but are now out of synch with our current situation. What is left out of these views has eventually caught up with us, and we are in a situation where we face tremendous suffering or a change in view.

We are operating from a largely dualistic and atomistic view, and one of the consequences is that we don't clearly see and account for our interdependence with a finite ecosystem. This in turn has lead to a dramatic unraveling of global ecosystems as well as other ecological changes not conducive to a healthy human life.

The changes need to occur on two levels: Our views and our behavior. In terms of views, we need to move from a fragmented, atomistic, dualistic view to a systems and integral view. In terms of behaviors, we need to explore and implement choices that support life in the short and long run, and close by as well as far away.

And the good news is that these views and choices already exist.

A simple example is supporting local farms, which shows the intersection of areas such as sustainability, health, simple living, bioregionalism, and food production. Supporting local organic farms has multiple benefits:

• It strengthens the local economy. It allows money to stay and circulate in the local community. It allows local people to be in charge of their own work, or to work for smaller and locally owned operations.
  
• It supports food production practices that maintains and enhances the quality of the soil, and is good for local ecosystems.
• It provides fresh and unprocessed produce, which enhances human health.
• It creates stronger connections within the local community, which leads to various forms of social support and enhances quality of life.
  
• It allows local farmers a good price for their products, as well as reduced price for the eaters (less cost for processing, transportation etc).
  
• It reduces the need for fossil fuel due to reduced transportation distance etc.
• It encourages eating with the seasons, which in turn reduces the load on the body and enhances health.