Systems Thinking Applied to Sustainability Challenges
"SYSTEMS THINKING IS CRITICAL IN DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TO SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES"
POLLUTION IN THE OCEANS
"Systems Thinking is Critical in Developing Solutions to Sustainability Challenges"
Pollution in the Oceans
Ocean pollution is an issue for both society and individuals. Such complex issues exhibit some commonality, including being nonlinear, being heterogeneous, interdependent and self organized. It follows, therefore, that the issues require well thought-out and equally complex solutions. Venturing on pursuing causes without structured frameworks is a waste of time.
'Systems thinking' provide a new model for solving complex problems that afflict society; including pollution issues. In the system, biology interacts with social, cultural and manmade environmental elements in permutations and combinations that continue to evolve, discontinuously. The causes of pollution (Anon., n.d.) arise at various levels. They also interact at these varying levels. Organizations and individual entities are important at any given level. There is optimization of the system function when the capacities of the two entities to respond are balanced with the complex nature of individual tasks. There is need to extend network support to assist them turn into practice communities and entities that will influence change. That is essential if the problem of pollution is to be addressed.
The efforts in research need to shift focus from merely seeking the causes of pollution and rededicate the research energies on the solutions that have been demonstrated as being able to solve 'wicked" problems (Nestec Limited, 2012).
Ocean pollution
Oceans are polluted from a wide variety of sources, including those on land, oil spills, effluent from factories, untreated sewage, invasive animal and plant species, high siltation, persistent organic pollutants, eutrophication, heavy metals that originate from mines, acidification, radioactivity, overfishing, marine litter, destruction of marine and coastal habitats (M.C Cook, 1999). The importance of oceans in the lives of humans and the general well-being of the planet earth cannot be overemphasized. Indeed, oceans play a pivotal role in economic development of people. The concepts of Green Economy and sustainable development can only be sensible if they are viewed in the context of the role that oceans play. According to (World Commission on Environment and Developments, 1987) the essence of sustainable development is in meeting the current generation's needs without compromising the future generations chances of meeting their life needs. It also refers to the kind of development that satisfies the present needs without interfering with the chances of survival of future generations (Anon., n.d.). Sustainable development has gained acceptance across the globe and is recognized by the world community in the effort to handle social, environmental and economic issues that have plagued the world for 20 years now. The ocean is in great danger of destruction. Communities that live along the coastal areas are often unable to cope with the challenges that face them on regular basis. Governments also seem unable to implement changes that can address the issues (Anon., n.d.).
Pollution, particularly ocean pollution, is caused by the release of undesirable substances from industrial processing units and other sources into the surrounding environment. Pollutants are varied and many. Any substance that is released into the environment and leads to undesired effect or negatively affects useful resources is a pollutant. Pollutants are harmful in many ways. They may stunt the growth of animal or plant species. These effects may be long-term or short-term. They may also interrupt or interfere with the comfort of humans, including their health, value of property and other amenities (Business Dictionary, n.d.)
Most of the pollution to the marine environment comes from dry land. Non-point source pollution is a major cause of pollution. It refers to the effect of runoffs from distant places that lead into the oceans. The supply of such nonpoint pollution comes from such sources as cars, trucks, septic tanks, trucks and boats. They cumulatively contribute to a significant amount of pollution in the oceans. Drops of oil in parking lots and roads come from millions of motor vehicles across the globe. When the rains come, these pollutants are swept into river channels that lead to oceans. Some water pollution starts off as air pollution; the particles eventually settle into the water sources and oceans. Dirt is a pollutant too. Silt from erosion in the fields and other dirt is swept into the waterways and eventually harms the wildlife habitats and fish. Nonpoint pollution causes ocean...
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