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Monday, June 21, 2010

Setting Some Sustainable Definitions - Ecosystem

Engineer: I need an ecosystem.

Biologist: Okay, that shouldn’t be to hard.

E: It shouldn’t, but the one I bought on e-bay is just a plastic box, there’s nothing organic in it….

B: You tried to buy an ecosystem? Do you know what an ecosystem is?

E: Um, well, in so many words it’s…. Well I know it’s….It’s an organic thingy that is kind of like a computer? Maybe? Okay, from that look maybe not. It’s… it’s carbon based and it… it… It’s something biologists talk about?

B: An ecosystem is trees, and plants, and carnivores, and prey and predators and all that happy stuff.

E: Like, M&M’s and smiley faces?

B: Uh, no. There are not usually M&M’s and smiley faces in ecosystems.

Before we dive into this whole sustainable culture series I want to take a step back, and review a few definitions. This is for all the engineers out there...

ECOSYSTEM- All the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving, physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water, and sunlight.

Why this matters: The ecosystem is the basis for a sustainable habitat. If you know how organisms interact with their environment you can build up (or tear down through biological warfare) the planet.

Note: An ideal ecosystem does not a sustainable human habitat make. Not unless you like to eat your meat raw and live without computers (I shudder at the thought). The human species likes a complex habitat, but we need an ecosystem first, so that's where our adventure in sustainable living starts. :o)

1 comment:

  1. Ooh, a sustainable culture series? That sounds very interesting. I'll have to keep an eye on your blog, especially after such a promising beginning. Nothing like a brief talk on ecosystems to pique my world building interests...

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