I can't take anything too seriously that refers to itself as a handbook for sustainability but I did cry about LEED

[Justine]

Everything changed for me with this book when I got to chapter 5 and he starts discussing specific organizations and people that utilized system thinking to make great progress. Of course, I love that his examples span countries and industries. Switzerland weening themselves off fossil fuels with biofuel (ethanol not made from corn)was a great story of one project ending up being replicated around the world, far beyond expectation. I really enjoyed the tale about LEED certification, people really motivated and inspired to change an industry and continuing to move forward and develop things step by step. First it was a matter of just bringing the experts of the industry together, architects, landscapers, folks who know refrigerators and the certification process developed from there, with each expert contributing their specific knowledge, no one specialty of this building mix could have altered the industry alone. The collaboration between Coco cola and World Wildlife Federation (not world wrestling federation as I was hoping)over water conservation was a good story as well, the dynamics of a working relationship that is considered working with a perceived enemy, and needing to be very conscious of your brand and public scrutiny.

Interesting to note where the role of consumer influence or changing the mind of the consumer comes into play for each of these projects, and also when and where in the process government regulation and policy come into play.

The author keeps pressing that these are ordinary people that are initiating and leading these projects, and that they are just motivated to do extraordinary things. A great thing to be drilled into our heads but I can't help but be irritated with "if you find yourself reading this book, you are one of these people", I feel like it's trying to set up for the reader the very ego all these folks (presumably) lack. Something about books declaring themselves the hand book to sustainability and classifying you as a Change Maker seems gimicky. I prefer Thomas friedman's perspective in Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew Americaof how change is made; it's through the political system and democracy and it's boring and if you're bored you're doing it right... somehow I love feel good motivational stories but also enjoy things being simple and not glorified. So anyways, I skipped most charts and diagrams and steps and how to determine your role

Going in a different direction, my favorite direction, I am trying to apply this systems thinking to food and what that would look like. I ran across this great article(http://grist.org/food/yes-chef-tom-co... a chef articulating these very ideas:

"Q. What is the food movement, to you?

A. I question that there’s actually a movement. I know I’ll take flak for this, but the problem I have with it is that it’s not organized, it’s a bunch of people in various silos working on their own issues, whether it’s antibiotics, animal welfare, hunger … But you know, until we all get together and support each others’ causes, we’re never going to get anywhere. There’s not enough hunger advocates to push the needle on the issue, unless the whole food movement joins in...
...The food movement is fractured, we’re not taking care of each other. That’s why I love the work we’re doing at Food Policy Action, because our board consists of leaders from all parts of the food movement."

I think the Chef is exemplifying our author's thinking: specialist to each area of the food system seem to be working in silos and we need to address our food security/sustainability in a way that incorporates all elements of our dynamic food system. From recent presentations and talks I've been to, it sounds like a co-op, or the co-op system would be a system-thinking approach because it creates an entity that incorporates all the different aspects of farming/food: growing food, sharing resources, cooperative marketing and distribution... I don't know, am I making this up??