Waste equals Food - Essay Example

Human influence significantly affects the cycle through which nature replenishes itself. The human practices introduce a model through which the nature cycle becomes obstructed. The substances humans pick from nature cannot safely return into the natural cycle developing a closed end. The writer also identifies the demarcation of substances into two material flow pathways. These are technical and biological pathways. Of late, human advancement has blended the two pathways with the result of obstructing both.

This is through the creation of hybrids which can neither benefit the biological pathway, nor the technical pathway. A banana peel may undergo different processes depending on its mode of disposal. When placed in a landfill, organic matter remains in a form that is not reusable by nature. The landfill contains other contaminants that make the peel not to be salvaged by either the biological process or the technical process. The benefits obtainable from the peel become unrecoverable. When placed in a compost pile, however, the peel forms the raw material for microorganisms which salvage the carbohydrates present.

This way, the peel undergoes decomposition to release minerals, which replenish the soil (Picq et al 34). The authors’ main objective is to caution the human race from entangling in processes that do not promote continuous replenishment of the earth. In their view, the earth is the source and should be protected to promote life. Several practices by humans, however, interrupt with the earth’s life cycle and contribute to adverse effects. With the advent of modernization and increasing population, agricultural practices vary from the ancient methodologies with a marked increase in use of chemicals in farming.

Though more food than ever is produced, the practices leave the earth vulnerable to erosion, and death of natural fauna. Chemicals used in farming end up killing the beneficial microorganisms thus interrupting the natural ecosystem. Deforestation, as a result of tree felling at a rate lower than that of planting, has led to erosion. The incorporation of technical nutrients with biological ones means that once the lifespan of the product ends, the waste cannot reenter the nature’s pathway or be reused in the technical pathway.

The chapter addresses the issue of how human beings can be responsive in ensuring the stability of earth. The emphasis is that the earth is the primary source of livelihood for survival of life. The earth has its own mechanism of ensuring continuous flow of nutrients. This happens through the nature’s life-cycle involving death and decomposition of matter. It is critical to come up with technologies that do not end with products that cannot be reused or recycled. Substances used as technical nutrients should allow reuse in other systems rather than end up being disposed or degrading the environment.

Technical and biological nutrients should not be blended. Else, the systems in which they gain application as hybrids, should allow the materials to be recovered separately to re-enter the separate pathways. In order to support their conclusions, the writers cite the intervention in making materials for wheelchairs with nutritive biodegradable matter. This was done through elimination of harmful dies and a terrific selection of natural fibers. The products not only ensured comfort and aeration to the user, but once worn out, they could be