In ESE 482: Challenges of Sustainability, over the coming weeks we will introduce several challenges of sustainablity through the systems dynamics perspective. Our course blogs are an assessment designed to assist you in the task of synthesizing the various view points and information presented in ESE 482, as well as to find your own voice on the subject material by offering a platform where you may demonstrate your own thinking and well reasoned opinions. All blog entries must be courteous, and must cite all sources. It is expected that you will routinely site sources from this course as well as any external sources of information that you that you find relevant to your presentation.

Blog 2 directions: You may answer either question A or B.

Question A: Apply Heinberg’s 5 axioms to a past civilation of your choice: The Hohokum, Rapa Nui, the Uruk in Mesopotamia, Old Kingdom Egyptians, the the Indus-Sarasvati, Crete, the Mayans, or Rome. You will need to consult outside resources to fill in any missing details not presented in your text book. Note that you will need to touch upon any potentially unsustainable consumption of critical resources, population growth relative to the society’s resources and environmental conditions (susceptibility to famine), the level of use for renewables and non-renewables, and waste. Please be sure to note specifically which violation you feel was the most egregious factor precipitating the society’s decline or collapse, and present this as your thesis. Use the body of the blog to defend your thesis, and to address the remainder of Heinberg’s axiom’s in relation to your chosen society. with facts and citations from at least 4 different sources. Please include your citations as footnotes to the blog.

Question B: Draw a causal loop diagram for either the Easter Island or Hohohum Tribe, and with your blog post describe and defend your CLD. What are the key stocks and flows? What feedbacks are there? Where were the vulnerabilities in the CLD leading to the decline of your chosen civilization. Hint: you might want to start with an archetype and elaborate upon it.

Peer Response Instructions:
As part of the this assignment, you will be expected to write comments on two peer blogs per week. To ensure that everyone receives feedback, you will be assigned to respond to specific blogs. I will send emails during the first week of class with peer names, 2 per each week.

In your response to peer blogs for week 1, you should

1) Add some information in the form of a citation that supports, expands, and/or improves upon the argument made by your peer. Be sure to clarify how this information adds to your peer’s argument.