Natural nutrient cycles are essential for the regulation and transformation of nutrients in the ecosystem. These processes facilitate the circulation of essential elements including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals between living organisms, the atmosphere, soil and water bodies. Nutrient cycles are critical to maintaining the balance in the biosphere and sustaining our current quality life on earth. Modern human activity and our linear economy are responsible for broad interruption of these systems particularly through burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, chemical fertilizers and encapsulating organic wastes in landfills.
Our current linear economy has been constructed around extraction and utilization of resources without consideration of how these resources can be re-introduced into the natural, regenerative system. In nature, there is no waste, all residual materials and gases are broken down and re-combined to generate everything we rely on. Tree litter, fallen fruit and animal droppings are broken down by insects and microbes to build and sustain healthy ecosystems. In our human managed ecosystem, valuable resources are mummified in landfills or incinerated. These practices are not only environmentally irresponsible, but a waste of essential resources that could be sustaining the modern lifestyle we’ve become accustomed to. A circular economy that mimics and supports natural nutrient cycles is critical to managing the limited resources on which we depend and maintaining a prosperous future.
Source: US DOE https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsthe-carbon-cycle
The Carbon Cycle:
The carbon cycle involves the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere, plants, animals, and the soil. When organisms respire or decompose, carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO2. This CO2 can be taken up by plants during photosynthesis, converted into organic compounds, and used as a source of energy by living organisms, continuing the carbon cycle. Carbon is an important building block for everything around us and CO2 is an essential gas, the problem is we are currently putting far more of it into the atmosphere than natural cycles can utilize. This surplus CO2 is a primary driver of global warming and must be stopped.
From a climate change perspective, there are two categories of CO2 emissions: Fossil Carbon and Biogenic Carbon.
Fossil-based, anthropogenic carbon is derived from organic materials buried millions of years ago and sequestered underground in the form of oil, gas and coal. These carbon sources are not part of the active, natural carbon cycle. When extracted and released into the atmosphere by burning for energy, this source of carbon increases atmospheric levels leading to global warming.
Biogenic carbon refers to carbon that is part of the organic matter in living or recently living organisms. The term "biogenic" indicates that this carbon originates from active biological processes, primarily through photosynthesis. Biogenic carbon is considered part of the natural carbon cycle and, therefore, does not contribute directly to long-term changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. This is because the carbon dioxide released through combustion or decomposition is reabsorbed by other plants during photosynthesis, forming a closed loop carbon cycle. If the rate of carbon uptake by new vegetation equals or exceeds the rate of carbon release from burning and decomposition, there is no net increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration. This is not to say that combustion of biomass does not contribute to localized air pollution or atmospheric CO2, only that its production and absorption are in natural balance.
Nitrogen Cycle: Organic waste often contains nitrogen-rich compounds, such as proteins and amino acids. During decomposition, nitrogen-fixing bacteria and other microorganisms break down these organic nitrogen compounds and convert them into ammonia and other forms of nitrogen. These nitrogen compounds can then be used by plants as nutrients to support growth. Additionally, some of the nitrogen may be converted back into nitrogen gas through denitrification, thus completing the nitrogen cycle.
In natural ecosystems, organic waste plays a fundamental role in nutrient recycling and maintaining the balance of nutrients. It helps ensure that essential elements are continuously cycled through living organisms, the soil, and the atmosphere. However, in modern human-dominated environments, organic waste management can become a significant concern. Improper disposal of organic waste, such as in landfills without proper decomposition or composting, can lead to the production of greenhouse gases and the loss of valuable nutrients that could otherwise be returned to the soil. Proper management practices, such as composting and recycling, can help maximize the benefits of organic waste in nutrient cycles while minimizing environmental impacts.
These are just a couple of examples highlighting the importance of maintaining nutrient cycles so that critical resources can be regenerated. Human society is only custodian of these materials while they are in use and must ensure that their return to the natural, regenerative system so that it can be sustained. By considering nutrient systems in product and organizational design, we can utilize these incredible resources without breaking the cycles that provide them.
If you are interested in learning more, the following resources are a good place to start.
Department of Energy: https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsthe-carbon-cycle
Circular Bioeconomy Alliance: https://circularbioeconomyalliance.org/a-new-economy-powered-by-life-a-circular-bioeconomy/
WBCSD CEO Guide to the Circular Bioeconomy: https://www.wbcsd.org/Archive/Factor-10/Resources/CEO-Guide-to-the-Circular-Bioeconomy
Regenerative Waste Labs “Unleashing the Potential of the Circular Bioeconomy”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SWrfA76feM
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