Slides for discussing example systems in the humans+the environment class.

2. Yi-Yi
Edward Yang

3. “We never live the same day twice.”

4. So what’s the same
about yesterday and today?

5. Circumstances, behaviors and
systems that make them possible.

6. Connections
BBC, James Burke

7. Systems

8. Objects
can seemingly exist
in isolation physically,

9. but are actually often
connected to other things
through relationships.

10. Example:
Food (cheesesteak sandwich)

11. $6

12. Chapter 1

13. Systems
Elements
Interrelations
Function/Purpose

14. Systems
Stocks
Flows

15. Reading
Assignment

16. Skim Chapter 2
Read Chapters 3-6

17. Example
Systems

18. Personal Finances

19. Every month, Zulari is paid $2000 by direct
deposit to his savings account, and his
employer makes a contribution of $200 to
Zulari’s retirement account. He then moves
some money from his savings account into his
checking account to pay his rent ($800) and
credit card bills (typically around $400) and the
checking account fee ($10/month). If possible,
Zulari moves some of the remaining money
from his savings account to his retirement
account. The rest he keeps in his savings
account which has an interest rate of 1.5%.

20. What does this system look like?

21. Acid Rain

22. Rain of pH 3.5 periodically falls
on a pond that has a pH level of about 7.
After 6 months, the pond water pH
is still about 7.
After a year, the pond water pH
has dropped to about 5.5.

23. What does this system look like?
What could explain the behavior?

24. Metabolism

25. We regularly get energy from food,
and expend energy on various activities.

26. Albert running(to class)
90 Cal in 10 min
3/5 Twinkie

27. What does this system look like?

28. Boundaries,
mental and “actual”

29. Example:
Perfluorinated Compounds

30. Common Chemicals Could Make Kids'
Vaccines Less Effective
by JON HAMILTON
04:05 pm
January 24, 2012
The more exposure children have to chemicals called perfluorinated compounds, the
less likely they are to have a good immune response to vaccinations, a study just
Stig Nygaard/Flickr
Even in the remote Faroe Islands, some children have high levels of perfluorinated compounds in their blood. The chemicals
may interfere with the immune system.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/24/145745691/
common-chemicals-could-make-kids-vaccines-less-effective

31. What can be thought of
as an isolated system
(manufacturing with PFCs)
is much more complex.

32. At least two (sub)systems:
Industrial Manufacturing
Human Immune System

33. And potentially many more:
Human Body
Ecosystems
Waste Management
Economic Systems

34. Example:
Environmental Impact of
a Water Treatment Facility