There's a saying that comes swooping out of the chaos of the Universe
in times when order is needed: the only constant is change. Nutrient
cycling is about change. Unfortunately, it's also about pollution and
waste. Think about waste for a moment. There are two meanings to the
word. To waste something is to not utilize all the benefits and worth
within in. On the other hand, waste is what's left when all the benefits
and worth have been utilized. Waste is both a verb and a noun. It also
has both positive and negative connotations. Is it possible for an
organism to not produce waste' Would the world be a better place if there
The complexity of the ecosystem is almost beyond comprehension. It's
certainly limitless in terms of the possible environments. How can one
compare the city with the rainforest or with a desert environment' In a
rainforest, virtually all organic matter is processed, including fecal
matter and perspiration. Decaying matter has an abundance of decomposing
agents available. Vegetation dies, nutrients are broken down and then
reabsorbed by the environment. It's an incredible system that works well.
The ecosystem of urban reality is a much different matter. Organic
material has been invaded by manmade materials whose rate of decomposition
could be described as eternal'. There's not much nutrient value to
concrete. The system produces more waste than can be absorbed, creating a
need for sewage treatment works, city dumps and ecosystem management
In a perfect world there would be balance and all waste would be
utilized and re-cycled. A world without waste would be limited and,
possibly, defined by stagnation rather than change. Man would have to
become part of the organic system, changing the view of advancement from
technology to one of sustainability. Nothing would die - for death is both
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