Weighing up a problem? Learn the art of balance
24 February 2017
During the early 1900s, two shoe
salesmen travelled to Africa in search of new market opportunities. In
their telegrams back to Manchester, the one man wrote, “Situation
hopeless. Stop. They don’t wear shoes.” The other reported, “Glorious
opportunity. They don’t have any shoes yet.” Same situation, polarised
responses. Where one man concluded that opportunity had not come
knocking, the other chose to build a door.
Urbanisation is currently emerging as the predominant narrative of our
century. By 2050, it is estimated that over two-thirds of the global
population will have relocated to cities in search of better
infrastructure, services and jobs. This diverse influx is forging fresh
paths of opportunity and collaborative creativity.
Yet, this migrative highway is also forming deep divots: congestion,
pollution, deteriorating wellness due to sedentary behaviour, aggravated
demands on power and water networks, a need for more housing, higher
deposits of fossil fuels increasing carbon displacement to the
atmosphere. Ironically, by flocking toward prosperity, we are also
destroying it.
Both realities are legitimate and undeniable. The question that remains
for tomorrow’s innovators is, how do you see the world? The challenges
posed by urbanisation can either sink us or project our human and
technological capacities into a new problem-solving stratosphere.
We are facing either a dead end or a whole new beginning, depending on
how you look at it .
Cultivating an eye for opportunity
Hour glassThe concept of finding balance is ingrained in our psyche
throughout our entire education . Every equation we do in school and
university has an equal sign – the left hand side must balance with the
right hand side. All of the laws of engineering that we learn in
university are based on this same fact with the goal of finding balance.
Actions trigger equal and opposite reactions; energy cannot be created
or destroyed, but rather transformed; closed system entropy always seeks
an equilibrium. All of these laws are about achieving balance.
On a macro level, the same forces are at work today. Since the
Industrial Revolution, the scales of 21st century society have been
tipped toward imbalance that manifests itself in climate change,
congested cities, urban slums and mountains of waste. But, we now stand
a chance to restore that equilibrium and remedy society’s formidable
ills.
British banker and financier Nathan Rothschild understood that the more
unpredictable the environment, the greater the opportunity . “Great
fortunes are made when cannonballs fall in the harbour,” he noted, “not
when violins play in the ballroom.” So the growing global crisis of
urban congestion can be mitigated by autonomous cars. Fossil fuel
pollution can be reduced – even eliminated – by the introduction of
electric vehicles. Smart grids can optimise energy usage and eliminate
waste. Each problem can be a blessing in disguise, offering
ripple-effect solutions that benefit the human story environmentally,
socially and economically.
Problems pave new markets
“Winston Churchill said, ‘A pessimist sees the difficulty in every
opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’” As
an alternative to cattle farming, one of Singularity University’s
brainchild companies, Modern Meadow, has created ‘leather’ and ‚‘meat’
products from stem cells and 3D printing. Having taken animals out of
the equation, the demands on land and water are almost entirely
eliminated, along with a 96% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
BlueOak Resources has also found a lucrative gap. They capture an
estimated $70 billion-worth of precious and base metals, locked up in
the 40 million tons of e-waste that is landfilled or incinerated
annually around the world.
Matternet surmounts the challenges posed by poor road infrastructure to
people in developing nations. They have built a network of drones (UAVs)
that carry up to 2 kg packages of critical goods like vaccines,
medicine, or needed replacement parts. At a fraction of the time and
cost, and with high profit and value margins, goods can be moved
effortlessly to isolated communities.
Sink or swim
On the backdrop of an urbanising digital reality, the US National
Assembly of Engineers asked the question, what are the grand challenges
that tomorrow’s engineers will have to solve to improve quality of life?
Forty countries responded. A broad spectrum of recommendations was
made, ranging from making solar energy economical to providing access to
clean water.
In order to see these problems as fantastic stepping stones, engineers
will have to recognise, realise and embrace their skill set and
understanding of balance. Realising their power to use their skill set
and learnings to find the balance between social, environmental and
economic drivers is only the first step. Taking meaningful action will
also involve challenging the lie that engineers are too far down the
value chain or subservient to other more important players. Only when
they do this can they eyeball and take on the challenges of today for
the betterment of the communities they serve.
Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every
opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Today’s realities beg a choice: either fall beneath the crushing weight
of crippling conditions, or rise to meet our finest innovative hour.
It’s up to you. But choose.
--ENDS--
Source: Aurecon - www.aurecongroup.com
Contact: N/A
External Links: N/A
Recent news by: Aurecon