Interconnectedness
This idea is part of a worldview which sees a oneness in all things. According to this, there is no true separation deeper than appearances. If something happens to one person, it affects many others to which that one is connected. In an ecosystem, if the primary consumers suffer, the secondary consumers suffer, and so on. The work we did in class on the topic of energy flowing through an ecosystem showed this.
Sustainability
Sustainability means positive actions now so that the world is better in the future. Simply put, it’s thinking ahead. If we cut back use of fossil fuels now, the world will be a more pleasant place to live 50 years from now than it would if we were to continue on our present course. Many of our projects done in this class have had at least one question on the topic of sustainability (e.g. “What is the impact on the environment?”).