After listening to the podcast materials, answer the following prompts, and then post thoughtful feedback and comments to two of your peers (you will need to post your submission before you can reply to your peers).

Answer all the questions by posting in the discussion forum AND for this assignment, answer question #1 by video/voice post (elaborate on your post and provide examples).

1. At the end of the section, you are provided with two definitions, non-renewable resources are stock-limited and renewable resources are flow-limited. Explain these two concepts using your own words. (200-words minimum)

2. Draw a diagram illustrating a renewable stock constrained by a renewable stock.

3. Identify the reinforcing (with the letter R) and balancing loops (with the letter B) on your diagram.

Peer 1:

Constraining balancing loops within a system can come from renewable or non-renewable sources.  These two types of resources have the capability of impacting the behavior of a system.  The concept that non-renewable resources are stock-limited essentially illustrates the notion that the amount of stock available to the system will never increase, thus constraining the system due to the total quantity of stock being limited.  The amount of stock that the system begins with is the greatest amount of stock it will ever have, so in other words, there are no possibilities of the stock ever gaining more.  The speed of the extraction rate, the rate in which the stock is removed, determines how long the life of the stock will be.  On the other hand, the concept that renewable resources are flow-limited illustrates the notion that even though renewable resources are replenished, there are limits to the extraction rates that can be supported.  If the extraction rate (the rate in which stock is removed) is faster than the stock can replenish itself, the stock will become depleted in totality.  There is a fine line between a sustainable and unsustainable extraction rate to replenish rate ratio.  When the extraction rate becomes too high, the stock dips below the level that it can successfully replenish itself, in which this level of stock was called a “critical threshold”.  In my video, I will further explain these two concepts with examples and briefly explain my system diagram, which may look confusing at first glance.

My system diagram attached illustrates the relationship between total dog population and the number of dogs in an animal shelter, which are both renewable stocks.  The reinforcing loop to the dog population stock is births and the balancing loops is deaths.  The next renewable stock in the system diagram is the number of dogs in the shelter, which is renewable because of the reinforcing loop of dogs that remain in the shelter and the inflow of dogs coming into the shelter producing even more dogs.  There are two balancing loops that seek to maintain the level of dogs in the shelter, the first one being adoption and the other one being dog deaths (either through natural deaths or euthanasia). 

Peer 2:

At the end of the section, you are provided with two definitions, non-renewable resources are stock-limited and renewable resources are flow-limited. Explain these two concepts using your own words. (200-words minimum)

As for non-renewable resources being stock-limited, the overall foundation of the system can occur at any moment throughout the system and has the ability to withdraw from any rate in the system. When the withdrawal occurs, at any rate, it will rely on the resources available in its system since it is limited to resources. The stock being the element of the system, there are characteristics that lead up to a shortened lifespan for its resources. The characteristics that lead to a shortened lifespan of its resources are not extended from its stock and a rapid removal rate.

On the other hand, renewable resources have limited flow, they rely on their extraction or production that follows through forever. For renewable resources, they are able to brace their extraction or production forever until their limited flow rate is similar to the transformation rate of the system. Based on its extraction, if the rate of its extraction is quicker than its transformation, it may lead to nonrenewable. Nonrenewable occurs if extraction is quicker than its transformation, this may result in a lower expectation of its boundary line to disperse a nonrenewable resource. As long as the renewable resource continues to regenerate, the success of the system will lead to positive outcomes from its reinforcing loop in the system. 

Draw a diagram illustrating a renewable stock constrained by a renewable stock.

Identify the reinforcing (with the letter R) and balancing loops (with the letter B) on your diagram.

In my diagram, I relate it to a hydrogen-powered vehicle business model. The reinforcing loop in my diagram is revolve around its gain from its wealth. On the other hand, there are two balancing loops, one follows through wealth and the levels of decline. The other balancing loop focuses on the level of wealth and production. In the system, if gains are high, growth is stronger, and then leads to more wealth in its reinforcing loop. As for its balancing loop, the elements that lead to the decline in the system come from the amount of wealth. Another element that affects its balancing loop is the rate of success. Also, if there isn’t enough wealth or cash flow, production will be difficult to accomplish. If the rate of success is low, this will create a decline in the system and affect the system negatively. 

4. Attach an MS Word document as part of this post submission.