5.3 Rule 3

Nature is our greatest ally when it comes to keeping our biosphere habitable. It cleans up an enormous amount of pollution for us and converts it back into the building blocks of life. The problem now is that we are destroying nature on an unprecedented industrial scale and at a pace that is too fast. We must change the way we approach agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock farming, urban planning, and resource management, because nature can no longer keep up.

What you can do to avoid breaking Rule 3

Sustainability Principle 3 does not mean that we are not allowed to make use of nature or its many free ecosystem services, such as clean air, drinking water, and fertile soil. We simply need to interact with nature in a smarter and more responsible way.

  • Manage and restore nature and the land in harmony with natural cycles
  • Restore original biodiversity: shift from large-scale monocultures* to small-scale and diverse systems
  • Consider alternatives: eat more plant-based foods instead of animal products
  • Greening cities, neighborhoods, districts, and homes
  • Use natural materials from well-managed ecosystems, such as wood from FSC-certified forests

*You can read about what monocultures are in Chapter 4.3

Bringing back the area’s original natural state in urban development
The City of Eindhoven is replacing 30% of its pavement
Ban on sunscreen to prevent pollution of coastal areas
A green roof helps prevent energy loss
Roof gardens with vegetables for low-income residents
Removing dams to restore nature
A neighborhood is being built in Bosrijk (Eindhoven) where nature and natural materials are a requirement
Greenery in the living environment promotes faster recovery from illness.
Integrating Neighborhoods and Nature (VDMA Building)
Other forms of agriculture can lead to higher yields
Building with wood (CLT) helps store CO2