Those closest to the problems can be the best to help solve them

Challenges from pollution, to habitat loss, to hunger, to climate change might have at least one thing in common – Those closest to them can play essential roles in solving them

The nearest (to the) solution principle

Text and drawing by Frits Ahlefeldt

Strange how further we are from problems, the easier they seems to be to solve. Strange how endangered wildlife on the other side of the planet gets more support, and how pollution, plastic waste and climate change always seems better to solve remotely from ones own comfort zone. And how in real life it might be the exact opposite that is true… The principle that it is the ones closest to the problem that can best and most efficiently solve them

We are all so stuck in our day to day routines and habits that creating change and solving challenges is not easy.

Instead we point to how someone else could solve them… The fishermen, the farmers, the factory owners, the meat eaters, the car drivers – And this might be right, if using the principle that each of us work to solve the challenges closest to us.

In this way we might all help create solutions from where we are most competent and able to create the best effect.

Farmers helping create wildlife habitats, and support local biodiversity, factory owners helping reduce carbon emissions, and make stuff more easy to repair, and last longer. And hikers help monitor wildlife and support local sustainability activities, where-ever they are

Non texted version of the farmer in tractor and hiker drawing:

Keywords: art, agriculture, climate, global warming, co-innovation, citizen science, citizenscience, CitsciDK, sustainability, co-creation, sustainable living, conflicts, logbook