The Problem with Scaling: Why "One-Size-Fits-All" Solutions Create New Challenges

Scaling solutions might seem the answer, but it often leads to unintended consequences. Let's explore how we can shift towards more balanced, localised approaches.

Credit: fairplay.nz, illustration by Jason Gruhl

The pervasive practice of scaling every product, service, or solution often results in profound unintended consequences in a market system fixated on maximisation and profit. This should raise concerns about the long-term impact of our actions. We disrupt ecosystems, societies, and the environment by pushing solutions to their limits without considering interrelated factors. The fundamental issue isn’t merely overproduction or overconsumption—it’s the fixation with universalising a solution to address intricate, localised problems.

This newsletter delves into the complexities of sustainability and how the ‘scaling everything’ mindset has spawned new challenges. It underscores the necessity of a more holistic, systems-thinking approach, enlightening us about the interconnectedness of our actions. We can cultivate more sustainable and context-appropriate outcomes by prioritising the balance of solutions over their maximisation.

Screenshot from guardian.com. Read the article here

🌱 Almond Milk and the Bee Crisis

Almond milk is often promoted as a more sustainable alternative to dairy. However, with 80% of the world's almonds grown in drought-prone California, the environmental costs have become clear. The heavy reliance on bees to pollinate these almond crops has led to unsustainable beekeeping practices, with bee populations suffering from stress and disease.

As demand for almond milk grows, so does the strain on water resources and bee populations. Scaling almond milk production is a prime example of how one solution can lead to unintended consequences when not carefully managed.

Sustainability must embrace diversity.

Insight: Focusing on a single, ‘sustainable’ solution can unintentionally create imbalances in other system parts. While marketed as a healthier, eco-friendly choice, almond milk significantly strains specific ecosystems and species.

Brands must think beyond popular alternatives and foster multiple, context-specific solutions that can coexist, reducing resource strain. You can ask yourself: Are we creating solutions that genuinely balance the environment, or are we shifting the burden elsewhere?

---

🌾 Terminator Seeds vs. Heirloom Seeds

The rise of genetic use restriction technology (GURT) in seeds, specifically terminator seeds, in agriculture has raised concerns. Unlike heirloom seeds, which can be saved and replanted season after season, terminator seeds are sterile and force farmers to purchase new seeds yearly. This disrupts traditional farming practices, particularly in regions where agriculture is deeply rooted in cultural heritage.

Moreover, terminator seeds don’t adapt to the local soil and climate conditions like heirloom varieties, leading to further environmental degradation. Scaling up the use of terminator seeds threatens biodiversity and the interconnected balance of local ecosystems.

Innovation should not come at the expense of resilience or cultural heritage.

Insight: When brands prioritise control and uniformity, they risk disconnecting from the ecosystems and communities they serve. Terminator seeds, while offering efficiency, erode the long-term sustainability of local agriculture. Heirloom seeds, in contrast, connect products to regional heritage and environmental stability.

For brands, the challenge is to create solutions that adapt and enrich rather than dominate and replace. How can your brand ensure it contributes to both local ecosystems and global resilience?

I am offering loyal readers an exclusive first-year rate of 3 GBP per month—less than a cup of coffee—and a better rate of 32 GPB for an annual subscription.

The final 48 hours to claim this offer.

Credit: Statista

⚡ Electric Vehicles and Lithium Mining

Electric vehicles (EVs) are hailed as a critical solution to reducing carbon emissions. But as the demand for EVs rises, so does the demand for lithium, cobalt, and nickel—critical materials used in batteries. Mining these resources has a significant environmental and social impact, particularly in regions where water is scarce, and human rights issues are prevalent.

The shift to EVs highlights a common issue with scaling: the initial solution (reducing reliance on fossil fuels) leads to new challenges (lithium mining’s environmental and social consequences). Without addressing these interrelated systems, one solution trades one problem for another.

Sustainability is about the entire value chain.

Insight: Shifting to greener technologies without addressing the entire lifecycle impacts risks perpetuating the same problems in different forms. While reducing carbon emissions, electric vehicles rely on resource extraction practices with significant environmental and social costs.

It’s not enough to offer a ‘green’ product by itself; brands must consider the broader ecosystem their products impact. Are you addressing the unseen consequences of your sustainability efforts or just shifting the problem downstream?

This is the end of the free preview. The newsletter is continued below with more examples and actionable steps for paid members.