Strong Systems: Lessons from Nature for Local Change

In Regenesis: How to Feed the World Without Devouring the Planet, George Monbiot reminds us that natural systems are not static or simple — they’re complex, adaptive webs of relationships. Each part depends on many others, and it’s the pattern of those relationships that determines whether a system is fragile or resilient.

A weak system, Monbiot suggests, is built on strong bonds — a few, rigid connections that hold things tightly together. Think of a supply chain that depends on a single supplier or a single route to market. It works well when everything runs smoothly, but if one link breaks, the whole system falters.

A strong system, by contrast, is made up of many weaker bonds — a diversity of relationships, connections, and feedback loops. It may appear looser, even a little messy, but that flexibility is what gives it strength. When one part fails, others adjust and fill the gap. Information, energy, and resources can move in multiple directions.

This idea is deeply relevant to how we think about business and community today. Many modern systems — from food production to global supply chains — have become efficient but brittle. They’re optimised for cost and speed, not resilience. When disruption hits, from climate shocks to political instability, those tight, linear bonds reveal their weakness.

Building local systems — where people, businesses, and communities are connected in multiple, flexible ways — can restore that strength. Local food networks, repair services, and small-scale producers may seem less efficient on paper, but they’re more adaptive in practice. They shorten feedback loops, reduce dependency on distant systems, and allow innovation to emerge from the ground up.

For businesses, the same principle applies. A resilient business builds diverse relationships — with suppliers, partners, customers, and communities. It doesn’t rely on one big contract or one source of revenue, but cultivates a network of smaller, dynamic connections. This doesn’t mean being scattered or unfocused — it means being adaptive, distributed, and grounded in real relationships.

Nature’s lesson is clear: systems that thrive are not the ones that tighten control, but the ones that nurture connection and allow movement. The future of sustainable business — and of local living — will depend on how well we can learn to think, and act, like a living system.