Key principles of systems thinking include:

1. Interconnections: Understanding how different elements within a system influence one another. Changes in one part of the system can have far-reaching effects elsewhere.

2. Holistic Perspective: Viewing the system as a whole rather than focusing solely on individual components. This helps to appreciate how various parts contribute to overall functionality.

3. Feedback Loops: Recognizing the loops of cause and effect within a system, which can reinforce or counteract changes. Positive feedback amplifies effects, while negative feedback tends to stabilize the system.

4. Dynamic Behavior: Acknowledging that systems are often dynamic and evolve over time. Patterns may not be immediately visible, and understanding temporal changes is crucial for effective analysis.

5. Problem Solving: Applying systems thinking encourages deeper analysis of issues, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions. It promotes consideration of long-term consequences and broader impacts.

Causal loop:-

A causal loop diagram (CLD) is a visual tool used in systems thinking to represent the cause-and-effect relationships within a system. It illustrates how different variables interact with one another and how changes in one variable can influence others over time.

In a CLD, variables are represented as nodes, and arrows indicate the direction of influence between them. The arrows can be labeled with positive or negative signs to denote the nature of the relationship: a positive sign (+) indicates that an increase in one variable leads to an increase in another, while a negative sign (−) signifies that an increase in one variable leads to a decrease in another.

Causal loop diagrams help to identify feedback loops, which can be reinforcing (positive feedback) or balancing (negative feedback). They are valuable for understanding complex systems, predicting behaviors, and identifying leverage points for intervention. By visualizing the dynamics of a system, CLDs enable more informed decision-making and strategic planning in various fields, including business, environmental science, and social systems.

Plastic pollution:-

In this session, each team was given a certain topic and were asked to draw a causal loop with balancing and reinforcing loop.

For our team the topic was pastic pollution .

> The activity question:-

• Pastic pollution:-Examine the pervasive problem of plastic pollution in terrestial and marine environments, analyzing sources, distribution patterns, and ecological harm caused by plastic waste and propose policies, technologies innovations,and behavioral changes to combat plastic pollution.