Cultural ecology is
a system of knowledge about environmental management. It
has been created from the inputs of teachers and students at all levels of education.
The aim is to stimulate discussion of ideas and projects about how to bring people
and nature into equilibrium. The approach is through planning for sustainability
based on good science and robust economics in which well being of planet and
personal beliefs are interdependent. The latest version of the framework may be
accessed at www.culturalecology.info
The following definitions
are provided to guide its use and development.
Cultural
ecology provides windows from many subjects into issues of
environmental management.
Cultural
ecology is about human communities as makers. In making things,
humans are now the main functional components influencing planet Earth's
biological cycles of materials and energy flows.
Cultural
ecology is an educational experience that demonstrates the
importance of crossing boundaries of traditional subjects in order to understand
and solve environmental problems.
Cultural
ecology is a practical activity. It shows how individuals, families, and
organisations can create action plans to set limits on the environmental impact of
their day to day uses of materials and energy that flow through home,
neighbourhood, workplace and leisure environment.
Cultural
ecology is a set of notions about nature illustrating how everyone
interprets the world from within a particular multi factorial framework of perception
and thought, which often gives rise to difficulties and dangers in using ones own
perspective to judge the values and behaviour of others towards environmental
issues.
Cultural
ecology is a gathering of local information about the good and bad
aspects of neighbourhood. It provides a knowledge base, through environmental
appraisal, which is necessary for citizens to participate constructively in local
government plans for sustainable development- the Local Agenda 21- particularly
in the context of community regeneration.
