The long literary history of cultural attitudes to nature in the West, from classical
antiquity to the
eighteenth century, was summarised by Clarence Glacken in his book Traces
on the Rhodian
Shore (1967). His thesis is that the following three ideas have dominated human thinking about the
environment.
(i) the idea of a designed earth i.e. one especially
fitted for the human species:
(ii) the idea of environmental influence on culture
i.e. effects that are either purposeful and
accidental outcomes of cultural activities:
(iii) the idea of feedback between culture and
environment whereby human modification of nature
affects the environmental perceptions of societies i.e. the rise of conservation management as a
response to the destruction of pristine ecosystems.
To a great extent, the idea of a designed earth involves the concept of an overall
creation with a
particular purpose, which was usually divine. However, this idea really represents an attempt to
create an holistic view of the cosmos, which entered main stream scientific debate when integrated
models of evolution, ecology and astronomy were developed.
The theme of environmental influence on culture derives initially from the contrast
between nature
and custom in different places, and came to be used to interpret global variety as it was classified
in biogeography and anthropology. This led to a science of environmental determinism to account
for human migrations and the national characteristics of particular peoples.
The idea of environmental feedback in cultural development encapsulates a general
conception of a
world that contains a system of values. Fundamental to this are western ideas that the world
consists of materials for human use, and that any problems of production and its environmental
impact will have scientific and technological solutions. This has produced a global culture of
consumerism with small pockets of cultural resistance based on low impact relationships with
nature. The latter are exemplified by government and non-governmental conservation management
to deliver the targets of environmental legislation, and the rise of movements that promote the
adoption of alternative sustainable life-styles.
Each of these ecological ideas has global expressions, but they may also be traced
in the cultural
history of local communities. It is the purpose of 'Hundred Lines' to explore the cultural ecology of
a
relatively small patch of land by making connections between environment, human settlement and
production.
