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.