Ran into a friend of mine yesterday and he showed me an article in a magazine called World Watch. Very interesting read. After studying the ecology of forests for decades the interviewee is applying some of the knowledge gained to civilization.
Our Panarchic Future | Worldwatch Institute
A theory that explains the evolution of ecosystems may apply to civilizations as well-and it says we’re approaching a critical phase.
Artist/Naturalist Nils Udo
It was toward the end of the dry season. It had not rained for months. The earth was concrete hard. We had to proceed most carefully so as not to damage the more delicate roots. Seven people dug, scraped and shoveled for a week. After the photograph, the hole was, of course, filled in.
– Nils Udo
Putting nature in Ecuador’s constitution – Los Angeles Times
This month, Ecuador will hold the world’s first constitutional referendum in which voters will decide, among many other reforms, whether to endow nature with certain unalienable rights. Not only would the new constitution give nature the right to “exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution,” but if it is approved, communities, elected officials and even individuals would have legal standing to defend the rights of nature.
Inclusivity is the buzzword (((at least I think so))) for the next decade. And we can’t stop at finding ways to include marginalized people, we have to include animals and indeed the whole ecosystem if we are to survive. We cannot let anybody mess with the ecosystem (((and our great grandchildren’s world and well-being))) without notice. I read that last sentence from the linked text above and have to applaud it.
