FRIDAY, JAN 13, 2023: NOTE TO FILE
Module 1-12
A short 8-week course in ecological design, module 1, lesson 12
Eric Lee, A-SOCIATED PRESS
TOPICS: SUSTAINABILITY, FROM THE WIRES, LANGUAGE GAMES
Abstract: As I have sustainability concerns and concerns for posterity's and the biosphere's future, I will start a course in Ecological Design tomorrow, which is one of four 'dimensions' of the offering. Subnotes to file will likely follow.
COOS BAY (A-P) — The 12th lesson. [My comments are in brackets.]
Scale-linking designs for communities, cities and bioregions.
SO FAR THIS MODULE on Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design has introduced us to a number of different ecological approaches that are based on a living systems perspective. We also took a closer look at the challenge of avoiding catastrophic climate change and further ecological degeneration of the Earth’s life support systems through our excessive impact. We can pay attention to appropriate scales, decentralisation and re-localisation and ways we can apply master planning to processes in ecological design too. While this will be discussed in full in module 5, we briefly introduce the concepts here.
IN NATURE LOCAL, regional and global are interlinked in nested living networks and dynamic fast- and slow-moving processes. These processes maintain the health and resilience of these living networks at and across the different scales. Ecological whole-systems design tries to emulate and integrate these patterns of organisation and continuous transformation and adaptation.
To do so we have to mimic Nature’s scale-linking patterns and the way nature creates multiple redundancies at and across scales in order to keep disruption and breakdown localised. Following a strategy of decentralising vital functions and re-localising the way we meet our basic needs for water, food, shelter, energy and transport, as well as our patterns of production and consumption, will definitely be part of the transition towards a more sustainable human presence on Earth. To do so successfully we will need regional and global collaboration, knowledge and technology exchange at a so far unprecedented scale.
With regard to the focus of this course and the design of sustainable communities and the systems and structures that support them, paying attention to scale is also very important. Scale is particularly important when selecting technologies. A large ecovillage community is necessary to make a Combined Heat & Power (CHP) plant economical, while solar thermal works for a single house. We will take a closer look at these energy options in module 4. Community Supported Agriculture is a major asset in re-localising food provision (see module 3) and at a bioregional level we can meet our needs for potable water and wastewater management while restoring and maintaining our watersheds (see module 2). [Re-localization is the condition that will come anyway. Seeking it out is adaptive. Solar PV panels will not be produced locally, nor will microprocessors, so assume no electric locally. Assume rainfall and ability to make a digging stick. Assume Earth will not support billions of humans.]
In module 5, we will also look at the transdisciplinary Ecological Settlement Design concept created by Declan and Margrit Kennedy, which provides an excellent basis for sustainable communities.
Module 1, conclusion
