In systems theory we are told that the essence of all things is driven by the Holon. A key principle of Holistic thinking is that the whole within life is much greater than the sum of its parts. This reality is proven both on the micro and the macro scale. Such values by promoting the sacredness of the individual experience, strengthen the whole, since the people are given value within the community as fully realized human being and not merely as automatons who function as slaves to the machine/master complex.
Ecologically and socially compassionate social systems must be driven by a deep sensitivity to the humans and the host of other creatures that are associated with every aspect of their operation. There is no absolute right or wrong in designing human habitats. The prime directive should be to create an optimized living space for the individuals using that space to operate at their highest and greatest potential. This means designing that space with consideration to environmental as well as social concerns. It is good as a designer to keep an open mind and consider many different sides of any particular issue with the realization that life is a one big complex system where everything is interrelated.
Rethinking Social Constructs to Create and Sustain Ecologically Designed Systems
Social constructs while often necessary if unwisely constructed can serve to inhibit certain kinds of change—the most meaningful kind. The abandonment of the power hierarchies that seek to de-legitimize those who find innovative solutions to difficult problems is key to creating an authentic process of change. We are not all at the same level of development and that to force others to emulate our models and understandings can be as coercive as the way the underlying social framework that we are trying to remove ourselves from operates.
The Concept of Multi-Use in Ecological Design
The realm of sustainable design, seeks to consider to all important elements within nature when constructing the built human environment. To minimize resource use and the amount of space occupied and to maximize the utilization of materials and labor, synergy is created through designing multi-use structures. Every vital human system should incorporate these multi-use principles. A sustainable building, and on a larger and more holistic scale a sustainable community must be designed we must design not only with passion and desire but with integrity, and consistency.
Key Values of Ecological Design
Architectural quality is crucial to developing a sense of community which encourages people to make a solid psycho-spiritual commitment to a place. In a sense the greatest neglect is the sense of aesthetic that has departed from the political, because it is not directly attributable to economic growth or social well being. Richard Rogers notes that one of the greatest investments in social rejuvenation comes from employing the young, the talented and the imaginative towards improving the quality of the aesthetic spaces that we live, work and play in (Richard Rogers Cities for a Small Planet 161).
Create a system that encourages the humanity within us to flourish. A more organic system of human interaction and relationships might go a long towards mitigating human alienation, apathy and angst, while also encouraging a more active and vibrant participation within the community.
Create an aesthetic that encourages creativity. In ecological architecture, human needs must be considered in relation to the design of the building. In putting forward the notion of frugality we do not sacrifice quality of life, but design our living systems and structures to get maximum use as well as aesthetic value from the minimal use of resources.
The Rise of Proactive Activism/Progressivism
We cannot just criticize the society as it exists today and not make a serious attempt to create a alternative to it, because it so easy to criticize and yet so much harder to create genuinely viable alternatives to the present socioeconomic system. It is important to connect the practical with the ideal. We need to focus more creating effective alternatives to the present economic systems of mainstream society which are auto based and consumer driven to the extreme. Despite all the talk there is still not one ecovillage in the world that completely meets the criteria of fully functional ecovillage. Incredible!
Activism must base itself within the fabric of radical social change. Places like Acrosanti in order to be effective, must be the focal points of the activist movement. The need is not just to be more effective in communicating with the mainstream public, but also there arises the understanding that in order to do that there must be a more effective marshaling and organizing of resources within the progressive and radical communities.
Social change is much more radical than talking about bad the state of society and the environment has become. To create the level of change needed for our continued survival a massive social transformation in the way that we function will become mandatory. This means dramatically altering the way we live and do things (and I am not just talking about we in the mainstream sense).
An increasingly vocal group of leaders all over the world are starting to think about the creation of more densely populated cities and communities, where consumerism and the auto are discouraged, and where creativity, spirituality, political participation and intellectual discourse are encouraged. The way to finance a more ecologically sustainable, community oriented project is to work with government, businesses and non-profits to create a showcase of energy-efficient and green building technologies, that are consistent with programs such a climate neutral.
The successful movement towards a society where cars and all the other aspects of consumerism are used in a more sustainable and ecologically mindful way, means that we develop an experimental culture than enables us to tinker away in budding "social experiments" that seek to build sustainable relationships between people, while advancing sustainable technologies and approaches.
Socially Conscious Community Investment Networks
With the rise of Web 2.0 and social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter we have opportunities like never before to use the existing technologies to remake the world starting with our immediate worlds. For example what about developing an system of investing where instead of money simply being spent on piecemeal on renewable energy projects scattered all over the globe, the money is targeted on selected and specific projects. Projects who fit the rigorous standards of an integrated approach to sustainable development so that our investments are maximized in their effectiveness on bold new urban renewal and development projects that are well designed and productive economically as well as socially and culturally. Within this micro-economy, activities should take advantage of emerging appropriate technologies such as bio-remediation, composting, recycling, renewable energies, organic/health foods and healing/therapy. Thus the eco-community is the practical agent of social, economic political change within the society.