Monday, July 16, 2012

Introduction

Welcome to my blog! I've avoided starting one for quite some time now, but I really wanted to have a space to collect my thoughts on issues I'm passionate about. The name "regenerative ecology" reflects both a philosophical tenet, and a call to action. In short, I believe that environmentalism as a whole is entering a "Third Wave", embracing the role of human agency and management in shaping landscapes and ecosystems. We can no longer pretend that human decision-making is not a key driver of our collective environmental health or decline, and has been for quite some time. Moreover, in many human-managed landscapes- forests, rangelands, agroecosystems- we can indeed maintain or improve ecological integrity whilst simultaneously providing for human needs. We must avoid false dichotomies at all costs.

At the same time, our global environmental crises are reaching a tipping point. Global climate change is only one of the more visible, and worrisome manifestations of the widespread malfunction we have no choice but to try and mend. Unfortunately, there is also a fair degree of complacency that is emerging in the discourses of "sustainability", "green development", "local foods" and so on. At least in the United States, I see a troubling amount of ennui amongst the so-called progressives, a willingness to be satisfied with half-measures and "lesser of two evils" choices. So "regenerative ecology" refers also to the work to be done. 

Finally, I want this blog to stay grounded in the personal, concrete and goal-oriented present. Although some posts will be philosophical, and others technical in nature, a theme I want to return to frequently is how to incorporate what we've learned into our daily lives, and to discern what can and should be done at the manageable scale of household and community. Right now, our political system is deeply broken- and our movement needs to grow in spite of the politicians and the systemic corruption, not wait around for "enlightened government".

Anyhow, I will be elaborating and clarifying all this much more in subsequent posts.


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