philosophy
eco-anthro connects ecology - the environment, our home with anthropology - what it means to be human
‘Eco’
Ecology is the study of the relationships between living organisms and their physical environment. This word comes from oikos, meaning home or the place which is inhabited.
+
‘Anthro’
Rooted in anthrōpos, meaning human being, anthropology is the study of humans, human behaviour and culture, past and present.
_
For centuries humans have centred their livelihoods amongst healthy, thriving environments. Today still, faced with a pandemic, people have sought streams, rivers, grass, trees, fields, hills with a view, streets with flowers... not to mention how popular veggie growing has become. Healthy, natural ecologies are in our self interest.
Until recently we have been living in an Anthropocene, in which unprecedented human activity has been the dominating influence over the climate, geology and ecosystems. By accelerating towards expansion and infinite growth, so much of the Earth has been damaged that our only life-support system is now breaking down, and we are witnessing the true extent of pushing planetary limits, transforming the Anthropocene into a Pyrocene, an age of fire, heat and extreme temperatures.
Luckily for us, we already have a roadmap and a compass to guide us through the challenging times to come. For thousands of years indigenous communities around the globe have lived in reciprocity with the Earth, supporting biodiversity, maintaining natural resources and managing climate extremes in their own unique way, using what is now called ‘systems thinking’. And while it would be impossible to go back to living in the exact way that indigenous communities have,
we can’t respond to challenges with the same thinking which created them.
In times of crisis, regenerating the earth and living with climate change will require a deep shift in our current ways of thinking; from seeing humans as separate from nature to seeing ourselves as a part of it, with nature's state as inseparable from ours. Climate-resilient, regenerative design can be achieved using indigenous, place-based, nature-based technologies, paired with contemporary materials and construction.
It is time for humans to rethink our anthropology, regenerate our ecological systems and a reestablish a symbiotic relationship with nature.
The role eco-anthro would like to play on this path is as a facilitator of regenerative projects that reconnect humans with nature and creates a culture of belonging to support the health and vitality of all living systems.
What does ecological, regenerative design & engineering look like? Rubber tree woven root bridges created by the Indigenous Khasi tribe in India
Near the village of Nongriat in the Indian state of Meghalaya, the Ficus Elastica (rubber) tree roots are woven to form a bridge. This is an example of regenerative design using local, participatory, engineering that truly works with nature. (Image: taschen.com)
As well as a structure for humans, each rubber tree is home to a few hundred species, including birds, insects, mammals and smaller vegetation. (Image: https://www.lostwithpurpose.com/nongriat-root-bridges/)
In a place where monsoonal winds, earthquakes, landslides and floods define the landscape, these bridges only grow stronger with age, using the enegetic pulses of their environment to reinforce the stucture. (Image: taschen.com)