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Eden Restored: Systemic Thinking In Ecology (02/02/2024)
In the previous blog, we showed how everything that a human needs to survive can come from plants in some way. Let's formulate a simple plan for integrating human activity with Nature...
Step #1: Find the plants native to the area, their growing conditions and potential uses.
Step #2: Note activity of the environment, both the human and natural (e.g.: soil conditions, production of wastes, climate, water sources, etc.).
Step #3: Find out how to relate the information gathered in steps 1 and 2 to create self-sustaining cycles that balance maintenance and use without causing harm to any. A good example are "food forests"/"forest gardens", which provide needed sustenance and materials to human beings while still acting as a habitat for animals.
Step #4: Repeat this for every climate zone until the Earth and everything on it is cared for.
In order to implement this plan, some areas have to be repaired...
• Groundwater is restored through swales (dirt holes with sloped sides that are filled with mulch).
• The soil humus is restored through mushrooms and worms (i.e.: decomposers of "wastes"). Those "wastes" can be mineral (e.g.: rock dust), plant (e.g.: fallen leaves), and/or animal (e.g.: fecal matter).
• The atmosphere is restored through the photosynthesis of plants, and through cyanobacteria within soil and water.
Water, soil, air. All of these are interconnected, mutually supporting one another. If we change one, then we change the others. Therefore, they must always be considered as one whole. To give a couple of examples:
Swales allow rain and dew to percolate into aquifers without evaporating, creating run-off, or becoming swamp-like. But this can only happen if the soil is not compacted or covered in cement. The amount of cement must be reduced and the soil must be cared for until it becomes healthy again. Notice how water and soil are connected.
Similarly, the density of plant life within a given area can affect weather patterns. Plants can release chemicals that change the surrounding atmosphere, provide cover that changes the temperature of the ground, and so on. Notice how soil and air are connected.
By interfacing our social structures and technology with these goals, we can create "ecovillages" that truly are sustainable. Everyone cared for, everyone loved.
Some music:
• Alex Jean - Walking In Peace
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