Ethics, Urban Ecology, and the Notion of City
It is estimated that by 2050, three out of four people on Earth will live in cities. It is clear that the ramifications of this global human migration are enormous, especially in light of the disastrous effects of climate change.
The balance between population, human habitats, and the natural environment we depend on has turned into an escalating conflict. At the root of the conflict is our recklessness in taking carbon from the earth, burning it, and emitting its byproducts into the atmosphere where they don't belong. As we mindlessly stoke the engines of "urban development," using old technologies with catastrophic consequences, the conflict continues to spin out of control.
Nothing short of a new global awareness will bring an end to this conflict, and it must be realized in time to preserve the life-support systems of our planet and our civilization. The awareness begins with a recognition that climate change is not an economic, political, or technological problem. It is a problem of ethics, ecology, and the city.
There are four fundamental notions that inform this awareness. The first is the preciousness of human life and respect for all forms of life -- from the smallest, most vulnerable creatures to the subtle life-giving powers inherent in mother nature herself. The second notion is the interdependence of existence. The ability of Earth to sustain life depends on an infinite number of interactions in countless complex systems. The third is a commitment to contribute to the welfare of all humanity -- economically, culturally, and spiritually. The fourth is an acknowledgement that concern for others and wisdom in our actions are more important than a reliance on technology to solve our problems.
Why do we not see these values in the places where we live and work? Put simply, we have been praying to the wrong gods, and our cities have become a reflection and a manifestation of our indifference, indulgence, and intolerance.
Our buildings are urban icons to the accumulation of money and power, the isolation and protection of the individual, and the attempt to overpower nature. They are erected at the expense of rain forests rather than built in harmony with them. Our cars are containers that celebrate our ego, speed, and dominance. They are manufactured at the expense of our atmosphere and the air we breathe. Safe and comfortable as we may feel, they continue to rely on carbon-based fuels, and our skies are polluted with their emissions.
But a cloud is being lifted.
Something exciting and encouraging is happening in our cities that you will not discover on Facebook or see on Netflix. A new ethic is emerging, a new urban ecology -- call it the re-imagining and greening of the post-modern city.
The re-imagining comes from the realization that the idea of the modern city is not our own. It is an idea that we have been conditioned to accept by political institutions, multi-national corporations, and mainstream media. It is being rejected and replaced by wider and more inclusive ideas of place and citizenship.
The city is no longer accepted as an isolated place on a map, circled by artificial boundaries, and defined by political interests to be protected against the world out there. Rather the "world out there," the larger environment, is being seen as intrinsic to the very life of the city. The two are appreciated as co-dependent and mutually sustaining.
On an individual level, this ethic is found in a deep-seated responsibility for one's actions, beyond casting a vote or expressing an opinion. It is a personal responsibility exercised in everyday decisions about how we use resources, consume and dispose of products, live in personal spaces, and share the commons.
On a societal level, a growing network of change makers is advancing this new urban ethic from a deep concern about our dependence on old city paradigms and carbon-based economies that no longer work. They are worried about the destruction of climate change on their world and their chances for a future as prosperous and promising as previous generations.
The courage of their convictions is becoming increasingly evident. They are ending inertia, tearing down old walls that no longer have purpose, and protesting against obsolete engines of commerce powered by carbon.
For them, "life after carbon" is a goal and a destination. They innovate to find new ways to bring ethics, ecology, and the shape of city into harmony with nature. It is time for all of us to embrace this new ethic, support their efforts, and put their ideas into practice. Only then can we truly find economic security, resilience, and happiness in our cities and throughout our planet.
Here's to success!
