EDE Curriculum 2012.pdf - Gaia Education

THE ECOLOGICAL DIMENSION
Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn to...
� design integrated systems: worldview, social, ecological, and economic
� design and/or participate in a local food production system or CSA
� design integrated infrastructures of water, energy, and mobility
� measure and design for carbon neutral ecological footprints
� to rebuild and restore nature and ecological settlements, urban and rural
“Whole systems operate through mutual give and take, in reciprocal relationships. Whole
systems learning involves our perceiving this fundamental mutuality in our own lives and
organisations.”
Overview
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Joanna Macy
From designing single houses to groups of houses we now design whole settlements also including energy
and food production systems as well as giving birth to social and new economic structures, a
whole new paradigm in lifestyles.
Natural Building
We start with the natural house. Building your natural houses has become the dream of so many - it is
like shaping your own personality anew. Many have done it with little means building beautiful houses
out of natural, local available materials. Experiences now demonstrate what works. Natural insulation
and cooling is important to save energy. Refurbishing the existing houses will be a major effort as
building new will be too expensive.