Institute for Ecological Civilization
Description
"EcoCiv’s hypothesis is that
(1) supporting local leaders in identifying their visions for an ecological civilization, and
(2) connecting those leaders with the global resources, knowledge, and support they need will accelerate systemic change toward societies that together constitute an Ecological Civilization.
Programmatic work at the intersection of local actions and theory on root causes is often the missing piece in efforts to establish an ecological civilization that serves the wellbeing of people and the planet.
EcoCiv aggregates and amplifies existing solutions or actions, connecting dots between siloed issues and breaking down barriers in order to catalyze action. Specifically, EcoCiv supports local partners in the process of designing and implementing more effective and efficient solutions in particular locations (“hubs”), and then aims to prompt the replication and scaling of those solutions in other locations. The goal of these interventions is that an increasing number of communities make measurable progress toward a just and sustainable society.
EcoCiv understands a civilization to be a way that humans pattern their lives together; it encompasses values, institutions, beliefs, cultures, and actions. To live ecologically is to recognize that all living things are members of ecosystems, and then to act to “to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community” (Aldo Leopold). In promoting ecological civilization, EcoCiv works towards the development of human societies that are structured to promote a cooperative relationship between the planet’s human inhabitants and the biosphere they inhabit."