Environmental Design could be described as the intentional manipulation of our surroundings. This is usually an attempt to 'improve' on nature for the convenience of people, but many designers take a broader view. Topics related to environmental design include architecture, city and regional planning, landscape architecture, energy systems design, production agriculture, agroforestry, aquaculture, and related engineering disciplines, to name a few.
Implicit in the existence of these sciences is the reality that people are different from most species, in that we find it necessary to systematically modify our surroundings to get by. The degree to which we do this, and the effect that our activities have on other species and ecological balance, creates the possibility of global catastrophe. But applying our knowledge with the intent of working within biological limits brings the possibility of eco-paradise.
I like to use the term Permaculture as an umbrella for what I do. Permaculture is an integrated earth and social science. The goal is symbiosis, living in balance, using techniques proven by four billion years of life. Permaculture is more than a collection of unique agricultural methods; it includes deep ecology, sociology, economics, and other disciplines. As designers of our lives, we are working on these things all the time. The challenge is to do this while being conscious of all the possibilities and consequences.
This page written by David Lark.
Created July 2003
Revised 8/28/2004