GPM Platform - Table of Contents:
ECOLOGICAL LITERACY (ECO-LITERACY):
LEARNING FROM NATURE TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY
"The processes and patterns by which ecosystems sustain themselves have evolved over billions of years. Designing human communities that are compatible with nature's processes requires basic ecological knowledge, which is one of the key components of ecological literacy." -Centre for Ecoliteracy
In order to develop a sustainable society we can and must learn from Nature how it has developed and sustained itself over billions of years. There are ecological principles that we as humans can base our systems and institutions on so that our society can become sustainable. Janine M. Benyus (Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature) gives us the following principles for mimicking natural systems to make ours self-sustaining:
Principles of Ecology
- 1. Nature runs on sunlight
- 2. Nature uses only the energy it needs
- 3. Nature fits form to function
- 4. Nature recycles everything
- 5. Nature rewards cooperation
- 6. Nature banks on diversity
- 7. Nature demands local expertise
- 8. Nature curbs excesses from within
- 9. Nature taps the power of limits
Towards an Ecologically Literate Government and Society
Both government and society must become ecologically literate (appreciating and understanding how ecosystems work). To do this, Manitoba Greens seek to provide the resources for citizens and policy makers to educate themselves. We ask you to join us in our quest for eco-literacy. Many ideas can be found at the Centre for Ecoliteracy's website or by contacting the Green Party of Manitoba directly. Here is an example:
Policy Example - Rethinking School Lunch
"Rethinking School Lunch envisions school lunch not as an isolated meal-a-day program, but as the vital center of an intricate connection of relationships among students, teachers, parents, and community. One essential element in this web of interconnections is the farm-to-school model, which provides the school lunch program with fresh food from local, sustainable family farms. Farm-to-school practices connect students to their food source through meals and field trips, improve the nutritional content and quality of food in schools, and help local farmers remain economically viable.
Another distinguishing characteristic of Rethinking School Lunch is its inclusion of an integrated curriculum approach. Centering the curriculum on food systems increases ecological literacy by focusing on how food reaches the table, as well as the impacts the food system has on the natural world. This increase in 'food literacy' will naturally inform the food choices of children and their families into the future."
Manitoba Greens, if elected, will work to:
1. Incorporate ecological literacy (eco-literacy) into elementary, junior, and high school curricula through programs such as the "edible school yard" and "Rethinking School Lunch: Linking Food, Culture, Health, and the Environment" to incorporate local organic food production and skills for preparing healthy and culturally diverse lunches into school curricula (see www.ecoliteracy.org for more information);
2. Develop training programs in eco-trades, such as green building, ecological sanitation, community composting, etc, with the possibility of forming a special Sustainability College under The Colleges Act of Manitoba being considered;
3. Adequately fund community composting and gardening as the main form of dealing with unused organic materials (kitchen waste, etc) with an aim to promoting and implementing urban agriculture wherever possible;
An ecologically literate government is constantly striving to implement the nine principles of ecology stated above. Manitoba Greens are committed to learning from Nature to build a sustainable society. The other parties have failed to comprehend genuine ecological literacy and are simply pretending to be 'green', where the Green Party of Manitoba is truly green (ecological) and striving for the best policies for Manitoba and the world.
Next: Protecting Living Systems
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