Daily Archives: April 29, 2011

HAPPY BELATED EARTH DAY!

I thought I’d take a slightly different approach for today’s post and look at sustainability from a perspective beyond that of the built environment, in order to look more comprehensively at the related issues of social equity, community and economics, that, in conjunction with environment, make up the Triple Bottom Line.

Understandably, as green-minded individuals, we often focus on a specific issue that we’re passionate about, whether it be historical preservation, renewable energy, conservation, permaculture, water quality, you name it…   Complex as it may seem, when any or all of these elements are addressed in relation to one another, the potential synergies could (and often do) create unique opportunities for collaborative, cross-disciplinary efforts.

What got me thinking about the value of collaboration in social and cultural contexts last week was a TED talk by farmer, social innovator, and former fusion physicist, Marcin Jakubowski, describing open source ecology (leveraging knowledge and information  in the most effective way possible, through open source communications) as a means to stimulate economy and enable community-building.  This concept of empowering people to live self-sufficiently through the open framework of shared knowledge really struck a chord with me on a number of levels.

The implications of implementing an open source approach to social, economic, and environmental issues are almost infinite.  In theory, this philosophy applied in any given context can enable and enrich lives, improve communities, and protect natural resources.  So, it seems as though the movement toward an open source way of living aligns pretty well with the many components of a sustainable lifestyle.

Personally,  I’ve learned so much beyond the realm of architecture, thanks to the diverse talents, knowledge and skills of many like-minded colleagues and friends. In fact, the varying viewpoints and interests represented here at Inspired Design Daily exemplify another community type- a regional, web-based collaborative network of knowledge, support and common interests that, for me,  has been a great source of insight, advice, and of course, inspiration.

Whether it’s attempting to grow my green thumb, finding the life-work balance or learning how to shop responsibly and creatively, I’ve come to the basic conclusion that a  local living economy is possible, and there’s great human potential from the shared ideas and capabilities inherent in each of us.

Cheers!  Lauren

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