Billy I. Ahmed
Human have always shown remarkable skill, innovation and ingenuity
when faced by environmental hurdles. Instead of competing with or
opposing the environment, they cooperate with it by resorting
to `ecological engineering', Ecos, co-evolution and the ecological
paradigm. This article briefly discusses these key issues that can
reshape this world.
The term "ecological engineering", was first coined by Howard T.
Odum in 1962. He is now Professor Emeritus at the University of
Florida, where his work in systems ecology has flourished.
Ecological engineering, he wrote, is "those cases where the energy
supplied by man is small relative to the natural sources but
sufficient to produce large effects in the resulting patterns and
processes". (H.T. Odum, 1962, "Man and Ecosystem" Proceedings,
Lockwood conference on the Suburban Forest and Ecology. Bulletin
Connecticut Agric. Station)
Another definition that relates to ecosystem management by human
society (Centre for Wetlands, University of Florida) is: "Ecological
engineering is the design of sustainable ecosystems that integrate
human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both.
It involves the design, construction and management of ecosystems
that have value to both humans and the environment. Ecological
engineering combines basic and applied science from engineering,
ecology, economics and natural sciences for the restoration and
construction of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The field is
increasing in breadth and depth as more opportunities to design and
use ecosystems as interfaces between technology and environment are
explored."
Another definition seeks to use the ecological paradigm to
construct ecologies to solve vexatious global problems, such as
pollution.
It is predicated on the belief that the self-organising order
found in the stable ecosystems is so universal that it can be
applied as an engineering discipline to solve the pressing problems
of global pollution, food production and efficient resource-
utilisation, while providing a high quality of life for all human
society. (David Del Porto)
In this definition, the ecological paradigm reveals how to safely
utilise the polluting components of unwanted residuals, or "wastes",
to ultimately grow green plants that have value to human society,
but not at the expense of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Planning, design and construction with the ecological paradigm as a
template is the work of ecological engineers.
Ecos defined
In 1973, David Del Porto coined a new word ù "Ecos" ù to represent
the first principle of the emergence of a closed-loop ordered system
from the chaos of seemingly random events on the planet. Del Porto
took the "ec" from ecosystems and added the suffix "os", the Greek
suffix for universal principles such as logos, eros, gnomos, etc. It
seemed an apt name for the types of sustainable systems we want.
"Oikos", the Greek word for house or home, is the root, "eco", of
both ecology and economics. The oiko-nomia of the house was based on
a system of interdependent, highly individualistic living organisms,
interacting with non-living elements, organised in a circuit so that
the nourishment of each organism was derived from the outputs or by-
products of other organisms or non-living systems.
The emergence of an ordered system founded on interdependence is
the spontaneous result of each organism wanting to optimise its
fitness to exploit (in the positive sense of the word) the
nourishing resources in its environment. In natural ecosystems there
is no waste, because excrement and by-products are immediately
consumed as food by other players in the ecological show! A
successful relationship of this sort is the basis of stable
ecosystems.
Co-evolution
Closer study will reveal a third element: information. It is
information that is passed on from one organism to another in
genetic memories by reproduction, assimilation and communication. It
is the information component of the system that allows the
organisation of the system to be developed, maintained and passed on
to future generations in the form best able to ensure the survival
of the collective elements.
As these living organisms live, reproduce, consume nourishment and
eventually die to return their energy, matter and information to the
system, they modify their environment to better use the
opportunities it offers. This has been referred to as "co-
evaluation," and it ensures the optimum environment of the survival
of the ecosystem.
The ecological paradigm reveals how to safely utilise the
polluting components of unwanted residuals, or "wastes", to
ultimately grow plants that have economic value. Planning,
engineering and design with the ecological paradigm as our template
are the work of sustainable strategies.
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BILLY IS A COLUMNIST & RESEARCHER FROM BANGLADESH. WRITES REGULARLY
IN ENGLISH DALIES IN BANGLADESH AND OVERSEAS. BOTH FOR PRINT AND
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