the visual communication of ecological literacy - phd presentation, november 2011

www.eco-labs.org

The Visual Communication of Ecological Literacy

Jody Joanna BoehnertEcoLabs &

AHRC funded doctoral candidateUniversity of Brighton

November 2011

www.eco-labs.org

The world is a complex, interconnected, finite, ecological-social- psychological-economic system. We treat it as if it were not, as if it were divisible, separable, simple, and infinite. Our persistent, intractable, global problems arise directly from this mismatch.

Donella Meadows, 1982

Why? ContextPresently humanity’s ecological footprint exceeds its regenerative capacity by 30%. This global overshoot is growing and ecosystems are being run down as wastes (including greenhouse gases) accumulate in the air, land, and water. Climate change, resource depletion, pollution, loss of biodiversity, and other systemic environmental problems threaten to destroy the natural support systems on which we depend.

What? Systems, Networks, Values Problems cannot be understood in isolation but must be seen as interconnected and interdependent. We must learn to engage with complexity and think in terms of systems to address current ecological, social and economic problems. Images can be useful tools to help with this learning process.

How? Transformational LearningThe value / action gap permeates education for sustainability and is obvious in environmental coverage in the media. The gap between our ideas about what we value and what we are actually doing to address the problem is the notorious value / action gap. This project uses transformational learning to move from values to action. This approach is integrated into cycles of action research and practice based design work.

ReferencesFritjof Capra. The Hidden Connections. London: Flamingo. 2003Stephen Sterling. Whole Systems Thinking as a Basis for Paradigm Change in Education. University of Bath. 2003Stephen Sterling. Transformational Learning. Researching Transformational Learning. University of Gloucestershire. 2009

Ecological literacy - the understanding of the principles of organization that ecosystems have evolved to sustain the web of life - is the first step on the road to sustainability. The second step is the move towards ecodesign. We need to apply our ecological knowledge to the fundamental redesign of our technologies and social institutions, so as to bridge the current gap between human design and the

ecological sustainable systems of nature. Fritjof Capra, 2003

Levels of Learning & Engagement

1st: Education ABOUT SustainabilityContent and/or skills emphasis. Easily accommodatedinto existing system. Learning ABOUT change. ACCOMMODATIVE RESPONSE - maintenance.

2nd: Education FOR SustainabilityAdditional values emphasis. Greening of institutions. Deeper questioning and reform of purpose, policy and practice.Learning FOR change. REFORMATIVE RESPONSE - adaptive.

3rd: SUSTAINABLE EducationCapacity building and action emphasis. Experiential curriculum. Institutions as learning communities. Learning AS change. TRANSFORMATIVE RESPONSE - enactment.

Stephen Sterling, 2009

[email protected] | [email protected] poster can be downloaded on this website: www.eco-labs.org

Transformational Learning

Values, Knowledge, SkillsA: SEEING (Perception)

An expanded ethical sensibility or consciousness

B: KNOWING (Conception)A critical understanding of pattern,

consequence and connectivity

C: DOING (Action)The ability to design and act relationally,

integratively and wisely.


ECOLOGICAL

SOCIALECONOMIC

GOODDESIGN

The Visual Communication of Ecological LiteracyJody Joanna Boehnert - MPhil - School of Architecture and Design

Actions

Ideas / Theories

Norms / Assumptions

Beliefs / Values

Paradigm / Worldview

Metaphysics / Cosmology

www.eco-labs.org

Contents

1. Visualizing Ecosystems and Sustainability

2. Ecological Literacy in Theory and Practice

3. Visual Cultures, Visual Literacy, Visual Intelligence and Visual Language

4. Making the Invisible Visible: Context, Connections, Complexity, Causality and Quantity

5. Aesthetics and Ecological Perception

www.eco-labs.org

1Visualizing

Ecosystems and Sustainability

www.eco-labs.org

www.eco-labs.org

"The Game Plan" slideset release 1.0, March 13 2008 43

A1BA1TA1FIA2B1B2IS92a

Scenarios

21002000190018001700

-0.5

0.0

-1.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

Tem

pera

ture

Ris

e, d

egre

es C

elsi

us.

A1B - Rapid growth, balanced energy sources.

A1T - Rapid growth, new, non-carbon, technology.

A1FI - Rapid growth, fossil fuel intensive.

A2 - High energy consumption, rapid population growth.

B1 - Environmentally and socially conscious global approach.

B2 - Environmental preservation and local solutions.

IS92a - "Business as usual" IPCC.

Recent temperature changes

Bars show the range in year 2100 produced by several scenarios.

Models vs. ScenariosTemperature Choice

GLOBAL STEP 2

Tem

pera

ture

Ris

e, d

egre

es C

elsi

us

Year

www.eco-labs.org

www.eco-labs.org

Springer-Verlag. The New Scientist.

www.eco-labs.org

Earth’s Natural Wealth: an Audit. The New Scientist

www.eco-labs.orgThe Oil Age. Information design by Dave Menninger. 2006

www.eco-labs.org

www.eco-labs.org

Living Planet Report 2006. WWF

www.eco-labs.org

www.eco-labs.org

2Ecological Literacy

in Theory and Practice

www.eco-labs.org

ecological literacy

“All education is environmental education. By what is included or excluded, emphasized or ignored, students learn that they are part of or apart from the natural world. Through education we inculcate the ideas of careful stewardship or carelessness” (Orr 1992, 90).

An understanding of the ‘principles of organization’ of ecological systems. (Capra 2002, 201).

Critical eco-literacy is linked to cultural literacy for a more robust analysis of the connections between social and ecological systems (Kahn 2010, 66).

www.eco-labs.org

ECOLOGICAL

SOCIALECONOMIC

GOODDESIGN

www.eco-labs.org

www.eco-labs.org

We need to apply our ecological knowledge to the

fundamental redesign of our technologies and social

institutions, so as to bridge the current gap between

human design and the ecological sustainable systems of

nature.

Fritjof Capra, 2002

www.eco-labs.orghttp://teach-in.ning.com

www.eco-labs.org

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK RESEARCH DESIGN

Epistemology

Theoretical position

Methodology

Method

Design Research Action ResearchDesign Science

WickedProblems

DesignThinking

SystemsThinking

TransformationDesign - 4.0

Visuali-sation Pragmatism

Eco-pedagogy

Critical Inquiry

SystemsThinking

ExtendedEpistemology

www.eco-labs.org

1. problemidentification

2. strategydesign

3. design anddissemination

4. reflection and re-interpreation

ACTIONREFLECTION

1. Identify problem condition

2. Identify communication goals

3. Write the brief

4. Design graphics

5. Design processes

6. Do it! Disseminate

7. Solicit feedback

8. Reflection and revision

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1

2 3

4

5

67

8

The Teach-in

PhD poster

EL graphics

10 Phases of TL for EL

www.eco-labs.org

How? Transformational LearningThe value / action gap permeates education for sustainability and is obvious in environmental coverage in the media. The gap between our ideas about what we value and what we are actually doing to address the problem is the notorious value / action gap. This project uses transformational learning to move from values to action. This approach is integrated into cycles of action research and practice based design work.

www.eco-labs.org

Transformational Learning

Values, Knowledge, SkillsA: SEEING (Perception)

An expanded ethical sensibility or consciousness

B: KNOWING (Conception)A critical understanding of pattern,

consequence and connectivity

C: DOING (Action)The ability to design and act relationally,

integratively and wisely.


Actions

Ideas / Theories

Norms / Assumptions

Beliefs / Values

Paradigm / Worldview

Metaphysics / Cosmology

www.eco-labs.org

Levels of Learning & Engagement

1st: Education ABOUT SustainabilityContent and/or skills emphasis. Easily accommodatedinto existing system. Learning ABOUT change. ACCOMMODATIVE RESPONSE - maintenance.

2nd: Education FOR SustainabilityAdditional values emphasis. Greening of institutions. Deeper questioning and reform of purpose, policy and practice.Learning FOR change. REFORMATIVE RESPONSE - adaptive.

3rd: SUSTAINABLE EducationCapacity building and action emphasis. Experiential curriculum. Institutions as learning communities. Learning AS change. TRANSFORMATIVE RESPONSE - enactment.


www.eco-labs.org

3Visual Cultures, Visual Literacy,

Visual Intelligence & Visual Language

www.eco-labs.org

Visual Culture

‘The effects of technology do not occur at the level of opinions or concepts, but alter sense

ratios or patterns of perception steadily and without any resistance’ McLuhan 2001[1964]:290.

www.eco-labs.org

Visual Literacy and Visual Intelligence

Donis Dondis first articulated the need for critical reading of images in A Primer of Visual Literacy (1973).

The concept of visual thinking was developed by Ann Marie Barry in the seminal book Visual Intelligence: Perception, image and the manipulation of the visual in communications (1997).

Visual intelligence extends beyond visual literacy, necessary not only to resist the influence of messages absorbed uncritically, but to develop the capacity to think in abstract and perceptually oriented ways (Barry 1997:7).

www.eco-labs.org

Visual Language

In Visual Language (1998) Robert Horn claims that the current proliferation of visual communication indicates that we are witnessing the emergence of a new visual language that integrates words, shapes and images. Horn describes visual language as a potential antidote to the fragmentation and reductionism of current ways of communicating and thinking:

‘visual language has the potential for increasing human “bandwidth”, the capacity to take in, comprehend, and more efficiently synthesize large amounts of new information. It has this capacity on the individual, group, and organizational levels’ (Horn 2001a:1).

www.eco-labs.org

4Making the Invisible Visible:

Context, Connections, Complexity, Causality

and Quantity

www.eco-labs.org

Gapm

inder World C

hart 2010 Version May 2010b

Money GDP per person in US dollars (purchasing power adjusted) (log scale)

Hea

lth Li

fe ex

pecta

ncy a

t birt

h (y

ears)

Low–income countries Middle–income countries High–income countries

500 1 000 2 000 5 000 10 000 20 000 50 000

50

45

60

7070

80

75

85

65

55

China

India

USA

Indonesia

Brazil

Paki-stan

BangladeshRussia

Nigeria

Japan

Mexico

Philippines

Vietnam

Germany

Egypt

Ethiopia

TurkeyIran

Congo, DR

�ailand

France

UK

Italy

South Korea

Myanmar

Ukraine

Colo- mbia

South Africa

Sudan

Argen- tina

Spain

Tanzania

Poland

Kenya

Morocco

Algeria

Canada

Afghanistan

Uganda

Nepal

Peru

Uzbe-kistan Iraq

Saudi Arabia

VenezuelaMalaysia

NorthKorea

Ghana

Taiwan

Yemen

Romania

Australia

Sri Lanka

Mozambique

Madagascar

Syria

Côte d'Ivoire

Cameroon

NetherlandsChile

Kazakhstan

Burkina Faso

Cambodia

Ecuador

Malawi

Niger

Guate-mala

Angola

Senegal

Zimbabwe

Mali

Zambia

CubaGreecePortugal

Chad

Bel-gium

Tunisia

Belarus

Czech Rep.

Guinea

SerbiaHungary

DR

Somalia

Bolivia

Rwanda

Sweden

Haiti

Burundi

Benin

Austria

Azerbaijan

Tajikistan

Honduras

Switzerland

Bulgaria

El Salvador

Hong KongAndorra

Paraguay

Laos

Israel

Sierra Leone

Jordan

Libya

Papua New

Guinea

Togo

Nicaragua

Denmark

Slovakia

Kyrgyzstan

Finland

Turkmenistan

Eritrea

Norway

Georgia

Singa-pore

Bosnia & H.

Moldova

Croatia

Central African Rep.

Costa Rica Ireland

New Zealand

Palestine

Leba-non

Puerto Rico

Congo, Rep.

Albania

Lithuania

Uruguay

Mauritania

Liberia

OmanPanama

Armenia

Mongolia

Jamaica

UAEKuwait

Kosovo

Bhutan

Latvia

Namibia

Macedonia

Slovenia

Lesotho

Gam-bia

Botswana

Guinea-Bissau

Gabon

Estonia

Mauritius

Swaziland

Timor-Leste

Trinidad &Tobago

Fiji

Qatar

Guyana

Comoros

Bahrain

Solo-mon Isl.

Equatorial Guinea

Djibouti

Lux-embourg

Suriname

Cape Verde

Malta

Brunei

Bahamas

Iceland

BelizeBarbados

Vanuatu

São Tomé & P.

SamoaTonga

Kiribati

Micronesia

Grenada

Seychelles

Antigua & Barbuda

Dominica

Marshall Isl. Palau

Nauru

Tuvalu

St Kitts & N.

Maldives

Liechten-stein

3

6

5 4

2

1

RichPoor

Sick

Healthy

Gapminder World Map 2010

Colour by region:

Size by population:

1000millions

100103

or less

www.gapminder.orghttp://www.gapminder.org/worldmap

1. San Marino2. Monaco3. Cyprus4. Montenegro5. Saint Lucia6. St Vincent & Grenadines

Data are for 2009 for all 192 UN member states and the other 5 countries and territories with more than 1 million people (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Palestine, Puerto Rico and Kosovo). Free to copy, share and remix but attribute Gapminder. For sources see:

1. COMPLEXITY

Graphic design makes complex information accessible through the selective framing of data and structuring of information to reveal patterns

www.eco-labs.org

2. CONTEXT

Maps are useful devices in the development of context and situated knowledge.

www.eco-labs.org

179

184

212

An atlas of pollution: the world in carbon dioxide emissions

182

15 Australia418

56Bangladesh

55.1

191

106

204

153

170

42Hong Kong

86.0

India overtook Russia in 2009

3 India1,602

16 Indonesia413

5 Japan1,098

215

45North Korea

79.5

8 South Korea528

166

147

0.2%

32 Malaysia148

172

108

202

135

140

69 NewZealand

39.1

217

0.4%

33 Pakistan140

174

123

209

0.1%

31 Singapore161

197

92

20 Taiwan291

23 Thailand253

183

203

198

207

4.9%

40 Vietnam98.8

167

156

47Philippines

72.4

93

133

Asia & Oceania

Up 7.5%13,264m

on 2008

tonnes of CO2in 2009

Central &South America

Up 3.6%1,273m

on 2008


Eurasia

Down 9.2%2,358m

on 2008


World

Down 0.1%30,452m

on 2008

tonnes of CO2 in 2009

Down 6.9% on 2008

North America6,411m tonnes of CO2

in 2009

Only three years earlier, in 2006, China was in second place, and until recently had been very close to US emissions. But from 2008 to 2009, rapid growth has matched the country’s 9-10%

growth in GDP.Since 2000 the country’s CO2 emissions have

risen by 170.6%

US emissions are down for the second year in succession – after almost uninterrupted year

on year increases since these records began in 1980. The decline has matched the country’s economic woes which have seen it only just

emerge from recession.Since 2000 the country’s CO2 emissions have

fallen by 7.5%

13.3%

7,711million tonnes

1 China

7.0%

5,425million tonnes

2 US

7 Canada541

13 Mexico444

9.6%

8.7%

99

72 Azer-baijan

36.2

52 Belarus60.6

85

121

9.8%

28Kazakhstan

185 120

103

87

111

4 Russia1,572

118

54Turkmen-

istan56.8

28.2%

22 Ukraine255

9.4%

36Uzbekistan

115

7.4%

1.2%

1.9%

75Bahrain

31.1

9 Iran527

3.7%

38 Iraq104

48 Israel70.5

82

43 Kuwait84.9

89

63 Oman49.0

137

51 Qatar66.5

11 Saudi Arabia470

53 Syria56.9

1.2%

26 UnitedArab Emirates

193

79Yemen

22.9

Middle East

Up 3.3%1,714m

on 2008


3.2%

3.2%

124

50 Austria69.2

11.2%

34 Belgium137

66Bulgaria

44.5

81

102

41 Czech Rep95.3

62Denmark

49.6

175

59Finland

52.2

18 France397

6 Germany766

130

5.3%

39 Greece100

61Hungary

50.0

136

67Ireland

40.3

17 Italy408

101

109

139

154

0.2%

25 Netherlands249

68Norway

39.6

3.7%

21 Poland286

55 Portugal56.5

44 Romania80.5

58 Serbia52.3

73Slovakia

35.8

86

19 Spain330

60Sweden

50.6

65Switz.

45.8

7.3%

24 Turkey253

UK had been ranked 8th for emissions

in 2008

10 UK520

84

Europe

Down 6.9%4,310m

on 2008


7.0%

7.8%

7.4%

9.3%

8.4%

193

3.2%

29Argentina

167

171

90

14 Brazil420

Biggest % increase

74.1%

35 Chile119

49Colombia

70.1

113

77Ecuador

28.7

119

214

168

149

98

157

105

129

88

132

70Peru38.2

151

110

1.4%

30Venezuela

162

181

169

122

160

187

76Cuba30.4

211

83

195

150

95

146

210

96

74Puerto

Rico33.3

194

188201

64Trinidad& Tobago

47.8

213

94

208

0.3%

Latest data published by the US Energy Information Administration provides a unique picture of economic growth – and decline. China has sped ahead of the US, as shown by this map, which resizes each country according to CO2 emissions. And, for the first time, world emissions have gone down

9.7%

2.4%

1.8%

3.7%

0.1%

Biggest % drop in emissions

6.2%

37 Algeria114

78Angola

24.0

134

128

158

189

107

190

196

199

205

116

145

115155

3.5%

27 Egypt192

125

176

112

126

186

104

163185

97

200

180

57 Libya55.0

138

165

177

143

127

71Morocco

36.5

148131

46 Nigeria77.7

142

178

216

206

117

159

164

17391

161

114

141

80Tunisia

22.9

152

192

144 100

162

Africa

Down 3.1%1,122m

on 2008


6.7%

12 South Africa450

Change in emissions, 2008 to 2009

Regional emissions in 2009

1 China7,711

%

Emissions ranking and country

Million tonnes of CO2 emitted in 2009Key

Table shows total carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of energy

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Rank/changeon 2008

Country Million tonnes2009

Percent change 08—09



















ChinaUSIndiaRussiaJapanGermanyCanadaSouth KoreaIranUKSaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaMexicoBrazilAustraliaIndonesiaItalyFranceSpainTaiwanPolandUkraine

ThailandTurkeyNetherlandsUnited Arab EmiratesEgyptKazakhstanArgentinaVenezuelaSingaporeMalaysiaPakistanBelgiumChileUzbekistanAlgeriaIraqGreeceVietnamCzech RepublicHong KongKuwaitRomania

North KoreaNigeriaPhilippinesIsraelColombiaAustriaQatarBelarusSyriaTurkmenistanPortugalBangladeshLibyaSerbiaFinlandSwedenHungaryDenmarkOmanTrinidad and TobagoSwitzerlandBulgaria

IrelandNorwayNew ZealandPeruMoroccoAzerbaijanSlovakiaPuerto RicoBahrainCubaEcuadorAngolaYemenTunisiaCroatiaJordanDominican RepublicBosnia and HerzegovinaEstoniaSloveniaLithuaniaPanama

LebanonBoliviaSudanSri LankaBurmaUS Virgin IslandsJamaicaNetherlands AntillesKenyaGuatemalaArmeniaZimbabweLuxembourgCyprusLatviaGhanaHondurasBruneiCameroonMongoliaMacedoniaUruguay

MoldovaEthiopiaCosta RicaTanzaniaIvoryCoastCongoSenegalTajikistanEl SalvadorKyrgyzstanGeorgiaBahamasPapua New GuineaAlbaniaEquatorial GuineaGabonMauritiusBotswanaNicaraguaGibraltarNamibiaParaguay

CambodiaBeninNepalIcelandPalestineMadagascarMaltaNew CaledoniaTogoReunionMauritaniaZambiaCongo, Dem RepMartiniqueMacauMozambiqueGuadeloupeHaitiSurinameUgandaFijiMontenegro

DjiboutiGuamGuyanaBurkina FasoSeychellesBarbadosSwazilandNigerGuineaSierra LeoneMalawiLaosWake IslandFrench GuianaArubaFrench PolynesiaBelizeMaldivesSomaliaAfghanistanFaroe IslandsEritrea

MaliRwandaBermudaLiberiaAntigua and BarbudaAmerican SamoaEast TimorGreenlandGuinea-BissauGambiaCayman IslandsSaint LuciaBurundiCape VerdeBhutanWestern SaharaAntarcticaSaint Kitts and NevisGrenadaCentral African RepublicSolomon IslandsUS Pacific Islands

ChadLesothoSaint Vincent/GrenadinesNauruTongaCook IslandsComorosSao Tome and PrincipeVanuatuBritish Virgin IslandsSamoaMontserratDominicaSaint Pierre and MiquelonTurks and Caicos IslandsFalkland IslandsKiribatiSaint HelenaNiue

12345678910111213141516171819202122

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13.3-7.08.7-7.4-9.7-7.0-9.61.23.2-7.83.2-6.7-1.9-0.3-1.82.4-9.3-7.4-8.4-3.7-3.0-28.2

-0.1-7.3-0.2-1.23.59.8-3.2-1.4-0.1-0.20.4-11.274.1-9.46.23.7-5.3-4.9-3.810.36.3

-16.6

14.3-22.4-2.94.87.9-2.54.8-9.56.1-1.21.59.4-3.9-3.2-4.9-7.7

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-4.36.14.27.7-5.43.43.4-2.96.46.4

6.40.04.22.24.42.28.7-4.80.015.4-11.80.04.04.5-11.10.017.611.14.8

-13.025.00.0

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7,7115,4251,6021,5721,098766541528527520470450444420418413408397330291286255

25325324919319218516716216114814013711911511410410098.895.386.084.980.5

79.577.772.470.570.169.266.560.656.956.856.555.155.052.352.250.650.049.649.047.845.844.5

40.339.639.138.236.536.235.833.331.130.428.724.022.922.921.520.019.918.317.517.415.815.5

14.813.913.012.812.512.512.111.611.511.311.210.610.69.48.58.17.97.67.57.47.37.2

7.16.96.86.76.66.36.26.15.95.75.35.24.84.64.64.64.64.54.54.44.14.0

3.93.53.43.43.23.13.13.02.82.82.72.72.72.62.42.32.22.12.01.91.91.9

1.81.71.51.41.41.41.41.31.31.31.31.21.21.11.11.1

0.940.920.900.830.800.77

0.740.740.710.690.690.670.630.610.460.440.430.410.370.340.330.320.310.300.300.290.290.29

0.290.270.270.200.150.150.150.150.150.150.150.150.140.110.080.050.040.010.01

Detailed dataFull list of each country’s CO2 emissions and movement in the world emissions league table

GRAPHIC: MARK McCORMICK, PAUL SCRUTON. SOURCE: EIA

3. CAUSALITY and Dynamics

Visuals can display complex ecological processes and long chains of cause and effect. Defining the processes that link elements can help create an understanding of system dynamics.

HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA

Population: 139,357

©2007 2030, Inc.HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA - 1-meter sea level rise

Population: 139,357 Data Source: LIDAR and USGS 10M NED

©2007 2030, Inc.

A Coastal Impact Study: Nation Under Siege

MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA

Population: 87,933

©2007 2030, Inc.

FOSTER CITY, CALIFORNIA

Population: 23,803

©2007 2030, Inc.

MIAMI, FLORIDA

Population: 362,470

©2007 2030, Inc.

MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - 1-meter sea level rise

Population: 87,933 Data Source: LIDAR IHRCS

©2007 2030, Inc.

FOSTER CITY, CALIFORNIA - 1.25-meter sea level rise

Population: 23,803 Data Source: LIDAR 2M BCDC (USGS 10M verified)

©2007 2030, Inc.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - 1.25-meter sea level rise

Population: 362,470 Data Source: LIDAR IHRCS

©2007 2030, Inc.

With a business-as-usual approach, where fossil-fuel consumption and GHG emissions continue to increase, we will likely see a warming of 2 °C to 3 °C this century with a planetary energy imbalance sufficient to melt enough ice to raise sea level by several meters.

4

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4. CONNECTIONS

Network drawings are emerging as powerful communications tools displaying complex webs of dynamic information. Unlike text and speech, network diagrams encourage undirected, interactive reading and perform the service of illustrating pattern.

www.eco-labs.org

5. Quantity and Qualitative Whole Systems Thinking

A focus on quality balances the often uncritical and reductionist emphasis on quantitative analysis. Ecological perception is relational and qualitative. Visual thinking and reasoning must integrate qualitative and quantitative modes of analysis to facilitate ecological perception.

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5Aesthetics and

Ecological Perception

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Visual communication design can go beyond facilitating clear thinking and rational analysis because graphic design, like visual arts, has emotional impact. Images speak directly to the beyond-rational self that is the source of the motivation.

Visuals are powerful because we react emotionally to images before they are cognitively understood (Barry 1997).

David Orr and other ecological thinkers link alienation as arising from a lack of identification or empathic relationship with nature.

This emphatic perception of relations is a basis for ecological identity.

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crisis discipline

prosperity without growthsteady state economy critiques of capitalism

industrial ecology

crisis capitalism

design as social learning

symbolic violence / discursive power

crisis of reason

ecological embeddedness

ecofeminism identitycampaigning

cognitive frames

critical consciousness

positive development three-dimensional power

denial

ecological literacy transformativelearning

actionresearch

critical eco-pedagogy

sustainableeducation

visual language

informationvisualisation

visualising networks& information design

Design 4.0

eco-psychologyindigeneity &

traditional ecological knowledge

epistemologicalerror

visual intelligence

perceptual disorder

deepecology

ecoliteracy

holistic science

energydecent

transitiontowns

designscience

limits togrowth

sustainment

design thinking

The LandEthic

SilentSpring

paradigmshift

Goethianscience

historical ecological collapse

cognitivejustice

Integral Theory

Gaia Theory

critical urbanecology

re-directed practice

knowledge aseffective actiondesign as

social control

Key to Lines: Summary of Disciplinary Lines

Eco-literacy: Ecological literacy (EL) describes a capacity to think in terms of whole systems. Ecological literacy recognizes humankind’s embeddedness within the ecological systems and thereby organizes cultural, political, legal and eco-nomic systems to re�ect interdependence and interconnections.

Sustainable Development: Current models of development based on in�nite quantitative economic growth within a �nite ecological system are entirely unsustainable. Development must re�ect growth in nature where physical growth occurs to maturity then levels off.

Communications mediate the human-nature relationship and thus have a vital role to pay in responding to environmental problems. Visual communica-tion has the unique capacity to communicate context, causality, connections, and complexity thereby facilitating ecological perception.

Design is uniquely positioned to engage in a process of moving from theory to practice and moving between sectors to facilitate transdisciplinary actions and design new ways of living. Design is a problem solving profession with a wide variety of tools and techniques to addresses complex problems.

Graphic Design aims to strategically change human understanding and behav-ior through the use of visual communication. Graphic design can address the crisis in environmental communications by visualizing complex webs of interdependence helping audiences notice relationships and develop ecological perception.

Science: Ecological literacy has emerged out the movement in modern science away from the Enlightenment tradition characterized by atomism, mechanism, objectivism, anthropocentrism, rationalism and dualism. This shift follows Kuhn’s theory of paradigm shifts in science, evolved now to ‘post-normal science’.

Philosophy: We have inherented a philosophical tradition based on a radical disconnection with the natural world constituting ‘epistemological error’ a crisis of reason and ethical rootlessness. Ecological literacy describes a worldview that supports an ecologically embedded ontology, epistemology, rationality and ethic.

Critical Pedagogy is an educational movement that originated from Paulo Freire's educational practices focused on conscientization or critical consciousness. These teaching practices have been integral to the profound change witnessed in social movements globally including women’s liberation.

Social Theory offers powerful tools of analysis that expose how and why ecological literacy remains marginal by describing how power functions in our culture. Dominant discourses re�ect the interests of powerful political interests with concepts such as the ‘discursive power’ and ‘symbolic violence’.

Transition is a social movement and community design practice based on local responses to climate change and peak oil, i.e. depletion of fossil fuel reserves. Transition has its origins in permaculture which developed strategies for the design of systems for local resilience and energy descent.

Ecological Economics is economic theory that recognizes the economic system as embedded within the ecological system, and having to function within the carrying capacity of the earth. It describes quantitative growth as no longer delivering prosperity to rich countries. Instead we must aim for qualitative growth.

Ecopsychology address our psychological relationship with Nature, offering a radical re-visioning of ecological self. Ecopsychology understoods denial as a ‘natural’ defense mechanism and using practices from addiction therapy to address denial. Eco-psychology is heavily informed by TEK (traditional ecological knowledge).

Ecofeminist analysis asserts that the logic of domination has been used histori-cally to oppress of both women and nature. Feminism is a fundamental building block to the next social transformation – that of enlarging the community of concern to include the wider ecological community.

Holistic Science: Holistic science dramatically challenges assumptions and methodological approaches of positivist science. Holistic science unites both quantities and qualities of scienti�c methodologies, in a paradigm shift in science from physics to the life sciences.

Visual Communication Within the context of an increasingly visual culture, visual communications can potentially facilitate ecological understanding through display of complexity, context, connections, causality and quantity while nurturing qualitative whole systems thinking.

A map based on the literature review

of the AHRC funded PhD research,


at the University of Brighton.

Graphic No.23 - Version 3.0

Joanna Jody Boehnert

August 2011

This poster can be downloaded here:

www.eco-labs.org

philosophy

critical pedogogy

critical social theory

transition movement

ecological economics

psychology / ecopsychology

science

holistic science

ecological literacy

sustainable development

communications

perception

visual communication

graphic design

design

feminism / ecofeminism

Key to lines

Eco-Literacy Mape

† Failure to become familiar with the major lines during your journey will signi�cantly increase the likelihood of serious environmental damage.

The information gathered on this map has been gathered from different sources and is not complete. Version 3.0 - August 2011

Key to stationsWolfgang Sachs (b.1946) sociologist, social scientistFritjof Capra (b.1939) physicist, systems theorist, authorVandana Shiva (b.1952) physicist, philosopher, activist, ecofeministKaren Warren (n/a) ecofeminist, philosopherCarolyn Merchant (b.1936) historian of science, ecofeministVal Plumwood (1939 - 2008), ecofeminist activist, philosopherCharlene Spretnak (b.1946) ecofeminist activist, philosopher David Orr (n/a) environmental and political scientistHumanti�c: Elizabeth Pastor and GK VanPatter (n/a) designersDavid McCandless (n/a) data journalist, information designerMark Lombardi (1951-2000) researcher, information designer, artistJohn Ehrenfeld (n/a) industrial ecologist, authorBuckminster Fuller (1895 - 1983) engineer, designer, inventorJanis Birkeland (n/a) architect, writer, scholar

Ezio Manzini (n/a) design theoristDensity Design - Paolo Ciuccarelli & others (n/a) information designManuel Lima (n/a) information architect, visualization designer Angela Morelli (n/a) information designerJohn Thackara (n/a) design theorist, director of DoorsJon Goodbun (n/a) architect, critical theoristNigel Cross (n/a) professor of design studies.Anne-Marie Willis & Tony Fry (n/a) design theorists, designersCameron Tomkinwise (n/a) design theoristNaomi Klein (b.1970) author and social activistPierre Bourdieu (1930 - 2002) sociologist, anthropologist, philosopherMichel Foucault (1926 – 1984) philosopher, social theorist, historianPeter Reason (n/a) action researcher, social theorist, sustainability scholarSteven Lukes (b.1941) political and critical social theorist

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) writer, polymathAldo Leopold (1887 - 1948) ecologist, conservationistThomas Samuel Kuhn (1922 - 1996) physicist, philosopherDonella ‘Dana’ Meadows (1941 - 2001) environmental scientistGregory Bateson (1904 - 1980) anthropologist, social scientistRachel Carson (1907 - 1964) biologist, ecologistAlbert-László Barabási (b.1967) physicistHarding, Stephan Dr. (n/a) holistic scientistJames Lovelock (b.1919) scientist, authorDavid Bohm (1917 - 1992) quantum physicist, philosopherKen Wilber (b.1949) author, integral theoristArne Næss (1912 - 2009) philosopher, activistRob Hopkins (b.1970) ecologist, permaculture designer, authorDavid Holmgren (b. 1955) ecologist, permaculture designer

Stanley Cohen (n/a) sociologistRichard Kahn (n/a) critical theorist, education scholarPaulo Freire (1921 –1997) radical educator, critical social theoristStephen Stephen (n/a) education and sustainability scholarJack Mezirow (n/a) education scholar, social theoristC.A. Bower (n/a) environmental educator, philosopherJohn Dewey (1859 – 1952) philosopher, educational reformerTheodore Roszak (b.1933) professor of history Laura Sewall (n/a) visual psychologistJoanna Macy (b.1929) author, Buddhist scholar, activistThomas Berry (1914 -2009) cultural historian, ecotheologianLeslie Gray (n/a) indigenous educator, clinical psychologistLa Donna Harris & Jacqueline Wasilewski (n/a) indigenous scholars, activistsMary-Catherin Bateson (n/a) writer and cultural anthropologist

Edward Tufte (b.1942) political scientist, statistician, designer, writerRobert E. Horn (n/a) political scientist, information designerJoseph A. Tainter (b.1949) is a U.S. anthropologist and historianJared Diamond (b.1937) scientist, geologist, authorRobert Cox (n/a) professor of rhetorical studies, communications scholarTom Crompton (n/a) change strategist, communications scholarTim Kasser (b.1966) psychologist, communications scholarSantos, Boaventura De Sousa (b.1940) professor of sociology Marshall McLuhan (1911 – 1980) educator, philosopherAnn Marie Barry (n/a) professor of visual perception and communicationJohn Bellamy Foster (n/a) sociologistDavid Harvey (b.1935) anthropologist, geographerTim Jackson (n/a) professor of sustainable developmentHerman Daly (b.1938) ecological economist

Capra

Shiva Plumwood

Spretnak

Bourdieu

Lakoff

Reason

Fuller

Horn

Tufte

Orr

Goethe

Kuhl

Ehrenfeld

Bateson

Diamond

Naess

Lukes Cohen

Kahn

Friere

SterlingMezirow

Leopold

Fry & Willis

Manzini

Humanti�c

Holmgren

KasserCrompton

Hopkins

Carson

MacySewall

Roszak

Daly

JacksonSachs

Meadows

Birkeland

Lombardi

Foster

Harvey

Foucault

Goodbun

Harris & Wasilewski

Barabasi

Berry

Santos

Morelli Density Design

Warren

Tainter

Merchant

Wilber

Lima

McCandless

Gray

Cox

Dewey

Tonkinwise

Thackara

Barry

Harding BohmLovelock

Milestone

Cross

Drysek

Klein

Bower

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No.2: Map of Disciplines


♦ RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Q1: How can I design visuals to communicate eco-

logical literacy and

facilitate transformative learning processes for eco-

logical literacy?

EcoLabswww.eco-labs.org

http://teach-in.ning.com

jody

Rectangle