Research
Frameworks
As part of this project, I will examine photography through two different frameworks. The first of those is Environmental Ethics and the second is Cultural Representation.
Environmental Ethics
This considers how photographs convey messages related to environmental ethics and sustainability. The analysis will delve into how the visual content encourages viewers to reflect on their environmental impact and lifestyle choices.
Cultural Representation
This explores how photographs can be used to represent alternative lifestyles and sustainable living.
Sustainable Photography
As sustainability is at the core of this project, it was important to take account of the ecological footprint and work holistically as a photographer. This would mean it was not necessary to purchase any new equipment, choosing to use the equipment I had available to me which consisted of both analogue and digital cameras.
The locality of this project allowed me to be more eco-friendly by reducing my car journeys to the site, which meant I was cutting down on my CO₂ emissions for the planet.
On occasion, I stayed at Coed Hills for days at a time in eco-friendly homes, which were built with reclaimed materials. As the site was powered by solar energy I chose to take cold showers and limited the usage of my mobile telephone to do my bit for the environment.
As permaculture was important to this community I also chose to be vegan for the duration of my stays in Coed Hills, enjoying the produce grown there, which I have partially continued to date.
Introduction of Eco-communities
Many community dynamics work, however, there are three in particular that are important to build healthy and prosperous communities. These are economy, ecology, and equity.
So, with that in mind, when we look at sustainability, we consider how that can be incorporated into our day-to-day life as previously discussed. As an ecological alternative, this way of life can be taken back as early as the Palaeolithic Period in Matera, Basilicata, Southern Italy (Wolfe, 2011).
The history of urban ecology surrounding this area inspired UNESCO to designate Matera as a World Heritage Site in 1996. Used as an educational case study for sustainable living, it would suggest the community in Matera strived to produce the least possible negative impact on the natural environment through intentional physical design and resident behaviour choices.
Consideration, therefore, would question whether ecovillages and the communities within them are replicating elements of indigenous lifestyles. This would be in terms of the relationship they have with the natural world and how in tune they are with Mother Earth and its need to fight back.
The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) is a growing network of regenerative communities and initiatives that bridge cultures, countries, and continents. It catalyses communities in a regenerative world, in order to develop strategies for a global transition to resilient communities and cultures (Global Ecovillage Network, n.d.).
It describes an Ecovillage as:
“an intentional, traditional or urban community that is consciously designed through locally owned participatory processes in all four dimensions of sustainability (social, culture, ecology and economy) to regenerate social and natural environments”
(Global Ecovillage Network, n.d.).
Whilst no two are alike, it would seem eco-villages are independent and unique, bringing together, “the vision, context, culture and interests of its people” (Global Ecovillage Network, n.d.).
Traditional
Existing rural villages and communities come together to design their own pathway to the future. They combine life-sustaining traditional wisdom with positive
innovation.
Intentional
People come together in a new way, with a shared purpose or vision.
Urban:
Where communities or eco-neighbourhoods with a common vision reinvent life in the city. It allows everyone to become more sustainable, collaborative, and participatory.