The Ecology of Eden Chapter 28 (pages 379 - 384) (Spencer Mottley)

     Chapter 28 of "The Ecology of Eden" titled "Reclaiming Arcadia" begains by makeing usefull 

 distinction between planet fetishers and planet managers. The althour describes planet fetishers as those 

who belive true sustainability consist of humans abandoning our moderen way of life and returening to

live the way we did thousands of years ago. Planet managers/decouplers on the other hand are

described as being those who belive true sustainability consist of humans fully investing in our

techological capabilites and abandoning our rural, suburban and sustenance lifestyles in favor of liveing in

hypermodern and efficient cities. While the author notes that the managers/decouplers vision of

sustainablity is more accurate and realistic than the fetishers vision. The decouplers vision comes with

some crucial drawbacks as well, these include the elimination of agrarian culture, survival skills and of the

middlelands in general. The destruction of the later would lead to a reduction of choice for those interested 

in liveing inbetween the wilderness and the city. While the althour is in favor of there being a wide array

of different developmental landscapes for pepole to live. He argues that regardless of where one chooses

to live there are unquie responsableties that should be abided by. For instance in the rural middle

landscapes supporting local farmers is a responsiblity, due to the fact that farmers keep the landscape a

working one. Which is a big part of what makes the cultivated countryside so charming to many. The next

section "Unsprawling The Suburb" discusses how the addition of the car has changed the layout of the

suburb from a walkable and closely nit small town to a spraling collection of subdivisions. That leaves us

isolated from each other and dependent on cars. The althour expains that we can return to a better sense of

community within our suburbs by utilizeing empty space and turning it into parks, town centers, senoir

liveing communites etc. After reading this article I was left with a question and an answer to that question. 

My question is, is it actually possible to reclaim arcadia or at least save what truely remains of it? For this

question I would say it is possible through presistant public pressure, public lobbying and enacting strict

zoneing laws that prohibit big corporations and subdivisions from expanding into certain small towns and

agricultural areas. In my option one of the main challenges that arises with saveing arcadia is combateing

pressure from greedy corporations. Who often have alot of resources, lobbyist and connections that make

it relitively easy for them to get their way.

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