SOCIAL ECOLOGY LONDON is a study/discussion/action group that meets every Tuesday evening 6:30-9 pm at:
LARC
62 Fieldgate Street
London
E1 1ES
Nearest tube station: Aldgate East/Whitechapel
WHAT IS SOCIAL ECOLOGY?
There is a growing awareness of the environmental problems we face. Governments make pledges, companies fall over themselves to promote a 'green' image. Campaigning organisations have become household names. So why do we need a new voice in this already crowded arena?
Social Ecologists believe that the solutions we are offered by governments, business and pressure groups are at best palliatives, at worst smoke screens to allow business as usual to continue – literally. We do not accept the idea that ecological issues can be tackled without addressing their social contexts and the power structures that created them.
Ecological problems are not caused by bad people doing bad things. This behaviour is simply a logical inherent consequence of an economics based on competition and greed. Our economic system is based on growth. It has to constantly expand. Carbon dioxide and other pollutants aren't being chucked up into the air because industry bosses decide they're going to be nasty – they're simply driven by the profit motive.
In Western societies we have been placed in a trap. In order to have livelihoods we have to have jobs. In order to have jobs, businesses must constantly exploit desires to sell new products. Hence, not only do we have an economic system that makes us ill and unhappy, we have runaway growth that steadily engulfs our remaining green spaces in tarmac and concrete. An area the size of Leicester is lost to development each year. The volume of traffic in the UK is predicted to rise by 30 per cent by 2015.
Social Ecologists believe we need an alternative to a market system which shackles society to an economy over which we have no control. We believe in a participatory society in which we, as citizens, consciously determine our priorities, the balance between leisure and work, and how human society can exist with nature, not against it.
But to do this we must challenge not only corporate power, but also a political system that in the name of ‘democracy’ has reduced ordinary people to passive constituents, permitted merely to choose between almost identical pre-selected political programmes once every five years.
The alternative must come from below. We believe in the formation of local face to face assemblies that can build a democratic public power to confront both capitalism and the traditional political system.
This group is hosted by Social Ecology London, a discussion and action group which is taking first steps in building a new political movement.
Each week, we discuss articles or chapters from a chosen book in a friendly and fair environment, often sharing snacks and carrying on the discussion in the pub afterwards.
If this sounds good to you, do come along. Check out the website and email the contact address to find out what we’ll be discussing at the meeting.
New faces are always welcome :)
But if you don’t live in the London area, please see this group as an opportunity to debate these ideas and get touch with like-minded people and feel free to get in touch with any ideas or questions.
Here are some good primers:
Social Ecology
The Politics of Social Ecology – Janet Biehl, Black Rose Books
Social Ecology and Communalism – Murray Bookchin, Eirik Eiglad, AK Press
Remaking Society – Murray Bookchin, Black Rose Books
Participatory Economics
Parecon – Michael Albert, Verso
A short introduction to social ecology: http://socialecologylondon.wordpress.com/2007/05/26/social-e
cology-basic-principles-future-prospects/
www.socialecologylondon.wordpress.com
www.myspace.com/socialecologylondon
FACEBOOK GROUP: social ecology london
[email protected]
