I am busy with my nose in stacks and stacks of books and papers this month My literature review for my dissertation papers spanned years and includes so many rich references such as ‘Adventures in Sustainable Urbanism‘ (2019) which includes chapters by different scholars in cities around the world, ‘thinking, theorizing, and debating about the sustainable city and its actual material expressions in place.’
In Chapter 8: Montpellier Écocité: From Growth Machine to Sustainability? author David Giband lays out the principles of the four districts ‘located between green corridors and natural parks’ that form Écocité in Montpelier.
On one of the principles, ‘Ecology of proximity’, he notes that, “Ecology of proximity refers to new social relationships built on daily interaction and routines between neighbors who share the same environment and take part actively in governance and sustainability.”
Is an ‘ecology of proximity’ manifest in your local life in your local neighborhood and community?
For me, it is a significant feature of what I crave in a community, and find myself pursuing multiple micro-actions to shape it, even when living in more introverted and ‘closed’ communities.
A healthy ‘ecology of proximity’ in my neighborhood is an incredibly important value for me.
Highly recommend the book too.
-Annika
