Open AccessPlanetary Stewardship Begins at Home
Author(s) -
Hobbie Sarah E.,
Baker Lawrence A.,
Fissore Cinzia,
King Jennifer Y.,
McFadden Joseph P.,
Nelson Kristen C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the bulletin of the ecological society of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2327-6096
pISSN - 0012-9623
DOI - 10.1890/0012-9623-92.4.389
Subject(s) - lawn , consumption (sociology) , geography , environmental science , stewardship (theology) , air pollution , ecosystem , agricultural economics , environmental protection , ecology , economics , biology , social science , sociology , politics , political science , law
In some respects, the idea of “Planetary Stewardship” is a bit of a misnomer. Stewardship, it seems to me, is deeply rooted in the particulars of a place. To be a good steward, one must have a very clear and specific place or set of things to steward. Now of course, this begs the question, at what scale does one lose the particulars, and I have no ready answer. However, the examples of success and challenges are all rooted in particular places and relationships. I can image talking about a sustainable or healthy planet, but stewarding a planet is not, it seems to me, the sort of thing that is accessible through the act of stewardship. However, it is likely achievable through the compounding benefits of cumulatively successful stewardship efforts at the local level.