Does adding more lettuce make a hamburger truly green? A metaphor behind the green movement paradigm in designing cities

Abhijit Paul (), Paul F. Downton, Enoch Okoli, Jit K. Gupta and Mark Tirpak
Additional contact information
Abhijit Paul: Jadavpur University
Paul F. Downton: Urban Ecology Australia Inc.
Enoch Okoli: Avalon Alliance Inc.
Jit K. Gupta: Sahara Prime City Ltd. Chandigarh, India & College of Architecture, IET Bhaddal
Mark Tirpak: Transforming Cultures Research Centre, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Environment Systems and Decisions, 2014, vol. 34, issue 3, 373-377

Abstract: Abstract In designing cities, the label of the green movement these days is being applied to almost everything—starting from works of environmental non-governmental organizations and international as well as local conservation organizations to grass-roots resistance activism including radical environmentalism. This paper seeks to understand the motivation—the paradigm—behind the green movement initiatives and how the paradigm appears to shift from the ground reality. Conclusions suggest that, on one hand, environmental problems are far from being a matter of common sense and, on the other, the matter of intellectual and technological developments—the outcomes of rigorous academic research reflected in endless literature predominantly comprising the fields of environmental sociology, environmental anthropology, and conservation psychology—are in reality often found to be dealt with by shallow planning and policy practices without even realizing the big-picture that the paradigm is merely being used as an advertizing tool for making business profit. It is expected that, unless a shift from such negative practices towards a conscious and genuine commitment to proactive environmental stewardship is made, the situation will continue to be exacerbated.

Keywords: Eco-urbanism; Urban revitalization; Biodiversity; Environmental politics; Urban fractals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10669-014-9507-4

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