Social Ecology starts with the idea that human social conditions are the main cause of the current ecological crisis. Humanities approach to the biosphere has been one largely of domination, in which it is viewed mainly as a resource to be exploited and extracted from in order to benefit human society. This is an inextricably dangerous mentality, one that threatens the very existence of life on earth itself.

It is important that humanity begin to re-harmonize itself with non-human nature, or “First Nature”. First Nature is not simply a resource from which we may extract whatever it is we want without regard for limit. It is complex, diversified, mutual, non-hierarchical and thrives on the principle of “Unity in Diversity” which emphasizes the stability that is brought by ever higher levels of diversity within an eco-system.

Human society, in its current form, seems intent on destroying this stability and diversity, all for the sake of an ever expanding accumulation. Mono-crop farming, for example, has show itself to be an extremely resource intensive project, not only in regards to growing the crop but also simply in the amount of space required by the approach. Mono-crop farm expansion has devastated diverse eco-communities across the globe threating human and non-human nature alike.

The “Second Nature” of humanity, or the realm of human culture and society, has exploited and dominated First Nature since the emergence of social hierarchies in early human tribal societies. These hierarchies existed in the early manifestations of Patriarchy, Gerontocracy and the formation of religious figures whom held a meta-physical claim to interacting with the natural world. These hierarchies developed the social and mental mechanisms necessary to develop the idea of dominating First Nature, not to mention the creation of an actual labor force capable of carrying out said domination.

Social Ecology, in turn, proposes a holistic approach when confronting the schism between First and Second Nature. “Holistic” in the sense that it takes into account the variations that exist within a structure, particularly the relationships within both the human and non-human structures, as well as between them. In the Ecology of Freedom, Murray Bookchin writes:

“ By wholeness, I mean varying levels of actualization, an unfolding of the wealth of particularities, that are latent in an as-yet-undeveloped potentiality. This potentiality may be a newly planted seed, a newly born infant, a newly born community, or a newly born society.”i

This holistic approach is one that recognizes that in order to halt the impending ecological disaster, not to mention the continuation of oppressive social, political and economic hierarchies, we must begin to forge a social and mental change within our society. To recognize that First and Second nature do not exist in opposition to each other, in fact that Second Nature inherently arose and derived out of the evolutionary process within First Nature. That “Unity in Diversity” is not only a biological advantage within the sphere of plant and animal life, but also acts as a valuable social principle for humanity.

This is not simply an attempt to crudely transpose First Nature onto Second Nature, but rather a recognition of the richness of this principle and the rational process in which the potentialities of both First and Second Nature may be encouraged to grow and develop. Rather than continuing to plunder and exploit the land and its supposed resources, humanity would seek to build a society that acts in harmony with the local environment as an active participant in it rather than a simple resident, in which the local plant and animal life would be able to co-exist along side human society. As with the natural evolution of plants and animals, in which mutations and changes take place over a period of time in order to adapt themselves to their environment, humanity must structure itself in a way that allows its social structures to adapt and change to the fluctuating context and needs of society.

To create the social structures necessary to foster the growth and evolution of society requires us to not only question the current social structures we find ourselves under, but to actively forge new ones capable of allowing our communities to adapt and respond in a way that suits their creative and rational needs. Such communities would be based in the direct, face to face democracy of the community based on local assemblies at the town, neighborhood and city levels. Such organizing methods would allow for the local community to take full control over their lives and livelihood, allowing them to adapt and respond to the issues and needs of their community in a way that suits their unique cultural, social and economic situation without the need for an external governing body.

However, it must be understood that such a society cannot be created in an instant. It requires a change in not only the way we think, but the way we interact with each other and the world around us. When society is able to understand that it is not in opposition to nature, that Second Nature does not oppose the First, but actively breaths in and out of it in a rich relationship, we will be able to create a truly Free Nature, in which human and non-human nature may co-exist in a way that allows for the achievement of their fullest potentialities.

i“The Ecology of Freedom” by Murray Bookchin ; pg 96