On Ecosystems & Future Generations

Why focus on studying Ecosystems?

" ... the human economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Earth's ecosystems."
Paul Ehrlich

"Biologists haven't the slightest idea of how to build a complex autonomous ecosystem from scratch."
E. O. Wilson

Why focus on designing gifts for Future Generations?

"According to Ojibwe tradition, thinking seven generations ahead means that your decisions are not selfish and rash. It means that your decisions take into consideration the circle of life. Although it is not always possible to plan so far in advance, it’s important to hold seven generations as an ideal."
From an older version of the Culture page on Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe's site

"It is easy to stand still and leave no trace, but it is hard to walk without touching the ground. If you follow human methods, you can get away with deception. In the way of Tao, no deception is possible.
"Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light."
Transcribed by Thomas Merton, from a conversation Confucius reportedly had with Yen Hui