Culture, environment, and the quality of life

Answers to such questions as ‘What is to be done?’ and ‘How to do it?’ are strongly influenced by a variety of long-standing forms of cultural heritage. People do not have the same idea of what is meant by ‘culture’, ‘nature’, ‘environment’, let alone ‘quality of life’. No wonder that labels such as ‘ecological philosophies’ or ‘environmentalism’ cover an astounding, and confusing, variety of opinions. Biocentrism or anthropocentrism? Nature conservation or preservation? What is meant by ‘sustainable development’? The very notion of ‘natural resources’ a conundrum. Assumptions and cultural influences are unconscious in many cases. It is therefore necessary to bring them to the fore, in order to prevent (or, more realistically, to reduce) confusion, to keep off ideologies (as far as possible), and to increase the level of responsibility. Cultural studies, intellectual history and critical analysis of language and ideas are crucial in environmental issues and practices.