The earth, the Blue Planet, dear to us all. As a dominant species humans have learned to respect its limits. Nature has its own rights now. Humankind has evolved. Every individual gifted uniquely, every talent put to use. Living and working together in harmony, making responsible choices. A union of global citizens to cope with the most complex challenges. Wisdom councils to govern our places of residence and companies. We cherish the places where we are, care for all life and bring nature back to fruition. As a future determining species, we choose to create favourable conditions for other species and ecosystems to thrive. We are the people to rely on, for next generations. We cannot live by dreaming alone, but we can create a loving and all-embracing vista to take with us, every day.
It has taken us a long time to become aware of what is happening at a planetary level. Despite our good will and best efforts, we will have to accept, that in the coming decades life conditions on our home planet as a whole will deteriorate further. This calls for transformative change at all levels: economy, governments, cities, businesses, individuals. Everyone is needed, all talents count. Humanity’s Code of Care – Care for self, others, places and the planet – can give direction for the manifestation of the vision.
The purpose of Integral Life Mapping is to offer experiences in which people can deeply connect to personal, societal and global questions. A coherent set of scenarios is developed in which Humanity’s Code of Care is embedded. Insight is useful and it can have impact, but in lifemaps projects we invite people to go one step further: to find new ways to apply Humanity’s Code of Care in their everyday life. The challenging question for this is: How can we learn to care for ourselves, others, our places and the planet simultaneously, at every step?
Why would the city offer an ideal setting to explore and apply Humanity’s Code of Care? Applying the Code of Care at city level brings together a variety of engaged parties in a way that established positions play a lesser role. It draws individuals out of their own affairs so that ingrained habits are left at home. The city is dependent on supply areas for most of its basic needs. Making this explicit opens up new ways of taking care of the earth. A city is partly defined by its location, which makes it easier to include taking care of place in everything. The city offers not only a habitat for the people but also for plants and animals.
Besides the social, economic and natural aspect, a city has a material aspect. This is about how businesses, governments and not-for-profit organisations produce, buy, build, distribute, steer and govern. It’s about which choices individuals make as a person and as a citizen. How citizens live and run their household with respect to products and materials impacts the environment. The city really offers an ideal setting to explore and apply Humanity’s Code of Care.
As humans, in today’s world, we have access to vast resources. We travel around the globe. Big ships bring us our goods and playthings, produced thousands of miles away. Societies are overheated, people are overstimulated and stressed. Whether we are aware of it or not, when there is war people, cities, animals and nature suffer. At a certain point I decided to become a global citizen and take my role as an individual. The Doughnut Economics model inspired me and gave me a new frame for thought. Insight into the planetary boundaries left me flabbergasted. I was not aware of the cumulative effects of all pollution, emissions and other human impact. I turned out to have little knowledge of the many substances that play a role. How can I translate those planetary level models to the level of the individual? That has been my exploration over the last years. While both reality-based models – holistic and encompassing – touched me and set me to work, it is my love of life and nature that keeps me going.