Seeing the World Through Green Maps

Eco-Economics & the Green Map System
This article originally appeared as the cover story for the spring 1999 issue of the International Society for Ecological Economics Bulletin.

Seeing the World Through Green Maps
© 1999 Wendy Brawer and Beatriz Castañeda

Understanding and addressing the ecological status of our planet today is too overwhelming for most people, but the condition of our cities and towns is more readily grasped and changeable. By putting places where nature and the designed environment interconnect on a Green Map, a fresh perspective is created that directly promotes the community’s eco-resources. Each of these locally-produced maps tells a different and very accessible story about the elements and value of urban sustainability, using the Green Map System’s globally shared GMS Icons to highlight the area’s natural places, ECOnomic developments, mobility options, greening organizations, and more. Whether printed or web-based, all Green Maps help residents discover wonderful green sites to get involved with every day and encourage the spread of successful greening initiatives across the globe.

Using the Green Maps, communities educate themselves regarding the interaction between the natural and built environments, the relationship between open space and cultural space. Mixing the ancient art of map-making with new, interactive media, citizens of all ages and backgrounds are invited to adapt and employ our collaborative tools as they chart the green spaces, environmental resources and socially-significant sites in their own cities. As experienced through these locally created Green Maps, GMS strengthens community awareness regarding our connection to the urban ecology. GMS is an environmental social project for healthier, more sustainable urban ecologies. Currently, 90 cities of all sizes in 27 countries on 6 continents are adapting the GMS framework as they put their hometowns green sites on the map.

Call for Fundraising for a Fish Farming Greenmap Project in Tororo, Uganda

Dear Green Map makers

I am Odulla Joseph leader of Tororo Green Map in Uganda. Many of you know our Green Map was the first one created in Africa. We have tried to create new editions, but resources are very tight here. Now, we are building a tilapia fish farm to help green our community.

I am writing to all of you the Green Map makers to request you to help contribute funds for the 12 fishponds we are building with community members in? Tororo Uganda. This project will help raise funds for Tororo Green Map project, and provide high quality food for many people. The profits will also be used to raise environmental awareness, promote tree planting and initiate friendly green sites currently missing in Tororo town as well as advocate for the removal of dangerous green sites in Tororo town.Some of the funds will also help support tuition for the youth Green Map makers in secondary and tertiary institutions.There is a proposal you can download at http://greenmap.org/images/fishfarm06.doc

Green Map System Boyongan!

Boyongan alias berpindah tempat selalu menjadi pengalaman yang melelahkan, sekaligus juga menyegarkan! Pengalaman ini baru saja dirasakan oleh para pegiat Peta Hijau di New York, Amerika Serikat, saat memindahkan kantor mereka yang selama ini menjadi pusat koordinasi jaringan Peta Hijau se-dunia (Green Map System-GMS) ke gedung yang beralamat 220 E 4th Street, New York, 6 blok dari kantor lama.

Sistem Ikon Green Map

Sistem ikon Green Map adalah inti dari program global Green Map. Green Map System Icons adalah bahasa visual yang didesain bersama (kolaboratif) untuk mengidentifikasi, menaruh perhatian, dan menghubungkan antara sumberdaya-sumberdaya alam dan budaya di setiap Green Map.

Green Map System

Green Map System adalah sebuah gerakan eko-kultural global (http://www.greenmap.org) yang berdasarkan kepada gerakan-gerakan komunitas lokal serta pengetahuan dan kearifan lokal. Pemetaan lingkungan dalam kerangka kerja yang bersifat global ini dikembangkan dengan sebuah metode yang sangat mudah disesuaikan di tingkat lokal. Metode ini melibatkan kelompok-kelompok kerja dengan anggota yang berasal dari berbagai latar belakang untuk menjelaskan hubungan antara lingkungan alam dan budaya dengan memetakan suatu kawasan lokal.