This is Module 1 "Design In The Ecological Crisis" of the okala materials, highly recommended: http://www.idsa.org/whatsnew/sections/ecosection/okala.html

1. Design in the ecological crisis Module 1

2. What is Okala? Okala is an introductory course on ecological product design for students of product (industrial) design. It was developed from a North American perspective, yet it may be useful in many regions of our planet. Okala (oqala) means “life sustaining energy” in the indigenous Hopi language. Okala honors the Native American tradition of respect for the natural environment. Okala envisions a future where humans recognize the value of the global ecology and where humans work to insure its protection.

4. State of our planet’s ecology The global temperature averaged 57.2°F in 1970 and 58°F in 1999. Nearly half of the world’s old growth forests are gone . Human population will grow from 6.1 billion to 9 billion by 2050. The 1950-1997 oceanic fish harvest grew from 19 million to 95 million tons, resulting in major declines of many species.

5. State of our ecology Underground aquifers are being depleted for 480 million people. Arable cropland demand is converting forests to land used for non-biologically diverse crop species. 11% of all birds, 25% of all mammals and 34% of all fish species were on endangered lists . 50% of all tropical plant species are at risk of extinction * . The cause is destruction of habitats from human interference, pollution and climate change. * www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2385591.stm

9. “ What you people call your natural resources, we call our relatives.” -Oren Lyons, Faith keeper of the Onondaga