As urbanites, we are brought up in a sanitised environment and taught to see insects and other small creatures as a threat to our health and even our lives as we are told they carry deadly diseases.
The Circle for Human Sustainability’s President, Catherine Loke, presents a holistic view of urban living, including some facts on what lies ahead as we deal with the converging challenges of climate change, and energy and resource decline. She demonstrates how city dwellers can move towards living within planetary boundaries through an understanding of biological systems, and shares some practical tips on what you can do to embrace the web of life and complete natural cycles, and practise permaculture even on a small balcony.
This talk was given on 29 July 2023 at the Toa Payoh East Community Club as part of the Dengue Awareness Masterclass.
Key moments:
00:52 Our Current Predicament
01:08 Planetary boundaries
04:53 Insecticides
08:20 How reliant are we on fossil fuels?
14:16 How can we control “pests” in an urban environment?
15:36 Are all bugs bad?
16:11 Natural Economics
17:49 Beneficial microbes in soil, food and gut
20:24 When Nature recycles, she renews
22:45 Can an urban ecosystem be healthy?
23:16 Permaculture
24:39 M.a.D. Garden @Winstedt
30:56 My M.a.D. Balcony
34:18 Composting – creating an ecosystem
43:02 Natural Aquaponics in an Urban Environment
46:41 Biodiversity
47:05 Balance
47:24 Q & A
[M.a.D. = Make a Difference]