Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Recent reports indicate that few decades remain before for the world experiences irreversible existential threats to social, economic, and ecological existence. In the interim, challenges exist to improve quality-of-life (QOL) conditions via precarious dependencies on energy-intensive and supply-chain extensive resource systems and declining viability of underlying socio-environmental contexts. Local and regional self-reliance innovations can reveal new means of realizing QOL improvements, including social, economic, and environmental justice, while reducing undesirable conditions. Doing so is important as increasing impacts of climate change and related incidents of human and more-than-human displacements, including losses of life and habitat, require people and communities to improvise and adapt solutions to promulgate opportunities for timely social, economic, and ecological benefit. To mitigate and resolve hardship, social workers acting in support of interdisciplinary sustainable development are themselves challenged to innovate, collaborate, and demonstrate solutions as effectively and quickly as possible. This paper introduces the dynamic model of Bamboo for Good (B4G), which combines traditional sustainable development intentions with strategic use of the valuable bamboo plant as a catalyst for innovation to address critical humanitarian and wildlife habitat issues in East Africa. Implications for all practitioners, educators, researchers, and students are outlined in the interest of recommending actions targeting knowledge and skills needed to support B4G application and sustainable QOL improvements. Permaculture design principles, methods, and examples are specifically cited as a theoretical framework and practical means for professionals to adapt B4G methods as means of pursuing their own personal and professional innovations.