What building an aquarium taught me about place-based environmental ethics.

An alternative to environmental economics: Place based ethics

An alternative to environmental economics: Place based ethics

An alternative to environmental economics: Place based ethics

The identity and value of a place is generated and maintained over history through human interactions with the environment.

According to place-based environmentalism, the valuable features of a region are defined by the people who inhabit it.

This can result in very localized differences in values.

According to place-based environmentalism, the valuable features of a region are defined by the people who inhabit it.

This can result in very localized differences in values.

According to place-based environmentalism, the valuable features of a region are defined by the people who inhabit it.

This can result in very localized differences in values.

Meares Island Tla-o-qui-aht Territory. Near Tofino

According to place-based environmentalism, the valuable features of a region are defined by the people who inhabit it.

This can result in very localized differences in values.

Radar Hill Ucluelet Territory Near Ucluelet BC

reflections of a collector

Uclulet Mini Aquarium, 2005-2008 Local specimens Returned to wild Hands on Educational focus Building to be continuous with ocean.

Uclulet Mini Aquarium, 2005-2008

Release day

Release Day

Uclulet Aquarium, circa 2014

Uclulet Aquarium, circa 2014

Uclulet Aquarium, circa 2014

Uclulet Aquarium, circa 2014

Some lessons I learned a creator of the Ukee Aquarium

Be sensitive to regional differences in place-based ethics.

We wanted to bring environmentalism to Ucluelet, but the

mindset of this fishing and logging town shaped the project to

a surprising degree.

- Stuffed toys in gift shop.

- Shirts made and printed in China.

- Reluctance to invite controversial speakers and topics (e.g. fish farms).

-

Some lessons I learned a creator of the Ukee Aquarium

Bigger not always better.

We wanted to create a permanent aquarium that would stand

as an anchor point in the community. But we didn’t realize

how unique the temporary building was.

- more flexible exhibits.

- Lower overhead allowed us to take risks.

- Sense of informal play.

Some lessons I learned a creator of the Ukee Aquarium

Bigger not always better.

We wanted to create a permanent aquarium that would stand

as an anchor point in the community. But we didn’t realize

how unique the temporary building was.

- more flexible exhibits.

- Lower overhead allowed us to take risks.

- Sense of informal play.

Some lessons I learned a creator of the Ukee Aquarium

Bigger not always better.

We wanted to create a permanent aquarium that would stand

as an anchor point in the community. But we didn’t realize

how unique the temporary building was.

- more flexible exhibits.

- Lower overhead allowed us to take risks.

- Sense of informal play.

Some lessons I learned a creator of the Ukee Aquarium

Keep the “economists” in check.

In order to scale up to a larger building, we had to partner with

economically minded people. Pretty soon they were calling the shots

and the institution is worse off (not financially, but educationally).

How was the aquarium shaped by the identity of the town?

Now think about Guelph

What are the human/environment

interactions that historically

define this place?

How can development maintain them?