Editing Human ecology (section)

==Interdisciplinary approaches==
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Human ecology may be defined: (1) from a bio-ecological standpoint as the study of man as the ecological dominant in plant and animal communities and systems; (2) from a bio-ecological standpoint as simply another animal affecting and being affected by his physical environment; and (3) as a human being, somehow different from animal life in general, interacting with physical and modified environments in a distinctive and creative way. A truly interdisciplinary human ecology will most likely address itself to all three.<ref name="Young74" />{{Rp|8–9}}
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Human ecology expands functionalism from ecology to the human mind. People's perception of a complex world is a function of their ability to be able to comprehend beyond the immediate, both in time and in space. This concept manifested in the popular slogan promoting sustainability: "think global, act local." Moreover, people's conception of community stems from not only their physical location but their mental and emotional connections and varies from "community as place, community as way of life, or community of collective action."<ref name="Young74"/>

In the last century, the world has faced several challenges, including environmental degradation, public health issues, and climate change. Addressing these issues requires interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary interventions, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the intricate connections between human societies and the environment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Agaton |first1=Casper Boongaling |last2=del Rosario |first2=Eunice A. |last3=Nguyen-Orca |first3=Marie Faye |last4=Salvacion |first4=Arnold R. |last5=Sandalo |first5=Ricardo M. |date=2024-01-30 |title=Introduction to the Journal of Human Ecology and Sustainability (JHES) |url=https://jhes.uplb.edu.ph/articles/2024002/ |journal=Journal of Human Ecology and Sustainability |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=9 |doi=10.56237/jhes24ED|doi-access=free }}</ref> In the early years, human ecology was still deeply enmeshed in its respective disciplines: geography, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and economics. Scholars through the 1970s until present have called for a greater integration between all of the scattered disciplines that has each established formal ecological research.<ref name="Young74"/><ref name="Liu07" />

===In art===

While some of the early writers considered how art fit into a human ecology, it was Sears who posed the idea that in the long run human ecology will in fact look more like art. [[Bill Carpenter (writer)|Bill Carpenter]] (1986) calls human ecology the "possibility of an aesthetic science", renewing dialogue about how art fits into a human ecological perspective. According to Carpenter, human ecology as an aesthetic science counters the disciplinary fragmentation of knowledge by examining human consciousness.<ref>Carpenter, B. 1986. ''Human Ecology: The Possibility of an Aesthetic Science''. Paper presented at the Society for Human Ecology conference.</ref>

===In education===

While the reputation of human ecology in institutions of higher learning is growing, there is no human ecology at the primary or secondary education levels, with one notable exception, Syosset High School, in Long Island, New York. Educational theorist Sir [[Ken Robinson (educationalist)|Kenneth Robinson]] has called for diversification of education to promote creativity in academic and non-academic (i.e., educate their "whole being") activities to implement a "new conception of human ecology".<ref>Robinson, K. 2006. TED Talk, http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html</ref>

Furthermore the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine offers a Master’s of Philosophy in Human Ecology. This unique Master’s degree consists of two components; the first consists of nine courses and the second is a thesis. However, as of currently they are not accepting applications to this master’s program. <ref>College of the Atlantic. 2025. Graduate Program, https://www.coa.edu/academics/graduate-program/</ref>