Cultivating Environmental Stewardship in the Suburbs

My project examines the concept of environmental stewardship from two angles: first, an examination of the body of philosophical thought on the concept of “responsibility towards future generations.” I use this context to develop my own philosophical framework by which we might gauge our actions as they relate to the environment, and its relative improvement or destruction. Starting from this framework, I then explore different ways people have tried, and are trying to encourage stewardship in the modern world. I examine and critique the value and efficacy of these different practices. Finally, I bring both the philosophical and the practical together to examine a real neighborhood in unincorporated Wheaton. Using demographic information, real estate information, and satellite imagery, I consider how a small community might transition to improve their footprint and potential for lasting without degradation for future generations.