Our Philosophy - We're committed to what we do!
Sustainability is a way of working and living that balances immediate needs for commerce, living, habitation, food, transportation, energy and entertainment with future needs for these resources and systems as well as the liveliness and support of nature, natural resources and future generations.
Sustainability is similar to the "seventh generation" philosophy of the Native American Iroquis Confederacy, mandating that chiefs always consider the effects of their actions on their descendents seven generations in the future.
Presidio Graduate School
Eco Echo invites individuals, communities, organizations and private corporations to join us and contribute to rediscovering a fulfilling, just and sustainable relationship with Mother Earth. Our philosophy embraces:
Cultural Expressions
A unique aspect of the Outaouais Environmental Campus is the concept of “terroir”--the wisdom of the land--a dynamic concept where each individual and community contributes through sharing their uniqueness and by everyday expressions of their human and natural heritage. Terroir is a pool of human knowledge, understandings, interactions, and of different expressions that have evolved over time and space, in different natural and social environments.
Environmental Understanding
The Campus invites visitors to contribute to the healing of the land by remembering our place in nature and restoring the balance between the ecosystems and human presence.
Connectedness
“When we discover that all beings are part of the seamless fabric of creation, it naturally awakens in us a sense of connection with and compassion for the rest of life. We see that we are participants in an unceasing miracle of creation.” Duane Elgin
The Campus is committed to honoring and celebrating our own connection with nature and the incredible web of how our environment is created and sustains itself. Unlimited lessons can be drawn from nature, listening, observing, seeking, asking and discovering via the varied programmes and experiences that the Campus offers, ranging from drop-in visits and workshops, to multi-day activities and time in a “sanctuary” for quiet reflections and inner connectedness.
Transformation With A Purpose
Eco Echo offers a safe environment to learn how to engage more fully with the natural community, including humankind and all living beings. It offers a place to commune with like-minded individuals in a supportive and uplifting natural setting. By inviting people to connect to the land and to others, Eco Echo provides an opportunity for participants to transform what they have received in the form of an experience or a teaching, into concrete action and a sharing with others.