Environmental Resilience - Initial Research and Ideas




 “What is "Environmental Resilience"?

Environmental resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to respond to disturbances by resisting damage, recovering quickly, and reorganizing while undergoing change to eventually retain the same function, structure, identity, and feedbacks (Channel Islands, no date)

The word resilient means that something has the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. To be resilient is to be strong, irrepressible, adaptable, hardy and flexible. 

Why is environment resilience important?

Climate-related disasters are causing huge problems for ecosystems and communities all over the world.

In order to protect these communities and natural habitats we must build defences, restore ecosystems, and implement warning systems and resilient infrastructure and agriculture. This will help prevent the loss of jobs, homes and even lives (The CivTech Alliance, no date).

Environmental resilience can refer to an ecosystems natural ability to renew and survive, it can also refer to the ways in which humans can aid these ecosystems. Climate change is caused by humans and the development of industry, it is therefore our responsibility to maintain the natural world and repair the damage caused as a result of mass consumption and destructive processes. 

There are several ways that we can tackle this climate crisis; drastically cut production and consumption, move towards a circular economy where we create less waste, the rehabilitation of ecosystems and the creation of new materials and processes.

In taking care of our environment we can also take care of ourselves. Reducing the harmful chemicals and waste that end up in our food, clothes, food, land and water can only have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing.  It can also be very therapeutic to partake in acts towards the restoration/ improvement of the natural world: beach clean ups, growing our own food, repurposing and recycling etc.

As designers it’s important to understand the natural world; it’s ecosystems, materials, and processes, as well as the effect our industries have and how we can make changes to ensure the resilience of the environment is maintained.

When designing we must strive to cause as little disruption as possible, use sustainable practices, and care for our environment.


Areas to research


-Ways in which ecosystems are resilient and how we can aid them

-Destruction that has been caused specifically by textile production

-Ways to rectify the negative effects of textile production

-Natural and sustainable materials

-The evolution of traditional processes and the impact such evolution has had

-The links between nature, textiles and health and wellbeing


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