The phrase “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts” is often used when explaining Gestalt theory. In many ways that applies to Green when it comes to the environment - a greener environment isn’t just a composite of factors that can be quantified but a “gestalt” – specific factors, a lifestyle choice, a recognition of our responsibility to be good stewards of the earth provided for us working together to produce a gestalt: something greater than the sum of the parts.
The gestalt effect has foundtraction in the evolving TBL – Triple Bottom Line – business model: people,planet and profit. Business is coming to realize that appreciation for the community, environment, people as well as the product and bottom line profit is a successful “gestalt”. An example of this TBL thinking is our Burns Harbor neighbor, the Arcelor Mittal steel plant. The photo from the Arcelor Mittal webpage demonstrates the gestalt contribution steel and this forward thinking organization bring to the creation of a greener, healthier environment.
In a residential community like the Village in Burns Harbor, the major emphasis is going to be on land development and housing but, from time to time, our varied posts will explore community organization and development, the people component in ecology thinking.
For a variety of components that contribute the the Green Gestalt, please check out our Green Gestalt posts to explore the various aspects of the Village in Burns Harbor green commitment that makes up the gestalt of being green. We hope you will be encouraged to contribute to this evolving, developing lifestyle commitment