Ecology

The study or condition of interrelations. Historically this term had been limited to the study of relations between organisms within their physical surroundings. However, its meaning has grown considerably in our time. Ecology no longer refers simply to the study of the outside world but also to the state of that world, a particular dynamic– as in: “what is the ecology of the region?” or “the ecology of the area will not withstand a trucking route.” Further, many have started using the word to describe any sort of relation (not just biological), as in a social ecology (relations among groups of people in a given geography, city, state or nation) or even a mental ecology (relations among ideas and feelings within a given individual). Ecology is made up of the Greek word oikos meaning “home” and logos meaning “logic,” “knowledge” or literally “word.” Translating this etymology, we can say: ecology is the language of home.