[5] He makes the case that environmentalists should be less concerned with addressing the idea that humans can and should manage nature, and more with focusing on the specific symptoms of a problem[5][8] Social ecology was built on top of this philosophy.
[11] Bookchin's main advantage is that he provides strong arguments for why people should care about ecology in addition to self-preservation.
[11] It is thought that if these values are applied to every aspect of society, there will be more equality and cooperation and hierarchies won't determine who wins and who loses.
[5] An essential component of a competent social worker's perspective is appreciating the significance of each "piece" to the system as a whole.
[16] Social ecology promotes autonomous individual communities built on mutual assistance and cooperation.
Bookchin, however, criticizes deep ecology for frequently focusing on individualistic solutions rather than taking into account the social causes of environmental problems.
[21] Anarchism and social ecology are both movements that support individual and collective autonomy while criticizing hierarchical power structures.
Several academic programs combine a broad definition of “environmental studies” with analyses of social processes, biological considerations, and the physical environment.