ABSTRACT
The vagueness surrounding what Buen Vivir means has blurred the differences between practice and policy. Vivir Bien is the epitome of endogenous, people-led change and Buen Vivir is about scaling that up to ensure that the political structures and policies are in place to achieve the end goal: Socio-Eco Wellbeing. Environmental practices are by far the most visible, affirming the biocentricity of Buen Vivir in practice. In the communities themselves citizens are partaking in a number of environmental conservation activities. Cultural conservation is an important aspect of Buen Vivir, and is not limited to the Andean context; it can be applied across various communities, as culture is a vital part of community identity and therefore plays a role in the harmony and solidarity of a community.
