Environmentalism

“The market system artificially creates scarcity by blocking the flow between the source and the consumer. Grain may rot in the warehouse while hungry people starve because they cannot pay for it.”

“In the Western tradition there is a recognised hierarchy of beings, with, of course, the human being on top - the pinnacle of evolution, the darling of creation, and the plants at the bottom. But in Native ways of knowing, human people are often referred to as “the younger brothers of Creation.” We say that humans have the least experience with... See more

“Recent research shows that the smell of humus exerts a physiological effect on humans. Breathing in the scent of Mother Earth stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin, the same chemical that promotes bonding between mother and child, between lovers”

“Cautionary stories of the consequences of taking too much are umbiquitous in Native cultures, but it’s hard to recall a single one in English. Perhaps this helps to explain why we seem to be caught in a trap of overconsumption, which is as destructive to ourselves as to those we consume”

“Ecopsychologists have shown that the practice of gratitude puts brakes on hyper-consumption.”

“every day you have enough. More than enough. Everything needed to sustain life is already here”

“Joanna Macy writes that until we can grieve for our planet we cannot love it - grieving is a sign of spiritual health. But it is not enough to weep for lost landscapes; we have to put our hands in the earth to make ourselves whole again. Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I... See more

“Greek political philosophy had a strong sense of public service and the duty of the citizen to engage in public affairs... so much so that the ancient Greeks used the term ‘idiotes’ to denote those who did not operate in the public sphere; to put it harshly, if you were only concerned with the public sector, you were an idiot. So if you were a... See more

“Recognizing "enoughness" is a radical act in an economy that is always urging us to consume more.”