Eco-Protectors Idea
Intention: To create small groups - "pods" as in "pods of orcas," of people locally and eventually around the world, who get together and share their feelings, ideas, plans and dreams which will take care of our common, living planet Earth while creating crucial positive human community. Considering how many people frequently use the Internet today, this could become a positive phenomenon very quickly. Reasoning: In many countries these days, the primary worldview comes from a western approach which encourages an individual's perspective and rights. This is because countries from western European colonized a major part of the planet from the 16th century until today. Other larger countries such as Russia, China and Japan expanded as well. The social systems of these greater powers overtook many Indigenous and traditional cultures around the globe. This caused great distress in individuals and groups who were colonized since the western world view grew away from a strong human community connection which also did not encourage positive relationships with our common planet. These ways of living replaced numerous Indigenous and traditional cultures' functional social systems both in the west and all over the world. Today, since we have recently experienced a world-wide pandemic, more people are aware of our need for sharing and working with others. The community process is a deeply embedded trait which has been a part of human culture for more than 200,000 years. However, such relationships are too often not respected or out-rightly ignored. As a result, some of our fellow humans and those in power have become a more spoiled, self centered and destructive species. Change is urgently needed. Method: Small groups or "pods" will be encouraged to form and gather together. They can be neighbours on a street, artists. teachers, people who work together, members of a common community, club, faith group, or friends who care for the same watershed, garden, park, or forest. Any group gathering would be welcomed. The pod members would be in charge of what they share with each other and create in the broader community. They could implement their own ideas of how to make the world a better place for humans and other species. The Eco-Protectors organization could propose Eco-Mentors from a group of people close by who have strong knowledge of local environmental issues; citizen scientists who are involved and connected, books and media that are available to consult, teaching centres, other non-profits who offer training, events and workshops etc. The pods could be offered the opportunity to share who they are and what they accomplish with a wider audience through their own website if they wish, and these could be advertised through the Eco-Protectors web site which is being created. They could mention their projects and give all the groups and members the chance to advertise what they are accomplishing to a larger audience. The Eco-Protectors organization could mentor them in this process. Any kind of media could be used to share experiences and thoughts: writing, visual art, video, photo, music, theatre, dance etc. This could encourage other people to join groups close by and/or create more groups and connect with nearby resources. Some topics around which each pod could work: local issues, on a particular street or an integrated community. Or they could be part of a larger geographical range: a watershed, township, park, garden or forest, etc. Or something as small as a street or section of a street. One simple idea to start might be doing a better job of recycling or cutting down on garbage in a common alley to start. Or make the area more green, and inviting to other species. Subject examples: Trees, birds, insects, plants. Water: ocean, lake, creek, pond. Permeable pavements, rainways, rain gardens, water-wise gardening. Gardening: native, ornamental, food. Watershed issues, place-based knowledge, Indigenous knowledge, Indigenous people. Faith-based approaches to nature. Ecological economics, eco-psychology, eco-philosophy, eco-politics. Citizen science, urban nature protectors, wilderness nature protectors. Environmental activism, environmental art, individual and collective approaches to climate change, waste reduction, eco-friendly building construction. There are many more. The pod could get together and share their feelings and ideas about all the above. This is a crucial part of the activity because this kind of sharing is rarely practiced in our society. The Eco-Mentor would help guide the interactions of the group members with their own knowledge of local possibilities, areas where contributions can be made, who else is working on these issues, how to understand the human history and connection, how to process difficult feelings etc. Another crucial part is to share ideas and activities with each other and a wider audience. The third crucial part is the creation of ideas and activities which come from the pod members. This empowers people in their own group to change their own world and share with a wider one as well. Their activities can be as simple as gathering together on their street to water trees in a drought. To offer water to birds and other animals. To plant pollinator plants on boulevards. And shrubs and trees in open areas. To gather together to reduce waste. Because once these simple actions begin, many more will follow. People are creative - they will figure out where to go from there. Crucial ideas in summary: 1) Empower the individual, invite their ideas. 2) Encourage them to join a pod. 3) Encourage pod members to share their emotions. 4) Encourage pod members to share their progress in activities and ideas on a wider platform. With each other and publicly. Encourage them to document their progress. 5) Offer connections with Eco-Mentors who will help with more resources and connections. 6) Create new pods. Connect pods together. Inspiration: Activities can be inspired by personal stories of group members. These can be shared with the pod to get ideas. There are many books, films and other media which describe environmental activists, what they decided to undertake, how they started their journey, how they noticed change and what happened as a result. There are many people who have gone before who can show you the way. They will be happy to share their knowledge with you. More benefits: If we are concerned with equity - and we should be! the Eco-Protectors project is an excellent, supportive idea. The Earth has the worst equity of every living thing on our planet. It has few rights. It does not vote, shop, or sit at Board Room tables. It cannot represent itself in a court of law. It is not positively represented in most of our modern western social systems. Instead, the earth and all its flora, fauna and natural elements gets polluted and destroyed for the sake of human commerce with no recourse or punishment to those who create such a tragic reality. In fact, the perpetrators become quite rich at the earth's expense while all other living things continue to suffer. This is not a model for a humanity which is healthy and sustainable. And it is completely unfair! Humans in community getting together to better steward our living planet is the best way to offer us all better equity, from the ground up. It will be of benefit to everything and everyone and bring all living things together to thrive instead of continuing to be destroyed. Challenges of the project: To set up a functioning website connection, to get the ideas out there, to give the pods some structure and good background knowledge. This would require some funding, and perhaps the support of various nonprofit societies. Maybe several groups could be working together to spread ideas, find Eco-Mentors, etc. One could help the other. The encouragement of pods could enhance the work of other non-profits and their projects by offering them more people to come to events and participate. What is different about this project is that it works with the ideas and actions of many people towards a common goal which humanity has always imagined is important: to take care of our common planet earth and each other at the same time. This is a nonprofit venture. Those who will be compensated will be the organizers of the whole idea, the Eco-mentors, guest speakers, etc. But beyond that, the efforts of the members in each group will be what drives a success of this idea. It relies on individual creativity and energy of all the citizens of Planet Earth with no differentiation, an energy which is likely stronger than we imagine. Many people just don't know where to start to change our common paradigm. This idea gives them the option to at least try, with others who will inspire and help them. It empowers everyone to make a difference, alone and together. My history with this idea: I'm sure I have been cooking up this story for many years, but it has become very obvious to me during the pandemic that our common human paradigm must shift back to working with community. This is an important part of getting some strong action started. I don't imagine very little else will steer our common ship away from the huge iceberg we are steaming towards. This kind of activity, at an individual and community level, plus the community resources, human creativity and an internet connection will make a big difference. One particular inspiring idea for me came from the film "Freedom Writers" which is a true story of Erin Gruwell, a teacher in Long Beach, California who used various methods to get her students to turn away from gang violence and build a more robust, humane community for themselves and each other. She used real human history events to inspire her students to make change in their own lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miz1V13QWsU https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Writers I kept thinking about how Erin's approach could help address the serious environmental crisis which is looming so very large but so many people cannot not understand how to confront it head-on. To solve an impossible problem: saving the human race from fully destroying their home and so, themselves. The Eco-Protectors idea inspires many, very quickly, and gives them the power to create projects that change their world and then they can feel good about what they accomplish and not feel impotent. It also offers a venue to discuss emotions around how privileged people are destroying our planet, which is very important to admit and share, and give opportunities to do something positive with others to help our common future! One interesting goal to strive for, is to help create such groups for a year or two and then apply for the Earthshot Prize which offers 1 million English pounds. Hopefully we will get there in time! https://earthshotprize.org/. Our strong community-oriented project is an important idea. Using the energy of people everywhere and helping them to do valuable work. This is an untapped source of energy on our planet! Ideas and discussions are welcome. Celia Brauer co-founder and staff: False Creek Watershed Society [email protected] False Creek Watershed Society, Vancouver BC http://www.falsecreekwatershed.org April 22, 2024, Earth Day!
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Green Thoughts
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