On being a good environmentalist: Four important things I’ve learnt.
(A note to my younger self.)
When I entered the world of environmentalism, I was equipped with a whole lot of passion and a whole lot of knowledge about a whole lot of things. I wanted to save the world, but I had absolutely no plan for how to actually do it. I found myself on a rollercoaster of trial and error, excitement and disappointment, elation and desolation. And I became preoccupied with one question in particular: What does being a “good environmentalist” actually mean?
So far I’ve not found a satisfactory answer. And perhaps I never will. But I have picked up some bits of wisdom along the way that have helped me to reshape my own understanding of where I sit in what can sometimes be a very confusing and even isolating field. And so I decided to write a short list for my younger self. This is not a how-to-do-environmentalism list, but it does hold some insights that I certainly would have appreciated as I grappled with these issues. Perhaps some of you might also find it helpful. I share this in the hope that you will.
Environmentalism 101: A short list.
1. This shit is complex. Accept and embrace it.
There is no quick-fix for our environmental woes. There, I said it. In reality, no-one knows exactly how to get us out of this mess — it is a “wicked” problem. That’s right, not you, not I, not even Tony Abbott has the complete blueprint. At best, we each grasp only small snippets of a road map that stretches as far as the eye can see. The world is so big, and the challenges so complex and convoluted, that anyone who claims to hold all the answers is simply kidding themselves, and duping the rest of us in the process.
Of course, one option is to do nothing in the face of this uncertainty — it’s definitely easy to become paralysed by the enormity of it all. But chances are you’re more likely to feel driven to do something to safeguard the planet for the future, even if you’re not quite sure what that something might be. In both cases it pays to remember that you are but a mere mortal, with only a limited amount of time, energy and mental capacity at your disposal. You cannot do everything, even if you want to. Recognise your limits and focus your actions where you feel they are most meaningful, otherwise you risk achieving little or even burning out. But if you have the resources and the drive, just make a start! The world needs more passionate people like you!
Whichever path you choose to take, the important thing is to remain open to the complexity of the issues you care about, and to remember how your personal actions fit in to the global puzzle. Polishing over thorny dilemmas will not make them disappear, and could actually prevent you from taking the time to reassess, regroup and redirect your energies into more effective channels for action. And shielding your eyes from those “peripheral” causes will only prevent you from establishing meaningful connections with others who are just as committed to change as you, but who may simply be approaching it from a different angle. More than ever we need synergies, not silos. In other words, tend to your trees but always be mindful of the forest.
2. The economy vs. environment debate is dead. Or at least it should be.
You are going to come across those who dishearteningly cling to the age-old dichotomy: it’s the environment, or the economy. Policy-makers, business leaders and the media are far from innocent on this issue. And at first, these arguments may seem to hold some weight. But look a little closer and cracks begin to appear. There is no inherent reason why environmental protection must be bad for the economy, or vice versa. So what’s really going on here?
Well, it’s all in how the problem is framed. It seems that those arguing against environmentalism are keen on maintaining the economic status quo. In such a world, the economy really is locked in battle with the environment. The assumption is that the current way of doing things is the best (or only) way, no matter the ecological or social cost. I’d argue these people are simply not being creative enough.
The globalised, corporate-led, fossil-fuelled economy has worked well for many, it’s true. But, in the face of increasing ecological and social pressures, perhaps its time to shine is coming to a close. As this old model becomes increasingly unviable into future, there is hardly a shortage of economic ideas, new and old, out there for you to draw inspiration from going forward. No, I’m not talking about the Stalinist-flavour (not all environmentalists are ‘watermelons’!). I’m talking about economic arrangements that prioritise ecological sustainability over exploitation, social justice over domination, the local over global, and wellbeing over material growth. Have a look, you might be surprised at just how many and varied they are.
Continuing to allow the discussion to be hijacked by the ‘economy vs. environment’ debate prevents us from being able to move forward, and obstructs new avenues where we can imagine, develop, and bring to the table other ways of being and doing where both the economy and the environment can flourish. The challenges we face are too great, and the possibilities ahead too exciting to simply let these alternatives gather dust on the side-lines. Take the time to do some research, and make sure these alternative visions are also given the opportunity to be seen and debated. Ideas can change the world, but they first need to be brought to light.
3. The environment is political.
I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no such thing as an apolitical environmentalist. Perhaps you don’t like to engage with the circus that is party politics, but being pro-environment is still a fundamentally political position. To ignore this reality is to ignore the forces that keep us on this treadmill.
Politics is all about priorities and trade-offs. By advocating for environmental protection you are choosing to take a stand against a political system that won’t. You are protesting against a political system that largely sees economy-environment trade-offs as a one-way street, the direction of which we are all familiar with: the economy is king. And you are railing against a political system that prioritises profits and corporate sovereignty over a stable ecology and community empowerment.
Environmental protection demands a challenge to this political orthodoxy. But such a challenge can only be successful through a powerful and sustained movement of people who care enough to take action. If we continue to see ourselves and our environmental causes as non-political, we effectively give permission to decision-makers to continue serving us shopping malls instead of national parks. The environment is political. Own it.
4. Humans are not the enemy.
You were brought up in a society that believes ‘nature’ is everything out there that is not part of the human world. True nature seems to reside only in those corners of the planet where people don’t, a pure paradise away from the corruption of civilisation. And considering our dismal ecological track record, you’re probably even tempted to regard humankind as one of nature’s greatest enemies.
I believe this is a dangerous misreading of the situation.
Homo sapiens, like every other species, past and present, is the incredibly fortunate product of a messy, and totally unpredictable process of evolution and natural selection spanning billions of years. We did not materialise out of thin air. We did not arrive as curious visitors from an alien planet. No, humans arose from within nature, and have remained snug in her bosom ever since. We depend on her to keep us alive, functioning, safe and happy. And as long as humans continue to exist, she also, for better or for worse, depends on us to extend the same courtesy.
For sure, there are selfish jerks that couldn’t give a toss about the environment. They are a particularly unpleasant breed that you are likely to come across from time to time. But for every jerk you meet there are hundreds, even thousands, who do care, who do want to leave a safer planet for the future (believe it or not, many politicians and CEOs care deeply, too). To symbolically pit humans against nature — the outsider hell-bent on ecological destruction — as so many of us seem to do, we alienate the very people whose cooperation and understanding is so crucial to turning this ship around, and we diminish our capacity for compassion towards those brothers and sisters inflicted by injustices across the globe.
But, perhaps more importantly, by imagining ourselves as the unyielding fist of mass destruction we further strengthen the myth that humanity exists outside the food chain, that we are somehow above nature. This is the very thinking that has got us in this mess in the first place. Without first changing this narrative, progress is impossible. We know from ecology that everything is connected. It’s vital that we start acknowledging this simple fact of life.
These are just some little thoughts that might help you, my younger self, on your journey. With the benefit of hindsight, I understand the challenges you will face as you navigate this path, and I know that finding the will to take that next step will sometimes feel like an impossibility. So, with this in mind, I’d like to offer one last piece of advice that I hope can provide a beacon in those darkest of moments: Never stop questioning what is accepted, never stop searching for what is beautiful, and never stop fighting for what is right.
