Deep Ecology

Hey! We’re a new media project focused on promoting an interconnected worldview that offers an alternative perspective to the rampant hyper-individualism and hyper-consumerism that seem to dominate today. We will be posting interviews and educational materials from scholars, activists, spiritual leaders and more on our social media channels (@sapiencecollective on Instagram and YouTube) and will begin to organize in-person events in the not-so-distant future. Our whole goal is to put the eco before the ego, which is pretty dang deep ecology if you ask us.

We’re still a tiny baby platform, so please check us out!

I’m learning more about deep ecology and non-anthropocentric frameworks for environmentalism but am still trying to understand the practical solutions to environmental issues these perspectives advocate, especially when human and non-human interests are seemingly in conflict, such as with agricultural land vs. natural habitat, deadly diseases caused by microbes, and human interests in quality of life/leisure activities vs associated environmental impacts.

Some “solutions” that seemingly arise from taking a biocentric or ecocentric perspective I’ve encountered so far:

1. Opposing logging/mining/other activities that damage remaining wilderness areas with direct action like Earth First!

2. Ecofascism, using authoritarianism and violating human rights in the name of the greater good of “protecting nature” or “our resources”

3. Murray Bookchin’s social ecology, which proposes major, anarchist-esque restructuring of society to make it a sustainable part of the natural ecosystem.

4. Trying to bring an immediate end to industrialized society or agricultural civilization as a whole like the Deep Green Resistance group, regardless of the likely implications for the lives of billions of humans.

5. Calling for voluntary or involuntary measures to immediately reduce human population, per the suggestions of the book The Population Bomb, despite the racism and scientific inaccuracy of its predictions/prescriptions.

Curious to know what others are out there or if I’m misunderstanding any of these.

I'm guessing that most of us in here are of the Gaian type? Though there may be some disagreement as to how best to go about that.

https://studio.ribbonfarm.com/p/what-we-seek-to-save-when-we-seek

https://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/debunking-common-beliefs-around-population-matters/

There's a lot she doesn't say in this article, but seems like the underlying premise is that the overall Human footprint is unsustainable, and that population size is only a problem as a direct result of that. So, it's a contributing factor that would not be causal if the footprint was modulated below an unsustainable threshold.

Saying that no more Humans should come into this world is an ethical and moral quandry that immediately bumps up against the Golden Rule.

Hi everyone!

For my master thesis, I'm making a survey about collaborative economy.

I would be very thankful if you respond to this survey:

https://kedgebs.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_doscJzaRIvpkVQW

It's about users’ motivations about using sharing economy and their perceptions about its social and environmental benefits. As this tread is about environment, I would be very interested to have your opinion.

NB: it’s in English and French, change the language at the top right corner if needed

Best regards,

Joris