Author Archive

Conversing About Equalities With A Robot

Friday, August 4th, 2023

1 How important is ‘equalities’  as a unifying theme in a syllabus of radical hope?

In a syllabus of radical hope, the theme of ‘equalities’ is of paramount importance. Radical hope, as a concept, refers to a belief in the possibility of transformative change and progress despite challenging circumstances. It involves envisioning a more just and equitable future and actively working towards it. In such a syllabus, ‘equalities’ serves as a unifying theme that underpins the core principles and values of radical hope. Here’s why it’s crucial:

  • Foundational Principle: 
  • Equality is a foundational principle of social justice and human rights. It forms the basis for creating a fair and inclusive society where everyone has equal opportunities and access to resources, regardless of their background, identity, or socio-economic status.
  • Inclusivity: 
  • By emphasizing equalities, the syllabus acknowledges the diverse experiences and struggles of different marginalized groups. It recognizes the interconnectedness of various social justice issues, including racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, disability rights, and more. It promotes a comprehensive approach to addressing systemic inequalities.
  • Inspiration for Action:
  •  The pursuit of equalities is a powerful motivator for individuals and communities to take action. It fosters solidarity and encourages people to stand up against injustice, discrimination, and oppression.
  • Long-term Vision: 
  • Radical hope involves envisioning a better future. Equality serves as a guiding light, helping to paint a picture of a society where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, and their rights are upheld. This vision provides hope and direction for the efforts to transform society.
  • Resilience in the Face of Adversity: 
  • In the pursuit of radical hope, challenges and setbacks are inevitable. Emphasizing equalities helps build resilience and determination among those advocating for change, as they see the value and importance of their struggle for a more just world.
  • Institutional Change: Addressing inequalities requires reimagining and transforming institutions and systems that perpetuate discrimination and exclusion. By centering ‘equalities’ in the syllabus, students can explore the importance of systemic change in creating a lasting impact on society.
  • Global Perspective: 
  • Equalities are not limited to one region or one group of people. This theme helps in understanding global interconnectedness, recognizing the shared struggles of people worldwide, and fostering a sense of global solidarity.
  • Empowerment: 
  • Promoting equalities empowers individuals to take charge of their lives and participate in shaping their communities. It encourages collective agency and empowerment among those who have historically been marginalized or oppressed.
  • Ethical Framework: 
  • Equalities are deeply rooted in ethical principles of fairness, justice, and compassion. By incorporating this theme into the syllabus, students can develop a strong moral compass and a sense of responsibility to contribute positively to society.
  • Promoting Dialogue and Understanding: 
  • Discussing equalities can lead to crucial conversations about privilege, power dynamics, and the experiences of marginalized communities. It fosters empathy, understanding, and the dismantling of harmful stereotypes and biases.

In conclusion, equalities as a unifying theme in a syllabus of radical hope is vital for inspiring transformative change, fostering inclusivity, and building a more just and equitable world. It guides individuals to move beyond despair and apathy and actively work towards creating a better future for all.

2  What will be the social impact of reaching equalities of wealth.

The social impact of equalities of wealth, also known as wealth equality or income equality, can have both positive and negative consequences on a society. It’s important to note that achieving absolute wealth equality may be unrealistic and difficult, but reducing extreme wealth disparities can still bring about significant changes. Here are some potential social impacts:

Positive Impacts:

  • Reduced Poverty: Wealth equality can help reduce poverty levels, as resources are distributed more evenly, and disadvantaged individuals have better access to education, healthcare, and other essential services.
  • Social Cohesion: A more equal distribution of wealth can lead to greater social cohesion and harmony within communities. It can foster a sense of shared responsibility and decrease feelings of resentment or alienation
  • Improved Health Outcomes: With increased access to healthcare and a reduction in stress due to financial burdens, health outcomes may improve among the less affluent members of society.
  • Higher Social Mobility: When wealth disparities are reduced, social mobility can increase, allowing individuals from lower-income backgrounds to have better opportunities to improve their socioeconomic status.
  • Enhanced Economic Stability: More balanced wealth distribution can contribute to a more stable economy. Extreme wealth disparities can lead to economic instability, while a more equitable distribution can help mitigate this risk.
  • Reduced Crime Rates: In some cases, more equitable societies have shown lower crime rates, as economic desperation and inequality are often correlated with higher crime rates.

Negative Impacts:

  • Less Incentive for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: 
  • Critics argue that reducing wealth inequality may reduce the incentive for innovation and entrepreneurship since there might be less potential for significant financial gains.
  • Decreased Investment and Capital Formation: 
  • Some claim that excessive wealth equality can lead to decreased investment and capital formation, which could impact economic growth.
  • Resistance from Wealthy Elites: 
  • Wealthy individuals and powerful elites might resist policies that aim to promote wealth equality, potentially leading to political and social tensions.
  • Economic Inefficiency: 
  • In certain situations, excessive focus on wealth equality could lead to economic inefficiency if resources are not allocated optimally.
  • Brain Drain: 
  • If policies aimed at wealth equality are perceived as excessive or punitive, it may drive talented individuals and businesses to seek opportunities in other countries with more favorable economic conditions.
  • Unemployment Risk: 
  • If efforts to equalize wealth lead to significant wealth redistribution, businesses may face increased labor costs, potentially resulting in layoffs or reduced job opportunities.

Overall, achieving a balance between wealth equality and economic growth is a complex challenge. The social impact of equalities of wealth will depend on various factors, including the specific policies implemented, cultural attitudes, and the overall economic context of a society. Governments and policymakers need to carefully consider these factors when developing strategies to address wealth inequality and aim for outcomes that benefit the broader population while promoting a thriving economy.

3  But is there enough planetary resources ro give everyone a Western lifestyle?

It is challenging for the Earth to sustain a Western lifestyle for every person on the planet. The Western lifestyle, characterized by high consumption patterns, resource-intensive practices, and high levels of material consumption, relies heavily on finite resources such as fossil fuels, metals, and arable land. Scaling this lifestyle to a global population of over 7 billion people would put tremendous strain on the planet’s resources and ecosystem.

Some key considerations include:

  • Resource Constraints: 
  • Earth has finite resources, and the rate at which we consume these resources is already exceeding the planet’s ability to regenerate them. Continuing with the current patterns of consumption for everyone would lead to resource depletion, environmental degradation, and the exacerbation of climate change.

4 What is a carbon footprint and how important is it in measuring present and future economic growth?

  • Carbon Footprint: The Western lifestyle is associated with high carbon emissions due to energy-intensive practices and reliance on fossil fuels. Expanding this lifestyle globally without significant changes to the energy mix would have severe consequences for climate change and global warming.
  • Land and Food Demands: The Western diet, which is often rich in meat and dairy products, requires large amounts of land for agriculture and contributes to deforestation and loss of biodiversity. Meeting the food demands of a global Western lifestyle would necessitate vast areas of land for farming and ranching.
  • Waste and Pollution: The Western lifestyle generates significant waste and pollution, including electronic waste, plastic pollution, and other forms of environmental contamination. Scaling this lifestyle globally would amplify the waste management and pollution challenges already facing many countries.
  • Social Justice and Equity: Even if the planet’s resources were somehow sufficient to support a Western lifestyle for all, there are concerns about social justice and equity. The unequal distribution of resources and wealth would likely persist, leading to disparities and exclusion for many people in the world.

Given these challenges, it is essential to reconsider the concept of a Western lifestyle and explore more sustainable alternatives that prioritize resource conservation, environmental protection, and social equity. Transitioning to more sustainable practices, adopting circular economy principles, and promoting responsible consumption and production patterns are crucial steps towards ensuring a more sustainable future for everyone on the planet. Additionally, addressing wealth inequality and promoting equitable access to resources and opportunities can contribute to a more balanced and resilient global society.

5  Do you agree that meeting the medical needs of an ageing global population will reduce economic growth?

The relationship between meeting the medical needs of an aging global population and its impact on economic growth is a complex and multifaceted issue. It’s essential to consider both the potential benefits and challenges involved.

Benefits:

  • Increased productivity: 
  • Addressing the medical needs of the aging population can help older individuals remain healthy and active for longer, which may result in increased workforce participation and productivity.
  • Healthcare industry growth: 
  • An aging population creates a higher demand for healthcare services, leading to potential growth in the healthcare industry, creating jobs and economic opportunities.
  • Innovation and technological advancements: 
  • The need to cater to an aging population can drive research and innovation in healthcare and medical technologies, leading to potential economic gains.

Challenges:

  • Healthcare costs: 
  • Providing medical care and support for an aging population can be costly, especially if there is a significant increase in chronic conditions and age-related illnesses.
  • Labor force implications: 
  • An aging population might result in a smaller proportion of the population in the working-age group, potentially leading to labor shortages and reduced economic output.
  • Fiscal pressures: 
  • Governments may face challenges in financing social security, pensions, and healthcare programs for an aging population, potentially leading to increased public debt and fiscal strain.

In reality, the impact on economic growth will depend on how effectively societies address the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by an aging population. Policy decisions, healthcare systems, technological advancements, and labor force participation will all play significant roles in determining the net effect on economic growth.

Overall, while meeting the medical needs of an aging global population could bring about both benefits and challenges, it is not a straightforward conclusion that it will automatically reduce economic growth. Instead, it requires comprehensive and thoughtful approaches to manage the various aspects effectively.

6 What is a carbon footprint and what does it tell us about the availability of resources?

A carbon footprint is a measure of the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, specifically carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases like methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases, produced directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event, product, or country. It quantifies the impact of human activities on the environment in terms of their contribution to climate change.

The carbon footprint helps us understand the environmental impact of our actions or the activities of a particular entity. It provides valuable information about the level of greenhouse gas emissions generated, which are major contributors to global warming and climate change. By calculating and analyzing carbon footprints, we can identify the main sources of emissions and determine where reductions can be made to mitigate climate change.

The carbon footprint can be expressed in various units, such as kilograms or metric tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per year. CO2e is used to convert the various greenhouse gases into a common unit, considering their different global warming potentials.

There are generally three main categories of carbon footprints:

  • Direct Emissions (Scope 1): 
  • These are emissions that come from sources owned or controlled by the entity itself, such as emissions from on-site fuel combustion, company-owned vehicles, or industrial processes.
  • Indirect Emissions (Scope 2): These are emissions generated indirectly but related to the entity’s activities, such as emissions from electricity and heat purchased from external sources.
  • Indirect Emissions (Scope 3): 
  • These are emissions that occur due to the entity’s activities but are outside its direct control, such as emissions from the supply chain, business travel, employee commuting, and the use and disposal of products.

By calculating and understanding the carbon footprint, individuals, businesses, and governments can make informed decisions and take actions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, adopt more sustainable practices, and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change.

7 Have we exceeded Earth’s planetary footprint?

Numerous scientific studies and reports suggested that human activities had already exceeded Earth’s planetary boundaries in several areas.

Planetary boundaries are a concept introduced by scientists to define the limits within which humanity can safely operate to maintain a stable and healthy planet. These boundaries cover essential environmental parameters, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, land use, freshwater use, ocean acidification, and others.

Many experts argued that certain boundaries, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, had already been surpassed or were on the verge of being exceeded. For instance, human-induced climate change has led to rising global temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events, and a loss of biodiversity due to habitat destruction and fragmentation.

It is crucial to monitor and manage our impact on the planet to ensure sustainability and protect the environment for future generations. Various initiatives and international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement on climate change and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, aim to address these issues and foster global cooperation in mitigating human impact on Earth..

8 Do we need a new definition of prosperity that measures equalities of wellbeing? 

The question of whether we need a new definition of prosperity that measures equalities of wellbeing is a subject of ongoing debate and discussion. Traditional measures of prosperity, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), primarily focus on economic growth and material wealth, but they may not fully capture the overall wellbeing and happiness of a society.

In recent years, there has been increasing recognition that wellbeing is a multi-dimensional concept, and economic factors alone are not sufficient indicators of a society’s overall prosperity. Some argue that a more comprehensive definition of prosperity should take into account various aspects of human flourishing, including social, environmental, and psychological wellbeing.

Measuring equalities of wellbeing is an important consideration because traditional measures often mask disparities among different segments of the population. By focusing on equalities of wellbeing, policymakers can aim to reduce inequalities and ensure that the benefits of prosperity are distributed more equitably across society.

Several alternative metrics and indices have been proposed to assess wellbeing and prosperity more holistically. For instance, the Human Development Index (HDI) incorporates factors such as life expectancy, education, and per capita income to provide a broader view of human development in different countries.

Other indices, like the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) or the Social Progress Index (SPI), attempt to assess wellbeing by taking into account various social and environmental factors alongside economic measures.

To embrace a new definition of prosperity that measures equalities of wellbeing, would require a collective effort from policymakers, researchers, and society at large. It would also necessitate a shift in how we prioritize and evaluate progress, moving away from solely focusing on economic growth towards a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of 

prosperity.

9 How do we measure prosperity as a feeling of wellbeing?

Measuring prosperity as a feeling of wellbeing is a complex task, as wellbeing is a subjective and multifaceted concept. Various approaches and indicators are used to assess prosperity in terms of wellbeing. Here are some common methods and considerations:

  • Subjective Wellbeing (SWB): 
  • Subjective wellbeing focuses on an individual’s self-assessment of their life satisfaction, positive emotions, and overall happiness. It is often measured through self-reported surveys and questionnaires that ask people to rate their level of happiness or life satisfaction.
  • Psychological Indicators: 
  • Prosperity as a feeling of wellbeing can be assessed by psychological indicators, such as a sense of purpose, meaning, and autonomy in life. These indicators may be measured through assessments of purpose in life, personal growth, or levels of stress and anxiety.
  • Social Wellbeing: 
  • Social connections and relationships are essential for wellbeing. Prosperity can be gauged by examining the quality and quantity of social connections, feelings of social support, and sense of belonging.
  • Economic Indicators: 
  • Although subjective wellbeing is not solely dependent on material wealth, economic indicators like income, employment status, and access to basic necessities can influence a person’s overall wellbeing and sense of prosperity.
  • Health and Physical Wellbeing: 
  • Health is a critical factor in overall wellbeing and prosperity. Measuring prosperity in terms of health could include indicators such as life expectancy, disease prevalence, and access to healthcare.
  • Environmental Wellbeing: 
  • The state of the environment and access to natural resources can impact wellbeing. Measures like air quality, access to green spaces, and environmental sustainability contribute to a sense of prosperity.
  • Educational Attainment: 
  • Education plays a vital role in shaping opportunities and life outcomes. Access to quality education and levels of educational attainment can influence feelings of prosperity.
  • Inequality and Social Justice: 
  • Prosperity as wellbeing should also consider issues of inequality and social justice. Disparities in income, access to resources, and opportunities can affect the overall sense of wellbeing in a society.

To measure prosperity accurately, it is essential to use a combination of objective data and subjective assessments. Various well-being indices and surveys, such as the World Happiness Report, OECD Better Life Index, and Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan, attempt to provide comprehensive assessments of prosperity and wellbeing across countries and populations.

Remember that measuring prosperity as a feeling of wellbeing is an ongoing process, and there is no single perfect metric. It requires continual research, data analysis, and a broad understanding of the factors that contribute to human flourishing.

10 What are the factors that provide a broad understanding of human flourishing?

Understanding human flourishing requires consideration of multiple factors that contribute to overall well-being and happiness. While this is not an exhaustive list, here are some key factors that provide a broad understanding of human flourishing:

  • Physical Health: Physical well-being is a fundamental aspect of human flourishing. It includes good nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and access to healthcare. When individuals are in good physical health, they are more likely to experience a higher quality of life.
  • Mental and Emotional Well-being: 
  • Mental and emotional health are crucial for human flourishing. This involves managing stress, developing coping mechanisms, having a positive outlook, and fostering emotional resilience.
  • Social Connections: 
  • Meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging are essential for human flourishing. Strong social connections with family, friends, and community can lead to increased happiness and a support system during challenging times.
  • Purpose and Meaning: 
  • Having a sense of purpose and meaning in life is vital for human flourishing. This could be found through work, hobbies, volunteering, or engaging in activities that align with one’s values and passions.
  • Financial Stability: 
  • Adequate financial resources and stability are essential for meeting basic needs and reducing stress related to financial insecurity.
  • Education and Personal Growth: 
  • Continuous learning and personal development contribute to a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, leading to human flourishing.
  • Environmental Well-being: 
  • A healthy environment and connection with nature can positively impact human well-being and contribute to flourishing.
  • Cultural and Spiritual Fulfillment: 
  • Engaging with cultural and spiritual practices that resonate with an individual’s beliefs can provide a sense of belonging, purpose, and peace.
  • Autonomy and Freedom: 
  • Having the ability to make choices, control one’s destiny, and experience freedom fosters a sense of agency and empowerment.
  • Resilience and Adaptability: 
  • Developing resilience and the ability to adapt to challenges is crucial for human flourishing as it enables individuals to bounce back from adversity.
  • Work-Life Balance: 
  • Balancing work and personal life allows individuals to enjoy their accomplishments while maintaining their physical and mental health.
  • Measurement of prosperityCompassion and Empathy: 
  • Cultivating compassion and empathy towards oneself and others can lead to more positive and fulfilling interpersonal relationships.

These factors are interconnected and can vary across individuals and cultures. Understanding and promoting human flourishing require a holistic approach that acknowledges and addresses the complexity of human well-being.

11 From the point of view of climate change were did the industrial revolution go wrong?

From the point of view of climate change, the Industrial Revolution went wrong primarily due to the rapid and unchecked increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th century and continued through the 19th century, marking a significant shift from agrarian and manual labor-based economies to industrial and machine-based economies. While it brought about tremendous advancements in technology, manufacturing, and standard of living, it also had unintended consequences for the environment, particularly regarding climate change. Some key factors where the Industrial Revolution went wrong in relation to climate change include:

  • Fossil fuel combustion: 
  • The widespread use of coal and later oil and gas as energy sources for machinery, transportation, and heating led to a dramatic increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. These fossil fuel-derived emissions are the primary driver of the enhanced greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate change.
  • Deforestation: 
  • The demand for timber, land, and resources to support industrial growth led to extensive deforestation, reducing the planet’s ability to absorb CO2 and exacerbating the greenhouse gas effect.
  • Urbanization and land-use changes: 
  • The rapid expansion of cities and urban areas during the Industrial Revolution required significant land-use changes, which often involved clearing forests and other carbon-sequestering ecosystems. This further contributed to higher CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
  • Industrial processes and emissions: 
  • The rise of heavy industries such as steel, cement, and chemical manufacturing produced substantial greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2 and other potent greenhouse gasses like methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O).
  • Lack of awareness and regulation: 
  • During the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, there was limited understanding of the long-term environmental impacts of industrial activities. As a result, there were few regulations or incentives to limit emissions or promote sustainable practices.
  • Long-lasting infrastructure: 
  • Many of the technologies and infrastructure developed during the Industrial Revolution, such as coal-fired power plants and internal combustion engines, continued to be used for decades and even centuries afterward, contributing to persistent emissions.
  • Globalization and increased consumption: 
  • The Industrial Revolution facilitated globalization and increased global trade, which further intensified resource extraction, emissions, and energy consumption on a global scale.

It’s important to note that while the Industrial Revolution significantly accelerated climate change, modern industrial activities and energy use continue to be major contributors to ongoing climate change. Addressing climate change requires a transition to more sustainable and renewable energy sources, increased efficiency in resource use, reforestation efforts, and international cooperation to tackle this global challenge effectively.

12 How can we transition to renewable energy?

Transitioning to renewable energy requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach that involves government policies, technological advancements, public awareness, and cooperation from various sectors. Here are some key strategies to facilitate the transition to renewable energy:

  • Government support and policy: 
  • Governments play a crucial role in incentivizing and promoting renewable energy adoption. They can implement policies such as tax incentives, feed-in tariffs, renewable portfolio standards, and carbon pricing to encourage the development and use of renewable energy sources.
  • Research and development: 
  • Investing in research and development is essential to drive innovation and reduce the cost of renewable energy technologies. Governments, private industries, and academic institutions should collaborate to advance solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and other emerging renewable energy technologies.
  • Infrastructure development: 
  • Upgrading and expanding the energy infrastructure to accommodate renewable energy sources is necessary. This includes building smart grids, energy storage facilities, and transmission lines to ensure a reliable and efficient integration of renewable energy into the existing energy grid.
  • Energy storage solutions: 
  • Developing cost-effective and efficient energy storage technologies is critical to overcoming the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. Battery storage, pumped hydro storage, and other innovative solutions can help store excess energy for use during times of low renewable generation.
  • Decentralized energy systems: 
  • Encouraging decentralized energy systems, such as rooftop solar panels and community-based renewable projects, empowers individuals and communities to produce their own clean energy, reducing dependence on centralized fossil fuel power plants.
  • Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies: 
  • Redirecting subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy can level the playing field and make clean energy more competitive.
  • Education and awareness: 
  • Public awareness campaigns can help educate people about the benefits of renewable energy and encourage individual actions, such as energy conservation and choosing renewable energy options.
  • Collaboration and partnerships: 
  • Governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and international bodies must collaborate to share knowledge, resources, and best practices in transitioning to renewable energy.
  • Renewable energy targets: 
  • Setting ambitious and achievable renewable energy targets can provide a clear roadmap and sense of direction for the transition. Many countries have set renewable energy targets for themselves to ensure a certain percentage of their energy comes from renewable sources by a specific date.
  • Supporting energy-efficient practices: 
  • Improving energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industrial processes can reduce overall energy demand, making it easier to meet energy needs with renewable sources.

By combining these strategies, society can make significant progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, mitigating the impacts of climate change and ensuring a sustainable energy future.

13 Did the industrial revolution accentuate economic inequalities ?

Yes, the Industrial Revolution did accentuate economic inequalities. While the Industrial Revolution brought about significant economic growth and technological advancements, it also had several negative impacts on societal and economic structures, leading to increased disparities between different social and economic groups. Some key ways in which the Industrial Revolution accentuated economic inequalities include:

  • Widening wealth gap: 
  • The emergence of factories and new industries concentrated wealth in the hands of a few capitalists who owned and controlled the means of production. This led to a significant wealth gap between the wealthy industrialists and the working class.
  • Exploitation of labor: The rise of industrial capitalism often resulted in harsh working conditions, long hours, low wages, and child labor. The working class faced exploitation and struggled to improve their living standards, while industrialists amassed vast fortunes.
  • Urban-rural divide: 
  • The Industrial Revolution led to mass migration from rural areas to cities in search of work. However, urban living conditions were often crowded and unsanitary, exacerbating poverty and inequality between urban and rural populations.
  • Lack of social safety nets: 
  • During the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, there were limited social safety nets, such as social welfare programs or labor laws to protect workers’ rights. This left the working class vulnerable to economic downturns and accidents without proper support.
  • Unequal access to education: 
  • Education was often only available to the privileged elite during the early industrial period, perpetuating the cycle of poverty for the working class and limiting their opportunities for social mobility.
  • Monopoly and concentration of economic power:
  • As industries grew and expanded, some companies and individuals gained significant market power and formed monopolies, leading to further economic concentration and inequality.
  • Gender inequality: 
  • Women faced significant discrimination in the workforce, receiving lower wages and limited access to higher-skilled and higher-paying jobs. This gender disparity contributed to economic inequality between men and women.
  • Environmental injustices: 
  • The adverse environmental impacts of industrialization, such as pollution and resource depletion, disproportionately affected marginalized communities living near industrial sites, leading to environmental inequalities.

While the Industrial Revolution laid the foundation for modern economic growth and prosperity, it also exposed and exacerbated economic inequalities. Over time, societal and political movements emerged to address these disparities, leading to the implementation of labor laws, social reforms, and a gradual improvement in working conditions. However, addressing economic inequality remains an ongoing challenge in modern society.

14 How can we transition to renewable energy?

Transitioning to renewable energy requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach that involves government policies, technological advancements, public awareness, and cooperation from various sectors. Here are some key strategies to facilitate the transition to renewable energy:

  • Government support and policy: 
  • Governments play a crucial role in incentivizing and promoting renewable energy adoption. They can implement policies such as tax incentives, feed-in tariffs, renewable portfolio standards, and carbon pricing to encourage the development and use of renewable energy sources.
  • Research and development: 
  • Investing in research and development is essential to drive innovation and reduce the cost of renewable energy technologies. Governments, private industries, and academic institutions should collaborate to advance solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and other emerging renewable energy technologies.
  • Infrastructure development: 
  • Upgrading and expanding the energy infrastructure to accommodate renewable energy sources is necessary. This includes building smart grids, energy storage facilities, and transmission lines to ensure a reliable and efficient integration of renewable energy into the existing energy grid.
  • Energy storage solutions: 
  • Developing cost-effective and efficient energy storage technologies is critical to overcoming the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. Battery storage, pumped hydro storage, and other innovative solutions can help store excess energy for use during times of low renewable generation.
  • Decentralized energy systems: 
  • Encouraging decentralized energy systems, such as rooftop solar panels and community-based renewable projects, empowers individuals and communities to produce their own clean energy, reducing dependence on centralized fossil fuel power plants.
  • Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies: 
  • Redirecting subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy can level the playing field and make clean energy more competitive.
  • Education and awareness: 
  • Public awareness campaigns can help educate people about the benefits of renewable energy and encourage individual actions, such as energy conservation and choosing renewable energy options.
  • Collaboration and partnerships: 
  • Governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and international bodies must collaborate to share knowledge, resources, and best practices in transitioning to renewable energy.
  • Renewable energy targets: 
  • Setting ambitious and achievable renewable energy targets can provide a clear roadmap and sense of direction for the transition. Many countries have set renewable energy targets for themselves to ensure a certain percentage of their energy comes from renewable sources by a specific date.
  • Supporting energy-efficient practices: 
  • Improving energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industrial processes can reduce overall energy demand, making it easier to meet energy needs with renewable sources.

By combining these strategies, society can make significant progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, mitigating the impacts of climate change and ensuring a sustainable energy future.

15 Did the industrial revolution accentuate economic inequalities ?

Yes, the Industrial Revolution did accentuate economic inequalities. While the Industrial Revolution brought about significant economic growth and technological advancements, it also had several negative impacts on societal and economic structures, leading to increased disparities between different social and economic groups. Some key ways in which the Industrial Revolution accentuated economic inequalities include:

  • Widening wealth gap: 
  • The emergence of factories and new industries concentrated wealth in the hands of a few capitalists who owned and controlled the means of production. This led to a significant wealth gap between the wealthy industrialists and the working class.
  • Exploitation of labor: 
  • The rise of industrial capitalism often resulted in harsh working conditions, long hours, low wages, and child labor. The working class faced exploitation and struggled to improve their living standards, while industrialists amassed vast fortunes.
  • Urban-rural divide: 
  • The Industrial Revolution led to mass migration from rural areas to cities in search of work. However, urban living conditions were often crowded and unsanitary, exacerbating poverty and inequality between urban and rural populations.
  • Lack of social safety nets: 
  • During the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, there were limited social safety nets, such as social welfare programs or labor laws to protect workers’ rights. This left the working class vulnerable to economic downturns and accidents without proper support.
  • Unequal access to education: 
  • Education was often only available to the privileged elite during the early industrial period, perpetuating the cycle of poverty for the working class and limiting their opportunities for social mobility.
  • Monopoly and concentration of economic power: 
  • As industries grew and expanded, some companies and individuals gained significant market power and formed monopolies, leading to further economic concentration and inequality.
  • Gender inequality: 
  • Women faced significant discrimination in the workforce, receiving lower wages and limited access to higher-skilled and higher-paying jobs. This gender disparity contributed to economic inequality between men and women.
  • Environmental injustices: 
  • The adverse environmental impacts of industrialization, such as pollution and resource depletion, disproportionately affected marginalized communities living near industrial sites, leading to environmental inequalities.

While the Industrial Revolution laid the foundation for modern economic growth and prosperity, it also exposed and exacerbated economic inequalities. Over time, societal and political movements emerged to address these disparities, leading to the implementation of labor laws, social reforms, and a gradual improvement in working conditions. However, addressing economic inequality remains an ongoing challenge in modern society.

15 How can we address environmental injustices?

Addressing environmental injustices requires a concerted effort from governments, communities, businesses, and civil society. Here are some key strategies to tackle environmental injustices:

  • Community engagement and empowerment: 
  • Involve affected communities in decision-making processes related to environmental policies, projects, and regulations. Empower communities to voice their concerns, participate in environmental planning, and hold decision-makers accountable.
  • Environmental impact assessments: 
  • Implement rigorous and transparent environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for proposed projects to identify potential adverse effects on marginalized communities. Ensure that the findings are taken into account when making decisions about project approvals.
  • Environmental regulations and enforcement: 
  • Strengthen and enforce environmental regulations to protect all communities, especially those historically marginalized or vulnerable to pollution and environmental hazards.
  • Equitable access to resources: 
  • Ensure equitable access to clean air, water, and green spaces for all communities, regardless of their socioeconomic status or ethnicity.
  • Environmental education and awareness: 
  • Promote environmental education programs that emphasize the importance of environmental justice and encourage responsible environmental stewardship within all communities.
  • Green and sustainable development: 
  • Encourage sustainable development practices that prioritize environmental and social equity, promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable urban planning.
  • Climate resilience and adaptation: 
  • Assist vulnerable communities in building climate resilience and adapting to the impacts of climate change. This can include providing resources for infrastructure improvements and disaster preparedness.
  • Pollution reduction and cleanup: 
  • Address existing pollution sources in marginalized communities and ensure proper cleanup efforts. Hold responsible parties accountable for environmental damages.
  • Environmental justice policies: 
  • Develop specific policies focused on addressing environmental injustices, such as addressing cumulative impacts in overburdened areas and promoting green job opportunities in disadvantaged communities.
  • Collaboration and partnerships: 
  • Foster partnerships between government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and businesses to work together on solutions for environmental justice issues.
  • Data collection and transparency: 
  • Improve data collection and transparency on environmental conditions in disadvantaged communities to inform policy decisions and hold polluters accountable.
  • Environmental advocacy and legal support: 
  • Support environmental justice organizations and provide legal assistance to communities seeking to address environmental injustices through the legal system.
  • Fair trade and sustainable consumer choices: 
  • Encourage fair trade practices and sustainable consumer choices to reduce environmental impacts globally and support equitable working conditions for communities in developing countries.

Addressing environmental injustices is essential not only for promoting social equity but also for creating a sustainable and healthy environment for everyone. By working together, we can create a more just and equitable world where environmental burdens are shared equitably, and all communities have the opportunity to thrive.

17  At the end of the session this is how the robot evaluated its input.

“Text-based AI like myself can indeed assist in mind mapping and understanding complex environmental issues. By processing and organizing large amounts of information, I can help break down intricate topics into manageable components, identify key relationships, and provide insights into various aspects of environmental challenges.  Remember that while I can provide valuable information and insights, creating a comprehensive and accurate mind map often involves a combination of AI assistance and your critical thinking skills. If visual representation is essential for your mind mapping process, you may want to use dedicated mind mapping software or tools alongside the information I provide”.

The role of the interlocutor was to provide critical thinking skills in the form of questions to produce an interdisciplinary knowledge structure about inequalities; where they originate and the consequences of their removal.

The Wild Goose Chase

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

Part 2

Under the headline “Two mutilated Canada Geese found in Cardiff woodland”  Bird Guide reported on 22 March, 2003,  that a pair of mutilated Canada Geese has been discovered in the Fairwater area of the city.  The geese were hanging from separate trees and had been ‘paunched’, with all the potentially edible meat cut away. There was a large, yellow hazardous waste sack also present, containing feathers.

1  Care for creation

Geology, human history, and wildlife are interconnected and have influenced each other in various ways throughout time. Here’s a brief overview of their relationships which outline a knowledge framework that defines cultural ecology.  It is situated  in the context of a liturgy to celebrate humanity’s care for creation.  Understanding the interdisciplinary relationships between geology, human history, and wildlife is important for various disciplines, including geology, archaeology, anthropology, and biology. It helps us appreciate the complex interplay between the Earth’s geological processes, human civilizations, and the natural world.  Any animal is important for marking this interplay and geese offer particular advantages, 

Geese, especially during migration, may visit agricultural areas, including fields or farms, in search of food resources. This can lead to conflicts with farmers due to crop damage. In some cases, farmers may employ deterrent measures like noise-making devices or physical barriers to protect their crops,  Many wild geese find sanctuary in protected areas and wildlife refuges, where they are able to live undisturbed by human activities. These areas often provide suitable habitats for nesting, resting, and feeding. People can visit these areas for birdwatching and nature observation, following designated trails and guidelines to minimize disturbance to the geese and their habitats.  

In many urban and suburban areas, wild geese, particularly the Canada goose have adapted to human environments and can be frequently encountered in parks, golf courses, and other open spaces. These geese often interact with people in close proximity. Some people enjoy observing and feeding them, while others may find their presence bothersome due to droppings or aggressive behavior, especially during the nesting season. Local authorities and communities often implement management strategies to strike a balance between human and wildlife needs, including habitat modification, or egg addling programs.

2  A Secular Liturgy for a syllabus of hope.

The term “liturgy” traditionally refers to a formal religious or ceremonial order, often associated with specific religious traditions. As such, a liturgy is inherently connected to religious or spiritual practices. However, the concept of a “secular liturgy” has been explored and developed in some modern contexts, particularly in art, culture, and social movements.  In a secular context, a “liturgy” could be understood as a structured and ceremonial expression of shared values, principles, or ideals that are not based on religious beliefs. It would serve as a symbolic and communal ritual without religious connotations, meant to bring people together and create a sense of meaning, purpose, or unity.  For example, some environmental or ecological movements have adopted elements of a secular liturgy to celebrate and honor nature, wildlife, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. These ceremonies may incorporate poetic readings, music, dance, symbolic actions, and moments of reflection to emphasize the importance of environmental stewardship and a sense of oneness with the natural world.  Similarly, some secular humanist organizations have developed ceremonial events, often called “naming ceremonies,” “coming-of-age ceremonies,” or “celebrations of life,” to mark significant life events and transitions in a non-religious manner. These ceremonies can provide a structured way to mark important moments in life and reinforce shared values within the community.

While a secular liturgy may not have the same religious underpinnings as traditional liturgies, it can still serve the purpose of creating a shared and meaningful experience for individuals or communities in the material world, particularly in the context of the climate crisis. The main distinction lies in the absence of religious beliefs or deities, focusing instead on human values, ethical principles, and reverence for the natural world.  However, it is essential to recognize that the concept of a secular liturgy might be met with varying degrees of acceptance and controversy, as some may argue that certain elements of religious or spiritual practice are not easily separable from the idea of a liturgy.

In conclusion, while the term “secular liturgy” might be somewhat unconventional and not universally accepted, the idea of developing structured, symbolic ceremonies to celebrate shared values and interconnectedness in a non-religious context is indeed possible and has been explored in various secular movements.

The development of a local secular liturgy should be a living and evolving expression of shared values and aspirations, fostering a sense of meaning and belonging in nature for its participants.  The need for a liturgy, or a formal religious or ceremonial order of worship, to celebrate wildlife depends on individual beliefs, cultural practices, and the context in which the celebration takes place. In some religious or spiritual traditions, the natural world and wildlife hold significant value. These beliefs might include ideas of stewardship, interconnectedness, and questions about how the universe began. In such traditions, adherents may find meaning in creating liturgical rituals to honor and celebrate wildlife as part of their personal spiritual practice.

In certain cultures, wildlife has deep cultural significance, and ceremonies or rituals might be organized to pay homage to the animals and their role in the human ecosystem. These celebrations may not necessarily follow a strict liturgy, but they can still be deeply meaningful and important to the community.  In a broader context, celebrating wildlife can be a way to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote conservation efforts. People might come together for events, gatherings, or ceremonies focused on appreciating and protecting wildlife, without necessarily adopting a traditional liturgical structure.

Celebrating wildlife doesn’t always require a formal liturgy. Many individuals connect with nature and wildlife through personal practices like meditation, spending time in nature, or participating in activities that promote wildlife conservation.  Some societies or groups may organize secular events or festivals dedicated to wildlife without any religious connotations. These events can still serve the purpose of appreciating and preserving the natural world.

Ultimately, the need for a liturgy to celebrate wildlife depends on the context and the beliefs of the individuals or communities involved. Whether through formal ceremonies, cultural traditions, or secular events, celebrating wildlife can foster a deeper connection with nature and a greater understanding of the importance of acting  to  protect the natural world.

3  Creating a secular liturgy

A secular liturgy is a structured practice or ceremony that helps individuals or communities come together, connect with shared values or experiences, and find meaning and purpose outside of religious frameworks. It provides an opportunity for collective reflection, celebration, or remembrance, while encompassing a broader range of philosophical, cultural, or humanistic perspectives.

Creating a secular liturgy that embodies care for creation can be a beautiful way to foster reverence, gratitude, and mindfulness towards the natural environment. Here are two suggested outlines for such a liturgy:  Remember, this liturgy can be adapted and personalized to suit the specific context and traditions of the individuals participating. 

The following framework for a secular liturgy was created by two groups of University students attending a field course on the small offshore Welsh island of Skomer.  Unlike other Welsh islands of similar size Skomer has not been associated with the development of Christian beliefs but, on the other hand, archaeological research indicates that it has been occupied since stonehenge times.  In this connection a belief is growing that it played an important role in the migrations of henge builders to Stonehenge.

Skomer National Nature Reserve is now one of Britain’s most important seabird colonies and is home to the largest breeding colony of Manx shearwaters found anywhere in the world, which currently stands at around 350,000 breeding pairs. The student’s key was to create a meaningful and intentional liturgical space that encourages a deep sense of connection, gratitude, and responsibility towards the island and its outstanding wildlife inhabitants and be the central thread of a syllabus of radical hope.

The project was launched to celebrate the arrival of a small flock of migrating Barnacle Geese on the island.

Version 1

Research and Understanding

  • Begin by researching the local wildlife and their significance in the ecosystem. Learn about the various species, their habitats, behaviors, and the role they play in the environment. Understanding the importance of wildlife conservation will help inform the content of the liturgy.

Purpose and Theme:

  • Define the purpose and theme of the secular liturgy. Are you aiming to celebrate the beauty of wildlife, raise awareness about conservation, or emphasize the interconnectedness of all living beings? Clearly articulate the central message you want to convey.

Gathering Space

  • Choose an appropriate natural setting or a community space where the liturgy will take place. Consider parks, gardens, nature reserves, or any location with a connection to wildlife and the environment.

Order of Ceremony

  • Develop an order of ceremony, drawing inspiration from traditional liturgical structures. The secular liturgy may include elements like readings, poetry, music, moments of silence, and symbolic actions related to wildlife and nature.

Readings and Reflections

  • Select readings, poems, or writings that celebrate the local wildlife, environmental consciousness, and unity with nature. These texts should reflect the chosen theme and evoke a sense of reverence and respect for the natural world.

Interconnectedness

  • Emphasize the interconnectedness of all life forms. You can include passages about ecological harmony and the importance of each species in the web of life.

Symbolic Actions:

  •  Incorporate symbolic actions into the liturgy. For example, you might have a moment where attendees release biodegradable flower petals to symbolize the harmony between humans and wildlife.

Music and Art:

  • Include music and art that complement the theme and evoke emotions related to the natural world. Live music or recordings of nature sounds can enhance the atmosphere.

Educational Component:

  • Use the liturgy as an opportunity to educate attendees about local wildlife, conservation efforts, and sustainable practices to protect the environment.

Community Participation

  • Encourage active participation from the community. You can involve people in reading passages, sharing personal reflections, or participating in the symbolic actions.

Respectful Language

  • Ensure the language used in the liturgy is inclusive and respects diverse beliefs and backgrounds. Avoid any religious references to maintain the secular nature of the ceremony.

Conclusion:

  • End the liturgy with a moment of reflection and gratitude, expressing commitment to take positive actions in support of wildlife and environmental protection.

The development of a secular liturgy for wildlife celebration should be a thoughtful and respectful process. The goal is to create a meaningful experience that fosters a sense of unity with nature and inspires a commitment to environmental stewardship.

Version 2

Opening Invocation:

  • Begin the liturgy by acknowledging the sacredness of the natural world and setting the intention to honor and care for creation during the visit to the island. Offer a prayer or invocation to express gratitude for the opportunity to experience the island’s beauty and to seek guidance in fostering a deep connection with the land, sea, and sky.

Reflection and Contemplation:

  • Take a moment for silent reflection, inviting individuals to contemplate their connection to the natural environment and the significance of the island they are visiting. Encourage them to observe and appreciate the unique flora, fauna, and landscapes around them, fostering a sense of wonder and awe.

Words of Wisdom and Inspiration:

  • Share readings, poems, or passages from spiritual or ecological texts that highlight the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of caring for creation. Draw upon the wisdom of indigenous cultures, environmental activists, or ecological thinkers to inspire reverence and environmental stewardship.

Commitment to Care:

  • Lead a collective commitment to care for the island and its ecosystem. Invite participants to offer personal commitments to take specific actions that demonstrate respect and responsibility towards the environment. This can include pledges to reduce waste, conserve resources, support local conservation efforts, or advocate for environmental protection.

Blessing and Gratitude:

  • Offer a blessing or prayer for the island, expressing gratitude for its natural beauty, biodiversity, and the abundance it provides. Acknowledge the interdependence of all living beings and the need to protect and preserve the island’s ecological balance. Encourage participants to express their own words of gratitude and appreciation.

Ritual Actions:

  • Incorporate symbolic actions that deepen the connection with the island and its environment. This could include the lighting of a candle or the placing of natural elements, such as flowers or stones, in a designated area as offerings or symbols of respect. Encourage participants to engage in these actions mindfully and with reverence.

Closing and Sending Forth:

  • Conclude the liturgy by offering a closing blessing, or meditation, inviting participants to carry the spirit of care for creation with them as they leave the island. Encourage them to extend their commitment to environmental stewardship beyond this visit and integrate it into their everyday lives.

3  Applying a secular liturgy to wildlife

The killing of two wild geese in Cardiff raises the question: is it possible to apply a secular liturgy to the loss of wildlife or any other significant environmental?. As outlined above, liturgy is a ritual or ceremony that often has a religious connotation, but it can also be adapted for secular or non-religious purposes. In a secular context, a liturgy can be designed to provide a structured and meaningful way for people to come together, reflect, mourn, and take action in response to the loss of wildlife or environmental challenges.

The following liturgy is meant to celebrate the beauty of nature and honor the unique connection between humans and wildlife.  It is a fictional liturgy and not based on any established religious practices.

[Opening]

Leader: 

Welcome, friends, to this sacred gathering, where we come together to honor the graceful beings that soar through the skies. Today, we gather to celebrate the loss of two Canada geese, symbols of freedom, unity, and the harmony of nature.

[Pause for a moment of silence, allowing everyone to appreciate the surrounding natural beauty.]

[Invocation]

Leader: 

Let us begin with an invocation, recognizing the majesty of the natural world and our shared connection with all living beings.

All: 

We stand here, united in spirit and heart, humbled by the wonders of the Earth and its creatures

.

[Reading]

Reader 1

In the flight of these Canada geese, we witness the beauty of synchrony and cooperation. They remind us that we are all part of the same ecosystem, bound together by the delicate threads of existence.

Reader 2: 

Their wings beat in harmony, teaching us the value of supporting one another and embracing our diversity. They migrate across vast distances, showing us the importance of resilience and adaptability.

[Pause for reflection]

[Blessing]

Leader: 

Let us offer a blessing for our feathered friends, the Canada geese. May they find abundant food and safe havens on their journeys. May their flights be filled with purpose and their lives enriched with joy.

All

May the skies always welcome their graceful presence and may they continue to inspire us to appreciate the wonders of nature.

[Shared Reflection]

Leader: 

Before we conclude, let us take a moment to reflect on the lessons we can learn from the Canada geese. How can we better support one another in our communities? How can we cultivate a deeper connection with nature?

[Pause for personal reflection]

[Closing]

Leader: 

As we bid farewell to these majestic travelers, let us carry the spirit of unity and appreciation for all living beings in our hearts.

All: 

We thank you, Canada geese, for gracing us with your presence and reminding us of the beauty that surrounds us.

[Closing Words]

Leader: 

May we continue to celebrate and protect the diverse tapestry of life on Earth, recognizing that we are but one thread in the grand design of nature.

All: 

Amen.

.

The Wild Goose Chase

Monday, July 17th, 2023

PART 1

1 Immersing oneself in ecosystems 

Immersing oneself in ecosystems, whether natural or social, can be important for several reasons:

  • Understanding and appreciation: 

By immersing oneself in an ecosystem, whether it’s a natural environment like a primeval forest or a social parkland, you gain a deeper understanding of its intricacies, dynamics, and interdependencies. This firsthand experience allows you to appreciate the beauty, complexity, and value of ecosystems.

  • Conservation and preservation: Immersion in ecosystems often leads to a heightened sense of environmental or social responsibility. When you directly interact with natural ecosystems, you witness the impact of local human activities and can develop a stronger motivation to conserve and protect them. Likewise, immersing yourself in social ecosystems can foster empathy and a desire to contribute positively to your community
  • Knowledge and learning: Immersion in ecosystems offers a wealth of learning opportunities. Natural ecosystems provide opportunities to study biodiversity, ecological processes, and sustainable practices. Social ecosystems offer insights into cultural diversity, human behavior, and social dynamics. Engaging with these ecosystems helps broaden your knowledge base and encourages continuous learning.
  • Personal growth and well-being: Immersing oneself in ecosystems can have positive effects on personal growth and well-being. Spending time in nature has been linked to reduced stress levels, improved mental health, and increased creativity. Similarly, participating in social ecosystems can foster social connections, a sense of belonging, and personal fulfillment.
  • Problem-solving and innovation: Immersion in ecosystems can enhance problem-solving skills and stimulate innovation. By closely observing and interacting with ecosystems, you can gain insights into how they adapt, evolve, and overcome challenges. These observations can inspire new approaches and ideas for addressing complex problems in various domains, such as sustainability, urban planning, or social justice.
  • Collaboration and collective action: Ecosystems thrive on collaboration and collective action. By immersing yourself in an ecosystem, you can engage with others who share similar interests, goals, or values. This collaboration can lead to collective efforts aimed at addressing common challenges, fostering positive change, and creating a more sustainable and inclusive future.

In summary, immersing oneself in ecosystems fosters understanding, promotes conservation and preservation, facilitates learning and personal growth, stimulates problem-solving and innovation, and encourages collaboration and collective action. It allows for a deeper connection with the world around us, both natural and social, and can lead to positive individual and collective outcomes.

2  finding the extraordinary in the ordinary

Adapting to climate change is crucial for the well-being of our planet and future generations. It requires us to find innovative solutions and make changes in our daily lives to mitigate the impact of climate change. One effective approach to fostering adaptation is by finding the extraordinary in the ordinary workings of nature. This mindset encourages us to explore the potential within existing resources, practices, and systems, and transform them into sustainable alternatives. Here’s why it is important:

It encourages creativity and innovation: Climate change calls for new and inventive approaches to address its challenges. By finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, we stimulate creativity and innovation. It pushes us to think outside the box and discover unconventional solutions that may have previously been overlooked. This mindset encourages individuals, communities, and organizations to harness their imagination and come up with unique ideas to adapt to climate change effectively.

It utilizes existing resources efficiently: Instead of solely relying on scarce or specialized resources, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary encourages us to make the most of the resources readily available to us. It prompts us to consider how existing materials, technologies, and systems can be repurposed or optimized to create sustainable outcomes. This approach ensures that we maximize the use of available resources while reducing waste and environmental impact.

It promotes inclusivity and accessibility: The extraordinary often seems distant or unattainable to many individuals and communities, especially those with limited resources or access to advanced technologies. However, by finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, we make climate adaptation more inclusive and accessible. It empowers individuals and communities to take ownership of their actions and adapt in ways that are practical, feasible, and relevant to their specific circumstances. This approach helps bridge the gap between different socio-economic backgrounds and ensures that climate adaptation benefits everyone.

It facilitates systemic change: Climate change requires not only individual actions but also systemic change. By finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, we can identify opportunities to transform existing systems and structures into more sustainable ones. It could involve reimagining transportation, energy production, food systems, or waste management. By challenging the status quo and embracing innovative solutions within ordinary practices, we can drive systemic change that has a far-reaching impact.

It nspires collective action: Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary encourages collaboration and collective action. When individuals witness the transformative power of simple, everyday changes, they are more likely to become engaged and take part in broader efforts to address climate change. By showcasing how ordinary actions can lead to extraordinary outcomes, we inspire a sense of agency and motivate others to join the movement for climate adaptation.

In summary, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary is important for adapting to climate change because it promotes creativity, efficiency, inclusivity, systemic change, and collective action. It allows us to unlock the potential within existing resources and practices, paving the way for a sustainable future.  Making the ordinary become extraordinary involves a shift in perspective, a willingness to see things differently, and an infusion of creativity. Here are some ways to make the ordinary extraordinary:

  • Mindfulness and Presence: Cultivate a state of mindfulness and presence in your everyday life. Pay attention to the details, the beauty, and the subtleties that often go unnoticed. By being fully present in each moment, you can discover the extraordinary within the ordinary.
  • Creativity and Innovation: Infuse creativity into your daily routines and tasks. Look for alternative ways of doing things, explore new perspectives, and challenge conventional thinking. Find unique solutions, add personal touches, or introduce elements of surprise and delight to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary.
  • Gratitude and Appreciation: Develop an attitude of gratitude and appreciation for the small wonders of life. Take time to acknowledge and be grateful for the ordinary things that bring you joy, comfort, and fulfillment. By shifting your focus to gratitude, you can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary through the power of perspective.
  • Intention and Purpose: Infuse intention and purpose into your actions and interactions. Approach each task or encounter with a sense of meaning and significance. By infusing purpose into the ordinary, you can elevate it to something extraordinary by connecting it to a greater vision or goal.
  • Embracing Curiosity: Cultivate a sense of curiosity and a desire to explore. Ask questions, seek knowledge, and be open to new experiences. By approaching the ordinary with a sense of wonder and curiosity, you can uncover hidden depths and possibilities that can turn it into something extraordinary.
  • Emotion and Connection: Infuse emotion and connection into your everyday interactions. Show genuine care, kindness, and empathy towards others. By creating meaningful connections and fostering positive emotions, you can transform ordinary moments into extraordinary ones through the power of human connection.
  • Personal Growth and Learning: Embrace a mindset of continuous learning and personal growth. Seek opportunities to expand your knowledge, skills, and perspectives. By challenging yourself and stepping outside of your comfort zone, you can infuse personal growth into the ordinary, creating extraordinary experiences along the way.

Remember, the extraordinary is often found in the ordinary; it’s just a matter of perspective and how we choose to engage with the world around us. By adopting a mindset of openness, creativity, gratitude, and connection, you can elevate the ordinary and discover the extraordinary within it.

3  Bridging the material and spiritual

The  boundary between the material and spiritual realms is often encountered and varies based on individual beliefs and experiences. However, there are several places and contexts where people commonly believe the boundary can be easily breached and the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Here are some examples:

  • Places of Worship: 
  • Sacred sites like temples, churches, mosques, and synagogues are often believed to be areas where the connection between the material and spiritual is strong. These places are imbued with religious and spiritual significance, and many people visit them seeking a deeper connection to the divine.
  • Nature and Sacred Landscapes: 
  • Certain natural landscapes, such as mountains, forests, waterfalls, and secluded groves, are often considered spiritually charged. Many cultures believe that these locations serve as gateways to the spiritual realm, offering opportunities for reflection, meditation, and a heightened sense of interconnectedness with the universe.
  • Ancient Sites and Ruins:
  • Historical sites like Stonehenge, Machu Picchu, the Egyptian pyramids, or the Mayan temples are often associated with mystical and spiritual experiences. These ancient structures are believed to hold ancient wisdom and spiritual energy, attracting visitors seeking a connection to the past or a deeper understanding of the universe.
  • Burial Grounds and Cemeteries: 
  • Places where the deceased are laid to rest are often regarded as liminal spaces where the boundary between life and death is blurred. Many people believe that these locations allow for communication with spirits or access to ancestral wisdom.
  • Meditation Retreats and Ashrams: 
  • Retreat centers and ashrams dedicated to meditation, mindfulness, and spiritual practices are designed to create an environment conducive to transcending the material realm. Through focused practice, individuals can experience states of higher consciousness and explore the boundaries between the physical and spiritual aspects of existence.
  • Festivals and Ceremonies: 
  • Cultural festivals and ceremonies often serve as opportunities for people to connect with their spiritual selves and collective consciousness. Examples include religious celebrations, solstice gatherings, shamanic rituals, or ecstatic dance events, where the energy and intention of the participants create an atmosphere conducive to spiritual experiences.

It’s important to note that the perception of breaching the boundary between the material and spiritual realms is highly subjective and can vary greatly from person to person. What one individual considers a spiritually charged place, another may not. Ultimately, these experiences depend on personal beliefs, openness, and receptivity to the possibilities beyond the material world where a boundary between the material and spiritual can easily be breached.

3  Animality within humanity

The concept of “animality within humanity” refers to the idea that human beings possess certain instinctual or primal traits that are characteristic of other animals. It suggests that beneath the veneer of civilization and socialization, humans retain innate qualities or behaviors that can be traced back to our animal origins.

While humans have evolved to be highly intelligent and capable of complex reasoning, we are still fundamentally biological organisms with a shared ancestry with other animals. Our basic biological needs, such as the need for food, shelter, and reproduction, are shared with other species. We also exhibit behaviors and emotions that can be seen in the animal kingdom, such as aggression, fear, and the desire to protect and care for our offspring.

Additionally, our evolutionary history has shaped certain instincts and behaviors that are rooted in survival and reproduction. For example, the fight-or-flight response, which is triggered in threatening situations, is a primal instinct shared with many other animals. Similarly, our sexual behaviors and desires can be seen as influenced by our animal nature.

It is important to note that while humans may possess certain animalistic traits, we also have the capacity for higher-level cognitive functions, moral reasoning, and the ability to shape our behavior through culture and social norms. We have developed complex societies, ethical systems, and technologies that distinguish us from other animals.

The understanding and acknowledgement of the animality within humanity can offer metaphorical insights into our behavior, motivations, and psychological processes. However, it is crucial to recognize that humans are unique in their ability to transcend their animal instincts and engage in complex moral, intellectual, and creative endeavors that set us apart from other species.

4  The wild goose chase

“The Wild Goose Chase” is a term often used to describe a fruitless or futile pursuit, a journey that leads to no clear destination or purpose. However, if you are referring to “The Wild Goose Chase” as a spiritual quest, it could take on a different meaning. In a spiritual context, a quest or journey often involves seeking deeper understanding, personal growth, or connection with a higher power or purpose. It can be a transformative process of self-discovery and exploration. The term “wild goose chase” suggests that this spiritual quest may not follow a linear or predictable path, but rather takes unexpected twists and turns, challenging the seeker to let go of preconceived notions and surrender to the unfolding of the journey.

In this context, the wild goose symbolizes the elusive and mysterious nature of the spiritual path. It represents the pursuit of something beyond our immediate grasp, beckoning us to venture into the unknown and embrace the uncertainties of the quest. Just as geese fly in V-formations, often changing direction and navigating through changing winds, a spiritual quest can be unpredictable and require adaptability and trust in the process. The essence of a spiritual quest is not necessarily to reach a specific destination but to embark on a journey of self-discovery, inner transformation, and connection with something greater than oneself. It is a call to explore the depths of our being, confront our fears and limitations, and awaken to our true nature. The wild goose chase as a spiritual quest invites us to release attachments, surrender control, and embrace the mysterious unfolding of life.

Ultimately, the meaning and purpose of a spiritual quest will be unique to each individual. It may involve practices such as meditation, prayer, contemplation, self-reflection, study of spiritual teachings, or engaging in service to others. The wild goose chase represents the willingness to follow the call of the heart and navigate the journey with openness, curiosity, and a sense of adventure.

The goose can indeed be seen as a survival metaphor in various ways. Here are a few interpretations:

  • Adaptability: Geese are known for their adaptability and resilience. They have the ability to survive and thrive in diverse environments, from the Arctic tundra to urban areas. This adaptability can be seen as a metaphor for the importance of being flexible and adaptable in life. Just as a goose can adjust to different conditions, individuals who can adapt to change and challenges are more likely to navigate through difficult circumstances successfully.
  • Teamwork and Cooperation:  Geese are highly social birds that often migrate in large flocks. They demonstrate a remarkable sense of teamwork and cooperation during their long-distance flights. They take turns leading the flock, and the formation they fly in, known as the “V-formation,” helps reduce air resistance and conserve energy. This cooperative behavior can symbolize the power of teamwork, collaboration, and mutual support in overcoming obstacles and achieving shared goals.
  • Resilience and Determination: Geese undertake demanding migratory journeys that require endurance and determination. They face numerous challenges, including long flights over vast distances, adverse weather conditions, and potential predators. Despite these difficulties, they persist and persevere in reaching their destination. This resilience can serve as a metaphor for human resilience in the face of adversity, highlighting the importance of staying determined and pushing forward despite obstacles encountered along the way.
  • Family and Community: Geese are known for their strong family bonds and their commitment to their young ones. They work together to protect their offspring and ensure their survival. This aspect can be seen as a metaphor for the importance of family and community support in times of hardship. Just as the goose relies on its community to nurture and protect its young, humans often rely on the support of their families and communities to navigate challenges and enhance their chances of survival.

These are just a few ways in which a goose can be interpreted as a survival metaphor. The beauty of metaphors is that they can be subject to individual interpretation, so feel free to explore your own personal connections and meanings based on the characteristics and behavior of a goose.

Here are some metaphors involving geese and survival:

  • “Flying like geese”: Geese fly in a V-formation to increase their aerodynamic efficiency and reduce air resistance. This metaphor suggests that working together in a coordinated manner can help individuals or groups survive and thrive.
  • “As adaptable as a goose”: Geese are adaptable birds, able to migrate long distances and adjust to different environments. This metaphor implies that being adaptable and flexible in the face of challenges is crucial for survival.
  • “Feathers of resilience”: Geese have a layer of insulating feathers that help them withstand harsh weather conditions. This metaphor highlights the importance of resilience and the ability to bounce back from setbacks in order to survive.
  • “Hunting with the precision of a goose”: Geese are known for their honking call, which they use to communicate and coordinate during migration or to alert each other of potential threats. This metaphor suggests the importance of being vigilant, alert, and communicating effectively to ensure survival.
  • “Taking flight like a flock of geese”: Geese take flight together, leveraging the power of their collective effort to overcome the initial resistance of getting airborne. This metaphor signifies the strength and support gained from working together towards a common goal, which can enhance chances of survival.

Remember, metaphors are creative and subjective language tools, and their interpretations may vary depending on context and personal perspectives

Denis Bellamy, (IC0l)

Visiting Zooland With “ChatbotGPT”

Friday, July 7th, 2023

Ten personal bodies of knowledge about animals produced by applying artificial intelligence to explore the theme “Birds of a Feather Flock Together Like Animals With Hands In Bands”.

1  Zooland*: the institution of captivity (DS)

“Zooland” is not a specific term but appears to be a fictional name or a metaphorical expression to refer to zoos or the concept of captivity for animals. Zoos are indeed institutions of captivity, where animals are kept in confined spaces for exhibition, educational purposes, and sometimes conservation efforts. This raises ethical and moral considerations regarding the welfare and well-being of the animals.

Proponents of zoos argue that they play crucial roles in education, research, and species conservation. Zoos can offer opportunities for people to learn about animals and their habitats, thereby promoting awareness and fostering support for wildlife conservation. Additionally, many zoos participate in international breeding programs for endangered species to help preserve their populations.

On the other hand, critics of zoos raise concerns about the ethical implications of confinement. They argue that some animals may suffer from stress, behavioral issues, and reduced quality of life due to limited space and lack of enrichment. Moreover, some argue that certain species are not suitable for captivity, as their natural behaviors and needs may be compromised.

Over time, many zoos have been developing to provide more naturalistic and enriching environments for their animals, focusing on animal welfare and conservation efforts. Additionally, some institutions have shifted away from traditional zoos and transformed into “sanctuaries” or “wildlife reserves” that prioritize rehabilitation and releasing animals back into the wild when possible.

As society becomes more aware of the complexities of animal welfare, the debate about the role and ethics of zoos continues. Many argue that while some aspects of zoos are beneficial, the focus should always be on the well-being of the animals and their potential for successful rehabilitation and conservation. It’s essential to continue discussing, researching, and refining the practices in zooland to strike a balance between education, conservation, and ethical treatment of animals.  From this point of view zooland provides the arena for blurring subject boundaries,

2  Blurring boundaries in zooland (NP)

Blurring subject boundaries in education refers to the breaking down of traditional disciplinary boundaries and fostering interdisciplinary approaches to learning. It involves integrating knowledge, skills, and perspectives from multiple subject areas to provide a more holistic and interconnected understanding of the world of animals.

Blurring subject boundaries has gained momentum in education due to several reasons:

  • Real-world complexity: 
  • Many real-world issues and challenges are multifaceted and do not neatly fit within a single discipline. By blurring subject boundaries, educators aim to help students develop a broader understanding of complex issues and develop critical thinking skills necessary for solving real-world problems.
  • Interconnectedness of knowledge
  •  Subjects are often taught in isolation, leading to fragmented knowledge. Blurring subject boundaries emphasizes the interconnectedness of knowledge and encourages students to make connections between different disciplines. This approach helps students see the relevance and applicability of what they learn across various subjects.
  • Fostering creativity and innovation: 
  • Combining different disciplines can spark creativity and innovation. By exposing students to diverse perspectives and approaches, they can think more creatively, solve problems from multiple angles, and develop innovative solutions.
  • Preparing students for future careers:
  • Many careers today require individuals to have a multidisciplinary skill set. By blurring subject boundaries, education can better prepare students for the workforce by equipping them with a broader range of skills and knowledge that are transferable across different domains.

There are various strategies to promote the blurring of subject boundaries in education:

  • Project-based learning: 
  • Engaging students in interdisciplinary projects or problem-solving activities that require the application of knowledge from different subjects.
  • Integrated curriculum: 
  • Designing curriculum that intentionally combines concepts and skills from different disciplines, highlighting their interconnectedness.
  • Team teaching: 
  • Encouraging collaboration among teachers from different subject areas to co-teach lessons or develop integrated units of study.

Flexible scheduling:

Allowing for longer class periods or dedicated time blocks for interdisciplinary activities, enabling in-depth exploration of topics that span multiple subjects.

  • Cross-disciplinary assessments: 
  • Evaluating student learning through assessments that require the integration of knowledge and skills from different disciplines.

Blurring subject boundaries in education can help students develop a deeper understanding of the world, enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and prepare them for the complexities of the modern world.

3  Lateral thinking in zooland (IB)

Lateral thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves thinking outside the box and exploring unconventional, creative, and unexpected solutions to challenges. It encourages individuals to break free from traditional linear thinking and consider alternative perspectives, connections, and possibilities.

The importance of lateral thinking can be summarized in the following points:

  • Encourages innovation and creativity: 
  • Lateral thinking fosters the generation of fresh ideas and innovative solutions. By exploring different angles and approaches, it allows for the discovery of unique and original concepts that can lead to breakthroughs in various fields.
  • Resolves complex problems: 
  • Many problems and challenges cannot be solved through traditional, logical thinking alone. Lateral thinking helps to tackle complex issues by uncovering hidden connections, challenging assumptions, and providing unconventional solutions that may not be immediately apparent.
  • Stimulates critical thinking: 
  • Lateral thinking pushes individuals to question assumptions, analyze situations from multiple perspectives, and evaluate different possibilities. It enhances critical thinking skills by encouraging individuals to consider diverse viewpoints and challenge established norms.
  • Enhances decision-making: 
  • Lateral thinking expands the range of options available when making decisions. By exploring alternative solutions, it allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of potential outcomes and mitigates the risk of overlooking important factors or missing out on creative opportunities.
  • Promotes adaptability and flexibility: 
  • In a rapidly changing world, the ability to adapt and think flexibly is crucial. Lateral thinking promotes adaptive thinking by encouraging individuals to embrace change, explore new ideas, and adapt their strategies and approaches to different situations.
  • Encourages collaboration and teamwork: Lateral thinking is a valuable tool for fostering collaboration and teamwork. By encouraging individuals to consider different perspectives and ideas, it promotes open communication, empathy, and a willingness to listen to others. It can lead to more effective problem-solving and better outcomes in group settings.
  • Nurtures personal growth:
  •  Lateral thinking challenges individuals to step outside their comfort zones, explore new possibilities, and expand their mental horizons. It stimulates curiosity, promotes continuous learning, and encourages individuals to develop a growth mindset, fostering personal growth and development.

In summary, lateral thinking is of great importance as it promotes innovation, helps to solve complex problems, enhances critical thinking and decision-making, fosters adaptability and collaboration, and encourages personal growth. It is a valuable skill for individuals in various domains and can lead to more creative and effective problem-solving approaches.

4  Creative thinking in zooland (SN)

Zoos can promote lateral thinking in several ways, encouraging visitors to think creatively and critically about the animals, their habitats, and conservation efforts. Lateral thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves considering unconventional ideas and generating innovative solutions. Here are some ways in which zoos can promote lateral thinking:

  • Encouraging Observation and Inquiry: 
  • Zoos provide opportunities for visitors to observe animals in naturalistic settings. Encouraging visitors to ask questions about animal behaviors, adaptations, and interactions can lead to lateral thinking as they try to understand the underlying reasons behind these observations.
  • Interactive Exhibits: 
  • Zoos may have interactive exhibits that challenge visitors to solve puzzles related to animal behavior, diet, or habitat. These hands-on experiences can spark creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Enrichment Activities:
  •  Many zoos implement enrichment programs to keep animals mentally stimulated. Visitors can observe enrichment activities and consider creative ways to engage the animals’ natural behaviors and intelligence.
  • Conservation Initiatives:
  •  Zoos often have conservation programs and exhibits dedicated to showcasing endangered species and the challenges they face. Encouraging visitors to think about conservation solutions, both on a local and global scale, can promote lateral thinking about environmental issues.
  • Educational Programs: 
  • Zoos typically offer educational programs and workshops that delve into animal biology, ecology, and conservation. These programs challenge participants to think critically about the complexities of ecosystems and the interdependence of species.
  • Problem-Solving Challenges:
  •  Some zoos organize problem-solving challenges or scavenger hunts, where visitors must find clues, solve puzzles, or complete tasks related to animals and conservation. These activities require creative thinking and ingenuity.
  • Encouraging Open-Ended Questions: 
  • Zoo staff and educators can encourage open-ended questioning during guided tours or presentations. By asking questions that don’t have straightforward answers, visitors are encouraged to explore different possibilities and think laterally.
  • Art and Storytelling:
  •  Zoos can also incorporate artistic exhibits or storytelling activities related to animals and their habitats. These experiences can spark visitors’ imaginations and encourage them to think creatively about the animal world.
  • Collaborative Activities:
  •  Zoos can design group activities that require collaboration and brainstorming among visitors. By engaging in discussions and exchanging ideas, visitors can develop lateral thinking skills.

By incorporating these elements into their exhibits and educational programs, zoos can encourage visitors to think outside the box, fostering a deeper understanding of wildlife and the importance of conservation.

5  Linnaeus in zooland (DN)

Carl Linnaeus, also known as Carl von Linné, was an 18th-century Swedish botanist, zoologist, and physician. He is renowned for his significant contributions to the development of modern taxonomy and binomial nomenclature, which revolutionized the classification and naming of plants and animals. While Linnaeus was not primarily known as a lateral thinker, his systematic approach and innovative ideas in the field of biological classification did demonstrate certain elements of lateral thinking.

Lateral thinking is a term coined by Edward de Bono, referring to a mode of thinking that seeks unconventional and creative solutions to problems. It involves approaching challenges from different angles, exploring diverse perspectives, and breaking away from traditional patterns of thought. While Linnaeus’s work was grounded in a systematic and rigorous approach, his innovative ideas and methods were certainly influential and had a transformative impact on the field of biology.

Linnaeus introduced a standardized system for naming and classifying organisms, which involved assigning two Latin names (a binomial) to each species. This system provided a consistent framework that facilitated the identification and study of plants and animals. It allowed for greater accuracy and efficiency in communication among scientists and laid the foundation for modern taxonomy.

Linnaeus’s approach can be seen as a form of lateral thinking in the sense that he challenged existing classification systems and proposed a new and more efficient method. His system was a departure from the previous cumbersome and inconsistent naming conventions. By introducing a standardized and logical approach to classification, Linnaeus demonstrated creativity and innovation in solving the problem of organizing and naming the vast diversity of living organisms.

Overall, while Linnaeus may not be explicitly considered a lateral thinker in the broader sense, his groundbreaking contributions to taxonomy showcased elements of creative problem-solving and innovative thinking. His work exemplifies how a novel and unconventional approach can lead to significant advancements in scientific understanding.

6  Feathers in zooland (RD)

Feathers are fascinating structures that have played a significant role in the evolution of various species. While feathers are most commonly associated with birds, they have a more complex evolutionary history and have been found in other organisms as well.

Feathers are believed to have originated from reptilian scales. The scales of certain reptiles, such as dinosaurs, underwent modifications over millions of years, eventually evolving into feathers. The exact steps of this evolutionary transition are still a subject of scientific study and debate, but the fossil record provides important clues.

Feathers likely evolved for different purposes throughout history. Initially, they might have served functions such as insulation, display, or even providing an aerodynamic advantage for certain reptiles. Over time, feathers became more specialized and adapted for flight, leading to the emergence of birds as we know them today

The fossil record reveals a continuum of feather-like structures in non-avian dinosaurs, suggesting a gradual evolutionary progression. These structures could have ranged from simple filaments to more complex and branching feathers. The famous Archaeopteryx, an ancient bird-like dinosaur, exhibits a combination of reptilian features and primitive feathers, representing an intermediate stage in the evolution from reptiles to birds.

Feathers have since undergone further diversification in birds. They can serve various functions such as flight, insulation, courtship displays, camouflage, and even sound production. Different bird species exhibit a wide range of feather types, including contour feathers that provide the outer form of the bird, down feathers that provide insulation, and specialized feathers like bristles or filoplumes.

In recent years, scientific discoveries have shed light on the genetic mechanisms underlying feather development. Genes such as the “feather growth gene” (SONIC HEDGEHOG, or SHH) and other regulatory genes play crucial roles in the development and patterning of feathers. Mutations or changes in these genes can lead to alterations in feather structure and appearance.

Beyond birds, feathers have been found in other groups of animals as well. For example, flightless dinosaurs like Velociraptors and Tyrannosaurs had feathers or feather-like structures. Some modern reptiles, such as certain species of lizards, have evolved structures called fringes or flaps that resemble feathers and aid in gliding or aerial maneuvering.

In summary, feathers are complex structures that have evolved over millions of years. They originated from reptilian scales and underwent various modifications to serve different functions. Feathers played a crucial role in the evolution of birds and continue to be a remarkable example of evolutionary adaptation and diversity in the animal kingdom.

7 Feather fashion in zooland (FB)

Feathers have been used for centuries in the realm of fashion and adornment. They possess qualities that make them visually appealing, luxurious, and versatile, which has led to their incorporation into various fashion practices and designs.

Throughout history, feathers have been used to create elaborate headpieces, hats, and accessories. In many cultures, feathers hold symbolic significance and are used to convey status, power, or spirituality. Native American headdresses, for example, often feature vibrant feathers as a representation of honor and valor. Feathers have also been utilized in ceremonial attire, theatrical costumes, and traditional festival garments worldwide.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the use of feathers in fashion peaked, particularly in the millinery industry. The demand for feathers, especially those from exotic birds like ostriches, herons, and egrets, led to the development of an industry known as plume hunting. This practice resulted in severe ecological consequences and the endangerment of several bird species.

In response to growing conservation concerns, laws and regulations were enacted to protect birds and restrict feather trade. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 in the United States, for instance, made it illegal to hunt migratory birds and sell their feathers. These regulations significantly impacted the fashion industry, leading to a decline in the use of feathers in mainstream fashion.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in feathers as a fashion statement. However, ethical considerations and sustainable sourcing have gained prominence. Many designers now prioritize using synthetic or ethically sourced feathers, or they opt for alternative materials that mimic the appearance and texture of feathers. Faux feathers made from synthetic fibers or recycled materials offer a cruelty-free and environmentally conscious option for incorporating feather-like elements into fashion.

Feathers continue to be used as accents in high fashion runway shows, red carpet events, and editorial shoots. They can add texture, movement, and a touch of extravagance to garments, accessories, and even footwear. From feather-trimmed gowns to feathered earrings or handbags, designers use feathers to create unique and visually striking pieces.

It’s worth noting that the use of feathers in fashion remains a topic of debate, particularly concerning animal welfare, conservation, and cultural appropriation. It is important for designers, consumers, and the fashion industry as a whole to be mindful of these issues and make responsible choices to ensure the ethical and sustainable use of feathers in fashion.

8 Moulting in zooland (JS)

Molting, or the process of shedding and replacing feathers, is a natural and essential part of a bird’s life cycle. Birds molt to maintain the health and functionality of their feathers, as well as to adapt to seasonal changes, breeding requirements, and other factors. Here are some key aspects of molting in birds:

  • Purpose: 
  • Molting serves several purposes for birds. It allows them to replace old or damaged feathers, ensuring the integrity of their plumage for flight, insulation, and displays. Molting also provides an opportunity for birds to change their appearance, such as acquiring more vibrant breeding plumage or camouflaging for different habitats.
  • Timing: 
  • Molting occurs at different times and frequencies depending on the species, environmental factors, and individual bird’s life stage. Many birds undergo a complete molt once a year, typically after the breeding season. However, some species, such as ducks or gulls, may have two molting periods each year. Molting can also be influenced by factors like food availability, weather conditions, and migratory patterns.
  • Feather Replacement: The molting process involves the sequential replacement of feathers. Birds shed their feathers gradually rather than all at once to maintain their ability to fly. Feathers are shed symmetrically, meaning that a bird will lose and replace feathers on both sides of its body simultaneously. New feathers grow underneath the old ones, and once the new feathers have fully developed, the old ones fall out.
  • Molting Patterns:
  • Birds exhibit different molting patterns, which can vary among species. Some birds molt all their flight feathers simultaneously, resulting in a temporary flightless period. This type of molt is known as a “catastrophic molt.” Other birds undergo a “sequential molt,” where they replace feathers gradually over a more extended period, allowing them to maintain flight capability throughout the process.
  • Molting Strategies:
  • Certain bird species employ specific molting strategies to optimize their survival and reproductive success. For example, long-distance migratory birds may time their molting to coincide with their migration, ensuring they have fresh feathers for their journey. Other birds molt before the breeding season, enabling them to acquire bright breeding plumage to attract mates.
  • Nutritional Considerations: 
  • Molting requires considerable energy and resources, so birds need proper nutrition during this period. They require a balanced diet with adequate protein and nutrients to support feather growth. Birds often increase their food intake during molting to meet these nutritional demands.
  • Molting in Captivity: 
  • Molting behavior can vary in captive birds, as factors like artificial lighting and controlled environments can influence their natural molting cycles. To support healthy molting in captive birds, it is important to provide appropriate lighting conditions, a varied and nutritious diet, and a stress-free environment.

Overall, molting is a crucial process for birds to maintain their feather quality, adapt to changing conditions, and fulfill their biological requirements. It is a fascinating aspect of avian biology that showcases the remarkable adaptability and resilience of birds.

Birds use a variety of signals to communicate with each other, and color is one of the significant ways they convey messages. Colorful plumage in birds serves several communication functions, including species recognition, mate attraction, individual recognition, social status, and territorial displays. Here are some ways in which birds use color to communicate:

  • Species Recognition: 
  • Different bird species often have distinct color patterns and combinations that aid in species recognition. This helps birds identify their own species for mating, territorial boundaries, and social interactions.
  • Mate Attraction: 
  • Many male birds develop vibrant and elaborate plumage during the breeding season to attract females. These bright colors, such as the vibrant plumage of male peacocks or the brilliant red throat patch of a male ruby-throated hummingbird, serve as signals of genetic quality, health, and reproductive fitness.
  • Female Choice: 
  • Female birds often assess male plumage colors during mate selection. They may prefer males with brighter or more intense colors, which could indicate good genetic quality or provide information about a male’s ability to acquire resources, defend territories, or provide parental care.
  • Individual Recognition: 
  • Color patterns on birds’ bodies, particularly on their heads or chests, can serve as individual recognition markers within a species. These unique colorations help birds identify and interact with specific individuals, such as mates, family members, or members of their social group.
  • Social Status and Territorial Displays: 
  • In some bird species, dominant or higher-ranking individuals may display brighter or more striking colors compared to subordinate individuals. These color signals indicate social status and can play a role in establishing dominance hierarchies or territorial boundaries. Aggressive displays involving color, such as puffing up feathers to reveal vivid patterns, can also be used to deter or intimidate rivals.
  • Warning and Signaling: Birds can use coloration as a warning signal to potential predators or competitors. Bright or contrasting colors can indicate toxicity, unpalatability, or danger. For example, some species of birds possess bright warning colors to indicate that they are poisonous or that they have defenses like stinging or biting capabilities.

It is important to note that not all bird communication relies solely on color. Birds also use vocalizations, body postures, displays, and other visual cues in combination with color to convey a complete message. The specific colors and their meaning can vary greatly among different bird species, reflecting the diversity and complexity of avian communication strategies.

9 Primates in zooland (HT)

Primates share several common characteristics that distinguish them from other mammals. Here are some of the key features and traits that primates typically have in common:

  • Forward-facing eyes:
  • Primates generally have eyes positioned at the front of their face, which allows for binocular vision and depth perception.
  • Grasping hands and feet: 
  • Primates possess hands and feet with opposable thumbs and, in many cases, opposable big toes. This adaptation enables them to grasp objects and manipulate their environment more effectively.
  • Nails instead of claws: 
  • Primates typically have flattened nails instead of sharp claws on their fingers and toes, which aids in precise gripping and dexterity.
  • Enhanced sense of touch: 
  • Primates have a highly developed sense of touch, particularly in their hands and fingers, allowing for intricate exploration and fine motor control.
  • Complex social structure:
  •  Most primates, including humans, exhibit complex social behavior and live in social groups. They engage in various forms of communication, such as vocalizations, facial expressions, and body language.
  • Large brain relative to body size: 
  • Primates generally have relatively large brains compared to other mammals of similar body size. This increased brain size is associated with higher cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and learning capacity.
  • Parental care and extended childhood: 
  • Primates commonly exhibit a longer period of parental care and a more extended childhood compared to other mammals. Offspring receive significant attention and learning from their parents or social group members.
  • Dietary flexibility: 
  • Primates have a diverse diet, including fruits, leaves, seeds, insects, and sometimes meat. This dietary flexibility allows them to adapt to various habitats and ecological niches.

It’s important to note that while these characteristics are typical of primates, there can be variations within the primate order, and not all primates may possess every single trait listed above.

10 Naming in zooland (SH)

Species and subspecies are concepts used to categorize and classify living organisms based on their similarities and differences. These terms are primarily used in the field of taxonomy, which is the science of classifying and naming organisms.

Species: 

A species is a fundamental unit of biological classification. It represents a group of organisms that are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring in nature. Members of the same species share similar genetic and physical characteristics and can mate with each other to produce viable offspring. However, they are typically reproductively isolated from members of other species.

The naming of species follows a binomial nomenclature system, where each species is given a unique scientific name consisting of two parts: the genus name and the species epithet. For example, Homo sapiens is the scientific name for humans, where “Homo” is the genus and “sapiens” is the species epithet.

Subspecies: 

A subspecies, also known as a race or a variety, is a taxonomic rank below the level of species. It represents a geographically or genetically distinct population within a species that shares most of the characteristics of the species but differs in some traits. Subspecies are often defined based on variations in physical appearance, genetic makeup, or ecological adaptations.

The scientific name of a subspecies includes an additional third part, known as the trinomial name, which further specifies the subspecies. For example, Panthera leo leo refers to the African lion subspecies, while Panthera leo persica refers to the Asiatic lion subspecies.

Subspecies can arise due to various factors such as geographic isolation, ecological adaptation to different environments, or genetic divergence over time. They often occupy specific regions or habitats and may exhibit distinct morphological, behavioral, or physiological characteristics.

It’s important to note that the classification of species and subspecies can sometimes be subjective to ongoing scientific debate. Advances in genetic research have provided new insights into the relationships between organisms, leading to revisions in the classification of certain species and subspecies over time.

* Chatbot technology can be utilized effectively in education to enhance learning experiences and support students and educators with particular reference to personalized learning.  Chatbots can add personalized learning experiences by adapting content and activities to individual student needs. They can assess student knowledge, provide relevant resources and materials, and offer immediate feedback and guidance. In other words the teacher is a mentor.  This blog presents a selection of essays produced by  students aged 14 to 16 (the Cardiff humanist group).  It was an end of term project for each student to use artificial intelligence to develop their own body of knowledge about the biodiversity of birds and primates in “zooland” as an “institution of captivity”; it is a work in progress.

Denis Bellamy, (IC0l)

Education for a climate crisis

Tuesday, June 27th, 2023

1 Key Aspects

Education plays a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis. It is essential to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the challenges posed by climate change and to take informed action to mitigate its impacts. Here are some key aspects of education for the climate crisis:

  • Climate Science: 
  • Education should provide a solid understanding of the science behind climate change, including the causes, impacts, and potential solutions. This includes topics such as the greenhouse effect, rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and the role of human activities in driving climate change
  • Sustainability and Conservation:
  •  Promoting sustainable practices and conservation is essential in mitigating climate change. Education should focus on teaching individuals about renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable agriculture, and responsible consumption patterns.
  • Systems Thinking: 
  • Climate change is a complex issue that requires a systemic approach. Education should encourage critical thinking and help individuals understand the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental systems. This includes exploring the impacts of climate change on different sectors such as agriculture, water resources, biodiversity, and human health.
  • Climate Adaptation and Resilience: 
  • As climate change continues, communities need to adapt and build resilience to its impacts. Education should highlight strategies for climate adaptation, such as urban planning for extreme weather events, designing resilient infrastructure, and promoting sustainable land and water management practices.
  • Environmental Citizenship: 
  • Education should foster a sense of environmental citizenship, empowering individuals to become active participants in addressing the climate crisis. This includes promoting civic engagement, encouraging sustainable lifestyle choices, and advocating for policy changes and collective action.
  • Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives: 
  • Recognizing and respecting indigenous knowledge and perspectives on climate change is crucial. Education should incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous practices that have sustained ecosystems for generations, fostering a holistic understanding of the environment and its interconnectedness with human societies.
  • Interdisciplinary Approaches: 
  • Climate change is a multifaceted challenge that requires interdisciplinary approaches. Education should encourage collaboration across various disciplines, such as science, technology, engineering, arts, and social sciences, to foster innovation and holistic solutions to the climate crisis.
  • Global Perspective: 
  • Climate change is a global issue, and education should provide a global perspective on its impacts and solutions. This includes learning about international climate agreements, understanding the disparities in vulnerability and responsibility among different countries, and promoting global cooperation to address climate change collectively
  • Practical Skills: 
  • Education should equip individuals with practical skills to take action in their daily lives. This includes skills such as sustainable gardening, energy conservation, eco-friendly transportation options, and the ability to critically evaluate and implement sustainable technologies.
  • Lifelong Learning: 
  • Education for the climate crisis should promote lifelong learning and continuous engagement. As climate science and solutions evolve, individuals should be encouraged to stay updated, adapt their knowledge and practices, and contribute to ongoing efforts to address climate change.

By integrating these elements into formal and informal education systems, we can create a well-informed and empowered generation capable of tackling the challenges of the climate crisis and creating a more sustainable future.

2 Cultural ecology: an interdisciplinary ideational scaffold

Cultural ecology is an interdisciplinary field that serves as an ideational scaffold, providing a framework for understanding the complex relationship between human societies and their environments. It combines insights from various disciplines such as anthropology, geography, sociology, archaeology, and ecology to examine the ways in which culture and environment interact and influence each other.

At its core, cultural ecology recognizes that human societies are not separate from their natural surroundings but are deeply intertwined with them. It acknowledges that culture is not only a product of social and historical processes but is also shaped by the ecological conditions in which societies exist. Similarly, the environment is not seen as a static backdrop, but as a dynamic force that shapes and constrains human activities and cultural practices.

Cultural ecologists study the ways in which different cultures adapt to and transform their environments. They explore how societies develop unique strategies and technologies to exploit natural resources, organize their social systems, and respond to environmental challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, or natural disasters. This interdisciplinary approach allows cultural ecologists to analyze the reciprocal relationship between human culture and the natural environment, understanding how cultural beliefs, values, and practices influence resource management, land use patterns, and environmental conservation efforts.

The ideational scaffold provided by cultural ecology allows researchers to address complex questions about the interactions between culture and environment. It helps in examining the historical processes that have shaped human-environment relationships and in understanding the cultural factors that influence contemporary environmental issues. By integrating insights from different disciplines, cultural ecology offers a holistic perspective that considers both the material and symbolic dimensions of human-environment interactions.

Moreover, cultural ecology is not only a theoretical framework but also a practical approach that has implications for policy and management. It provides valuable insights into sustainable development, natural resource management, and environmental conservation by emphasizing the importance of understanding the cultural dimensions of environmental issues. Recognizing that culture plays a central role in shaping human behavior and attitudes towards the environment, cultural ecology encourages the inclusion of local knowledge, beliefs, and practices in environmental decision-making processes.

In summary, cultural ecology serves as an interdisciplinary ideational scaffold by providing a framework for studying the complex interplay between culture and environment. It helps researchers and policymakers understand the ways in which human societies adapt to, transform, and interact with their natural surroundings. By integrating perspectives from multiple disciplines, cultural ecology offers a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between culture, society, and the environment, with practical implications for sustainable development and environmental management.

3 An Environmental Syllabus of Radical Hope

Course Overview:

The Environmental Syllabus of Radical Hope is an interdisciplinary course that explores the intersection of environmentalism, activism, and the concept of radical hope. This course aims to inspire and empower students to take action and make a positive impact on the environment while cultivating a mindset of optimism and resilience. Through readings, discussions, and hands-on activities, students will develop a deep understanding of environmental issues and learn how to channel their hope into effective environmental advocacy.

Course Objectives:

  • Understand the concept of radical hope and its relevance to environmental activism.
  • Develop a comprehensive knowledge of key environmental challenges and their global implications.
  • Explore different environmental movements and their strategies for creating change.
  • Analyze the psychological and emotional aspects of activism and cultivate resilience.
  • Identify opportunities for individual and collective action in addressing environmental issues.
  • Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop innovative solutions.
  • Engage in practical activities to contribute to environmental sustainability and conservation efforts.
  • Foster collaboration and community engagement in environmental initiatives.

Course Outline:

Module 1: Introduction to Radical Hope

  • Defining radical hope and its significance in the context of environmental activism
  • Historical and philosophical perspectives on hope and its role in social change
  • Exploring the relationship between hope, despair, and action

Module 2: Understanding Environmental Challenges

  • Climate change and its impacts on ecosystems and societies
  • Loss of biodiversity and the consequences for the planet
  • Pollution and waste management issues
  • Resource depletion and sustainable development

Module 3: Environmental Movements and Strategies

  • Historical overview of environmental movements (e.g., conservation, environmental justice, climate justice)
  • Case studies of successful environmental campaigns
  • Examining different approaches to advocacy and activism

Module 4: Psychology and Resilience in Activism

  • Emotional well-being and self-care in environmental advocacy
  • Dealing with eco-anxiety and burnout
  • Building resilience and fostering hope in the face of challenges

Module 5: Individual and Collective Action

  • Sustainable lifestyle choices and their impact on the environment
  • Responsible consumption and waste reduction
  • Effective communication and engagement with policymakers and communities

Module 6: Innovation and Solutions

  • Introduction to sustainable technologies and practices
  • Design thinking and problem-solving for environmental challenges
  • Encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in the environmental sector

Module 7: Hands-On Activities and Projects

  • Field trips to environmental organizations and initiatives
  • Volunteer work with local conservation projects or community gardens
  • Group projects focused on addressing specific environmental issues

Module 8: Collaboration and Community Engagement

  • Building partnerships with local communities, NGOs, and government agencies
  • Organizing awareness campaigns and events
  • Promoting environmental education and empowerment

Assessment Methods:

  • Class participation and engagement in discussions
  • Written reflections on course readings and activities
  • Individual and group projects
  • Practical assignments related to sustainability and activism
  • Final presentation or portfolio showcasing students’ learning and contributions to environmental causes

Note: The syllabus outlined above is a sample curriculum and can be modified and expanded based on the specific requirements and resources available in a given educational institution or program.

Denis Bellamy

https://corixus.wixsite.com/icol

ToTheZoo

Friday, May 26th, 2023

(A Partnership Between Children Watch & The Bellamy Fund)

Baba Dioum, a Senegalese forestry engineer, authored one of the greatest insights into the importance of education for conservation during a 1968 speech in New Delhi on Agricultural Development.  “In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we’re taught.” 

1 The Project:

It is interesting and significant that two charities working to meet the needs of young people and adults in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu have independently settled upon the ideas behind school/community democracies.  They are seen  as the routes to actions for improving  well-being in both school and community.  One of these NGOs ‘Children Watch’ is working with the Irula tribal villagers in Kanchiporum, people who have been expelled from their forest heartland in the Western Ghats.  

In 2021 The Bellamy Fund supported a development worker to make an assessment of how school/democracies could be established in Irula communities to create a sense of place.  The idea is to develop the educational theme of animal conservation, expressed as a combination of peer educators, animators, child protection units, parent classes and children parliaments.  This led to the Bellamy Fund in 2023 supporting a day out at the local zoological gardens, organised in partnership with Children Watch, where mothers and their children could begin to bond through the life of animals to create a shared sense of place.

This project, called ToTheZoo, has been initiated with 150 Irula children, aged between 10 to 16, with their mothers.  They are going for a day trip to the local Arignar Anna Zoological Park in batches of 60 children and mothers each with 3 volunteers representing Children Watch.  AAZP  is a zoological garden located in Vandalur, in the southwestern part of Chennai.  Established in 1855, it was the first public zoo in India.  It is situated at a distance of 60 kms from the main Kanchipuram tribal villages. 

The park has 81 enclosures and more than 170 species of mammals, birds and reptiles.  The dense vegetation of the park supports about 56 species of butterfly.  The children with their mothers will spend their time at the zoo from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, the working hours and opening hours of the Zoo. They will be guided by the Children Watch volunteers and  Children Watch’s Chief Functionary to get the most from their visit, applying informal or free choice learning to understand the relationships between people and animals under the threat of extinction.  

 Free choice learning refers to the process of individuals pursuing their own interests and learning in an informal and self-directed manner. Zoos can provide an excellent environment for free choice out of school learning because they offer a wide range of educational opportunities and experiences for visitors of all ages.  The Irula groups will be encouraged to share their experience with feedback when they return to their homes in the evening.  In this way a visit to the zoo enables children to self learn about animals and effectively, foster cognitive development and promote empathy and compassion for animals.  In addition the group visit provides opportunities for societal bonding between children and their mothers, between children and between families.  This is a general starting point for building a bottom-up democratic learning community facing up to a world deprived of animals.

A Managing Trustee of Children Watch, with 3 volunteers, will facilitate, coordinate and implement the project activities of ToTheZoo. Volunteers, and the Managing Trustee will report on the project activities on a day to day basis and a report on the whole project will be produced by the Children Watch Team.  There will be reviews to evaluate and compare the future of ToTheZoo to spark an interest in learning for its own sake.  In this connection, an important learning target for ToTheZoo is to make a bilingual picture dictionary of animals.

2 The Hunter Gatherer Legacy

In 2018 Joseph Berger and Trevor Bristoe, published a paper entitled ‘Hunter-gatherer populations inform modern ecology’ which highlighted questions for understanding how humans have rapidly transitioned from a sparsely inhabited planet of hunter-gatherers to the densely populated agricultural and industrial lifestyles of today. Hunter-gatherers hunt animals in the wild.  To hunt food successfully requires the application of knowledge about the human ecosystem from close day-to-day contact with wild animals as prey and the intergenerational learning of a local cultural ecology of animal behaviour. Often nomadic, this was the only way of life for humans until about 12,000 years ago when human lifestyles began to change.  Groups formed permanent settlements and tended crops.  Few of these tribal groups survive and those that do are well aware of the social, economic, environmental and political challenges that they are facing.  They are seeking to address these challenges along with support organizations and researchers in an attempt to ensure their long-term security and well-being in biodiverse managed landscapes. 

People who recently have had  to define themselves as former indigenous hunter-gatherers are well placed to consider both past and present in their education systems. In this context, ‘being an animal’ is the unifying theme for successful resettlement in an industrial society, where they also have to focus on the non-hunter-gatherer societies with whom they are interacting.  They must do both these things with pride in their tribal origins when they may be viewed as conservationists who coexisted closely with animals as did the whole of humanity.  When humans coexist with animals, avoiding persecuting them in and around communities, they safeguard ecosystem health, agricultural stability, food security, and the creation of new sustainable economies (e.g., ecotourism). Ultimately, coexistence with animals is essential for human survival in a hot, hungry, and crowded world. Increasingly obvious are the impacts of education’s old negative attitudes towards animals as competitors. We can no longer separate humanity from nature, fail to consider long-term effects of our actions, and perpetuate conflict by indiscriminately killing wildlife.  Inter-species harmony is required to sustain life on Earth in the Anthropocene, imparting what can be learned from living with animals, such as how to share and give fair treatment to others regarding compassion with moral values.

3  Societal importance of interacting with animals

Five principal categories of benefits that people may seek during a zoo visit are family togetherness, novelty seeking, enjoyment, education and escape.

Interacting with animals almost always has a positive influence on children because animals play a role in socializing and humanizing people. Many researchers and writers have noted the value of utilizing animals as mediators to help people who are not being reached by other methods. That is why everyone should have the opportunity to build their own personal body of knowledge to live sustainably.   This means sharing Earth with other animals in a global network of protected sites governed by conservation management systems.  The network is really a huge animal sanctuary, keeping those under threat from human activities safely until sometime in the future when they can be free. This is the essence of how modern zoos see themselves, being on a par with UNESCO biosphere reserves, oceanic fishing stocks and local nature sites.  Visiting a local zoo from these perspectives can make visitors think that maybe there isn’t that much that makes us uniquely human. Maybe we need to pay more attention to what animals are doing, and try to view the world through their eyes. And, perhaps our ability to consider animal’s feelings and hope for the well-being of these other creatures is our best, and most uniquely human ability to bridge the gap between people and other animals.

Nowhere is this gap wider than in the Indian tribal Irula community of Tamil Nadu who for millenia, have had a close relationship with the forest of India’s Western Ghats. Due to forest conservation policies and environmental protection laws, these people are actual forest dwelling conservationists who have been displaced and forced to leave their homeland, becoming rootless migrants. The Irula tribe is one of the victims within this process of deforestation. As forest resources are destroyed, Irula are denied the rights to collect minor forest produce they had as as hunter gatherers, and their activities have shifted to unreliable unorganised bonded manual labour available in farming and allied activities outside the forest, such as quarrying stone, making bricks, milling rice, making charcoal, cutting wood for fuel and harvesting sugar cane. As the vast majority of Irula adults are now uneducated and illiterate it is essential for Irula children to be allowed the opportunities of a formal education. Irula parents as a community do not understand the values of education as it’s never been a part of their unsettled lives. Irula who want their children to attend school face many obstacles.  The concerned authorities hesitate to provide the children with the Community Certificates to access free education boarding facilities and scholarships earmarked by law for all Scheduled Tribes in India. Therefore admission and enrolment in schools, attending examinations, moving to other levels of school and higher education is being prevented. A lack of money for uniforms, school equipment and text books as well as social discrimination within educational institutions remains a block to their participation. 

Irula self-esteem and mutual respect is lost as individual and local powers develop and expand to leave no room for displaced tribal peoples.  They follow tradition, keeping their few customs with them.  However, there is a gradual erosion of these practices in today’s India making them even more isolated and the poorest of the poor.  Hence, enrolling in schools, attending classes regularly, listening to teachers, interacting with classmates from other communities is alien to the Irula children. Under these circumstances, the Government encourages Tribes to put their children in residential schools where children will stay in hostels and attend free schools under the Scheme for Scheduled Tribes. Children in other low income castes have opportunities to travel to villages, towns, festivals and other important historical places, with hill walks, and amusement parks. In contrast the Irula are living out of touch with modernity.  

Under these circumstances, ToTheZoo is working in partnership with Children Watch, a local Indian NGO, to sponsor a new kind of humanitarian aid where the local zoo becomes an education window on a wider societal development.  For Irula children, an outing to the zoo will open their eyes to a new understanding of the world of animals which they can explore through guided self education to reconnect them with the workings of the Western Ghat forest, now under protection as one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. 

4 A Democratic Learning Community

A democratic learning community is one in which each member has equal opportunity to influence change and contribute to the learning environment in a real and respected way, one in which learning is understood as something that every single person is capable of doing and has the right to access. In a democratic learning community the educator is no longer the omniscient teacher, telling students what to know and how to learn it.  Teachers become facilitators of daily learning,who understand the many ways in which individuals learn and value the opinions/ideas/knowledge of each learner while providing them with ample space to share that knowledge with the rest of the community. Simply put, a democratic learning community is one in which learners are educators and educators are learners. Both contribute to the educational discourse of the learning space and both share power, never yielding it  to those who want to control or manipulate learning or the space in which it occurs.

5 ZooPost

ToTheZoo is about involving communities in the educational process to provide real-world opportunities to make learning more memorable and impactful. ZooPost is about using a visit to a zoo to enhance ecological awareness using words and pictures to describe the natural world and our impact on it.  It becomes a resource for students to observe, feel, enjoy and communicate to others. ZooPost uses the exchange of postcards, analog or digital, to reveal an attachment with the wider world, which can increase their motivation to learn.  In a time where the world feels more divided than ever, connecting children with a global community of junior zoologists holds a whole wealth of positives for their education and wellbeing.  It increases their motivation in school, giving them a sense of belonging.  Students can see a reason as to why they’re learning what is being taught. Zoology is the easiest of the ‘ologies’  to democratise in this way.

6 The Welsh Connection

The ideas underpinning ToTheZoo, as an exercise in conservation education have emerged in Welsh schools where the Well-being of Future Generations Act requires public bodies in Wales to think about the long-term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities and each other, and to alleviate the persistent problems such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change.  Teachers are free to design a humanities syllabus that is relevant to the needs of their learners and communicate their ideas and achievements with ZooPost across continents.

Socialising Influences of a Zoo Visitation

https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5636/4/1/6

https://exploringdemocraticlearning.weebly.com/

https://sites.google.com/view/tothezoo/home

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00938157.2019.1578025?journalCode=grva20

https://hundred.org/en/articles/connecting-children-to-the-outside-world-benefits-everyone-here-s-why

Modeling a Citizen’s Environmental Network

Thursday, March 16th, 2023

1 Education Theme

International Community Understandings (ICU) is an expression of cosmopolitanism that gives an opportunity for education to bridge worlds and to work in the interest of human beings at all ages. Cosmopolitans consider themselves as world citizens. So, they “resist the temptations of the narrow nationalisms of the countries where they were born. They would never go to war for a country; but they will enlist in a campaign against any nation that gets in the way of universal justice.  Hence, cosmopolitanism can be considered as the foundation of a People-based International Community. (Bado Arsène Brice).

2 Education Objectives

(i) Groups:- Make local conservation plans and share them.

(ii) Individuals:- Become a good steward of local biodiversity.

(iii) Groups and Individuals: Create a permanent sense of place.

3 History

SCAN UK (1992-2000)

https://sites.google.com/site/nowscan/science-communities-and-nature-a-teachers-resource

The Schools Communities and Nature project (SCAN) developed in Wales UK as a practical response to  the Rio environment summit in the 1990s.  It originated within the Dyfed County Council’s teacher’s advisory service from the response of schools in Pembrokeshire to the local Sea Empress oil spill.  It involved primary and secondary schools in Pembrokeshire piloting simple classroom methods for pupils of all ages to probe the quality of life in their communities. The aim of SCAN was to alert children to the character of their surroundings, and establish a features database that lists the good and bad things in their neighbourhood.  It failed to take root because it was a pre-INTERNET paper system that was eclipsed by the long drawn out development of classroom IT. 

4 Rationale

(i) Why India?

India is the first country to adopt the idea of a Citizen’s Environmental Network (CEN). It is centred on the concept of ‘Smartpur’ for villages.  ‘Smartpure’ emerged from the underlying idea of integrating IT into the existing practices, processes of community life.  The aim is to enable people of the community to make their lives better and contribute to the overall well-being of the village.  The IT roll out is funded by Nokia in partnership with the Digital Empowerment Foundation (https://www.defindia.org/).  The content is managed locally by the community, its schools and businesses.

Smartpur stands on the foundation of six cultural pillars, namely education, health, finance, governance, livelihood and entertainment. Each of these pillars is further supported by wireless broadband access-enabled digital infrastructure, leading to efficiency in daily lives, transparency in governance, economic prosperity for households, and ease of access to various kinds of services and information.

Examples of Smartpur objectives:

  • communities have access to affordable medical diagnoses and consultation through digitally literate ASHA workers and telemedicine services; 
  • youth have relevant skills to find jobs or become entrepreneurs; 
  • people have timely and relevant access to welfare schemes or entitlements; 
  • households have access to digital financial services; 
  • the community has access to arts workers to help local communities plan and take part in activities like drama, dance, painting and photography and there is access to high quality audio-visual entertainment;
  • people have access to digital content for self learning about unfashionable school subjects, such as zoology, to gain an understanding of the natural world and how this can help consider ways to face global challenges such as climate change and food security, seeking to find solutions that help both animals and humans alike.

(ii) Why Kanchipuram?

‘Smartpur’ is aiming to reach Kanchipuram and become embedded in 10 villages with Asoor as the hub center and remaining 9 villages as the spoke centers. These locations may be considered as pilots for modeling a CEN.

HUB: Asoor

SPOKES: Kilpermunalur, Tennari, Kavathndagllam, Periyanattham, Kolathur, Vitchanthangal, Avalur, Chiniwalkam, Pallavaram.  Asoor village is in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu located on the north east coast of the state. Kanchipuram is home to 3.9 million people. 

5  Social exclusion

https://sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/rsc-2021-0018

Eliminating social exclusion is one of the goals of the Indian constitution, wherein the masses can completely participate in all aspects of life with dignity.  Actually, the increased usage of the Internet and information and communication technology (ICT) in contemporary times has resulted in a newform of social inequality. This social inequality is arising because of the disparities between and among the individuals in terms of digital skills, use of the Internet, and access to digital devices. This divide is referred to as “the digital divide”, which is more visible today, especially in the form of social exclusion in India.

The nexus of the climate crisis and socioeconomic and political inequalities is at the root of various climate injustices, making India an archetypal site for their manifestation.  The worst impacts of the crisis are being denied, ignored and normalised, because these burdens fall on the poor, women, Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims and others with little political voice.

Internet usage by the masses largely depends on factors such as the availability of affordable devices, network coverage and connectivity, along with data costs. Today, when India is encouraging the digitalization of services, affordable data availability becomes crucial. However, even after the improvement in availability and accessibility of affordable devices and data, there are certain sections of society who, because of their social and cultural capital, have greater access to resources as compared to others. Because of its social, economic, and political implications, the digital divide has recently stimulated  the interest of academics and policymakers in community/school strategies to engage with an international community.

6 Digital literacy

.ICT, or information and communications technology, is the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing to occupy a substantial role in all our lives (especially in Covid-19 times). Digital literacy and successful use of Internet technology have become essential in today’s world. India is known for its social diversity, and the concept of social inclusion is enshrined in the Indian constitution. However, some groups and categories of people have historically been excluded and continue to be excluded today. There are varied reasons for such exclusion (e.g. caste, gender/transgenderism tribe, disability). The challenge to Smartpur is to focus on the assessment of the impact of the digital divide on Indian society, specifically on the phenomenon of social exclusion because of the coming digitalization of almost all aspects of our lives.  The notion of digital inclusion is not only about access to the technology and Internet sources, but also how access directly and indirectly influences the lives of the marginalized and deprived sections of the society.  The phenomenon of social exclusion has a deep impact on a person’s access to opportunities, especially in the context of power relationships.  Just reducing the financial and social hindrances towards Internet access would not reduce social inequalities until and unless equal efforts are made towards supporting the population and providing them the necessary digital skills. As a result, it’s critical that digital economic policies conceived and developed for sustainable growth should include initiatives to bridge these digital inequalities. Further research in the area will be more effective in addressing India’s hurdles to digital inclusion.

7  Richness of a digital learning environment

Our rapidly changing world has posed the long-standing question to education, ―How can today’s schools be transformed so as to become environments of teaching and learning that makes individuals lifelong learners and prepares them for the 21st Century?” The response to this question is the focus of the OECD project, ‘Innovative Learning Environments’, and has produced a sampling of the rich array of new visions for education around the world. As one might imagine, many learning environments have looked to technology in their efforts to redesign teaching and learning. While technology integration has long been a key area of concern in education, the intersection of technology with our rapidly transforming educational landscape is framing the nature of technology in education in profound, new ways. New and emerging technologies are provoking a re-conceptualisation of teaching and learning, while also serving as catalysts for transformation and innovation. Successfully preparing all learners with the skills and capacities for 21st century citizenship— global awareness, creativity, collaborative problem-solving, self-directed learning—is no small order, and many educational leaders are finding that the traditional forms of education that have evolved through the end of the last century are simply inadequate for achieving these goals. At the same time, while our outer world was transforming, considerable advances have been made in the learning sciences, forcing educators to reconsider how they approach learning, instruction, and the environments created to foster these. Finally, dramatic advances in educational technology have inspired powerful new ways for learners to engage with all kinds of content and activities in their own self-direct learning experiences. The juxtaposition of these three events creates a very interesting challenge and opportunity—a space to reconsider, re-imagine, and re-invent learning environments able to prepare and excel each individual for effective life-long learning.

Artisan Ecologies

Thursday, February 2nd, 2023

1 Consumer culture

Consumer culture has been defined as an economic arrangement in which the lived cultural experience of everyday life depends on social resources, plus the symbolic and material resources on which they depend, entering households (Fig 1).  The environment is thereby brought into the home as part of a process of cultural ecology mediated through markets.  Consumption, a set of behaviors found in all times and places, is dominated by the purchase of commercial products. The socio economic system is largely understood to be carried out through the exercise of free personal choice in the private sphere of everyday life. Social democratic actors are deemed to be individually free and rational.  Furthermore, consumer culture is also bound up with the idea of modernity, that is, it develops in a world no longer governed by the traditions of generation-on-generation stasis, but rather by year-on-year flux in fashion.  Consumer culture denotes a dynamic ever changing global economy in which value has been divorced from the material satisfaction of wants and the sign value of goods takes precedence.  The term sign value denotes and describes the value accorded to an object because of the prestige (social status) that it imparts upon the possessor, rather than the material value and utility derived from the function and the primary use of the object.  In this process of the global marketing mass produced goods the local artisan producer has become an ‘endangered species’.

Globalization is a process driven by multinational companies embedded in capitalism, which extinguishes old production systems to make way for the new.  It entails the free movement of capital, goods, services and labour around the world. Currently both capital and goods move freely, and services such as banking, telecommunications, media and advertising will do so increasingly. Labour mostly moves freely but the vast majority of working people in the world congregate in towns and cities where they are static.

Stasis used to be a feature of rurality which transmitted existing cultural values, norms and customary ways of doing things unchanged from generation to generation.   Its mainstay was access to the local countryside.   Countryfolk were sustained by its biophysical resources within an artisan ecosystem defined as the creative interactions beteen a wide range of practices, organizations, resources, activities and connections.  The interlocking elements of this rural ecosystem enabled culturally significant designs, products and practices to flourish in small communities. 

Artisan ecologies are focused on communities that are bottom-up and human centred aggregations of families embodying the craft atmosphere of a territory due to proximity of resources and a shared material cultural background. Such communities based on artisanship are engaged in giving form and meaning to local natural resources and managing the process of making culturally and socially significant products. 

Clay is one such natural resource.  An abundant and accessible material, clay is sustainable. Humans have used it for centuries to produce ceramics. Easy to excavate from the ground, clay requires very little processing  .

Fig1 Mind map of global consumerism

Ceramics is one of the most ancient industries on the planet. Once humans discovered that clay could be dug up and formed into objects by first mixing it with water and then firing, the industry was born. As early as 24,000 BC, animal and human figurines were made from clay and other materials, then fired in kilns partially dug into the ground.

In the present day, artisan ceramics is in decline in a world of global consumers fed by mass production.  From a 21st century perspective, where the cultural focus is now on the  sustainable use of natural resources, there can be no doubt that an understanding of the cultural ecology of ceramics should hinge on the relationships of ceramics and their production to the rest of the sociocultural system and the broader ecosystem.  Frederick R. Matson first suggested the term ceramic ecology in the published papers of the “Ceramics and Man” symposium held in 1961 under the auspices of the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. He expressed a desire to move ceramic studies toward a more human focus—ceramics and man—reflecting the symposium’s title. Matson thus coined the term ceramic ecology to represent   “… one facet of cultural ecology, that which attempts to relate the raw materials and technologies that the local potter has available to the functions in his culture of the products he fashions” (Fig 2). 

Fig 2 A mind map of ceramic ecology

Invention of Eduardo Williams

Since his formulation of ceramic ecology more than half a century ago, Matson’s ideas have inspired a number of studies and the publication of several volumes. In particular, In 1985, Dean E. Arnold broadened the ceramic ecological perspective to include a systems paradigm and identified a number of systemic relationships between ceramic production and the physical environment, on the one hand, and the sociocultural system of which it was social focus on the other.  These relationships consist of basic feedback mechanisms that stimulate and/or limit ceramic production in a cultural-environmental system. Based on certain chemical, ecological, and social phenomena that underlie the nature of pottery itself, these relationships occur in many of the societies of the world and are isomorphous cross-culturally. Thus, it should be possible to explain the development of an ancient craft and the maintenance of a modern craft in a broad intercultural conceptal framework, which is applicable to all crafts.

In 1989  Lorette Mouat and Deane E Arnold, reporting on their research into the potters of El Porvenir, Honduras, revisited Matson’s ideas. They took a viewpoint that the concern with raw materials, technologies, and products in Matson’s definition implies a focus on ceramics as objects.  There is no explicit recognition of the relationships that exist between ceramic production and society on the one hand and the environment on the other. In their view, if ceramic ecology is truly one facet of cultural ecology, as Matson states, then one would expect a wide range of relationships among the production of ceramics, society, and the environment (like weather and climate), distance to resources, and sedentariness as well as the functions of the ceramic product in society. 

Thus, the term ceramic ecology implies a broader relational paradigm beyond Matson’s narrow definition and represents an important conceptual change in the way that ceramics traditionally have been viewed. 

With respect to choosing a suitable operational model to construct a cultural ecology of ceramics, pottery in the Indian subcontinent has an ancient history and is one of the most tangible and iconic elements of Indian art. Artisan family potters are one of the largest castes, spread across 212 districts of India, predominantly in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. They are known by different names in each state.  All are facing decline.

2 What’s in a name?

The castes and sub-castes of India are mainly based on occupations and the associated skill levels. The potter caste is very ancient and widespread throughout India and is concerned with the production of earthenware utensils and images of deities which are essential for domestic wellbeing and efficiency.. These terracotta handicrafts have been recovered in archeological excavations, particularly at the ancient sites of the prehistoric  Indus Valley Civilization.  This was an early example of urbanisation located in what is Pakistan and northwest India today, on the fertile flood plain of the Indus River and its vicinity. Evidence of religious practices in this area date back approximately to 5500 BCE. Farming settlements began around 4000 BCE and around 3000 BCE there appeared the first signs of urbanization. By 2600 BCE, dozens of towns and cities had been established, and between 2500 and 2000 BCE the Indus Valley civilization was at its peak.  Harrapa was one of these flourishing cities with a thriving population of terracotta potters.  The glazed Harappan pottery is the earliest example of its kind in the ancient world showing a great inventive genious.  Terracotta, taken from Latin terra cotta or baked earth, is the art of creating glazed or unglazed porous earthenware, figurines, and other decorative materials from clay which is dried and fired in temperatures of around 1000°C giving it a distinctly orange, red, brown, yellow, or grey colour. It is then covered in sand to allow it to cool down. This colour depends not only on the type of clay found in the beds of the water bodies in the area where the artist is based but also on the firing process. For example, if the smoke from firing is allowed to get out through the vents in the kiln, a red or orange colour is obtained. On the other hand, if the vents are sealed, it gives the items a black colour. Decorative pieces are either left with their original colour or painted in multiple hues to make them more attractive.

Polychrome pottery is rare and mainly comprised small vases decorated with geometric patterns mostly in red, black and green and less frequently in white and yellow. Incised ware is rare and the incised decoration was confined to the bases of pans. Perforated pottery has a large hole at the bottom and small holes all over the wall and was probably used for straining liquids.  Some pottery was ornamented on the outside with knobs. The Harappan pottery includes pans, goblets, dishes, basins, flasks, narrow necked vases, cylindrical bottles, tumblers, corn measures, spouted vases and a special type of dish on a stand which was an offering stand or incense burner.

The people of India who worked as family potters, making utensils, tiles or any related products from earth were called, “Kumbhkar.” Kumbh means clay utensils and kar means maker. Therefore, Kumbhkar later became,”Kumbhar.” Many of them belonged to the ancient “Jati” people of the mythical Prajapati community, named after Prajapati the Hindu god of creativity which positions potters at the heart of Hindism.  

Some Prajapatis/Kumhars trace the origin of their community to the beginning of civilization when humankind started using utensils to prepare and eat food. As potters they proudly consider themselves to be the initiators of the world’s first industry.  They also situate themselves in one of the most famous stories of Hinduism which is known as the great churning of the primeval ocean by the gods and demons in the quest for the nectar of immortality. This tale has deep dimensions, capturing insights into the nature of existence.  

According to a Hindu myth, the first Kumbh (earthen pot) was a gift from the Gods to collect the Nectar. Another mythological story says that when Lord Shiva was about to marry Parvati he realised he had forgotten the water carrier integral for the ceremony. Therefore, he gave a part of his skin for clay to Prajapati to make a pot and Parvati gave her blood to decorate the pot. That is when the first kumbh (earthen pot) was created and Prajapati became the first potter. 

The classification of Kumhars in the Hindu social caste system differs from region to region. For example, because the making of a pot was the first creative act of HIndu mythology, in some temples in Rajasthan, only a Kumhar can lead the worship, not the traditionally priestly Brahmins. 

The geographical location of pot-making is revealed by mapping the distribution of family names, such as Sorathia, Ladwa, and Varia. The potters who lived in Sorath were known as “Sorathia Prajapati.   Today, the Kumhar caste is mainly found in Pakistan and Punjab, Bijnor(U.P.).   

The following surnames of Prajapati. potters have persisted  through the centuries;

Bhalsod, Bharadwa, Bharadwaj, Buhecha, Chandegra, Chavda, Chhaya, Chitroda, Chohan, Dabhi, Devalia, Dhokia, Dodia, Fatania, Gadher, Gadhia, Ghadhvana, Ghedia, Girnara, Gohil, Gola, Jagatia, Jethwa, Jogia, Kamalia, Kansara, Kataria, Kholia, Koria, Kukadia, Ladva, Majevadia, Mandora, Mavadia, Maru, Nena, Oza, Pankhania, Parmar, Pithia, Poria, Rathod, Ravat, Sarvaiya, Savania, Shingadia, Solanki, Taank, Vadher, Vadukul, Vara, Vegad, Visavadia, and Yadav.  Some of these family names are often spelt in a variation for example, Gohil is spelt Gohel and Ladwa is spelt Ladva, etc.

3 Decline and revival in artisan potters

Down to the late 20th century the Indian potters worked as families with division of labour between men, women and children, each contributing a particular skill.  At the beginning of the 21st century it became apparent that throughout India the art of family potting was dying in the face of mass production of factory glazed wares.   In recent years, the decline in artisan potters has followed the decrease in the number of artisans engaged in the handicraft industry using clay, metal or stone. These artisans are now employed in manual labour or are unemployed, giving up their high skills. One of the major reasons for this change is the commercially and machine-made cheaper alternatives available in the market. The limited exposure of artisans to the market, loss of urban consumer interest, and factory competition has also added to the decline of the handicraft industry. Today India adds only 2% to the global handicrafts market. Thus, many of these artisans are living in abject poverty and economic conditions.

The government, the private, and the non-profit organizations have played a major role in trying to revive the handicraft industry. However, the impact has been isolated and limited. Much effort is required to completely revamp the rural handicraft industry using local resources. Various organizations are helping by setting up exhibitions both domestically and globally to showcase the crafts produced by these artisans. These organizations are creating marketing opportunities for craftsmen and craftswomen, to sell their products at a better price to a wider consumer base. They are using unique business models to create these market linkages from artisan to consumer, thus being profitable to all involved, especially the artisan.

With the advancement of communication networks across the country, networking can be used positively to the artisan’s advantage. New designs, ideas, orders, and markets can be within the reach of the artisan with the right training. Educating customers too is an important part of revitalizing the handicraft industry. Today online marketing is a buzzword to buy and sell artisan products. Some organizations are already connecting buyers and sellers directly online.

The handicraft industry is very important for India as it is the second largest employment generator in the rural sector. Efforts are being made to revitalize and develop it to its full potential. It is also an industry that helps to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the country. New initiatives have the potential to boost the lives of millions of Indian artisans, not just the potters.  An estimated 7 million artisans according to official figures (and up to 200 million artisans according to unofficial sources) are engaged in craft production to earn a livelihood. It further states that the global market for handicrafts is $ 400 billion with India’s share below 2 percent, representing a tremendous growth opportunity.  The report further adds that 39 percent of artisans incur production expenditures of less than Rs 12,000/ $ 215 a year and only 19 percent spend above Rs. 50,000/ $ 900 a year.

Gujarat

Because of their proximity to the prehistoric Indus valley, Gujarat potters have always been regarded as as continuity-inheritors of ancient terracotta working skills.  It was significant in this respect that in 2010 the Gujarat government funded a scheme to train artisans to fine tune their art to meet  modern needs.  The state government acted through the Matikam Kalakari Rural Technology Institute (MKRTI), with the help of the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) and designers from National Institute of Design (NID) and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), to impart training to potters in reinventing their products and designs so that they can be sold in the domestic as well as international markets

Delhi

A large number of the potters in Delhi have migrated from the neighboring states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. They are located in Govindpuri and Hauz Rani: Kumbhar Basti.  A number have settled in the Prajapati Colony in A Uttam Nagar that was set up in the 1970 to house the potters coming from the countryside. As most of the potters had names connected with their caste occupation the colony was called Prajapati. Currently over 400 families practicing this craft in the colony and provide their products across Delhi and NCR. The methods adopted by the potters are similar to those employed in the pottery tradition(s) of their ancestral homelands. Black, red, and yellow clay in the form of small pieces is obtained from Rajasthan and Delhi. This is mixed and dried, after which water is added to it. The resulting mixture of wet clay is filtered through a fine sieve to remove pebbles. After the clay has been kneaded into homogenous flexible dough, the prepared clay is made into a variety of artifacts using either the throwing technique. Coiling techniques are used in making large products that are too big to be thrown on the wheel and to make those with shapes that cannot be turned on the wheel. After giving shape to the item and drying it in the shade, it is baked in the kiln. 

Aruvakode in Nilambur, Kerala

Pottery making in Aruvacode is the story of Jinan, a rebel, activist, designer. Moreover this is the story of lives that he touched and changed positively for ever.

A news report on how the destiny of Aruvacode, from being a simple potter village had changed to becoming a hub of sex-workers, impelled Jinan to proceed to Aruvacode, a sleepy village by the river in Nilambur in Kerala. 

According to Jinan,“the reason for such a drastic transformation in the village was the rush of cheap substitutes of steel, aluminum, and plastic products to pottery in the market. The rush had pushed the demand for earthenware off the edge and the artisans were left a troubled and distressed lot. Seized of their traditional labour, women of the village were forced into sex-work.”

Several years with the potters of Aruvacode had revealed to him that the issue of development lies deep in preserving the self-respect and creativity of the concerned community.  

In his presentation in “De-colonising the Aesthetic Sense: The story of craft revival in Aruvacode potters’ village”, Jinan argues that “any community, armed with an absolute sense of self-respect and untarnished creativity, is well able to sail through all their problems. It is a dilemma of the ‘educated’ and the culturally uprooted sections of our society that development is perceived more on an economic plane. It is these sections that genuinely consider the distressed community as incapable of confronting and solving their own problems”.

“The advent of consumerism had held out its stakes and the artisans failed to keep pace with the fancy needs of the new consumer. In earlier times the artisans had always responded excellently to the local needs of the people, as a strong cultural bond held the user and the producer in unison. But every nuance of modernity brought with it newer difficulties for the potters”.

Treading therefore very carefully, not to step on to the much-travelled path of the interventionist agencies, he took up work with the potters.  Honouring his own integrity, he ensured that the aesthetic quality of whatever they made was to be rooted in their own culture. He therefore limited his role to encourage the incorporation of novel utilitarian aspects into their creations. It was a slow process and the products that emerged were evolved at a natural pace  (Fig 3).

 Fig 3 ‘Kathakali depicted in terracotta tiles

. Designed by artisans and potters trained by social entreprenuer K.P. Jinan Posted by GP (The Blue Wonder blog:March 2011)

Jinan concludes ; “My journey into the world of the rural artisan communities was not with the intention of ‘developing’ them or educating them. I went to them to regain that which I had lost in the process of getting educated; to learn from them. Having escaped ‘education’ and ‘development’ they were still original and authentic and were holding on to the culture and world-view, which sustained them for centuries. I perceived the rural / tribal communities as being wise and evolved; and recognised that only by learning from them could we lead sustainable lives.

The basic ideas behind their training programmes were to help the individuals regain their wisdom and confidence which lies embedded within their own communities and culture, believing that creativity can and does solve many a problem related to self-esteem.  Jinans work has created a demand for the unique products developed at Aruvakode and products from this small ‘colony’ are being displayed publically and privately in several cities in India”.

4 An ecological model of artisanship

In a recent debate at London’s Tate Gallery about when craft becomes an art, it was suggested that perhaps intention makes the distinction. If a maker intends to express something perhaps that makes it art.  However, makers often felt that it was the material they worked with that made it craft – textiles, ceramics, glass seem to fall into the craft category, never mind if their intention as maker might be an artistic one.  

On the other hand, ….”perhaps it’s how a maker learnt their skill. As an apprentice coming through a process of learning a skill, hand to hand, as it were? That’s craft. As a fully formed genius honing an expressive talent? That’s art.  Perhaps it’s use. Something wearable or useable – jewellery or furniture for example – seems to fit neatly under the craft label, while something that has no clear practical purpose might be called art. However, this doesn’t take into account the decorative crafts, nor the artists who produce practical items”.

Trying to answer such apparently simple questions misses the point that creativity arises in the maker’s environment.  Ceramics, for example, has a cultural ecology that presents an holistic, conceptual understanding of how people, craft and art connect in the environment through the creativity in families. The diversity of the artisan’s immediate landscape is an essential resource.  Instead of endlessly debating the question, what defines an artist or a craft maker, or even divides an artist from a craft maker, an environmental approach leads to a total understanding of artisanship as an expression of communities’ creative ways of organizing and triggering social interactions.  The broad aim of ‘making’ is to master local ecosystem services to improve livelihoods.  

Increasing, global competition from mass production is leading many artisans to live in a precarious, fractured and marginalised condition.  Artisans are even more endangered in the developing world, where they often face subjection to large monopoly businesses, market corruption and unreliability, as well as lack of perception of international consumers’ trends. To face the complex challenges of the current and future world, the activities of planning and organizing people, infrastructure, communication and material components of production, described as service design, have to change.  They have to move towards strategies and systems that address social and environmental problems, particularly those associated with living sustainably.

Within this dynamic arena, there is a general upsurge of interest in artisanship. Artisanship is defined as the human-centred economic activity of giving form and meaning to local natural resources.  Hand work or the control of mechanised and digital tools, are applied to the process of making small, unique and flexible batches of culturally and socially significant goods.   The new aim of service design is to improve quality of the products and the interaction between the service provider and its customers.  This is considered as a necessary resilient response to the increasing demand for flexible, customised and redistributed manufacturing that reconnects communities to their local material culture and reaches out to global markets.  These ideas may be summarised in a concept map of ceramic ecology Fig 4).  

Fig 4 Concept map of ceramic ecology

The map may be generalised for other expressions of artisanship.  For example, the textile sector has its own artisan ecology.  It encompasses a high level of employment of skilled workers, has a wide range of applications and ever-increasing consumption trends.  These all cause urgent environmental and social challenges. Also, it is one of the most complicated productive artisan ecologies, involving many different actors (i.e. farmers, manufacturers of fibres, yarns, fabrics and apparel/carpet retailers), service sectors and waste management issues.

Several service design approaches could be adopted by textile artisanship to produce textiles which are environmentally responsible, socially just and economically fair, as well as culturally meaningful and enriching at a personal level. The weaver’s imagination could be summoned to encourage sustainable development, building resilient interconnections between environmental, technological and economic resources, social and cultural values. This could be achieved through the shared efforts of policy makers, NGOs, artisans’ communities and individuals, as summarised in Table 1. 

Jaipur artisan weavers

Jaipur Rugs Foundation (JRF) is a non-profit organization that catalyzes sustainable livelihoods for people engaged in an entire carpet making chain by empowering them to establish collective enterprises through enhancing their artisanal and business skills. The overall work mandate of JRF is to reach out to remote rural areas of India and establish bonds with destitute communities, especially the women, enabling them to start weaving not just rugs but also their own lives.  NK Chaudhary established JRF to promote economic prosperity among marginal communities. Starting with two looms and an extraordinary vision, he has been able to connect people around the world with craftsmanship of Indian village weavers. 

Most of the artisans are women and the JRF enables them to gain economic independence working at home. The goal is to bring positive sustainable change in the lives of artisanal communities ‘providing a life of happiness and dignity’.  To achieve this, the JRF concentrates on providing work for unemployed and unskilled women living in rural villages and seeks to give training in the craft of rug-weaving. Once a woman becomes a working artisan, she also gets an opportunity to integrate with the Jaipur Rugs inclusive development business model.  The subsequent phase is to deliver technical training and augment their skills and knowledge and release their artistic creativity (Fig 5).  For the first time ever, weavers get to be the designers of their own rugs. Each rug is a masterpiece for the design inspiration it weaves. It is imbued with the individuality of the artisan who made it and evidence of the release of her unique artistry.

Fig 5 Developing creativity

https://www.jaipurrugs.com/shop/artisan-originals

To release this creativity every weaver is part of a grassroots network that requires specialised logistical support.  Raw material is dropped off at an artisan’s home where they work on the product. To ensure customers receive high quality products, quality supervisors inspect looms to help ensure a consistent output while tracking progress. These supervisors also ensure the artisans are serviced so they are not interrupted by the shortage of yarn or any other such factor limiting their earning capacity. When completed, the rug is picked up at the weavers doorstep and sent on to the next stage of the rug making progress. These visits also ensure that weavers are paid every month at their looms. At present, these networks stretch across 600 villages in five Indian states connecting 40,000 artisans. 

Jaipur’s weavers thus have the ability to work creatively from their rural home in a more comfortable working environment than most entrepreneurs and corporate employees across the world!  However, one of the biggest challenges faced by artisans is the lack of awareness and knowledge regarding opportunities intended for them under various social welfare schemes. JRF has been playing an instrumental role in facilitating access to artisan cards. These are issued to the artisans by Development Commissioner, Handicrafts (Government of India) with support from District Industries Centers (DICs).  The cards recognise the recipient is a skilled worker and eables them to receive various benefits provided by the government. JRF also seeks to equip artisans with basic knowledge and skills that help them save money to shape a brighter future for their families. The focus is on improving well-being of artisans and their communities by providing access to various socio-economic educational and medical benefits. This entails assistance in formalities like filling forms, providing supporting documents and linking them with banks. In addition, a system of payment, ‘M-Pesa’ by Vodafone, has been promoted for weavers to facilitate their financial transactions.  M-Pesa means “m-money” in Swahili and is the global brand for Vodafone’s Mobile Money service. The service is now present in 10 countries. Mobile money is a digital representation of cash which Vodafone stores safely in a ring-fenced bank account (a “trust” account). The mobile money account of each customer is linked to their mobile phone account.  M-Pesa is specifically designed to benefit customers who have no access to banks.

To summarise, the Jaipur Rugs project is a very sucessful process of engaging village artisans with the vision of a commercial organization with a charitable arm that promotes empowerment through instilling an entrepreneurial mindset. The purpose is to enable artisan weavers acquire higher responsibilities and take control of their lives with an owners’ mindset. The is realised in the last facet of entrepreneurship development that creates leaders at the grassroots who create more leaders as they spearhead the mission of enabling sustainable livelihoods to all those in need.  

Jaipor rugs are marketed globally with the motto ‘purchase with purpose’. In effect JRF is helping to shift urban wealth from the rich to the rural poor!

Educating For Climate Change

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023

1 The need for a syllabus of radical hope

The mission of the University Consortium of Small Island States was operating 2014-18 to enhance its education institutions. The aim was to facilitate development of the capacity needed to implement the UN’s Programme of action, popularly referred to as the Barbados Program of Action (BPOA).  BPOA is an important historical policy document that comprehensively addresses the economic, environmental, and social developmental vulnerabilities facing small island states.  It outlines a strategy that seeks to mitigate those vulnerabilities.  BPOA remains the only internationally approved programme specific to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which has been collectively and unanimously endorsed by SIDS since the 1990s.

The full text of the BPOA was produced in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1994 at the first Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island States.  This  was a conference mandated by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 47/189. The need for an island’s specific conference was highlighted some two years previously at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit), held in Rio de Janeiro where 179 governments voted to adopt Agenda 21.  Chapter 17, section G of Agenda 21 acknowledges that small island developing states are a special case both for environmental protection and education for sustainable development.  We now know that SIDS are considered extremely vulnerable to global warming and sea level rise, with predictions of social upheavals that will be associated with climate change.  Local communities must meet this situation with hope (Fig 1).  In this context the BPOA is the global model for learning how to live sustainably.

 Fig 1  Creating a community syllabus of radical hope 

Survey what is good and bad about where you live. Design an action plan to celebrate what is good and improve what is bad.  Reflect on what the community has learned about local culture and its ecology as the basis for a  community syllabus of radical hope linking schools with the communities they serve.

Hope can be defined as ”the belief that circumstances in the future will be better.” It allows us to be optimistic about a positive outcome and increases our chances of realizing our goals and dreams. Although there are many obstacles in life, hope allows us to approach them with a successful mindset.  Radical Hope is an idea that helps us to imagine the future after a moment of upheaval and change. The term was first defined by philosophers looking at the big questions of human existence, knowledge, reason and the mind. They wanted to better understand how people can recover after a traumatic experience, such as the loss of their culture. Jonathan Lear illustrates this idea with the experience of the North American Crow Nation after the 19th Century destruction of the buffalo herds upon which these peoples were totally dependent. The Crow were faced with the end of their traditional way of life, yet with firm leadership, they reimagined a future without buffalo.  

Everyone needs a personal syllabus of radical hope to focus their values that will carry them successfully into a post 2030 future. This blog outlines a syllabus of radical hope produced for teaching the new Welsh Humanities Area of Learning and Experience (HALE).  HALE encourages learners to engage with the most important issues facing humanity, including sustainability and social change, and helps to develop the skills necessary to interpret and articulate the past with the present.  The aim is to awaken a sense of wonder, fire the imagination, and inspire learners to grow individually in knowledge, understanding and wisdom.  

The Welsh HALE is being presented to members of the Green Forum as an online educational resource that could be developed for meeting the two key objectives of the BPOA. namely: 

  • improved information flow between SIDS on courses offered, facilities available, student needs and relevant online content.
  • cooperative curriculum development through research into managing, indigenous knowledge and outreach in the key areas of sustainable development of SIDS that support resilience building for sustainable development.  

Strengthening a pedagogy for environmental issues requires action in two main areas: training for educators in environmental issues and syllabus development with the production of appropriate indigenous teaching materials.  Both areas introduce environmental issues unique to SIDS.  These can be mind mapped across a range of disciplines (Fig 2) , to support an anthropological syllabus of radical hope.

2 Starting With Anthropology

Fig 2 Anthropology online

Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past.   Social anthropology studies patterns of behavior, while cultural anthropology studies cultural meaning, including norms and values.  A portmanteau term, sociocultural anthropology is commonly used to explore how people, variously positioned within the world today, live and understand their world. It includes their aspirations and struggles to share systems of ideas (i.e., culture) which are related to the structured ways that people act and interact in society (i.e., power) and the environment (i.e.natural resorces).

Anthropology of art is a sub-field in social anthropology dedicated to the study of art in different cultural contexts. The anthropology of art focuses on historical, economic and aesthetic dimensions in non-Western art forms, including what is known as ‘tribal art’

The anthropology of art studies and analyses the wide range of material objects produced by people around the world. These are considered not merely as aesthetic objects but are understood to play a wider role in people’s lives, for instance in their beliefs and rituals. The materials studied include sculpture, masks, paintings, textiles, baskets, pots, weapons, and the human body itself. Anthropologists are interested in the symbolic meanings encoded in such objects, as well as in the materials and techniques used to produce them. Perhaps the simplest, yet most appropriate distinction between artefact and art would be that an artefact is primarily the product of craftsmanship and skill, while a work of art is invested with an emotional, philosophical, spiritual or aesthetic quality that reaches beyond. It has an ambiguous something that is not always easy to define, perhaps a special element that elevates it from the realm of workmanship to a more-significant level, where arts reasoning is applied to explain sustainability.  In this respect the culture of members of indigenous communities in SIDS directly relates to a specific way of being, seeing, and acting in the world. Their culture is developed on the basis of a close relationship with their traditional territories and the resources they harbour, not only because they are their main means of subsistence, but also because they are part of their worldview, and therefore, a part of their culture as an ecological entity. Objects in human life can become integrated into social relationships: for example, strong emotional attachments are found between people and material culture that is connected to ancestors. Such objects transmit culture with them, creating and reinforcing cultural norms: this kind of object needs tending, this does not. Scout badges, fraternity pins, even Fitbit watches are “symbolic storage devices,” symbols of social identity that may persist through multiple generations. In this manner, they can also be teaching tools: this is how we were in the past, this is how we need to behave in the present.  Those objects leave “traces,” that have established narratives associated with them.

3  Cultural Ecology

Culture and ecology merge in cultural ecology as a sub-discipline of anthropology that sets out the complex relationships between humans and the environments which they inhabit. This takes many shapes and forms. For example it includes examining the hunting/gathering patterns of humans tens of thousands of years ago and, archaeological investigations of early agriculturalists and their impact on deforestation or soil erosion.  In modern times it deals with how human societies are adapting to climate change and other anthropogenic environmental issues.  Cultural Ecology is a growing subfield of anthropology because of  the challenges of understanding and addressing human-caused environmental problems.  Like climate change, species extinctions, plastic pollution, and habitat destruction all require an understanding of the complex cultural, political, and economic systems that have created these problems (Fig 3).

Fig 3 A mind map of cultural ecology as the managerial balance between conservation and exploitation of natural resources.

Cultural Ecology developed in the 1960s as anthropologists borrowed methods and terminology from growing developments in ecology and applied them to understand day to day issues of living in an overcrowded polluted world.  In the first decade of the 21st century, there are publications dealing with the ways in which humans can develop a more acceptable cultural relationship with the environment. An example is sacred ecology, a sub-topic of cultural ecology, introduced by Fikret Berkes in 1999. It seeks lessons from traditional ways of life in Northern Canada to shape a new environmental perception for urban dwellers. This particular conceptualisation of people and environment comes from various cultural levels of local knowledge about species and place, resource management systems using local experience, social institutions with their rules and codes of behaviour. It takes a world view through religion, ethics and broadly defined belief systems.  The global message is that culture is a balancing act between the mindset devoted to the exploitation of natural resources and that which conserves them. Perhaps the best model of cultural ecology in this context is, paradoxically, the mismatch of culture and ecology that have occurred when Europeans suppressed the age-old native methods of land use and have tried to settle European farming cultures on soils manifestly incapable of supporting them.

There is a sacred ecology associated with environmental awareness, and the task of cultural ecology is to inspire urban dwellers to develop a more acceptable sustainable cultural relationship with the environment that supports them.

As a knowledge framework, cultural ecology can be customized with information from environmental anthropology to assemble a personal syllabus of radical hope about human adaptations to rapidly changing social and physical environments.  Human adaptation refers to both biological and cultural processes that enable a population to survive and reproduce within a given or changing environment.This may be carried out diachronically (examining entities that existed in different epochs), or synchronically (examining a present system and its components). The central argument is that the natural environment, in small scale or subsistence societies is a major contributor to social organization and other human institutions concerned with sustainability.

Cultural ecology is expressed physically in a group’s material culture, a term used  to refer to all the corporeal, tangible objects that are created, used, kept and left behind by past and present cultures. Material culture refers to objects that are used, lived in, displayed and experienced; and the term includes all the things people make, including tools, pottery, houses, furniture, buttons, roads, even the cities themselves. One focus is the meaning of the objects: how we use them, how we treat them, what they say about us.  Some objects reflect family history, status, gender, and/or ethnic identity. People have been making and saving objects for 2.5 million years.  Material culture studies, however, focus not just on the artifacts themselves, but rather the meaning of those objects to people. One of the features that characterize humans apart from other species is the extent to which we interact with objects, whether they are used or traded, whether they are curated or discarded  .

4   Circularity

Fig 4 The environmental outcome of a linear economy

Circularity is a topic within cultural ecology  which models human systems of production and consumption.  It involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible.  Circularity aims to manage global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution by implementing the three base principles of the model. These principles are: eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and the regeneration of nature. Circularity is defined in contradistinction to the traditional waste-generating linear economy (Fig 4). The idea and concepts of circular economy have been studied extensively in academia, business, and government over the past decade. Circularity has been gaining popularity since it helps to minimize emissions and consumption of raw materials, opens up new market prospects and principally, increases the sustainability of consumption and improves the efficiency of the use of natural resources.

5 Degrowth: a syllabus for a democratic pedagogy

All economic value is derived from nature by way of society.  Economic value is therefore rooted in human values and ultimately in the spiritual values that give purpose and meaning to human life.  In the absence of purpose, there is no logical motivation for sustaining human life or sustaining human economies. Thus, economic sustainability is deeply rooted in spirituality.  So fundamental challenges in achieving sustainability are ethical, moral, and ultimately spiritual rather than technological or economic. Therefore, sustainability ultimately depends on creating a moral and ethical culture that gives long term economic sustainability priority over short term economic expediency. 

“Deep sustainability” goes beyond the normal shallow or instrumental strategies, which focus on resource efficiency and substitution, motivated by economic incentives. Deep sustainability explores the philosophical, ethical, and transcendental roots of ecological, social, and economic integrity. In so doing, it calls for a spiritual-rooted, cultural revolution. This revolution must be motivated by an understanding that the pursuit of economic sustainability is synonymous with the pursuit of authentic happiness—which is inherently social and spiritual as well as material. A degrowth economy would be one which simply provides the material requisites and means for a pursuit of happiness motivated by a spiritual sense of wellbeing.  

Spiritual wellness comes from having connections to something greater than yourself.  It is about having a set of values, principles, morals and beliefs that provide a sense of purpose, hopefulness and meaning to life.  Applying those principles to guide your actions generates a personal prosperity that can make life worthwhile in a steady state economy.  However, currently we are demanding more from Earth than it can regenerate. For more than 40 years, humanity’s demand on nature has exceeded what our planet can replenish. We would need the regenerative capacity of 1.6 Earths to provide the natural resources and ecological services we currently use. Only for a brief period can we cut trees faster than they mature, harvest more fish than the oceans can replenish, or emit more carbon into the atmosphere than the forests and oceans can absorb. The consequences of “overshoot” are already clear: habitat and species loss, and accumulation of carbon waste we throw in the sky.  In order for the poor world to get richer, the rich world has to become poorer. These are the outcomes of the rich nations signing up to a global strategy of equal shares for all nations.

6 Teaching with hope

Hope is about the belief that you can make an impact. Hope is about allowing students agency in their own learning. Hope is about ensuring that students are looking ahead, identifying for themselves what needs to be improved, and giving them the skills and confidence to go out and do it.  There are many different curricula for teaching a syllabus of hope, most of them hoping that science will lead the way.  ‘Starting from within anthropology’ is just one of them.  

In his keynote address to the Royal Anthropological Institute Conference entitled ‘Art, Materiality and Representation’, on 1st June 2018,  Tim Ingold presented his view that art and anthropology potentially afford new ways of thinking about democracy and citizenship — ways that could give hope to future generations. The universal goal is to reach a zero waste in ways that are ethical, economical, efficient and visionary.  Education  guides people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for other systems to use.  Zero waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Implementing a zero waste strategy will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.

Regarding a curriculum that applies arts reasoning to explain sustainability (AARTES), Ingold believes that this approach has been pushed to the margins, above all by the relentless expansion of big science, aided and abetted by multinational corporations and neoliberal globalisation. With them has gone the question from which all inquiry must begin and indeed from which Ingold began his lecture: how ought we to live? His standpoint is that big science is not interested in this question because it believes it can deliver the answers that will maintain a growth economy through mega-projects of geoengineering, if not already, then within the not too distant future. Ingold’s parable is that, when the dinosaurs went extinct, it was the small mammals that inherited the earth, among them were some weasel-like carnivores. On 29th April 2016 it was a weasel that bit through an electric cable, putting the largest machine ever built, CERN’s vast £4bn Hadron Collider, out of action for a week. 

For many, the collider is the greatest expression of scientific hubris we have yet seen. Its interaction with the weasel… 

“…is the delusional project of our time, truly a machine for the end of the world.  But when big science collapses, as it is bound to do, along with the global economy that sustains it, art and anthropology, like that famous weasel, will hold the future in their hands”  

Educationalists must be ready for it with a syllabus of radical hope.

7 The Green Forum

The growth economy is now failing in two ways:

1. positive growth is becoming uneconomic in our full-world economy;

2. negative growth, resulting from the bursting of financial bubbles inflated beyond physical limits, though temporarily necessary, soon becomes self-destructive.

This leaves a non-growing, or steady-state economy, as the only long-term alternative. Herman Daly  has articulated the basic rules of a steady state economy as follows:

  1. It should exploit renewable resources no faster than they can be regenerated.
  2. It should deplete non-renewable resources no faster than the rate at which renewable substitutes can be developed.
  3. It should emit wastes no faster than they can be safely assimilated by ecosystems.

Presuming depletion and regeneration rates and resilience of ecosystems can be accurately determined, two basic strategies follow these steady state rules:

(1) an economizing strategy 

(2) an innovating strategy. 

Economizing involves reducing the inputs used in economic activities and minimizing the waste outputs. It entails conserving, re-using, maintaining, and generally embracing the wisdom of ‘enough’ rather than succumbing to the consumer demand for ‘more’. 

Innovating entails doing things more efficiently. It means learning, inventing, adapting, and using appropriate technologies to achieve desired ends. Innovation (and the increased efficiency it engenders) in a non-growing economy, is the basis of conservation management.  

A steady state economy, therefore, will adopt some combination of economizing and innovating to achieve sustainability, supported by a local syllabus of radical hope.

To discuss this proposition an international Green Forum has been created to connect schools and the communities they serve,  across the globe who are interested in making local action plans to adopt a circular, steady state, zero waste economy.  It is for those who require space to discuss Ideas for a sustainable economy in a world of finite resources.  To participate in The Green Forum, which is free, go to- https://thegreenforum.org/group/288/stream

8  Internet references

Learning from each other

Building the circular economy through education and infrastructure

Cultural Ecology1

Culture ecology2

Material culture

Material Culture2

Environmental anthropology

Circularity

Teaching with hope

Zero waste curriculum toolkit

Zero Waste International Alliance)

Degrowth

Learning Circularity With Small Island Developing States

Monday, December 5th, 2022

1 Making Education Relevant

Circularity, is an economic model that follows the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. It is a more relevant education concept for the future than linearity, which follows the dominant common economy of Take, Make and Dump.  The transition to a circular economy will require a qualified workforce with specific and sometimes new skills, with opportunities for employment and social dialogue around conservation management. If the right skills are to be developed, they will have to support job creation in the green economy at all levels of education and training. 

Fig 1 Entropy

In particular, if small island developing states (SIDS) are to improve the quality of life of their citizens and achieve sustainable long term development of wellbeing, education has to be made relevant to their future in a post-2030 circular economy.   Education is not an independent discipline, but is intimately connected with the functioning of society, with its porous boundaries of history, economics and politics. For example, education systems in small island states are commonly legacies of old colonial powers.  As such they are dominated by external summative examinations that drive a top-down subject-dominated didactic pedagogy. This legacy is irrelevant for promoting  sustainable low and non-chemical development in small Island states (the Green Forum’s ISLANDS acronym).  Here entropy is a relative lifecycle measure of the energetic efficiency of maintaining the utility of products and services, or reusing the constituent materials (Fig 1).

The beginning of the global environmental crisis in the eighties marked an important turning point for educational design. Paralysed for too long by the failures in relevance of centralised and standard-setting approaches, a few researchers and practitioners seem to have been imbued with a new spirit of educational reform.  It was characterised by flexibility of approaches, enhancement of participatory processes, and adoption of objectives that were no doubt less ambitious, but more pragmatic. In response to this movement for educational reform, which promoted systems thinking about the environment, the University of Cambridge launched a new interdisciplinary subject for their International GCSE entitled ‘Natural Economy.’  Dealing with the organisation of nature for production, the subject was to stand alongside Political Economy (the organisation of people for production).  

Natural Economy was taken up by some International Schools but proved too radical for most institutions in the 1980’s when developing national state curricula were given a political boost.  However, Namibia adopted natural economy wholeheartedly, where for a while it replaced Biology and Geography.  Part of the problem was the novel, off beam concept of strategic  classroom piloting, where, by encouraging independent thinking, teachers had to become  mentors, guiding each student to plan and build their own body of knowledge,  It was only in 2020 that UK teachers began to deliver a personalised national curriculum.  This happened in Wales, where the pedagogy became fully inclusive of humanism in 2002-3.  Welsh state schools are now empowered to design their own bottom up curricula, tailored to each individual learner’s needs, while supporting their social wellbeing.  

With the advent of the Internet, Natural Economy was renamed ‘Cultural Ecology’ and is now freely available as a flexible, on line ideational scaffold for individualised distance learning. It is not a subject but a cross cultural knowledge management system, a mind map for learners to customise. It is an holistic syllabus. The concept of circularity accommodates a body of inter connected knowledge from rusting of metal  to wrinkling of skin. The central cultural pillars are  ‘people’, ’ecology’, ‘place’, which articulate three socioeconomic actions for tackling climate change, ‘eliminate waste and pollution’, ‘circulate products and materials at their highest value’, ‘regenerate nature’.  Waste in this context is the central feature of urban ecosystems dominated by cultural, political, and material relationships.  Therefore, Cultural Ecology provides a flexible, interdisciplinary toolkit to help individuals and organisations transition to a circular economy.  They embrace learning and innovating to apply what they’ve learned in the real world of work and home. However, cultural ecology is only one of many frameworks that could express the needs of localism. For example, the UK’s Royal Society of Art’s Area Based Curriculum indicates that the important thing is for schools to develop a ‘local school curriculum’ in partnership with the communities they serve.

2  The quest For Circularity

Regarding the SIDS, each island is a unique  expression of ecology and culture.  Education at all levels should reflect this diversity,  However, what all islands have in common is their quest for circularity to manage physical wastes, such as plastics, used oil, end-of-life vehicles and e-waste. Solid waste includes garbage, construction debris, commercial refuse, sludge from water supply or waste treatment plants.  Solid waste can come from industrial, commercial, mining, or agricultural operations, and from household and community activities (Fig 2).

Fig 2  Diagram of a cross curricular knowledge management system for wastes

  The transition to a circular economy is based on three kinds of conservation management plans;

  • eliminate waste and pollution;
  • circulate products and materials at their highest value,
  • and regenerate nature.

How circularity operates is dependent on how individuals and organisations learn to innovate and apply what they’ve learned in the real world, which is driven by design. A circular economy moves away from the ‘take-make-consume-dispose’ model to one in which products and materials are maintained in circulation for as long as possible, and waste and resource use are minimised.  In a circular economy this approach is built into the product life cycle from the beginning, starting with the choice and quantities of materials used and the design of products that minimises their impact on the environment both during their production and their use. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, “growth” in a circular economy is decoupled from the constant consumption of finite resources. It places a higher value on quality and service rather than disposable goods and it involves sharing, repairing, reusing and recycling existing materials while encouraging the regeneration of natural systems and the adoption of a gifting society.

3 The Green Forum

This international forum is managed by the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) – a global community of organisations and experts committed to collaboratively generating, managing, and sharing green growth knowledge. Led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the World Bank Group, GGKP draws together more than 75 partner organisations.

The Green Forum is an open, online interactive community space for professionals to share and discuss insights in the pursuit of a sustainable economic transition. The Forum includes discussions on global topics and the ability for users to create dedicated groups focused on specific themes, initiatives, and projects.  In addition to posting the latest events, opportunities, and blogs in relevant fields, there are also Discussions and Groups that host focused dialogues based on community interest and demand. 

4 The  ISLANDS Knowledge System

The Green Forum is the virtual space for Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in Small Island States (the acronym is ISLANDS). ISLANDS supports thirty-three Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Oceans to pursue safe chemical development pathways.

The overarching objectives of ISLANDS are to:

  • prevent the build-up of materials and chemicals in the environment that contain harmful chemicals in SIDS;
  • and soundly manage and dispose of existing harmful chemicals and materials in SIDS.

ISLANDS seeks to address the sound management of chemicals and waste through:

  1. strengthening the capacity of sub-national, national, and regional institutions,
  2. strengthening the enabling policy and regulatory framework in these countries,
  3.  and unlocking resources for implementation measures.

It is a virtual space to learn about the ISLANDS Programme and to link with colleagues in all SIDS regions. The Coordination, Communication and Knowledge Management project (CCKM) coordinates this space as well as the Plastics, End-of-Life Vehicles, E-Waste and Used Oil groups.  

‘Learning Circularity With SIDS’ is an educational sub division of the ISLANDS group in the Green Forum, where information about circularity  is exchanged as posts and links to URLs. The aim is to create a knowledge management system to connect people across the globe who are making action plans to adopt circularity  with a green growth economy.  Green growth means fostering growth and development, while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which a country’s well-being relies.  Bringing circularity to the center of learning at all levels in SIDS is of increasing importance if these countries are to thrive.  Therefore SIDS may be regarded as Eco Learning Centres.  They are digital spaces where people of all ages, working across disciplines and environments, go to exchange knowledge, experiences and ideas about how to build a place-based body of knowledge for life pro 2030.  The objective of Learning Circularity With SIDS as an ISLANDS sub group is to help them design their particular bit of planet Earth for sustainable circularity, applying the suite of free Google tools for learners to communicate their learning experience in the form of documents, websites and blogs.

SIDS as a network of ECO-learning Centres (ELCs) is a new idea. They are digital spaces for individuals, community groups/schools, specialists, businesses, young people, officials and elected representatives to marshall green skills and curricular improvements.  The objective is to create connections with peers and experts learning how to apply their knowledge to design and manage a waste-free environment, identifying governance challenges and business opportunities . ELCs have holistic, flexible pedagogies to frame circularity within and between cultures and their diverse ecologies.  In this wider view, they also present ideas and achievements from all small areas designed sustainably (SADS) e.g.biosphere reserves.  The mission of ‘Learning Circularity With SIDS’ is to create a global education network of SIDS-based school/community centres for lifelong learning about how to manage local ecosystem services to live sustainably. They function on the principle that knowledge is wealth.

A few words of caution from the educational teformer, Tim Oates. We need to look at resilience in exams, the balance of forms of assessment, student well-being and the way in which we report attainment.  But moving prematurely to major system reform would be a huge mistake. We should be very cautious about formulating new arrangements before we know what the post pandemic world and education scene looks like. In particular, we need  to understand the real character of remote learning and of the novel national assessment arrangements, then work out the means of establishing stable national standards. “Let’s avoid the cycle of planned failure, not lapse into it”

5 Eco Learning Networks

The following propositions from David Selby and Fumiyo Kagawa highlight what they think is distinctive and hopeful about environmental education within SIDS as ‘islands for hope’. 

1  environmental education initiatives on islands are markedly eclectic in their rich blending of practice from within the different school/community localities. 

2  Environmental education on different islands, especially in the Pacific, is marked by a return to indigenous, community-based learning. 

3 There is a distinctive island pedagogy regarding  the greater weighting given to relational, socio-affective and action-orientated learning about circular economies. 

4 There is a paucity of inter-island cosmopolitan dialogue.  Questions are asked about how to ensure islanders, steeped in learning about place, can be brought to connect with the global culture of mass consumerism and its environmental impact. 

5 The frequency of cross-curricular, interdisciplinary, even trans-disciplinary framing of environmental education initiatives is identified as bringing a distinctive syllabus and curriculum of hope to island practice. 

These educational propositions reject the idea of an open, ever-expanding economy, which inevitably depletes Earth’s finite natural resources every time we create something, leaving behind waste and toxicity when we dump it or burn it. The hope of education for conservation is that by encouraging a circular way of thinking  we repair and reuse as much as we can, and remanufacture and recycle to save resources, reduce waste, and reduce costs.  

The article, “The Circular Economy Runs Through Basel,” by Paul Hagen, Russ LaMotte, and Dacie Meng, discusses the emergence of the Basel Convention as the key international legal system governing anthropological relationships between culture and ecology.  This system is exemplified by the management of toxic waste set out in the Convention’s business plan for 2020-23. With this level of detailed planning and global action  the ISLANDS Green Forum created by the Convention can be a virtual classroom for developing island models to bring cultural ecology to the centre of education at all levels.  The educational aim is for young people to discuss and promote the adoption of a post-2030 circular economy, communicating  ideas and achievements for local environmental sustainability.  An eco-learning network (Fig 3) with this aim can rally and unite young people to make realistic, but dynamic change, creating positive impacts for our planet now.  It supports them by teaching the skills and knowledge needed to benefit and improve planet Earth throughout their lifetimes.  This requires a community development workforce that can support the creation of an inclusive society that encourages individuals to achieve their potential and contribute to  society and their communities. The 2030 objectives therefore are to transform learning for young people and adults by facilitating communities to identify their own needs and aspirations, take action to exert influence on the decisions which affect their lives, improve the quality of their  own lives, the communities in which they live, and societies of which they are a part.

Fig 3  An online community of practice communicating ideas and achievements to  establish a school/community Eco learning network for living sustainably

The blue field in Fig 2 represents a small island developing state which has created an online community of practice consisting of schools and the families they serve networking as an eco learning society.  Their objective is to produce and apply neighborhood action plans to promote a local closed cycle economy.  People use blogs. e.g. Google Blogger, and the Green Forum to share ideas and achievements.  They work with local governance to keep their activities in line with national initiatives and model local businesses that have adopted closed cycle practices, as educational resources.  The CCKMS is the cross curricular knowledge management system for mind mapping a school/community Eco learning network (Fig 3).

6  ‘TheBrain’ Knowledge Management System

Traditional directory trees confine information to a strict hierarchical organization and are incapable of expressing the multi-layered relationships that exist in the real world, which people think about and draw meaning from in their ordinary thought processes.

‘TheBrain’ takes the opposite approach—it enables linking information into a network of logical associations. Any piece of information can be linked to any other piece. The power of TheBrain lies in the flexibility of these links. Users can quickly create structures of information that reflect the way they think about information. With ‘TheBrain’ learners can drag and drop files from folders or folders themselves. So they don’t have to abandon their filing system but can visualize it in a manner that reflects their unique thought processes. 

With conventional mind mapping software, each map cannot practically be larger than a few hundred items. ‘TheBrain’ is designed to allow tens of thousands of items and files to be integrated into a single workspace. The software offers a dynamic, sharable visual display that is infinitely scalable (Fig 4).

Fig 4 Example of ‘TheBrain’ as across currcular knowledge management system for a conservation management curriculum

7 Internet References

Ecumenes and ecological islands

An area based curriculum

Knowledge management for  ISLANDS programme

Reform with caution

Cultural Ecology: People, Ecology; Place.

Cultural Ecology: Blog 

Cultural Ecology: Mind Map

The Green Forum