A New Pronoun for the Natural World
 
ROBIN Wall Kimmerer, the celebrated author of Braiding Sweetgrass, suggests we should develop the idea of using a new pronoun when referring to nature. In a recent essay in The Ecologist magazine, she urges us to avoid the use of the pronoun “it” in such circumstances:
 
“Objectification of the natural world reinforces the notion that our species is somehow more deserving of the gifts of the world than the other 8.7 million species with whom we share the planet. Using ‘it’ absolves us of moral responsibility and opens the door to exploitation. When Sugar Maple is an ‘it’ we give ourselves permission to pick up the saw. ‘It’ means it doesn’t matter….
 
“Singing whales, talking trees, dancing bees, birds who make art, fish who navigate, plants who learn and remember. We are surrounded by intelligences other than our own, by feathered people and people with leaves. But we’ve forgotten. There are many forces arrayed to help us forget – even the language we speak….
 
“In indigenous ways of knowing, other species are recognized not only as persons, but also as teachers who can inspire how we might live. We can learn a new solar economy from plants, medicines from mycelia, and architecture from the ants. By learning from other species, we might even learn humility.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

A million-year view is long overdue
We can make the lives of future people better.

A reason we struggle to be motivated by big problems is that they feel insurmountable. This is a particular concern with future generations. Does anything I do make a difference, or is it a drop in the bucket? How do we know what to do when the long-run effects are so uncertain?

This is the book that faces up to big issues head on.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Is The Moon Upside Down?

DURING his younger days working as a bush mechanic and pearl diver in remote WA, Greg Quicke spent countless nights lying in a swag and staring at the stars. That daily distraction grew into a passion that has seen him become one of Australia’s best known and most engaging astronomers.
 
In recent years Greg – aka ‘Space Gandalf’ – has appeared alongside Professor Brian Cox in the hit TV series Stargazing Live. His practical explanations of the complexities of space have earned him respect from astronomers around the world.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Joni Mitchell got it right all those years ago

We are stardust
Billion year old carbon
We are golden
Caught in the devil’s bargain
And we’ve got to get ourselves
back to the garden.

Woodstock, 1970

Ian McNamara reminded us about this in his Australia All Over program on ABC Radio, Sunday 4 September. 

MMM … Issue 35, December 22 – January 2023