WE ARE ECOTIZENS

We are at a critical turning point in human history, one that will rival the dawn of the Neolithic Revolution and the Industrial Age. We are living through the greatest environmental and humanitarian crisis of the human species. What we choose to do in response will define not only homo sapiens but every non-human species. Climate change and wide-scale environmental degradation have forced our hands, we must act now if we have any hope of surviving and preserving what little of nature we have left.

We have been drastically altering the natural landscapes for over fifteen decades since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. It has come to a point where we can no longer ignore the effects. We must acknowledge our mistakes so that we can begin to fix the mess we’ve made. The best course of action requires a great shift towards a more ecologically-minded society made up of ecological citizens. We need to stop being persuaded by money, power, and greed. Once we start incorporating nature into our values, we can then evolve into the higher collective consciousness. Our decades of greed and arrogance need to stop; we must grow into new people who are conscientious. A reconnection to nature can bring us from the brink of collapse, if only we allow it to. 

For the larger public, climate change only came into view in 1992 with the Earth Summit. Previously, there had been environmental and conservation movements, but they did not focus on climate change, rather on pollution and wildlife loss. Water pollution and a loss of wild habitats are easy to see, but climate change exists on such a global scale that earlier environmental movements could not begin to tackle it. Scientists knew about climate change in the mid-twentieth century, and so did oil companies. However, oil companies and multinationals kept this awareness from the public so they could continue making money off the destruction of the natural ecosystem. When world leaders started to discuss climate change as a global problem, people began to be conscious of the need for change.

Climate change and other environmental problems stem from our unhealthy society, which is built on a lust for beauty, power, and wealth. Our society does not value non-human, spirituality, or a connection to nature. Rather it focused on producing products that gave people at the top more vanity and power. Given this, it is not surprising that over the past thirty years, little has been done to improve the planetary boundaries. While hundreds of thousands of people have pushed for change, governments have not responded. We have delayed action and the problem has only gotten worse. People in power have maintained the status quo in hopes to maintain their power. Even in 2021, when world leaders offer heartwarming sentiments about the state of the planet, they join a world conference (COP26) which did little in changing the status quo. 

It’s clear that our current way of thinking about the planet is flawed. We are not going to see the necessary change if we continue to allow this corrupt system to stand. We instead need to find a new model of society that focuses on nature and ecology. We need to forget what the traditional capitalist and industrialist propaganda has told us. 

There are many people who will convince you that there is no way to organise humanity other than the way it is currently organised. They will tell us that industrial capitalism is inevitable and the only tool to run the world. However, this is a blatantly false and stubborn view of older industrial generations. Not only have there been civilisations that function differently than late industrial capitalism, but there is also no reason they cannot exist today. It is through this argument that industrial capitalism, consumerism, materialism, and industrialism live on, holding us back from creating a better future.

The ecological citizenship model is not new; it can be seen in many civilisations throughout human history. This only proves that our current model is not the only feasible model of civilisations. There are other options, we just need to explore them. The most critical thing we can do is to plan and build out a society that works for our collective needs, rather than the needs of the few. We can build a society that prioritises nature rather than greed. We only need to create the applications, tools, and incentives which would foster and enable such a society. We cannot expect this change overnight. Instead, we have to lay the framework which will set us up for a successful new model of ecological citizenship. 

The most powerful people on the planet are actively working to maintain their power at any cost while giving us false hope. Therefore, they will work to convince us that our current system has been and always will be the only option. This ahistorical, biased standpoint actively works against change. Humans have been evolving for millennia, and there is no reason why we cannot evolve again.

Human civilisations have evolved from hunter-gatherers to agriculturalists to industrialists to urbanists. Industrial capitalism as we know it has not existed for more than two hundred years. Humans were once able to live in tune with nature, not driven by the need to consume and produce frivolous goods. Many people are starting to realise this, and they are pushing back against the system. 

Scientists, political theorists, and economists have pointed out the flaws in our system. Just as the Industrial Revolution grew so did its critics. This unbridled growth is not a positive for the human race, and it’s finally time we acknowledge that. In the Club of Rome’s 1972 piece on the Limits to Growth, our system was shown to be unsustainable. The demand for human consumption was and is too high for our planet. We cannot take endlessly from the planet. If we continue this reckless behavior, we will kill both nature and ourselves. Instead, we need to give back to the planet by restoring nature and using only what we need. The issues with our society have been laid out for us for decades, but we still have not heeded their warnings. With a degrowth mindset, we can begin to repair all we have damaged in our greed.

Philosophers have told us throughout history that we may be looking at life and society wrong. It is through critical works that we can contextualise our actions and begin to look for a better future. Andrew Dobson suggested a model of ecological citizenship, where one’s environmental footprint is a crucial part of their citizenship. Through ecological restoration and the Great Transition, we can create a new ecological society. The Great Transition will bring on a society where both humans and the environment are healthy and happy. We only need to start this transition to reap its rewards.

We changed from hunter-gatherers to farmers because it allowed us access to a better life. That is the function of our societal evolution. But recently these evolutions have only given better lives to a few, rather than everyone. We have created systems that can feed the world twice over, yet millions go hungry. We have the space and technology to give everyone a home, yet millions go without shelter. We have reached the point where our industrial-capitalist society is not benefiting us, and now we must evolve to a new model. We can choose to move away from an industrial society into an ecological society, just as our ancestors did when they started cultivating crops. 

All it takes is an admission of our failings for us to move forward. Once we accept our reality, we can begin to fix it. Through ecological citizenship, we can muster enough support for the transition away from the industrial age and into the ecological age.

This transition can be treacherous if we are not prepared. However, if we plan accordingly and set up the framework for a new ecological society, there is no reason not to try. With the framework for an ecological society, we can begin the Great Transition towards a better future. Forests will grow back, glaciers will slow their melting, humans will be fed and housed, flora can thrive, and fauna will return to their natural habitats.

We can work on the great mindset shift for humanity, one that acknowledges the power of nature. We can begin to give nature the reverence it deserves. We will move away from exploitation and into nurturing ecological stewardship that protects and preserves the earth. We will begin to heal both the planet and ourselves. Let's demonstrate that we are truly sapiens, capable of living ecologically.

Forth Earthlings. We are Ecotizens!