We’ve all been aware of the precariousness of our natural world for over fifty years. 22nd April 2023 marks the 53rd earth day since its inception.
In 1970, 20 million Americans – 10% of the total population – took to streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had already left a growing legacy of serious human and ecological impacts. Postage stamps asked people to save our cities, soils, air and water.
But after more than fifty years of global awareness, with continual warming and continual growth in carbon emissions, we’re still arguing and the actions that are being taken have not made a significant difference.
We have been thinking, writing and contacting people to question why the changes that are needed have not happened at scale and identify two key challenges that scientists, educators, health specialists and designers must face.
The first is that our goals are almost all interconnected but our specialists aren’t. Planet friendly cities help us to live healthier lives, living close to nature and to our food helps us and our natural world, learning about care over consumption can be playful as well as meaningful.
The second is that we don’t understand tipping points. Many environments have collapsed due to excess consumption in the past and nature isn’t really interested in political debates. The only tipping point that matters to the environment’s stability is the social tipping point that aligns political, economic and technical change around rapid transitions that ultimately need us all to collaborate rather than compete.
We are lucky to have a wonderful network of collaborators who span science, health and educational fields, and design associates who can help us to bring our combined knowledge to life.
So, if, like us, you think that collaboration and communication matter, please do get in touch so we can act together in new and powerful ways.
It‘s Earth Day again and it‘s time to stop arguing and start acting together.
