In her TED talk, Dr. Vandana Shiva claims she learned 2 lessons from her experience working as a volunteer in the Chipko movement: “First, that nature is not out there; we are a part of it. […] Second, that protecting nature is not a luxury”. Both of these statements demonstrate that everything is interconnected, locally and globally. As part of nature, our actions and decisions affect the surrounding environments and communities. Many people who live in vast urban cities feel disconnected from nature because they do not see it daily. They associate “nature” to the rural expanses outside of the city. They are unaware of the intricate connections they form with nature by purchasing food. Shiva’s talk attempts to break that illusion and foster more responsible eating decisions.
“Protecting nature is not a luxury”
This statement had a strong impact on me because I taught environmental justice issues in a low-income middle school in Baltimore. After class, I used to think that the information I shared with them would not help them as adults. Surely, they would have more important issues to deal with than pollution (like finding a job, getting health care…). I learned that environmental degradation is a middle class issue in my first Sustainability course. As I discovered more about Baltimore and the students I was teaching, I realized that protecting nature might be one of their most important priorities. Most of them suffer from asthma (or know someone who does). Thus, they lack access to clean air that can prevent pulmonary diseases. Perhaps the end of that statement should be: “Protecting nature is not a luxury, it’s a necessity”. For the poor communities who suffer the most from pollution and climate change, living in a healthy environment is essential.
This statement also reminded me of the “chicken game” developed and developing nations are playing in terms of taking action against climate change. Several developing countries believe that because they did not cause the damage, they should not reduce their emissions. They view mitigation as a luxury that Western nations can afford because they have reached a certain level of development. These arguments foster inaction and prevent humanity from acting together towards a global common goal.
Shiva concludes by saying: “Every time you eat, you can make a massive change”. By choosing holistic over industrial food, we are making the baby steps necessary for real change. One of my environmental science professors in Bolivia once said: “Every step against climate change is a step in the right direction”. We must recognize the importance of small sustainable choices and work as a community towards global change.
This post is a rich and illuminating essay in its own right, Raphaelle. It would definitely be worthwhile to develop the connections here more fully, perhaps in a honors thesis or dissertation. I appreciate your thoughtful overview very much.
Very thought provoking post! I loved how you intertwined personal experience with the readings to create an insightful point. As we’ve seen this summer, environmental movements, especially food movements, are commonly considered elitist. They are in the sense that it often takes time, money, location and education really to eat and live a balanced nutritious life. The same can be said for government involvement and voting. To strengthen our democracy and our food system (both of which I see as connected), I think solutions should not just provide immediate resources and relief (although this is important) but should also inspire activism and provide channels and opportunities for involvement.
I really appreciated what you said about city people “feeling disconnected with nature because they do not see it daily.” My perceptions of cities have definitely been influenced by my childhood growing up in rural Vermont. My feelings of claustrophobia, inner chaos and a true disconnect from the earth in cities have always made it difficult for me to appreciate city lifestyles. Walking around the concrete jungles of New York City I used to imagine the green fields and forest that must have once dominated this landscape. I scan my periphery for signs of nature and earth, a tree here, a potted plant there, though never in my imagination had I included food as part of the natural picture. In a way city dwellers and food after harvest share the same disconnect from the earth. Maybe, a change in understanding and approach to food as a form of nature could inspire city folks who to search for outlets to nature to eat natural, local, fresh food, as a means of reconnecting with the earth. Understanding that nature is a luxury, maybe the next step is putting natural, local food in the category of nature.