Steve Martin

Some Thoughts on Nature

I have been on a great WEA course for the past 6 weeks exploring the work of the Welsh novelist, critic, and academic Raymond Williams. He is also noted for his exploration of Key Words. Our WEA tutor framed the course thus: Using the work of cultural theorist, novelist and WEA tutor, Raymond Williams, togetherContinue reading “Some Thoughts on Nature”

SOME THOUGHTS ON TRANSFORMATION

Our civilisation, as we know it, is at an historical tipping point, because of the environmental wreckage we are causing in the planetary biosphere. Planetary biophysical limits will determine the future of our world and, as things stand, this may well be characterised by huge discontinuities for human and natural systems, caused by widespreadContinue reading “SOME THOUGHTS ON TRANSFORMATION”

Bangladesh Sink or Swim

Many recent news stories highlight Bangladesh and its people living with and dying from climate change. This is both a moving and disturbing story – a wake-up call to all of us about the direct environmental and indirect social and political consequences of our (the developed world’s) dependency on fossil fuels. In this most vulnerableContinue reading “Bangladesh Sink or Swim”

Educating Earth Literate Leaders

We are now citizens of the Earth joined in a common enterprise with many variations. We have every right to insist that those who purport to lead us be worthy of the task. Imagine such a time! (Orr, 2003) Hundreds of delegates met late in 2019 in Madrid(Cop25) to discuss climate change and the UN’sContinue reading “Educating Earth Literate Leaders”

PREFACE TO THE DAS GUPTA REVIEW ON THE ECONOMICS OF BIODIVERSITY

We are facing a global crisis. We are totally dependent upon the natural world. It supplies us with every oxygen-laden breath we take and every mouthful of food we eat. But we are currently damaging it so profoundly that many of its natural systems are now on the verge of breakdown. Every other animal livingContinue reading “PREFACE TO THE DAS GUPTA REVIEW ON THE ECONOMICS OF BIODIVERSITY”

Celebrating the Trees of Derbyshire: their contribution to climate change, flood risk and our mental health.

Guest Blog by Sarah EA Parkin Growing up in the flat lands of the West of England, I enjoyed drawing and painting. My background is in textiles with an MA specialising in Printed Design. A love of nature, wildlife and getting out into the landscape is a thread that runs through my life. Moving toContinue reading “Celebrating the Trees of Derbyshire: their contribution to climate change, flood risk and our mental health.”

The Coming of the Ecological University

“Universities have been with us on this Earth for at least one thousand years and will surely be with us in the future; perhaps so long as there is life on this planet that has any well-being. There is now something in not just the name of the institution but in the idea of theContinue reading “The Coming of the Ecological University”

Quality Standards and Sustainability in our Universities

The link between quality and sustainable development is probably best exemplified in the following quote: “Human relationships based on naked self-interest (e.g., greed, envy or lust for power) maintain inequitable distribution of wealth, generate conflict and lead to scant regard for the future availability of natural resources.” An education system which mirrors these values isContinue reading “Quality Standards and Sustainability in our Universities”

What’s in a name? – why ‘the environment’ can be a misleading myth

Guest blog by Stephen Sterling, Emeritus Professor of Sustainability Education, University of Plymouth I see myself as an environmentalist. And have done so ever since my early teens – which was a long time ago. So why would I be writing a blog with such a title? On the face of things, perhaps it seemsContinue reading “What’s in a name? – why ‘the environment’ can be a misleading myth”

A SHIP FROM DELOS

Annually a sacred ship would set sail around the Island of Delos, and until its return, Athenian society would not partake in public executions due to religious observance. Socrates trial at Roayl Sota and sentence occurred during this period. Whilst waiting for the sacred ship and the fate to follow, the 70-year-old Athenian philosopher defendsContinue reading “A SHIP FROM DELOS”