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-# The nature problem+This topic is part of [[gt:bushcraft|Bushcraft & Nature]] and [[gt:philosophy|Philosophy & politics]]. 
 +====== The nature problem ======
  
  
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-## What is the nature problem?+===== What is the nature problem? =====
  
 You often hear that humans are ‘killing the planet’. We-re not - the earth will continue to spin, with its oceans, volcanoes and hydrological / meteorological systems. Nothing we do can change that. It’s not our planet, but the biosphere of our planet that's being damaged - nature, in other words. And as nature is what keeps us healthy, and ultimately keeps us alive, if we damage nature we damage ourselves. You often hear that humans are ‘killing the planet’. We-re not - the earth will continue to spin, with its oceans, volcanoes and hydrological / meteorological systems. Nothing we do can change that. It’s not our planet, but the biosphere of our planet that's being damaged - nature, in other words. And as nature is what keeps us healthy, and ultimately keeps us alive, if we damage nature we damage ourselves.
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 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
-### Who says so?+==== Who says so? ====
  
 In 2017, an article appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. It’s entitled: [_Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction signaled by vertebrate population losses and declines_](http://www.pnas.org/content/114/30/E6089.abstract). Notice those first two words. This is an establishment, sober, respected and respectable organisation, founded in 1836, whose output is triple peer-reviewed (see below). The researchers involved have clearly chosen those two words carefully to grab attention. In 2017, an article appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. It’s entitled: [_Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction signaled by vertebrate population losses and declines_](http://www.pnas.org/content/114/30/E6089.abstract). Notice those first two words. This is an establishment, sober, respected and respectable organisation, founded in 1836, whose output is triple peer-reviewed (see below). The researchers involved have clearly chosen those two words carefully to grab attention.
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 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
-### How do we know they’re right?+==== How do we know they’re right? ====
  
 The sources above are peer-reviewed, which means that independent academic experts in the same field have checked the methods, analysis of data and conclusions before they’re published. It’s not perfect, but there’s nothing better. There is no fixed or absolute authority when it comes to establishing ‘facts’. We can only make best-guesses based on meticulous and impartial work, and then have established, disinterested experts in the field judge the meticulousness and impartiality of the work. The sources above are peer-reviewed, which means that independent academic experts in the same field have checked the methods, analysis of data and conclusions before they’re published. It’s not perfect, but there’s nothing better. There is no fixed or absolute authority when it comes to establishing ‘facts’. We can only make best-guesses based on meticulous and impartial work, and then have established, disinterested experts in the field judge the meticulousness and impartiality of the work.
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-## What are the consequences of the nature problem?+===== What are the consequences of the nature problem? =====
  
 Nature is an interconnected web of life. For example, some plants need certain insects to pollinate them, some seeds need to pass through other species to germinate; some species can only eat one kind of plant or animal, some are parasitic on others, or have symbiotic existences, etc. So take enough species out of the global ecosystem and, like a game of [Jenga](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Jenga.gif), it looks solid until one too many is taken out. When nature is so damaged that it can't reproduce itself any more, there's a point when feedback loops produce what ecologists call a 'cascade effect' - and we have runaway ecological damage with no way of stopping it. Nature is an interconnected web of life. For example, some plants need certain insects to pollinate them, some seeds need to pass through other species to germinate; some species can only eat one kind of plant or animal, some are parasitic on others, or have symbiotic existences, etc. So take enough species out of the global ecosystem and, like a game of [Jenga](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Jenga.gif), it looks solid until one too many is taken out. When nature is so damaged that it can't reproduce itself any more, there's a point when feedback loops produce what ecologists call a 'cascade effect' - and we have runaway ecological damage with no way of stopping it.
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 So how do we stop the damage, and avoid collapse? [Some](http://www.lifeworth.com/deepadaptation.pdf) believe that [we can’t](https://medium.com/s/futurehuman/survival-of-the-richest-9ef6cddd0cc1) – that it’s already [too late](https://dark-mountain.net/about/manifesto/). If it is too late to prevent collapse, then maybe our actions can push back that collapse so that we can put in place local, resilient infrastructure and gain relevant skills that will mean more of us will survive. But even if this is wishful thinking, we can do things that are more interesting and fulfilling than the crushing tedium of corporate work, consumerism and celebrity. So how do we stop the damage, and avoid collapse? [Some](http://www.lifeworth.com/deepadaptation.pdf) believe that [we can’t](https://medium.com/s/futurehuman/survival-of-the-richest-9ef6cddd0cc1) – that it’s already [too late](https://dark-mountain.net/about/manifesto/). If it is too late to prevent collapse, then maybe our actions can push back that collapse so that we can put in place local, resilient infrastructure and gain relevant skills that will mean more of us will survive. But even if this is wishful thinking, we can do things that are more interesting and fulfilling than the crushing tedium of corporate work, consumerism and celebrity.
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 As an individual, you can adopt behaviours, technologies and facilities that will reduce your personal contribution to the nature problem, as well as helping to develop local, small-scale, sustainable and [convivial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tools_for_Conviviality) alternatives, and to gain the skills that might save your life or, in the meantime, help you to change to a career that doesn’t help prop up the corporate economy. We’ve compiled [over 230 of those behaviours, technologies and facilities](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/main). As an individual, you can adopt behaviours, technologies and facilities that will reduce your personal contribution to the nature problem, as well as helping to develop local, small-scale, sustainable and [convivial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tools_for_Conviviality) alternatives, and to gain the skills that might save your life or, in the meantime, help you to change to a career that doesn’t help prop up the corporate economy. We’ve compiled [over 230 of those behaviours, technologies and facilities](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/main).
  
-But there’s [only so much we can do](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/environmental-groups-lifestyle-change-isnt-going-enough-avert-ecological-catastrophe/) via individual lifestyle change - bearing in mind that the vast majority of humanity don’t know or care what’s happening. Conservation groups can help, but ultimately, we’re not going to be able to conserve nature with an economic system that has to [grow forever](/stea/steady-state_economics). We believe that [system change](/syst/system_change) is essential to prevent biodiversity loss and extinction, but we don’t believe that this change can happen [via the electoral system](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/our-response-to-why-dont-you-start-a-political-party), and even less so via violent revolution.+But there’s [only so much we can do](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/environmental-groups-lifestyle-change-isnt-going-enough-avert-ecological-catastrophe/) via individual lifestyle change - bearing in mind that the vast majority of humanity don’t know or care what’s happening. Conservation groups can help, but ultimately, we’re not going to be able to conserve nature with an economic system that has to [grow forever](pgec:post-growth). We believe that [system change](/syst/system_change) is essential to prevent biodiversity loss and extinction, but we don’t believe that this change can happen [via the electoral system](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/posts/our-response-to-why-dont-you-start-a-political-party), and even less so via violent revolution.
  
 That [new system](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/new-economy) is already being built. You can help it to grow. That [new system](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/new-economy) is already being built. You can help it to grow.
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 There are other people who don’t think it’s particularly important if humans become extinct, or even welcome it, because, well, we’ll have deserved it, and it will allow biodiversity to recover. However, humans represent the universe becoming aware of itself – at least in this little corner of it. What a shame to snuff out that growing awareness because of a bad system, rather than bad people. There are other people who don’t think it’s particularly important if humans become extinct, or even welcome it, because, well, we’ll have deserved it, and it will allow biodiversity to recover. However, humans represent the universe becoming aware of itself – at least in this little corner of it. What a shame to snuff out that growing awareness because of a bad system, rather than bad people.
  
-### Should we not talk about this, in case it scares people?+==== Should we not talk about this, in case it scares people? ====
  
 Many feel that we shouldn’t mention this, or at least that we should add copious amounts of sweetener, rather than being honest about the scale of the problem. The arguments go something like this: if you scare people, you paralyse them so that they do nothing, or you make them spend and consume more, to shore up their defences against the coming disaster (therefore making the problem worse); and/or you make them hostile to others in their community, who they might see as competitors for dwindling resources. This is the opposite of what we should actually be doing, and so frightening people with the truth is self-defeating. It will dilute people’s will to do anything about it – they will become fatalistic. Many feel that we shouldn’t mention this, or at least that we should add copious amounts of sweetener, rather than being honest about the scale of the problem. The arguments go something like this: if you scare people, you paralyse them so that they do nothing, or you make them spend and consume more, to shore up their defences against the coming disaster (therefore making the problem worse); and/or you make them hostile to others in their community, who they might see as competitors for dwindling resources. This is the opposite of what we should actually be doing, and so frightening people with the truth is self-defeating. It will dilute people’s will to do anything about it – they will become fatalistic.
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 We should talk about this because if we don’t, the response will be inadequate. And that’s exactly what’s happening. If you could see that someone’s house was on fire, you’d warn them, wouldn’t you? We should talk about this because if we don’t, the response will be inadequate. And that’s exactly what’s happening. If you could see that someone’s house was on fire, you’d warn them, wouldn’t you?
  
 +===== Forum =====
  
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:bushcraft|Bushcraft & Nature]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/bushcraft).
  
-## Further resources+It is also in the section [[gt:philosophy|Philosophy & politics]] (Forum: [Philosophy & politics](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/philosophy)).
  
-- [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction) - Holocene extinction event - the current mass extinction+===== Further resources ===== 
 + 
 +- [[wp>Holocene extinction]] event - the current mass extinction
 - [Living Planet Index](https://www.livingplanetindex.org/) - the state of the world's biological diversity based on population trends of vertebrate species from terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats - [Living Planet Index](https://www.livingplanetindex.org/) - the state of the world's biological diversity based on population trends of vertebrate species from terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats
 - [Greenpeace](https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/wildlife-and-biodiversity/biodiversity-loss/) - biodiversity loss: a beginners' guide - [Greenpeace](https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/wildlife-and-biodiversity/biodiversity-loss/) - biodiversity loss: a beginners' guide
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-## Related topics+===== Related topics =====
  
-- [[stea:Steady-state economics]]+- [[pgec:Post-growth]] economics
 - [[syst:System change]] - [[syst:System change]]
 - [[phil:Philosophy]] - [[phil:Philosophy]]
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-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  • ntre/nature.1773342393.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2026/03/12 19:06
  • by Simon Grant