A Shift from a Culture of Consumption to a Culture of Caretaking - Scott Russell

11/20/20 • 42 min

Scott Russell Sanders defines himself as an "Earth Writer". He has a great passion for the earth and the land - which is perhaps due to the circumstance that his father comes from a family of cotton farmers. He spent his school and university years in Ohio, where he earned his PhD in English. His work as Distinguished Professor in English brought him to Bloomington, Indiana, where he still lives with his family. He has received numerous awards for his literary achievements.

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Mimi Casteel

The second generation winemaker Mimi Casteel from the US-state of Oregon is trying to make a point. She takes an abandoned, toxic and dry piece of land and turns it into a wild paradise for animals and plants. Her goal with the 80 acres project Hope Well : To show people that change is possible. Life rebounds as soon as we give it a chance.

According to Mimi, systemic change is necessary to guarantee the survival of humans on this earth. Nature will always rebound eventually. Humans on the other hand need to change to guarantee their survival. A first step would be to reconsider the kind of wealth and happiness they hold dear. In this system, natural resources are widely considered an asset to use and live off. But according to Mimi, they are actually a credit line that humans are to pay back over time. As such, natural resources need a regenerative approach.

A regenerative farm as well as any regenerative endeavor is not about endlessly increasing the financial outcome. It is about living in a comfortable and rewarding area, where the words "enough" and "content" experience a whole new dynamic and appreciation. A new dynamic that humans can define as their new goal in life. According to Mimi, we’ve detached ourselves, replaced hands, eyes and love with machines, chemicals and distance. Going forward, we should rethink our definition of success. Our daily efforts deserve to be more meaningful to build a better future while healing the land.

Find out more about Mimi Casteel and her work

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A Cultural Historian Take on Regeneration, With Riane Eisler

Andrew chats with Riane Eisler Tennenhaus, a cultural historian, systems scientist, teacher, lawyer, orator and author, whose work on cultural transformation inspired scientists and social activists. Riane and Andrew turn their attention to soil activism