Core ecological issues


Agriculture represents the single most profound ecological change in the entire 3.5 billion-year history of life.... Indeed, to develop agriculture is essentially to declare war on ecosystems. -- Niles Eldredge

To pretend that civilization can exist without destroying its own landbase and the landbases and cultures of others is to be entirely ignorant of history, biology, thermodynamics, morality, and self-preservation. And it is to have paid absolutely no attention to the past six thousand years. -- Derrick Jensen

The hunting and gathering lifestyle represents the most successful and enduring adaptation ever achieved by humankind. -- John Zerzan

Rarely do we hear in the media about the origins and processes underlying our environmental plight. Yet these are the areas we need to understand for the sake of the human future and that of other species. They are the root causes of biodiversity loss, the destruction of our global life support system. This is the important stuff. Note, as well, that these links counter the speciesism and human supremacism underlying mainstream environmental thought.

  • The problem of civilization

    The evidence makes clear that civilization itself is inherently unsustainable. These links explore that and related topics including the "rewilding" vision.
    • Description of rewilding
      Better start these links for now with an explanation of rewilding. It refers to reclaiming what we have lost with civilization, undoing domestication. Readers here will want to know more. This essay by Emily Porter is a good place to start.
    • The Adventures of Urban Scout
      Urban Scout, living out an entire, multifaceted life project around rewilding and the problem of civilization. Artist, writer, and promoter of rewilding extraordinaire.
    • The Anthropik Network
      Explores rewilding, often from an anthropological perspective, tackling key components of our ecological challenge. Well referenced essays may be of good use to those exploring these topics.
    • Becoming a creature, going feral
      Living close to the land, working on rewilding on Vancouver Island.
    • Ben Brucato
      Toward bioregionalism, limited technology and an end to civilization.
    • The College of Mythic Cartography
      Willem Larsen's rewilding blog. "The land we walk on constitutes a secret mythmap, and we need simply begin to ask questions to see the unfolding of that secret map."
    • Derrick Jensen
      Key author exploring the destructive nature of civilization and examining the rational responses available to us. On the cutting edge of meaningful environmentalism.
    • Dismantle Civilization
      "This blog hopes to pull together many diverging strands of information, to illustrate that the problem lies not with any one simple factor, but with the whole culture that we call civilisation."
    • END:CIV (Film)
      Important new film from Franklin López, now in production. Based in part on Derrick Jensen's Endgame, this film asks, "If your homeland was invaded by aliens who cut down the forests, poisoned the water and air... would you resist?"
    • Feral Kevin
      Foraging, bushcraft, permaculture, and rewilding
    • First Ways
      Urban foraging with Becky “Wild Girl” Lerner. Lots of good plant info, wilderness adventures, primitive skills, etc.
    • Future Primitive
      Major essay by John Zerzan. Drawing on a wide selection of anthropoligical literature, this traces the human shift to domestication and hence civilization. Highlights the contrast between undomesticated cultures and today's society.
    • Hadza
      National Geographic account of time spent with the Hadza. A quick read giving a flavor of life in a contemproray hunter-gatherer group.
    • John Zerzan
      Important writer exploring in depth the the faillures of civilization versus the success of the ways of living characteristic of over 99% of human history. Essential examination of our place in nature.
    • Nature Bats Last
      Blog of Guy McPherson, U. of Ariz. professor emeritus of natural resources and ecology & evolutionary biology. Civilization, empire, collapse, and the rest.
    • Noble or Savage? Both.
      First of a pair of essays by Jason Godesky marshaling anthropological and archeological evidence to debunk an article in The Economist which embraced the old "nasty, brutish, and short" myth concerning hunter-gatherer cultures.
    • The Oil Drum
      Major source of peak oil news and analysis. (Peak oil will likely be the most prominent collapse trigger, though they are all interrelated.)
    • The Original Affluent Society
      Marshall Sahlins' landmark work which transformed the way we understand non-agricultural societies. Good starting point for shaking off the stubborn vision fed to us by today's culture. See Gowdy's text (recommended books) for a longer version.
    • Pudgy Indian 3
      Lots of relevant thoughts from Portland's Eugene Johnson
    • Ran Prieur
      Interesting takes on a wide range of relevant topics.
    • Rewild.info
      Probably the largest center of rewilding discussion on the web. An important hub if you're into rewilding.
    • Toby's People
      Jason Godesky's and Giulianna Lamanna's current rewilding blog.
    • Tracker of Plants
      An engaging and informative rewilding blog from Emily Porter. Great info on plants, herbalism and other topics.
    • Twenty-nine thousand acorns
      Daniel Quiray's rewilding blog, "a contribution to the discourse(s) of the necessary intellectual fields for liberation of not just humanity, but the world."
    • We're all going to die someday
      Thoughtful blog on lots of relevant topics. Tonyisn't but Tony gets it.
    • WildeRix
      Rix White chronicles his learning of primitive skills and experiements in self-rewilding.

  • The problem of agriculture

    Civilization is built on agriculture. Agriculture (as distinguished from the small scale horticulture or gardening practiced by hunter-gatherers) destroys the web of life and is fundamentally unsustainable. The implications cannot be overstated.

  • Carrying capacity

    Some activists refuse to acknowldege that this basic concept of ecological science applies to humans. But we are one of millions of species, a part of the natural world, as much subject to its dictates as any other.