Dear Nature Lovers,
Through the process of globalisation, humanity has lost countless species, languages and cultures. It is a wealth that most people were oblivious to, so they don’t even know how much we’ve collectively lost.
This week’s eco-story focuses on the life and ideas of Helena Norberg-Hodge, the founder of Local Futures, who has been an important witness and activist speaking of the environmental and cultural destruction imposed by globalisation. You can scroll down to read her story.
🗞️ In Climate News
🇬🇱 Greenland's ice sheet is melting and being replaced by vegetation.
🌎 Category 6 hurricane proposed as study warns of 'more intense' weather caused by climate change.
🌏 Climate change is fueling the disappearance of the Aral Sea.
🇳🇬 Shell accused of trying to wash hands of Nigerian oil spill mess.
📈 Cool Trends
♾️ eco-story
A Local Life
The term globalisation describes how local cultures and economies became interdependent through technology and trade. It is a process that developed over centuries — through military, cultural and government imperialism — which led to our current global society and the dispersion of goods, services, money, culture and people across national borders. While this global society is now ubiquitous, there was a time before the proliferation of affordable air travel when the step-by-step process of globalisation was visible, and Helena Norberg-Hodge bore witness.
🌏 The Culture Column
📺 What we’re watching: The Chikukwa Project
📸 Profile of the week: @goodlife_permaculture
📖 What we’re reading: A Bigger Picture - My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis by Vanessa Nakate.
🤯 Amazing fact we learnt this week: As permafrost melts, it releases ancient organic matter that spontaneously combusts, creating underground fires invisible from the surface.