EarthChat

As a follow on to last Tuesday’s program on Eco-Anxiety, we now shine the light on Eco-Grief, a profound sense of loss felt in response to the negative impacts of global warming on the planet. It is an experience of deep sadness about the consequences of environmental degradation of our air, land, and waters, and the subsequent loss of many species, along with natural systems’ breakdown on our precious planet.

While Eco-Anxiety focuses on the anxious anticipation of environmental problems and their potential impacts, Eco-Grief centers around the emotional response to the actual loss and damage in the environment that has already occurred and continues. Both are interconnected responses to negative environmental change that often require validation and action to manage.

To help understand the impact of Eco-Grief, and ways we can work with it, Ruth’s joined by The Euroa Arboretum’s, Cathy Olive and Libby Woodhouse, along with Alison Trethowan, who is the facilitator for the newly formed Granite to Goulburn Biodiversity Recovery Alliance - an alliance of local environmental groups, (which includes The Euroa Arboretum, ‘The Arb’), who are working together to restore the Granite to Goulburn landscape following the Longwood bushfires of this January. https://www.biodiversityrecoveryalliance.com 

Eco-Grief is especially present at this time due to these recent Victorian bushfires - some of which are still burning. Nearly 500 human homes have been confirmed lost along with 15,000 farm animals, and countless native animals have suffered and perished, along with their natural habitat.

We’re beginning to talk about what climate change is doing to us not just what needs to be done about it. Acknowledging and expressing our grief is a starting point for naming what we’re feeling, allowing us to see that this is a collective experience, and that it’s okay to feel this way.  This is especially critical for young people who need to be able to experience ‘active hope’ for a healthy future for the planet.

Indigenous people are more consciously aware of their kinship with the natural world so we can only imagine how intensely personal their ‘eco-grief’ must be.

Cath, Libby, and Allison are passionate conservationists and regenerative nature gardeners, inspired by landscape restoration that cultivates and supports biodiversity of natural habitat for wildlife to thrive. Cath works alongside Traditional Owners to best manage Country to also create positive environmental outcomes whilst balancing the needs of community and farmers.

With decades of experience between them, all three guests continue to offer significant leadership in environmental restoration education enabling many people to reconnect with nature and participate in programs that help restore biodiversity in their region.

Libby is know as ‘a local national treasure’. Quote from Cath: “If anyone can turn around Eco-Grief, it’s our Lib!” Her successful restorative care for the Seven Creeks bush in Euroa has inspired others to join her, and learn from her, bush gardening techniques. “Libby is a tireless worker and volunteer… Her energy and interests seem unstoppable“. In the 2022 Australia Day awards, Libby was named Strathbogie Shire Citizen of the Year. “Her passionate concerns are for both the environment and the community”.

Alison works in environmental education in projects like ‘RiverConnect’ in Shepparton, as well as running her own small business, ‘Find Your Feathers’, which aims to re-connect people with nature for the physical and mental health benefits that comes with spending time in Nature. Previously a Social Worker in both youth work and mental health she brings with her valuable insights from experiencing and witnessing Eco-Grief in others.

Our guests will reflect how they overcome this profound sense of loss by acknowledging and validating the grief, along with seeking others who feel the same. We need to know we’re not alone. We’ll learn from their experience of how we can become stronger and more creative in finding innovative solutions to help us contribute to a healthier planet and our own collective healing.

Useful links:

The Rise of Eco-Anxiety: positive and practical ways to prepare for and process climate related events.

Climate anxiety is increasing worldwide and affecting a wide range of groups, especially younger people and other vulnerable groups such as older people and those with limited resources to take preventative action or adapt to climate risks. A 2023 Mission Australia study of 19 000, 15-19 year olds found that 60% have some level of concern about climate related events and 21% were very or extremely concerned.

Links:

The Granite News - prepared by the Hughes Creek Catchment Collaborative this newsletter contains essential information on sources of help and community connection for anyone dealing with the impacts of the fires or who would like to be part of the recovery process. To get on the mailing list, Email: [email protected]

The Tiaki Promise www.tiakinewzealand.com

Kaitiakitanga – Guardianship and Conservation. It is a way of managing the environment and looking at the world in an interconnected way.  This concept informs land and tourism management and ensures that future generations are equipped to hand down culturally important values www.environmentguide.org.nz www.kaitiakitanga.org

Qualmark program https://www.qualmark.co.nz

A highly regarded quality assurance organisation that helps Tourism businesses improve their sustainability and providing benefits to local communities and the broader economy.

Taupo Bungy Jump Sustainability Initiatives www.bungy.co.nz/environment 

US Climate Resilience Toolkit Based around the concept of 72 hour resilience for all city infrastructure eg, power, water, supplies, relocation centres. Practical advice and suggestions for preparedness and self sufficiency

Climate Justice Toolkit  Climatejusticetoolkit.org.au 

This organisation highlights how climate change unfairly impacts groups who may already experience inequality, marginalisation and discrimination. The Toolkit provides free advice  and resources for community service organisations to help with disaster resilience and social justice responses for all affected by climate events.

Parents for Climate

Champions for Climate Action within their communities and protect children with a safe environment and clean air for a better future https:// www.parentsforclimate.org

Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia

Connection and training to transform Australia’s response to environmental and climate issues https://wela.org.au

Psychology for a Safe Climate (PSC) https://www.psychologyforasafeclimate.org 

PSC strengthens the emotional foundations of communities responding to critical climate and nature events. They recognise that climate change response is not just about science and policy but about feelings, emotions and cultures. They aim to provide relief, build resilience and empower systems change

This week Marie  chats with  Julian Cribb. He is a very experienced science communicator specializing in environmental issues, the problems and what we need to do to alleviate them.

He has written several books including "The Earth System Treaty" which presents a plan for humanity going ahead and outlines the issue we are facing which will be central to our discussion. You can find out more about his book, The Earth System Treaty here: humanfuture.org/earth-system-treaty

Tim chats with Anthony Radford about how stories can have a positive impact on how people think and act. Anthony grew up in Broadford and is now a Bendigo-based media professional who cares deeply about good storytelling and strong local communities. Through Radford Media, he works with community organisations, Traditional Owners and businesses to help them tell clear, honest stories about who they are and what they stand for, with a strong focus on regional voices. He has a lot of experience about communication strategies related to climate action. He was a journalist for 20 years and won a Walkley Award (a finalist twice!) and a Quill Award.

Ruth welcomes back Cam Walker from Friends of the Earth (FOE) to talk about FOE’s current environmental focus including the latest fires in Victoria, both from FOE’s perspective and his own personal experience, having been on the ground as a CFA volunteer firefighter in the recent Harcourt-Ravenswood fires that destroyed 48 houses earlier this month. Cam brings a fresh perspective on how to prepare for future fires in these unpredictable times of climate change, including the urgent need for Australia to purchase our own fleet of Large Air Tankers (LATS) currently leased from North America. Climate change is creating longer and longer fire seasons around the world so not having our own fleet is rapidly becoming a risky option.

2026 has started with heartbreaking fires in central Victoria, floods on the South West Coast and political tremors around the world. Many of us are directly affected by the impact of the local fires and any sort of recovery will take a long time. Local communities have rallied with dedicated emergency support and compassion. The best of human behaviours is there in the midst of uncertain and difficult times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantha_Ratnam

Following the Victorian fires, on EarthChat we discussed the importance of a respectful  immediate response to people who are seriously affected.  We also acknowledged the fantastic efforts of our first responders who did such a wonderful job.

On a related topic, we discussed the central role of bees and other pollinators in the health of our environment and how they are affected by climate change and heat.

From our "best of EarthChat series"

You may not know the name Violet Coco, but you would have seen her on the news, arrested for protesting in different places, all to highlight the precarious state of our planet. Violet is a passionate environment and social justice activist. She has been arrested 49 times in 6 years as a non-violent, direct action, change maker. 

Information on Violet:

Some links of interest mentioned in the show:

- Some books and other resources: 

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet and Peace is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh

We can’t get There from Here: Carbon, Climate and the Call to Wonder, with Báyò Akómoláfé and Paul Hawken 

Any book by Joanna Macy

In the State of Victoria, Australia’s first Treaty has been negotiated, legislated, and signed by the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria, the Victorian State Government and the Governor of Victoria.

It's 10 years since the first program, and with EarthChat is in good health, Peter Lockyer is pulling up stumps. So this week, Peter shares how EarthChat started, its objectives, and some highs and lows.