Stories about

ENVIRONMENT

“I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystems collapse and climate change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address those problems. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy… and to deal with those we need a spiritual and cultural transformation and we [Lawyers and scientists] don´t know how to do that.” — Gus Speth

The world is a complicated place. To make sense of it we tell ourselves, and each other, stories. These stories are conceived of, communicated and maintained through the medium of language. The narratives we are repeatedly exposed to shape our mental models and the beliefs that we hold regarding who we are, what is important, what is realistic, and even what is real.

At present the stories we live by — that limitless growth is good, feasible and necessary, that the non-human world consists of ‘resources’ to be exploited, that we can consume our way to happiness – set the stage for continuing environmental degradation.

Brilliant minds in the fields of science and technology have already come up with a wide array of solutions to mitigate, adapt to and even reverse the damage. But until our underlying stories shift regarding our priorities, values and capabilities, we are unlikely to move beyond surface-level change or the curse of greenwashing. The problem is, we are so immersed in our current stories that we generally can’t even see them.

coming soon!!! Academic articles: A man’s world but a woman’s planet? Exploring

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coming soon!!! Academic articles: A man’s world but a woman’s planet? Exploring ⋆

As a specialist in linguistics and communications, in order to identify and challenge these stories Nicola undertook training in ecolinguistics with the University of Gloucestershire. She has since led a seminar series on the subject at the UN-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica and undertaken research specifically addressing the differing narratives men and women are exposed to in relation to the natural world, and the implications this has for our planet.

In this workshop we explore the basics of environmental psychology and language socialisation. We then shine a light on the ideologies we are subconsciously drawing on, the frames and metaphors we are building with, the specific language we are using and the ways we are platforming, or unintentionally erasing, the living world in our communications. The training incorporates a wide range of source texts, from advertising to journalism to the public communications of international organisations.