Connecting the dots between energy, economy, ecology, culture and politics
Human activity is changing the planet in fundamental ways, to the extent that scientists have proposed the present geological age be called the ‘Anthropocene‘, or human-influenced. Owing to more than two centuries of fossil fuel usage, a booming global population and reckless exploitation of nature in pursuit of exponential economic growth and consumption, modern industrial societies are having a catastrophic effect on the planet.
The result is accelerating degradation and contamination of air, water and soil, collapse of ecosystems, extinction of species, depletion of energy and other non-renewable resources, and climate change. We are not only damaging the very natural systems on which all life depends, but also undermining their ability to renew themselves, thus endangering our collective survival. These connected planetary crises are converging in the 21st century, their impact increasingly manifested in a series of economic, social and political crises ranging from stock market crashes to water-sharing disputes to resource wars.
Understanding these manifold, interlinked and rapidly evolving crises calls for a re-examination of the fundamental assumptions and values that determine our worldview – both at an individual and societal level. It also requires us to connect the dots between various aspects of our highly complex industrial way of life and the ever-worsening state of the natural world. Only then can we gain a true picture of our predicament, let alone formulate an effective response.
This website is an initiative by the Ecologise Network – a collective of concerned scientists, educators, journalists, students, activists, conservationists, farmers and others – who seek to widen and deepen awareness about these historically unprecedented crises. We believe that none of this is doom-saying or speculation, but urgent reality that must be faced. Towards this end, we also showcase the ideas and efforts of those who are responding to these challenges and building alternatives, in India and elsewhere.
To get in touch, write to us at ecologiseindia@gmail.com
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