As we waver on the cusp of various global crises, the services women provide to environmental protection become more indispensable every day. Bianca Jagger traces the deep connections women have had with the Earth from time immemorial.
Recently I delivered the keynote speech at the exhibition, "Women Pioneers for the Environment and Nature Conservation - 1899 to the Present" in Berlin, Germany, organised by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment to celebrate International Women's Day.
When I was first asked to give the speech, I was aware that women have played an important role in conservation, environmental protection, and in addressing the threat of climate change. But I didn’t know how much they have contributed, often invisibly, to preserving and caring for our planet’s precious natural resources. In the course of researching and preparing the speech, I learned a great deal. Women are the unsung heroes of the environment.
What is clear is that, as we waver on the cusp of various global crises, the services women provide to environmental protection become more indispensable every day. More than ever, as we face the challenges of combating climate change, deforestation, the melting of the Arctic sea ice, we will need these women: their skills, their wisdom and their knowledge.
The Great Tradition of Women and the Environment
When the English dissident preacher John Ball asked, in the early 14th century, ‘When Adam delved and Eve span/ Who was then the gentleman?’ he described an idealised divide between traditional gender roles: between the domestic and the agricultural. Eve stays at home and spins - Adam tends the land.
But a short examination of almost any culture across the world, throughout history, will demonstrate how far removed from reality this idea is. Women have always worked and tended the land. Farming, husbandry, gardening, hunting and fishing, forestry... As often as not, Eve is out in the fields with the plough, as well as inside caring for the children.
Denne historien er fra April - September 2017-utgaven av Eternal Bhoomi.
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Denne historien er fra April - September 2017-utgaven av Eternal Bhoomi.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The Sharing Economy: Capitalism's Last Stand?
Is the sharing economy the first part of a New Economic Paradigm or is it capitalism’s latest trick to survive at all costs? Arthur De Grave shares his views.
Embrace Nature by Climbing Trees
When was the last time you climbed a tree? Or have you ever climbed any tree in your life? Meet Verhaen Khanna, a young Delhi resident who connects people with the environment by teaching them how to climb trees, hug them, plant them and a lot.
Is There Life Before Death?
Living primarily in the future could make us psychologically “extinct” long before climate catastrophe does so biologically. It’s time to ask ourselves whether there is life before death, says Carolyn Baker.
Walking Is A Metaphor, As Well As An Act!
Satish Kumar walked over 4000 miles from India to UK and the US in the early 1960s. He still loves walking and says that thanks to walking he lacks no energy, enthusiasm or passion...
The Refugee Crisis
The world community will be facing an ever-increasing stream of refugees. Is it a sign of a Planet in trouble? asks David Korten, the famous author of “When Coporations Rule the World”.
The Growing Importance Of Eco - Feminism
The central tenet of Eco - Feminism is that social and environmental issues are not seperate and it is therefore best to view them collectively. Jessica Schmonsky writes about Eco-feminism - which she believes is a new term for ancient wisdom.
Women Tales From Tehri - Garhwal
Meenal Tatpati wrote this article because she was riveted by the fact that all the villages she travelled to in Uttarakhand had one particular thing in common. There were no men! There were only women of all ages, as they worked at home and on farms, tended cattle and looked after the family.
Piplantri Story
A powerful story of transformation of a village brought about by a systemic approach and a committed community.
Women: The Unsung Heroes Of The Environment
As we waver on the cusp of various global crises, the services women provide to environmental protection become more indispensable every day. Bianca Jagger traces the deep connections women have had with the Earth from time immemorial.
In Search Of A New Ethic To Live By
“Though a new term, it is embedded in ancient wisdom. Archeological evidence suggested that there were many ancient societies where women were not considered subordinate to men; where Earth was treated with respect and reverence and not as an object to exploite and dominate. ”
