Note: This letter from the editor was originally published in our weekly newsletter and is being republished here. Hey guys, Lately I’ve been concerned about the lack of empathy and intolerance in the green/eco/left/progressive community. I’ve observed zero wasters nitpick over a zero waste advocate‘s ‘mistakes’. I’ve watched as conscious individuals get torn down by others in the...
Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s Private Jet Fiasco Begs the Question: Is Eco-Activism a Zero-Sum Game?
A few weeks ago, the internet had an all too familiar meltdown over yet another ‘eco’ issue and Prince Harry’s royal family were at the center of this one. The issue, as I understood it, was simply this: they had flown in a private jet for a family vacation. Now admittedly, some of the outcry...
The Coming Age of Automation and Why We Should Be Concerned
In May 1997, Deep Blue, an Artificial Intelligence powered computer beat Garry Kasparov in a chess game. This win was more or less monumental because it was the first public demonstration of the triumph of computers over humankind in such cognitive tasks as a game of chess. Even back then, computers were already being used...
We Deserve a Climate Debate
A couple of nights ago, half the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates took the debate stage for a second time. There are still twenty candidates trying to break out from the crowded field, many will ask a resounding “Who??” as former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, or Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan answer...
How Society Got Broken: The Age of Selfishness and Narcissism
For many long years, there have been heated arguments as to whether man is inherently selfish or not; arguments that subsist until now. One school of thought believes that we are inherently and manifestly selfish because, as Thomas Hobbes put it, the natural state of man’s life would otherwise be “nasty, brutish and short”. Another...
Fear, Hope and the Changing Climate
I recently finished reading ‘Uninhabitable Earth‘ by David Wallace-Wells, which, despite being eye opening, gave me a full-on panic attack within the first few pages and did not get any better from there. I know things are bad. I am aware that the sea levels are rising and island nations such as Vanuatu and the...
The US Women’s Soccer Team Wins the 2019 World Cup – and Fuels Equal Pay Discussions
Note: This letter was originally published in our weekly newsletter and is being republished here. Hey guys, How good was the women’s World Cup grand finals match? Congrats to the US women’s national soccer team on their win and the crowd chanting for equal pay at the end really got me inspired about the future of female sport and gender equality, so...
How to Answer the Argument that Australia’s Emissions are Too Small to Make a Difference
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Authors: Matt McDonald, Associate Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland. After a recent foray into the debate over Australia’s so-called “climate election”, I received plenty of critical replies to my argument that Australians should take climate action more seriously. The most common rebuttal was...
Why Evolving Human Nature is the Key to Sustainability
Since the climate crisis became a fact and not just another “talking point”, there has been an intensive blame game as to who has been most responsible for the crisis. Along with this has also come a debate in the eco-community as to the approach to take in turning the tide. Some people argue that...
Is it Worth Debating Climate Deniers and ‘Skeptics’?
As advocates, we naturally want to persuade others we come in contact with to act, to do something or change the way they approach the world. As climate advocates, we’re torn between persuading people (with the means to) to change their habits while pressuring governments to adequately regulate the industries who ruin our planet with...
Marvel Studios Marvels us with Lessons on Equality and Diversity
Movies are some of the biggest sources of entertainment today. From cinema visits to personalised Netflix content, films have remained the permanent fix in popular culture and entertainment. Every now and then, a movie comes along and goes beyond the realm of pop culture and entertainment. It stretches into mainstream public consciousness and becomes a cultural...
How a Plate Made of Plants Prompts Questions About Inclusivity in the Environmental Movement
Recently, I came across a news article celebrating an innovation by an eco-startup. Now I am a huge believer in the magic of young startups myself. On my weekly hunt to supply adequate resources to the readers of ourClimate Joy series, I am often on the lookout for positive climate news. The article in question...