Renowned American author of the 1920’s Jazz Age, F. Scott Fitzgerald keenly reflected the dissipation, excess and waste, greed and recklessness of “the lost generation” in his novels This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night, and the unfinished The Last Tycoon. Similarly in 1949, celebrated playwright and author Arthur Miller questioned the hollow, destructive morality of business-as-usual pursuit of wealth as the ultimate goal of humanity in Death of a Salesman.
Miller’s call for refocusing human enterprise on values and principles other than wealth acquisition in defining human value and success foreshadows American Indian (Hunkpapa Lakota, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) scholar, philosophy and activist Vine Deloria, Jr., who asserted that white society had constructed a technology-based “artificial universe” disconnected from nature with the ominous fate of “Destruction of nature will result in total extinction of the human race. There is a limit beyond which man cannot go in reorganizing the land to suit his own needs” (Source: Deloria, V., Jr., 1970. We Talk, You Listen: New Tribes, New Turf. New York: Macmillan).
Transcending the visionary insights of these previous American society commentators, Oren Lyons, Jr., faithkeeper, Turtle Clan, Onondaga Chief and esteemed participant in the 2011 GEM Wingspread Conference on Mainstreaming Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainability: Red Path towards an Evergreen Society, states unequivocally that “business-as-usual is over.” As a living, guiding light for humanity at the crossroads, Chief Lyons illuminates our way forward as “first, do no harm to the Earth.” He advises us to adhere to and follow the precautionary principle, “It is prudent to err on the side of caution considering the potential consequence on our existence as a species.” (Source: “First, Do No Harm to the Earth” luncheon address by Oren Lyons, Jr. at US Dept. Energy Tribal Summit on May 5, 2011 at http://www.nativenewsnetwork.com/support-files/oren_lyons-tribal-energy-summit.pdf).
The precautionary principle is increasing embraced in Canada and Europe. In 2013, Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency, lamented, “There is something profoundly wrong with the way we are living today. There are corrosive pathologies of inequality all around us — be they access to a safe environment, healthcare, education or clean water. These are reinforced by short-term political actions and a socially divisive language based on the adulation of wealth. A progressive response will require not only greater knowledge about the state of the planet and its resources, but also an awareness that many aspects will remain unknown. We will need a more ethical form of public decision-making based on a language in which our moral instincts and concerns can be better expressed.” In a call to action, McGlade explained, “As we navigate the Anthropocene, the epoch named in recognition of our impact on the planet, we will need to encourage more people to become involved in solving the wicked problems of our times… Manufacturing doubt, disregarding scientific evidence of risks and claiming over-regulation appear to be a deliberate strategy for some industry groups and think tanks to undermine precautionary decision-making… Wider use of the precautionary principle can avert harm and stimulate innovation” (Source: European Environment Agency (2013). Late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation: summary. EEA Report No 1/2013. Copenhagen, Denmark).
Moving ahead yet more recently on this theme, Harrison Ford, film star and Vice Chairman of the Conservation International board of directors, is passionate about preserving biodiversity: “We want people to understand that nature doesn’t need people. People need nature. The human population could disappear completely, and nature would prosper and heal. But we need intact and vital nature in order to support ourselves. We cannot afford to provide for ourselves through our effort and financial means. All the free services our environment provides help us. Nature provides for humanity: fresh air, clean water, pollinators for our crops, renewable sources of food, and sources of future medicinals” (Source: “Harrison Ford Talks Acting, Conservation” on March 22, 2013 interview with Michigan Avenue at http://michiganavemag.com/personalities/articles/harrison-ford-talks-acting-conservation-international#ElLA8PCryDMJ04KF.99)
In GEM’s future, two potential opportunities may allow grassroots actions on Nature’s way. One is a GEM teaming agreement with FHI360 on a USAID-sponsored proposal on Restoring the Environment through Prosperity, Livelihoods, And Conserving Ecosystems (REPLACE) worldwide. Another is a collaborative GEM research proposal with indigenous institutional partners at the Alaska Native Science Commission and the Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center, Haskell Indian Nations University to the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture on indigenuity (indigenous + ingenuity) solutions for adapting to changing climates.
Helping solve wicked problems of our times,
Prof. Victor D. Phillips, GEM Director
GEM Education Center Blog 