Ernesto Caivano, Arbor Axis-Body Of Leaves (2006)
As we kick off Earth Week, in a moment of global pandemic, we are thinking very much about the power of community. Throughout this week, we’ll be posting inspirational quotes or advice from some of our favorite environmentalists and initiatives. Today, we begin with George Monbiot who reminds us that…“By rebuilding community, we become proud of our society, proud of our institutions, proud of our nations, proud of ourselves. By coming together we discover who we are. We ignite our capacity for empathy and altruism. Togetherness and belonging allow us to become the heroes of the story.”
While this quote originally appeared one of Monbiot's 2007 book, Out of the Wreckage: A New Politics for an Age of Crisis, the sentiment about rebuilding our communities aligns perfectly with Monbiot's recent article about the impact of Covid-19 - "A Zombie Love Story"
Beyond the scope of current events, we also share Monbiot’s sense of hope for shifting our habits to support a healing planet. In Feral: Rewilding the Land, the Sea and Human Life, Monbiot states: “I thought of the places I would be leaving, of what they were and what they could become. I pictured trees returning to the bare slopes, fish, and whales returning to the bay. I thought of what my children and grandchildren might find here, and of how those who worked the land and sea might prosper if this wild vision were to be realized.”
