Desertification has been a buzzword for years now. For example the Sahara is expanding into the Sahel, in the process of desertification. It is usually used as a direct synonym for "land degradation." This article challenges that approach and critiques how the term has been wielded against landscapes and people. In our conversation, Rosetta points out the problematic roots and uses of the word “desertification”—which is tied to the presumptive conclusion of drylands as “unproductive” landscapes needing to be fixed. Even though the United Nations states that drylands are associated with food insecurity and economic poverty, I was more curious to critique the confounding factors of land access, land privatization and borders preventing open migration, and intensive and flood irrigation-dependent agriculture not suited to such bioregions.
The podcast interview with Rosetta Elkin can be heard here.
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Recommended podcasts list!
- BBC Earth - Growth Busters - Mongabay Newscast - Rewilding Earth Podcast - The Climate Pod - Jane Goodall Hopecast - Overpopulation Podcast - What on Earth (EIA News) - Wild Crimes - LifeWorlds
BBC Earth:
GrowthBusters
Rewilding Earth
The Climate Pod
Jane Goodall Hopecast
What On Earth? EIA podcast
Wild Crimes
The Overpopulation Podcast
Mongabay Newscast
LifeWorlds
Horizontal gene transfer in plants.
As the amount of plant genomic DNA sequence increases, scientists have detected DNA sequence information that simply does not conveniently fit into genome assemblies, and clearly appears to be from somewhere else. Dr. Lara Pereira from the University of Sheffield explains the surprising frequency of lateral gene transfer between grass species. The mechanism of crossing the species barrier is discussed, along with the frequency of horizontal transfer. We discuss the ramifications of unregulated integration of DNA into plant genomes and the perception of transgenic plants in the EU and other locations where crop genetic engineering is not viewed favorably. The results also suggest additional care when monitoring gene escape in transgenic grasses like maize.
Theory of change, longtermism, and ambition.
• Will humanity likely converge on good values as we get more educated and invest more in moral philosophy — or are the things we care about actually quite arbitrary and contingent? • Why are so many nonfiction books full of factual errors? • How does Will avoid anxiety and depression with more responsibility on his shoulders than ever? • Should we focus on existential risks more or less the same way, whether we care about future generations or not? • Are potatoes one of the most important technologies ever developed? • And plenty more. Highlight at 55 minutes.
February 9 at 4-6pm EST
Regenerating Bioregions: Co-Designing Our Future Together A Community Gathering with guests Joe Brewer and Penny Heiple from Barichara, Colombia Attend here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/regenerating-bioregions-co-designing-our-future-together-tickets-523171218197 NOTE: This event can be attended in person OR virtually by accessing a livestream channel. If you wish to attend virtually, just select a virtual ticket at checkout and a link to the livestream channel will be provided with your order confirmation.
Join us on the Case Western Reserve University campus for an interactive dialogue exploring the intergenerative diversities (science, arts, business, health, civics & more) that make our communities so rich! There is no cost to attend this event.
We will co-create visions of our region's future. Using the regenerative lens of bioregionalism, this perspective integrates the cultural and natural features of land areas often defined by their watersheds and encompassing Indigenous perspectives. Joe Brewer and Penny Heiple (Bioregional Activators Network, Barichara River Watershed, Colombia, South America) come to us emergently — a just added stop on their two-week journey through the largest freshwater basin on the planet — our beloved Great Lakes. Activating bioregions with free talks and workshops along with field site visits to different landscapes, they join us through the broad systems work of the Legacy Project in Toronto, decade-long collaborators of the bioregion’s Intergenerational Schools in Cleveland’s Collinwood, Buckeye and Ohio City neighborhoods. Joe and Penny's additional stops include Toronto, Canada, and Rochester, Ithaca and Binghamton, New York. Also check out Possible Planet's activities for more regenerative culture. Or thecalendar of events for Earth Regenerators.
Quick Description: A good summary of present goods and bads in EA, and I think his grounded approach to long termism could be good.
Guest host Sigal Samuel talks with Holden Karnofsky about effective altruism, a movement flung into public scrutiny with the collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried and his crypto exchange, FTX. They discuss EA’s approach to charitable giving, the relationship between effective altruism and the moral philosophy of utilitarianism, and what reforms might be needed for the future of the movement.
Nihizhí, Our Voices: An Indigenous Solutions Podcast by Lyla June is dedicated to providing listeners a variety of topics that center Indigenous voices across Turtle Island (aka North America).
In the latest episode we speak with Monaeka Flores of the Chamorro Indigenous Community of Guåhan (colonially known as Guam). She works with Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian and other groups working to protect water, land, sacred sites and advocate for the demilitarization of their precious island. In these transmissions, hope burgeons from shared song and protest, as affinity between Indigenous brothers and sisters is internationally contextualized to offer connection. Through our shared histories, what occupies and pollutes people, land, and waters is both acknowledged and named. Alongside this recurring narrative of both horror and caliber, we observe the beating of butterfly wings that inflect and ripple through our awareness as tranquil, powerful, and crowning as the Eight-Spot Butterfly, an endemic species found only in Guåhan. Monaeka shares with us what's working, what gives them hope, and how we can continue these challenging yet essential fights. Join us! Visit @PrutehiLitekyan on Instagram for more info.
The Other Others
In this yarn, Tyson Yunkaporta and a bunch of his friends talk about adding to biodiversity by exploring the relationships in the ecosystem. Like how do we make biodiversity more relational? What degree of symbiosis is best within this ecosystem? His epistemology/cosmovision relies a lot in indigenous aboriginal australian frameworks regarding Country or Land. In that framework human beings are in relation with the ecosystem/place/Land as stewards, being part of the pattern, and actively involved in restoring relations with ancestors and more than human companions. We can learn a lot from these perspectives and appreciate them (without appropriating!). Such as Songlines which are very interesting.
Philosopher and author Martha Nussbaum about her new book, Justice for Animals. Martha discusses several different ethical, legal, and metaphysical theories for how we humans should treat other non-human animals, and offers her own distinct new approach.
Career advice for new environmentalist leaders! Kate Landry discusses working for the World Wildlife Fund:
This podcast is called "How Do I Do This: An Environmental Career Podcast"
More and more people are waking up to the idea that climate change and the loss of nature (i.e. biodiversity and ecosystems) is real and we need to become better stewards of our planet. Leading many to seek out careers in the environmental field. It is a growing field that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon but it can be a tough one to break into. Hear from top professionals and new professionals alike about how they broke into the industry and what it’s really like to work in the environmental field. Welcome to the wild world of environmental careers. |