Earth911 Podcast: Finding Our Niche with Author Philip Loring

Earth911's Mitch Ratcliffe explores the cultural barriers to a harmonious relationship with nature in conversation with author Philip Loring about his book, Finding Our Niche. Loring is the Arrell Chair in Food, Policy and Society at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. He writes that “reconciliation takes hard work at all levels, from federal governments to within individuals’ hearts and minds. It requires that we dismantle our existing, imbalanced systems of power and privilege, give the land back to Indigenous peoples and then trust, rather than fear, what these actions will mean for us settlers.” His meditative writing based on decades of research in indigenous communities is a pleasure to read, opening paths to discovering the sense of stewardship that humans must bring to their interactions with the environment if we are to recast our lifestyles. Phil discusses myth, metaphor and the shifts in thinking that can transform our relationship with nature. A climate optimist, Loring also talks about the value of speculative science fiction, including Star Trek, as humanity wrestles with its poor environmental record.