The Way We Live
Continuing our Visions of Ecotopia series, left-biocentrist David Orton describes his rustic lifestyle that many urban ecocentrics might envy. Here’s his description of his life with wife Helga Hoffman-Orton on their wooded acreage in picturesque Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada.
March 16, 2011 Comments Off on The Way We Live
John Livingston: An Appreciation
Nova Scotia deep ecologist and writer David Orton believes that the work of deceased Canadian deep ecologist John Livingston (1923-2006) deserves to be better known in the activist community. Orton suggests that Livingston’s writing forces the reader to face up to what is required for the Earth’s survival and is thus extremely important for today’s rapidly disintegrating ecological and social world. (This article first appeared in Green Web Bulletin #79 )
January 10, 2010 1 Comment
Deep Ecology and Alternative Political Models
The complexity and interdependence of ecosystems mean that exclusively human-centric social organizations pose an increasingly grave threat to non-human species and to the environment, as well as to indigenous human societies. Incorrect decisions made by the dominant human power structure can easily propagate and augment their impact. Decentralisation of power and “local” solutions seem to offer the only remedies that can avert us from imminent global destruction, writes Ukrainian eco-centrist Victor Postikov.
October 7, 2009 Comments Off on Deep Ecology and Alternative Political Models
Tactility Lost, Tactility Regained
Have you ever experienced a situation in which you meditate on an idea for some time and, surprisingly, acquire confirmations from various sources? Such coincidences brought Russian writer Victor Postnikov to the idea of ‘lost tactility,’ and the need for us to regain it through poetry and magic.
October 5, 2009 2 Comments
Remembering Arne Naess (1912-2009)
Norwegian eco-philosopher Arne Naess died on Monday January 12th, 2009 age 96. Naess promoted Deep Ecology, an intimate and all-embracing relationship between the Earth and humans that inspired environ-mentalists and Green political activists around the world. Here is leading left-biocentrist David Orton’s eulogy to him.
January 19, 2009 1 Comment
The Poetic Aspects of Deep Ecology
The main premise of the poetic paradigm is that the mind has an intimate connection with poetry, which imparts greater meaning to life. This connection has been recognized by many poets and philosophers of the past; however, it is now that their ideas seem vital for raising human consciousness and saving the planet. Writer, poet, and translator Victor Postnikov traces the poetic vision of humanity as a constant struggle for greater consciousness, and shows its relevancy for contemporary society.
August 16, 2008 1 Comment
Deep Ecology Almost Unknown In Italy
The political situation of the green movement in Italy is not good, writes Italian eco-centrist Guido Dalla Casa. This isn’t unusual in Italy: there’s almost no mention of the environment in Italian political discourse and the concept of Deep Ecology is almost unknown. Italian Green Party publications do not even mention Deep Ecology, and the last national elections were a disaster for the environmental movement. With no green representative in the Italian parliament there is little hope of any deep or even shallow greening coming from the Italian political sphere.
June 17, 2008 4 Comments