We are living in a time of collapse. In the quest for ever-expanding empires and profits, seven of the nine Planetary boundaries, reflecting the safe limits of human pressure on global processes, have been crossed. The weather systems on which our entire agricultural industry is built are changing. The social aid systems meant to support our populations are being dismantled. The backbone of our food system, agriculture, faces debt cycles for farmers, corporate consolidation, abuse of workers, depletion of soil and desertification, reliance upon dwindling supplies of mined phosphorus, land speculation and destruction of farm land for industrial development… the list goes on. All of this for a dream of infinite growth, which does not and cannot exist.
These trends, however, are not a sudden shift; our modern world is built on a history of manmade hunger events, such as the intentional destruction of crops and agroforests duing the genocide of Indigenous Americans, or the exporting of food from Ireland while millions died during the Great Irish Famine. History has many such examples that can be used to advocate for systems that embrace food sovereignty. Food is a common pool resource and must be built, managed, and preserved collectively, not for the sake of profit, but for the sustained survival of our species.
All of this often feels insurmountable, so what can be done to move forward and heal our planet and our society? Conventional efforts, designed in a system with a flawed set of principles, have done very little. In the local space, I have seen the non-profit industrial complex take two years of meetings, planning, and paying a consultant, just to plant 3 fruit trees (this work was then contracted out to another group). Clearly, this approach will not move with the speed or scope to actually effect change in any meaningful measure, and in my opinion, is usually more of a haven for those looking for solace from the horrors of our systems, but who are still trapped in what they seek to escape.
This feels bleak. It’s a truth that we all desire to fight against, but the scale of it is so daunting. A friend once described it as “to wake up into the truth of this world is to wake up crying.” But this article is not an invitation to hopelessness. It is an invitation to explore creating systems that can better our future. This is an invitation to engage in shared meaning-making, to heal collectively, and to work to take actions that directly benefit humans and all life on our planet.
This journey* is set to begin in March, when we will collectively study Regenerating Earth Through Collapse. Together, we will explore and establish ourselves on the pathway for regenerating Earth. And by walking this path, we will live into a vision where our kids can drink water from the Roanoke River and its tributaries without being poisoned. This is a vision where planting fruit trees and food forests is a seasonal and communal activity every year, unhindered by nonprofit middle managers.
*A note on the journey:
The Regenerating Earth Through Collapse material is produced by the Design School for Regenerating Earth. This Design School has a sliding scale down to $5 a month. This grants you full access to the entire catalog of materials and any other concurrent courses. The Design School also generously offers scholarships to those serious about this work.
While the Design School is an online learning platform, the application of this work is within our local landscape. So, we will be hosting a Roanoke gathering to collectively engage with these materials, setting a time that is convenient for those who participate.
Come to our next meeting to learn how to join the local journey!
Written by Hunter
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