New paper on the way... first bits

Let us begin by taking it as given that the human effect on planet earth is now damaging it sufficiently to suggest we need to change what we are doing. Our presence here is no longer benign, we are no longer ‘one species amongst many’ on this planet. Instead we are a dominant species exerting that dominance over all other forms of life. This is having a damaging effect on the environmental conditions upon which we, and other species depend in order to survive. This is a profound change taking place across the planet, it is likely to take centuries to rectify, if we are able to do so at all (see Berry 1999, Lovelock 2009). In starting this process of change and re-alignment of the human race with the planet, we have to first change our behaviour. Our current relationship with the planet is human centric, we see the planet as our resource there to exploit for our needs. We must change our relationship so that it is earth centric, where we align our needs with those of the natural environment. Then, we have to set the conditions for generations to come to be able to live fulfilling lives whilst at the same time ensuring that they have the necessary knowledge and conscious awareness of what we do and why we do it. In effect we have to educate for sustainability, for now and forever. It is as simple and as complex as that.