Issue 91 | October 2018

On the same day, on Saturday 22nd September, at different ends of the country, people were walking and marching for very different causes, and with very different agendas. The People’s Walk for Wildlife that took place in Hyde Park in London and the anti-nuclear rally at Faslane on the Clyde, were both events that saw people come out to show support for some of the huge, and not necessarily unrelated, issues of our time. Also taking place that day was the opening of the COAST’s new Octopus Centre in Arran. So many causes to put our energy into, so many places to be on the same day! Which to support? Where to go? And what can we individuals do anyway?

Chris Packham, the famous conservationist, presenter of Spring Watch and organiser of the Walk for Wildlife said, “The greatest beauty of nature is that interconnectivity, is that balance, is that harmony”. But he continued, conservationists are "very often focused on the one thing that interests us, that passion. We lose sight of the fact that that single passion is linked to pretty much everything else." Chris Packham is referring to the ecology of the natural world, which when left to function, free from too much human intervention, works in extremely complex and astonishing ways. He also refers to a natural human characteristic, not just something conservationists do, and that is to get driven by and motivated by one thing. People respond to issues relating to the thing they know about best. It is how a lot of great work gets done.

But could an ecological perspective be realistically applied to the social and political world? And would it help politicians to bring about a system change that is needed to help address each of these urgent concerns? From a so-called ‘activist’ view, if we see ourselves as part of a broader, more connected picture, then we may see that the part of ourselves that goes on an anti-Trident rally, is also the part of ourselves which would Walk for Wildlife, or attend the opening of a new community Marine Protected Area centre. It’s about caring for our planet, and it's why there were, among the hundreds from CND and other anti-war organisations, folk from Badger Watch as well as gardeners declaring their hope for a nuclear free world at Faslane. And why in spirit the Voice was at all three events on that day.

We hope you have a great month and enjoy the Voice too!