People who live in a Regenerative Culture see themselves as part of nature and collaborate with the natural world and each other to meet their needs in a way that supports nature’s systems to flourish and regenerate.
We currently live in a culture that stems from a worldview in which we see ourselves as separate from nature, one that emphasizes exponential economic growth as the way to make our lives better. We are encouraged to meet our needs at the expense of others, nature as well as other people.
For about two hundred years humans have been living with the message that exponential growth is good. This worldview has given us permission to overconsume – food, resources and goods. This overconsumption has lead to the destruction and depletion of nature, increasing poverty and a sense of social isolation for many.
We can see the results of overconsumption and isolation emerging in the members of our population who are struggling with obesity through overeating. The message literally is: it’s good to consume, and with a feeling of isolation people turn to the consumption of food in an imbalanced way in an attempt to change that feeling of isolation through eating.
Overconsumption can also be seen in the cycle of stuff – the things we believe we need to improve our quality of life. Resources are mined from the earth, manufactured into goods and then marketed to us. We purchase things we think we need and in many cases these things end up either filling our homes and overwhelming us with clutter or ending up buried in a landfill or burned in an incinerator.
We urgently need to change the way we’re doing things. We have the knowledge, skills and models for living and leading in a different way, in a way that benefits all beings we share this planet with. This way of living creates a Regenerative Culture.
How do we move from this “growth is good” consumer culture to an integrative, regenerative culture?
We need to change our worldview. In other words we need to think and get out of the box.
A worldview lies at the base of any culture. The current predominant worldview is that exponential economic growth is good. We can easily see the results if we open our eyes and take a good look around. It does raise the question: “Good for whom?” Perhaps a tiny percentage of the human population.
In the long term that tiny percentage won’t benefit either. Future generations of their families will suffer the same fate as everyone when the human life-support systems aka nature completely collapse.
Let’s get out of the box. It’s time for a new worldview.
The worldview of a regenerative culture is that humans are part of nature, and everything we do is intended to support the regeneration of nature. That means we live in a way that supports the regeneration of things like topsoils, rivers, plants and human and non-human species while we meet our human needs.
We consciously design ways of life that support the natural systems to regenerate. We live in a society recognizing that resilience comes from diversity and community, and in living this way life is enriched. We create ways of valuing each other’s knowledge and skills in a way that puts the benefit where it belongs and shares the abundance with many, rather than putting it in the pockets of a few (that tiny percentage).
We all need to play our part to move from this current economic-growth culture to a regenerative culture. This is the time of transition where individually and collectively we must start to choose consciously to live and lead regeneratively. This transition time will have its challenges, however by embracing new design and leadership skills, working collaboratively and cooperatively, and having an overview of and an integrative approach to the areas on which we need to focus our leadership, I believe we will make a great contribution to a thriving planetary future for all.
Through the writing, videos, guest interviews and offerings this website you can learn more about how to live and lead regeneratively, navigate in this transition time and contribute to a thriving, regenerative culture and future.