LESS is a journal on degrowth, radical sufficiency and decolonisation in Scotland.
Issue 4: the ecology issue.
With Glasgow’s COP26 fading into history as another milestone in industrial civilisations’ failure to reckon seriously with the root causes of climate change, the limitations of our ability to handle diffuse, complex risk becomes clearer. Our national and global institutions, predicated on an anthropocentric worldview and quasi-fanatical adherence to the goal of economic growth is undermining the basis for life as we know it, and not just for humans.
Degrowth and its sister term decolonisation argue that the economy as presently constructed inevitably unleashes destruction of the natural world. This is the inevitable outcome of infinite growth in a finite material world. As we’ve said “Climate crisis is manifest destiny.”
In this issue, we explore attacks on ecosystems, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, resource depletion and scarcity in Scotland and beyond. How do our actions and consumption impact beyond our shores? What are the critical losses we have faced and will face right here?
How has perpetual growth and consumption undermined eroded and destroyed: land and soil; air quality in our cities; water purity in our seas and lochs and rivers; and driven some species to extinction?
But as well as looking critically and honestly at the reality of ecological disaster in Scotland we will also look at restorative practices, regenerative practical projects and movements and examples of fresh thinking which addresses the realities we are facing. Forms of traditional ecological knowledge, biomimetics, practices and lifeways that de-centre human supremacy may give us clues to live well within limits.
For this issue, we seek contributions on these and related themes. We are interested in non-fiction, reportage, field reports and case studies, poetry, illustrations and photography.
See our guidelines for contributors for details including fees.
Deadline for submissions: 18th April 2022
Contact us at [email protected]
Artwork by Bec Wonders.
Read previous articles from our first three issues HERE.
You can subscribe HERE.
