Kiddipedia
2020 will undoubtedly be a year we will never forget.
Starting with our devastating bushfires, drought, climate disruption and now the COVID-19 pandemic.
On a positive note in recent weeks we have seen the inarguably encouraging effects social isolation has brought our planet with animals returning to their natural habitat, dolphins swimming in the canals in Venice and reduced pollution in major cities. It’s like mother earth, Gaia is being allowed to heal, rejuvenate and breathe a sigh of relief for the first time in thousands of years.
Each of these events should be teaching us something. When we learn it is our responsibility to teach the lesson to our children to ensure history does not repeat itself.
Children naturally have a strong connection with our natural world, it’s our role to protect our planet for the sake of our children, their children’s children and generations to come.
To talk to us about this today is our special guest, Sally Gillespie.
Sally is a writer and lecturer in the fields of ecopsychology and climate psychology.
She gained her PhD at Western Sydney University, researching the psychological experience of engaging with climate issues. She then wrote her book Climate Crisis and Consciousness: Reimagining our world and ourselves (Routledge) to make what she learnt accessible to the general public.
We ask Sally questions including:
- You mention that now more than ever is the time to nurture our children’s and our own connection with the natural world, could you explain a little more about why you think it is so important for children to learn to love and cherish our planet?
- How is the COVID19 virus making us more aware of human-caused ecological destruction’s in our world?
- What can we do from home and with our families to care more for our environment at this time of quarantine?
- How can we keep up the campaign for climate action during this time?
- In the article, you speak about the fact that Children’s outdoor life has been eroded in recent generations. That Urbanisation, digitalisation and education and parenting practices all contribute to what Richard Louv, author of the groundbreaking book Last Child in the Woods describes as a nature deficit disorder caused by decreased outdoor experience and play. Can you tell us a little more about this philosophy?
For Sally’s full article please visit:
