The way I see it, at the root cause of all of those issues is the degradation of our ecosystems and how we have designed degeneration right at the heart of our economies
The Covid-19 pandemic is a demonstration of how degeneration has been designed right at the heart of the world’s economies, according to ethical toiletries business Lush.
The economic recovery should be green and regenerative, restoring ecosystems, communities, re-wilding the land and allowing biodiversity to recover, Lush said. This would reduce the risk of another pandemic, help mitigate climate change and create more economic value and resources for a new economy, it added.
Ruth Andrade, head of regenerative impact and earth care at Lush, said: “We now find ourselves in the middle of multiple crises. A pandemic deeply affecting human life interwoven with a climate, ecological and economic crisis. The way I see it, at the root cause of all of those issues is the degradation of our ecosystems and how we have designed degeneration right at the heart of our economies."
Permaculture
One of the reasons Lush set up its Spring Prize - £220,000 prize fund and support activities co-run by Lush and the Ethical Consumer Research Association – was to financially reward and raise the profile of groups repairing the earth’s damaged systems.
Last year’s prize had 11 winners, from nine countries. These included YICE Uganda, which helps refugees in Bukompe refugee settlement and neighbouring communities gain access to regenerative agricultural training and flexible financial services to reduce hunger and poverty; and the Ceibo Alliance, a movement of indigenous peoples in the western Amazon helping communities defend their territories through high-tech mapping, legal strategies and media campaigns.
Separately, Permaculture magazine has launched a prize to help projects that are transforming communities and regenerating habitats worldwide. It is aimed at individuals, communities, businesses, groups and organisations that can demonstrate inspirational work over more than three years, anywhere in the world.
The closing date for entries in 31 August 2020. For more details, click here.
This Author
Catherine Early is a freelance environmental journalist and chief reporter for the Ecologist. She can be found tweeting at @Cat_Early76.
