A compelling case for finally living according to your values — Species extinction, climate change, growing injustice, rising mental and physical health issues. What are you going to do about it? The answers are classically something like: Don’t fly. Eat vegan. Buy less. Make your shampoo. From my 10+ years of research, I found that the common promise of sustainable living…

What happens when we outgrow our shell? Once upon a time, I felt out of the dominant philosophy of my culture. I was no longer interested in entertainment, in material achievement, in great adventures that require a lot of natural resources, or in pursuing a career. …

Meaninglessness is internal. — Meaninglessness seems to come from outside ourselves. We expect to find meaning in our jobs, in our sports, in our travels, and in our relationships. We blame the world for not holding up to its promise. Meaninglessness can’t be found. It can only arise from within. It is self-generated and…

I live two lives. One is leaning towards reality, one towards delusion. Between the two lives stand zombies. It’s a sunny Tuesday morning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After the heavy rain last night, the air is crisp, and the scent of Canadian goldenrod tickles my membranes. Shyly, I open the top…

This morning, I ate an avocado. It needed about 300l (80 gallon) of water to become an avocado. It probably travelled from South America, causing CO2 emissions for every mile it moved. Because it likes to be cool while travelling, cooling added to the emissions. To be planted, ancient, diverse…

We want to reduce our carbon footprint, but fly to Bali for a yoga retreat. We want to do no harm, but eat Döner on a regular basis. We want equality while at the same time wanting to be at the top of the hierarchy. Some might say we are…

Ancient knowledge was never conceived like our scientific knowledge (savoir), because it always involved a know-how (savoir faire), a knowledge about how to live (savoir vivre) and, ultimately, a certain way of life. …

While walking in the forest yesterday, I looked at the trees, shrubs, and ground cover, and there was this specific little shrub that I have been walking past many times. He is lush green, very dense, and has beautifully shaped leaves. I felt tempted to dig him out and plant…

As I described before, I consider fasting to be a regenerative practice. For the transition towards the Ecocene, I am convinced that we have to go through changes that feel uncomfortable. …