Jack McGovan
@jackmcgovan.bsky.social
Writer and environmental journalist @ Sentient, The Guardian, Hakai etc
www.sower.world
🇬🇧🏳️🌈
www.sower.world
🇬🇧🏳️🌈
Another project thinks community dining experiences in schools is a more politically-palatable solution. The CanTeams project has already ran 50 successful events across the country.
Not only does the concept use already established infrastructure, it has relied so far on philanthrophic funding.
Not only does the concept use already established infrastructure, it has relied so far on philanthrophic funding.
![The CanTeams project hosts community dining experiences at schools across England. So far, the project has served over 3000 people at over 50 events. “We're trying to turn schools into community hubs, and using activities and nutritious food to do that,” said Jonathan Harper, CEO of Future Foundations, the organisation behind CanTeams. “If you have a young person performing, singing, or doing something… [that] can help catalyse communities coming in.”
Although the project primarily focuses on school children and their immediate families, there have been events involving pensioners or those in care homes. Harper told the story of one old lady who said she was scared of young people and therefore didn’t take the bus in the afternoons, who, after sitting side by side with teenagers and breaking bread with them, felt safe. In the future, he wants to create events where the wider community can come in to eat after the children leave.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:43dbzythqgrwvpxb6wtasdsa/bafkreiezp6mo5ykbg7xbtbkdeabzfwzlbxflhxpuforuxqyqsawrh5ewyi@jpeg)
October 30, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Another project thinks community dining experiences in schools is a more politically-palatable solution. The CanTeams project has already ran 50 successful events across the country.
Not only does the concept use already established infrastructure, it has relied so far on philanthrophic funding.
Not only does the concept use already established infrastructure, it has relied so far on philanthrophic funding.
British Restaurants were eventually closed down in the 1960s because of lobbying from the private sector, which raises a big sticking point: if they couldn't survive during a time of bigger public investment, what chance do they have in a world that's increasingly relying on the private sector?
October 30, 2025 at 1:59 PM
British Restaurants were eventually closed down in the 1960s because of lobbying from the private sector, which raises a big sticking point: if they couldn't survive during a time of bigger public investment, what chance do they have in a world that's increasingly relying on the private sector?
As they'd be public infrastructure, public diners could have guidelines to promote more climate-friendly diets and overhaul diets at a systemic level.
An important aspect, however, is that the diners should be democratic – those eating there should have a say in how they are run.
An important aspect, however, is that the diners should be democratic – those eating there should have a say in how they are run.
October 30, 2025 at 1:54 PM
As they'd be public infrastructure, public diners could have guidelines to promote more climate-friendly diets and overhaul diets at a systemic level.
An important aspect, however, is that the diners should be democratic – those eating there should have a say in how they are run.
An important aspect, however, is that the diners should be democratic – those eating there should have a say in how they are run.
It might seem like a big ask, but state-subsidised dinners were already a thing in the UK during the wartime period of the 20th century – at their peak, there were more so-called British Restaurants than there are McDonalds today!
I grew up in the UK and had no idea of that history.
I grew up in the UK and had no idea of that history.
October 30, 2025 at 1:47 PM
It might seem like a big ask, but state-subsidised dinners were already a thing in the UK during the wartime period of the 20th century – at their peak, there were more so-called British Restaurants than there are McDonalds today!
I grew up in the UK and had no idea of that history.
I grew up in the UK and had no idea of that history.
Free community dining experiences are gaining in popularity across the world – a symptom of a failure in social policy to ensure everyone has access to nutritious, climate-friendly foods.
That's why Nourish Scotland is pushing for state-subsidised diners instead.
That's why Nourish Scotland is pushing for state-subsidised diners instead.
October 30, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Free community dining experiences are gaining in popularity across the world – a symptom of a failure in social policy to ensure everyone has access to nutritious, climate-friendly foods.
That's why Nourish Scotland is pushing for state-subsidised diners instead.
That's why Nourish Scotland is pushing for state-subsidised diners instead.
Goodall's carbon footprint was massive as a result of her advocacy work, and the only conclusion that can be drawn is that she thought her interventions were worth the carbon cost –that she, as an individual, was so valuable that excessive polluting was justified.
October 9, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Goodall's carbon footprint was massive as a result of her advocacy work, and the only conclusion that can be drawn is that she thought her interventions were worth the carbon cost –that she, as an individual, was so valuable that excessive polluting was justified.
African conservationists have long criticised Goodall for being a white saviour, but capitalism sanitises and promotes people like her because narratives of heroic individuals keep the system propped up – it makes us feel like we, too, can reach the exalted status of Goodall and others.
October 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
African conservationists have long criticised Goodall for being a white saviour, but capitalism sanitises and promotes people like her because narratives of heroic individuals keep the system propped up – it makes us feel like we, too, can reach the exalted status of Goodall and others.
It seems like people are basically eschewing responsibility when they use "AI" tools, as if the "AI" itself is the one making the decisions and not them personally – or that line of reasoning provides them with plausible deniability.
September 23, 2025 at 11:37 AM
It seems like people are basically eschewing responsibility when they use "AI" tools, as if the "AI" itself is the one making the decisions and not them personally – or that line of reasoning provides them with plausible deniability.
The reason why immigrant votes matter in the climate context is that immigrants in Western nations are more likely to vote left and be pro-environment.
In the Berlin example, almost *twice* as many people couldn't vote due to lack of citizenship there are people who voted for the winning party.
In the Berlin example, almost *twice* as many people couldn't vote due to lack of citizenship there are people who voted for the winning party.
September 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
The reason why immigrant votes matter in the climate context is that immigrants in Western nations are more likely to vote left and be pro-environment.
In the Berlin example, almost *twice* as many people couldn't vote due to lack of citizenship there are people who voted for the winning party.
In the Berlin example, almost *twice* as many people couldn't vote due to lack of citizenship there are people who voted for the winning party.
You can even use the text I sent, just copy and paste it from the alt text!
September 17, 2025 at 11:53 AM
You can even use the text I sent, just copy and paste it from the alt text!
Our relationship with nature has fundamentally changed over the last two centuries, and restoring that relationship is the only way to save our species.
That's why techno-utopian futures are doomed to fail: they don't solve, but rather exacerbate, the underlying sickness of our society.
That's why techno-utopian futures are doomed to fail: they don't solve, but rather exacerbate, the underlying sickness of our society.
September 17, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Our relationship with nature has fundamentally changed over the last two centuries, and restoring that relationship is the only way to save our species.
That's why techno-utopian futures are doomed to fail: they don't solve, but rather exacerbate, the underlying sickness of our society.
That's why techno-utopian futures are doomed to fail: they don't solve, but rather exacerbate, the underlying sickness of our society.
Another issue brought up is that our current political system makes it very difficult for politicians to implement their full vision even if they do get into power.
Rather than focusing on large political projects, one researcher thinks our time would be better spent on local politics.
Rather than focusing on large political projects, one researcher thinks our time would be better spent on local politics.
August 28, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Another issue brought up is that our current political system makes it very difficult for politicians to implement their full vision even if they do get into power.
Rather than focusing on large political projects, one researcher thinks our time would be better spent on local politics.
Rather than focusing on large political projects, one researcher thinks our time would be better spent on local politics.
There's also contention against using populism to refer to a left-wing project by @k8ebrown.bsky.social and @aurelmondon.bsky.social .
Due to its association with the far right, there's a concern that the mainstream could use the term to create a false equivalency between the left and the right.
Due to its association with the far right, there's a concern that the mainstream could use the term to create a false equivalency between the left and the right.
![In order to tackle the far right, she suggested building a positive counter-narrative about the kind of society we actually want to build and doing so without shame or hesitation—eco-populism, essentially. “It's certainly not an easy task, because there's a lot of resistance to it from powerful voices,” she said.
That's why she’s not convinced that branding a left-wing movement as populist is helpful in the long term. She said that it creates the possibility for the mainstream to create a false equivalency between the left and the right and in the process claim that populists are a danger to society.
Aurelien Mondon, a professor of politics at the University of Bath who also studies the far right, agrees with Brown, as the word populism has been polluted by decades of misuse by anti-populists and moral panics around populism. “It was quite interesting to see Polanski trying to call himself a populist,” he said. “It seems to have worked fairly well so far, but we'll have to see what happens when he becomes a real threat [if and when he becomes leader].”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:43dbzythqgrwvpxb6wtasdsa/bafkreiej3zgfqejookq6schn7fqlwiwaoi45cmzsuy6w3nm273jqvwqmie@jpeg)
August 28, 2025 at 2:15 PM
There's also contention against using populism to refer to a left-wing project by @k8ebrown.bsky.social and @aurelmondon.bsky.social .
Due to its association with the far right, there's a concern that the mainstream could use the term to create a false equivalency between the left and the right.
Due to its association with the far right, there's a concern that the mainstream could use the term to create a false equivalency between the left and the right.
Even if an eco-populist political project had the perfect narrative and policy agenda, it wouldn't exist in a vaccuum.
@k8ebrown.bsky.social told me that the media is a big problem in spreading far-right narratives as they focus an unreasonable amount of their coverage on the far right.
@k8ebrown.bsky.social told me that the media is a big problem in spreading far-right narratives as they focus an unreasonable amount of their coverage on the far right.
![During the 2024 election in the UK, Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right Reform party, was the third most covered politician despite neither him nor his party ever having won a seat at the time. “There's like this kind of fascination with the far right [in mainstream media] and that amplifies their visibility and message,” said Katy Brown, a research fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University who studies the mainstreaming of far-right narratives.
Brown highlighted that in the future she would like to work with media organisations and journalists to come up with guidelines for reporting on the far right. One key aspect she mentioned is that journalists shouldn’t just focus on how bad the far right are, but put their actions into the broader context by exposing how far-right talking points have been normalised by mainstream political parties.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:43dbzythqgrwvpxb6wtasdsa/bafkreia6xcjxnqy4xdgpvn2yit5en2gyx7wdd65x2q5zu5dzvljzwkjv2m@jpeg)
August 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Even if an eco-populist political project had the perfect narrative and policy agenda, it wouldn't exist in a vaccuum.
@k8ebrown.bsky.social told me that the media is a big problem in spreading far-right narratives as they focus an unreasonable amount of their coverage on the far right.
@k8ebrown.bsky.social told me that the media is a big problem in spreading far-right narratives as they focus an unreasonable amount of their coverage on the far right.
@pasenatorsaval.com said it's important to have an enemy to rally against for eco-populism to be successful—something Polanski has done by going for the wealthiest in society.
I do think, however, that imagining a positive future is equally as important—let's fight for something, not just against.
I do think, however, that imagining a positive future is equally as important—let's fight for something, not just against.
August 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
@pasenatorsaval.com said it's important to have an enemy to rally against for eco-populism to be successful—something Polanski has done by going for the wealthiest in society.
I do think, however, that imagining a positive future is equally as important—let's fight for something, not just against.
I do think, however, that imagining a positive future is equally as important—let's fight for something, not just against.
There are a number of examples in the USA of policies focused on affordability that have climate benefits too, including one programme for home repairs for low- and moderate-income people.
One woman, for example, had a heat pump installed and will soon have solar panels on her roof too.
One woman, for example, had a heat pump installed and will soon have solar panels on her roof too.
August 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
There are a number of examples in the USA of policies focused on affordability that have climate benefits too, including one programme for home repairs for low- and moderate-income people.
One woman, for example, had a heat pump installed and will soon have solar panels on her roof too.
One woman, for example, had a heat pump installed and will soon have solar panels on her roof too.
Far-right talking points and narratives have already been normalised in places like the UK, USA and EU, particularly when it comes to marginalised groups.
Despite that, however, people in those places are mainly concerned with the rising cost of living.
Despite that, however, people in those places are mainly concerned with the rising cost of living.
August 28, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Far-right talking points and narratives have already been normalised in places like the UK, USA and EU, particularly when it comes to marginalised groups.
Despite that, however, people in those places are mainly concerned with the rising cost of living.
Despite that, however, people in those places are mainly concerned with the rising cost of living.
First: what is eco-populism (or green economic populism as it's otherwise known)? Essentially it's the idea that economic policy should benefit working people and deal with the climate crisis at the same time.
@pmbigger.bsky.social put it more succinctly and highlighted a few examples.
@pmbigger.bsky.social put it more succinctly and highlighted a few examples.
August 28, 2025 at 2:04 PM
First: what is eco-populism (or green economic populism as it's otherwise known)? Essentially it's the idea that economic policy should benefit working people and deal with the climate crisis at the same time.
@pmbigger.bsky.social put it more succinctly and highlighted a few examples.
@pmbigger.bsky.social put it more succinctly and highlighted a few examples.
Despite boycotts having a long history of successfully achieving political goals, including being the inciting factor in the takedown of an apartheid state, progressives continue to spread the idea that how one spends their time or money has no impact on the world.
July 16, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Despite boycotts having a long history of successfully achieving political goals, including being the inciting factor in the takedown of an apartheid state, progressives continue to spread the idea that how one spends their time or money has no impact on the world.
Many Indigenous cultures recognised the danger of existential angst and had strategies to deal with it, such as dressing up as death.
Drawing inspiration from them could help us develop strategies in Western society for dealing with death anxiety and prevent shifts to authoritarianism.
Drawing inspiration from them could help us develop strategies in Western society for dealing with death anxiety and prevent shifts to authoritarianism.
June 26, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Many Indigenous cultures recognised the danger of existential angst and had strategies to deal with it, such as dressing up as death.
Drawing inspiration from them could help us develop strategies in Western society for dealing with death anxiety and prevent shifts to authoritarianism.
Drawing inspiration from them could help us develop strategies in Western society for dealing with death anxiety and prevent shifts to authoritarianism.
There are also broader issues beyond funeral practices alone, as most people are reluctant to talk about their death or funeral wishes.
Many initiatives are trying to break the taboo around death, i.e Death Cafes, by encouraging people to talk about mortality in a safe environment.
Many initiatives are trying to break the taboo around death, i.e Death Cafes, by encouraging people to talk about mortality in a safe environment.
June 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
There are also broader issues beyond funeral practices alone, as most people are reluctant to talk about their death or funeral wishes.
Many initiatives are trying to break the taboo around death, i.e Death Cafes, by encouraging people to talk about mortality in a safe environment.
Many initiatives are trying to break the taboo around death, i.e Death Cafes, by encouraging people to talk about mortality in a safe environment.
Of course, not everybody agrees. One researcher suggested that it's not the particularities of green burials that might reduce death anxiety, but the deliberation process that comes with a funeral choice that goes against established norms.
June 26, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Of course, not everybody agrees. One researcher suggested that it's not the particularities of green burials that might reduce death anxiety, but the deliberation process that comes with a funeral choice that goes against established norms.
At Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, for example, families are invited to help dig the grave. Bodies buried there protect the land in perpetuity as it's illegal to develop on land previously used for burials – a collectivist approach to burials that is the antithesis to authoritarian control.
June 26, 2025 at 12:56 PM
At Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, for example, families are invited to help dig the grave. Bodies buried there protect the land in perpetuity as it's illegal to develop on land previously used for burials – a collectivist approach to burials that is the antithesis to authoritarian control.
In a clinical setting, death anxiety can be treated through exposure therapy i.e being reminded of death in a safe setting. There's a cohort of experts who believe green burials could bring us closer to the death process and therefore make us more comfortable with it.
![Green burials might, however, have the power to go further and cleanse our minds of death anxiety. “[Green burials] are based on embracing a view of the world that I think does foster death acceptance much more so than the dominant Judeo-Christian tradition,” said Sheldon Solomon, professor of psychology at Skidmore College, New York.
Solomon, who was involved in much of the research underpinning the links between authoritarianism and death anxiety, said green burials encourage us to think about our place in the universe, help us to build a stronger connection to the natural world, and enrich our appreciation of our limited lifespans. “Accepting the reality of the human condition brings the best out in us and enhances our appreciation of life in general,” he said.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:43dbzythqgrwvpxb6wtasdsa/bafkreihp5nl2pmu456ysa3sewu3nb45q2f4nlebps5htv7wuiece6k7zzy@jpeg)
June 26, 2025 at 12:50 PM
In a clinical setting, death anxiety can be treated through exposure therapy i.e being reminded of death in a safe setting. There's a cohort of experts who believe green burials could bring us closer to the death process and therefore make us more comfortable with it.
Some researchers, like @jkrowe.bsky.social, think the death anxiety analysis can go a long way to explaining the supremacist structures that underpin our society, whether they’re rooted in whiteness, maleness, or humanness, among an all-you-can-eat buffet of other options.
June 26, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Some researchers, like @jkrowe.bsky.social, think the death anxiety analysis can go a long way to explaining the supremacist structures that underpin our society, whether they’re rooted in whiteness, maleness, or humanness, among an all-you-can-eat buffet of other options.