ECOFEMINISM

Reading about environment and women’s concern about environment I came across this term and I referred the Wikipedia .

In 1974 the term ecofeminism was coined by Francoise d’ Eaubonne.It points to the co-existence of considerable common ground between environmentalist and women. Ecology and women ….

Some ecofeminist point to the linguists links between opression of women and land such as terms’ rape of the land’.Terms also express nature as feminine such as using the terms ‘she’ and ‘mother nature’.

Vandana Shiva an Indian activist makes it clear that one of the  missions of ecofeminism is the redefine hoe societies lookb at productivity and activity.Both women and nature have mistakenly been deemed passive allowing themselves to be ill used .e.g.she draws a picture of a stream in a forest .According to her in our  society it is perceived as unproductive ,if it is simply there ,fulfilling the needs for water for women’s families and communities  until engineers come along and tinker with it perhaps damming it and using it for generating  hydro-power.

The same is true of a forest unless it is planted with a monoculture plantation of a commercial venture.  A forest may very well be productive …protecting ground water ,creating oxygen,allowing villagers to harvest fuel and craft minerals and creating a habitat for animals that are also a valuable resource.However for many if it is not for export or contribution to G.D.P.(Gross Domestic Product)without dollar value attached to it cannot be seen as a productive resource.

Ecofeminist criticise western lifestyle choices such as consuming food that has travelled thousands of miles!

Playing sports such as golf and downhill skiing which inherently requires ecological destruction.

In their book ‘Reweaving the world’:The emergence of ecofeminism(1990) the editors Irene Diamond and Gloria .F.Orenstein lay out 3 strands in ecofeminism….One strand emphasises that social justice has to be

achieved in concert with the well-being of the earth since human life is dependent on the earth.Another strand in ecofeminism is spiritual emphasisng that earth sacred onto itself.A third strand emphasises the necessity of sustainability ..a need to learn the many ways people can walk the fine line between using the earth as a resouce while respecting the earth’s need!

Ecofeminists are  explicitly anti-war and anti-capitalist … the untold devastation of the earth by the corporate warriors and the threat of anhilation of man and eco system by military warriors ,have organised them to voice their discontent by numerous protests and activities against environmental destruction!

It’s time we all take a pledge to protect our precious earth in whatever little way we can….every little step makes a difference!

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