EARTH PROTECTORS QUEST TOOLKIT

A Practical Guide to Protecting the Planet 

The Toolkit is designed to help individuals, small groups, villages or towns – in general a community of any size and composition in a diverse set of circumstances- to embark on a journey from the present situation, typically one where there is persistent harm to the ecosystems in which this community functions, to a place of harmony, resilience and regeneration.

It is intended to map and guide the movement from habitually fortified egocentric behaviour (the Consumer) to a place of global awareness and eco-centricity (the Global Citizen).

The emerging paradigm of regeneration – a step beyond sustainability – centres around community co-operation and systems change. This requires changes in the way we live – the way we behave as individuals and as a community as a whole. It requires a deep shift in the way we work, and most crucially in the way we think. To move from a system that promotes indiscriminate and constantly growing use of ‘resources’ and which creates endless amounts of ‘waste’ to a way of living that looks at ‘resources’ as something to be shared between generations and used in a way that allows the Earth to recover and promotes greater social equity in the process.

This approach is based on a new and emerging moral code, based on principles such as ‘First do no harm’ and expressed in the context of an international law on Ecocide.

Overview: The Toolkit consists of four sections

Section 1: Dare to be great for a common purpose

We embark on this journey, this quest, by addressing the individual or specific group and ‘Dare them to be great’. The present situation requires us to break the barriers of our entrenched thinking, the barriers of expectations of moving along pre-existing habits and organisational paradigms, and become the best we can be.

We ask each person and group to consider what their gifts, qualities, talents are and how they might use these to benefit their community and the Earth. We flag up how important taking care of the inner self is and also looks at how self limiting beliefs can block and diminish us; we offer strategies and links to resources which can support us in releasing those blocks.

Section 2: Inspiring a culture of care for the Earth

Now that our hearts are fired up, we need to take a closer look at where we are. Exploring the community side of things, healthy being, education, and looking at the community role in the environment. Who else is there with us? We have to come together and strengthen our resolve and capacity to act by acknowledging our own environment, human and ecological.

It is time to become ‘Ecocide investigators’. To look at what we are doing, how we are harming our local area’s ecosystems and the global biosphere and climate.

Section 3: Planning the pathway for regeneration together

Here we look at the systems – financial, political and societal – and issues of social justice linked to keeping within planetary boundaries i.e. not exploiting, polluting, wasting and depleting the Earth’s resources.

Once we have identified what we have available in terms of human and ecological resources, and how we have inadvertently or not introduced harm to them, we can start forming our local plan of action, connecting and creating circular economies.

‘What can we actually do to change things on the ground’ is a question which addresses not only the suitability of a patch of land for growing food or planting trees, but also the level of entrenchment and existing barriers to change of local authorities, the chain of policy influence, and our ways of thinking.

Section 4: Global Vision – Co-creating the new story

This is the search for and expression of the Community’s global future vision. This weaves the community’s plans and efforts to the global situation.

Here we look at how we, develop mutually supportive connections with other communities across the globe and be part of the solution, helping to co-create the new story for humanity and the Earth.

This is a key element not only for guiding local action, but also for releasing the dormant energy required to move to a holistic and global solution. From harm to harmony.

The world needs hope and it needs active solution based communities.

We have the opportunity to give the planet the space it needs to return to its abundant nature. We have the ability to make the necessary changes, but only if we act together, to Stop Ecocide and to co-create a better future for our children.