The Magic of Stopping to Draw Pt 2: Silvie Hibdon and how we can find awe in nature on our doorsteps
Look Near FirstShow Notes
Inspired by John Ruskin's example (see part 1 in the previous episode), I was keen to get out on a nature walk with my sketch pad. But at this time, I met Silvie Hibdon, a co-fellow in Cohort 8 of the Climatebase course, has set up the non-profit organisation 'Arts Humanitas', and is leading the organisation of the San Francisco biennale in art, nature and ecology. She is knowledgable and passionate about how art can connect us to the natural world, and foster a desire to protect it. This episode features my conversation with Silvie, in which she gives me advice in not only the practicalities, but also in getting over my inhibitions over trying to draw anything in a public place! Find Silvie's project at arthumanitas.org
More from Look Near First
Photography gave me a way to express myself and see the world more clearly. Through the lens, I found peace, joy, and a connection to something far greater than myself. In a world full of challenges, what if photography could help us see the light? Kim Grant is a mindful photography guide based on the Moray Coast, Scotland. In this episode she shares her journey, how photography has changed her life, and how she now helps others to find the same joy, connection and appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us, wherever we are.
Despite technology enabling us to become more efficient at almost everything we do, our demand for energy, year on year, continues to rise. What on earth is going on? And what is all this energy really doing for us? Is it making our lives better? In this conversation with Mike Berners-Lee, the hugely respected climate campaigner and author of How Bad Are Bananas, There is no Planet B and A Climate of Truth, we talk about how reevaluating how we are using energy, and making a conscious effort to cut back, can become a pathway to happier and simpler lives. Mike also gives an update on the People's Emergency Briefing; please check out that vital project here: https://www.nebriefing.org
On the face of it, something doesn't seem to make sense. Most of us are worried about climate change, and most of us also believe that flying is a major contributor to climate change. Yet around half of the UK population flies at least once a year, some much more than that, with demand continuing to grow. What is going on there? If there appears to be something irrational - a disconnect between what we understand and the choices we are making, why might that be? Is there something about the way our brains are wired which is making it very difficult to adjust our actions for the sake of a healthier global future? And is there anything we can do about it? As a pilot, I have seen first-hand the benefits that have been brought to aviation by the commitment to understanding how human factors have contributed to air accidents. Design of pilot training, operating procedures and the aircraft themselves have been based around new understanding of how our brains work - their strengths and their weaknesses. These designs have both made errors less likely, and greatly decreased the probability of any error leading to a tragedy, with the result that commercial aviation has become extremely safe. Can human factors knowledge be applied to climate change? Can they explain why we seem to be accelerating towards a disaster which we can see clearly in front of us? And can they help us find more effective ways to slow down and reduce the damage? Dave Powell has been immersed in both climate change and human stories for over twenty years. He is currently the host of the superb podcast series Your Brain on Climate, in which he probes psychologists and other experts on human behaviour to try to get to the bottom of how we have got ourselves into this mess, and how we might pull our way out of it. In this episode, I ask him to use all the knowledge he as accumulated from his guests and his own experience to answer the questions: 'why are we continuing to fly so much?' and 'what might it take to shift our holiday habits towards more sustainable choices?'
Anna Hughes is an influential campaigner and activist. In 2018, she founded Flight Free UK which attracted widespread attention and acclaim, and has been successful in persuading people to think about their travel choices, to try a year without flying, and, literally, find out where that gets them. In this conversation, she talks to me from the cabin of her narrowboat about the inspiration behind Flight Free, what life is like as campaigner when some people think you're out to spoil their holidays, why going flight free is so very important, but also why it can be extremely rewarding
Wow. Hearing yourself on a podcast is a big moment, or at least it was for me, especially when, in that podcast, you dive deep into the issues that have turned your life upside-down. This is a brief reflection on the conversation I had with Dave, and how it has helped me to see what needs to happen next.