Humans generally do not like change. We get accustomed to a sense of normalcy and want to hold on. However, adaptation and change have been constants since we began walking on two legs.
Before COVID-19, there were plenty of warnings from scientists about pandemics due to hit our fragile society. Relatively recently, we’ve had resistance to scientists from anti-science groups that disregarded vaccines, a resurgence of flat Earthers and those who argue that we cannot change our economy to stop causing climate change. Will they now listen to science?
Today our economy has been largely halted due to a virus we can’t see. It once again demonstrates that “the economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment, not the reverse” - H. Daly.
As we prepare to rebuild our economic system, we have the opportunity to build it differently.
We can try to return to what we had, which scientists warn us is not sustainable, or we can decide to build for an environmentally progressive economy. The economy will not magically align with the natural world unless we organize for that to happen. Now is the time to put people and the planet above profit.
Zeb King
Central Saanich councillor