Let’s do a little experiment: Google “1960s child’s car seat.” Done? It’s easy to chuckle half amused - half scandalized—at human practices from the past and wonder how could “they” be so oblivious. Well, the thing is, it's still actually "us", and as the song goes, “The times, they are a-changin’.”
The next time you feel lazy about recycling your trash, think of Kamikatsu, a Japanese municipality where its 1,400 inhabitants - mostly elderly - sort waste into more than 45 categories. (Yes, 45).
“La naturaleza es sabia”, goes a familiar Spanish saying, reminding us that ‘nature knows best’—though, truth be told, we humans tend to be slow learners (how else do you explain our tendency to pave over every inch of land, only to then miss the shade of a tree?).
It’s no secret that we start being a little cramped in cities. According to estimations, by 2050 more than two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in them. This global urbanization trend brings with it a host of socioecological challenges, such as ensuring equitable access to resources and safe and affordable housing.
Marie-Hélène Roch, an artist-researcher and founder of Hiver en Nous in Québec, highlights on Centdegres.ca the importance of cultivating a winter mindset, seeing it as a time for self-reflection and community bonding. Roch emphasizes the need to cultivate “seasonal resilience” not only within individuals but also across municipal institutions, community organizations, or schools.
