Manifesto

ENVIRONMENTAL CRAFTIVIST MANIFESTO

 Prepared by Anna Svensson, Britta Fluevog, Scott Braun and Verena Winiwarter, please do not use without permission

As environmental scholars and/or as environmentalists, we are deeply concerned about the state of the environment at present. We are also deeply concerned about the inability of societies to address these issues in a timely and adequate manner. The “Scientists4Future” Germany have collected 24 facts about the current situation, making abundantly clear that the current situation is very unsustainable.[1]

The peace agenda is not nowadays considered as connected to the environmental agenda, their joint concern, human well-being and environmental health, is at the heart of environmental craftivism.

Environmental craftivists are inspired by forms of protest via craft such as the AIDS Quilt, the Pussyhats, or, when it comes to environmental issues, to the Tempestry Project. We feel that environmental craftivism needs to have its own manifesto, which is inspired by existing craftivist manifestos (see below for two examples), but goes beyond their concerns.

*       We acknowledge that all environmental problems are at the same time social problems.

*       We acknowledge that all environmental problems are at the same time issues of justice.

*       We acknowledge that all environmental problems have to be addressed locally and globally due to the globalized nature of unequal exchanges.

*       We acknowledge that the size and complexity of the issues, from global heating to the biodiversity crisis, from pollution to radioactive fallout, and from destruction of soils to the poisoning of land and food with pesticides, and many other issues that can be named, is beyond our grasp or anyone’s grasp.

*       We acknowledge that our current problems have far-reaching historical roots that result from (still ongoing) attempts to conquer nature.

*       We acknowledge that warfare is the root cause of substantial environmental misery and problems.

*       We acknowledge that there cannot be sustainability without peace, nor can there be peace without sustainability

*       We acknowledge that we are overloaded with responsibilities, both economic and intellectual and with regard to expectations resulting from the constructs of society.

*       We acknowledge that we are (over-)taxed in terms of the life energy & resources we have with regard to the vastness of the tasks we are faced with.

*       We acknowledge that we are grief-stricken about the losses incurred on a daily basis.

*       We acknowledge that we are filled with anger about the continued adverse behavior of those with power to change things.

*       We acknowledge that we feel helpless, at least at times.

*       We acknowledge that protesters before us have tried to challenge environmental degradation in many ways (including craftivist activities).

*       We commit to staying with the trouble (Donna Haraway).

*       We commit to protest without reproducing the violence that has been inflicted upon the earth.

*       We commit to collaboration rather than competition.

*       We commit to not greenwashing and to avoid implications of such.

*       We commit to use resources for our craftivism with the least possible environmental impact.

*       We commit to use discarded materials whenever possible.

*       We commit to make craft that does not add to the waste problem when discarded.

 

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[1]  See: The concerns of the young protesters are justified. A statement by Scientists for Future concerning the protests for more climate protection | GAIA 28/2 (2019): 79 –87, BOX in English on p. 80. https://www.oekom.de/_files_media/zeitschriften/artikel/GAIA_2019_02_79.pdf