Can the econation idea extend to the rest of the planet, and do you have any message for other EUYGs?
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Nandor: First of all it does extend out. You've got places like Waitakere City that describe themselves as an eco city, I'm talking about a philosophy that we should be an Econation. But really what I'm saying is that New Zealand is in a position to be a world leader in demonstrating practically what ecological living is.
Unfortunately we don't do that. We call ourselves clean and green because we have a small population so the human impacts on our ecology are small, but our behaviour is extremely backward when it comes to those things, our farming methods are, you know it's not factory farming of cows or anything, but the way we farm is not suited to our country and so we have huge problems with soil erosion, water eutrophication, those kinds of issues because we don't farm in accordance with the natural landscape. We've imposed a Western European grasslands farming system on this very geologically unstable, mountainous country. So New Zealand could be a world leader but we're not.
The basic idea behind it applies to anywhere because really what we're saying when we talk about the Econation is simply that we should take a long term view of what it is that this country is, or what this world is and what it is that we're leaving for our descendents. And really what I see at the core of it. In a way, it's just a repackaging of Green philosophy, you try and come up with a word that people can catch on to and hold on to. And that catches all the different things that different people are doing in their lives to make the world a better place.
What I'm saying at the heart of it, is that the nature of the relationship that human beings have with the rest of the world and with each other must fundamentally change. We must understand that relationships are actually the most important thing. It's an intangible thing you know. But if look at what human beings are, and how we operate in the world, the relationships we establish with the world around us. At the moment it's one of domination and exploitation, and what we need is relationships that are in balance, that are respectful relationships. We need relationships that are in balance with the other species that we share this beautiful planet with. We need relationships that are in balance with each other, that recognise issues of equity and social justice. And we need right relationships internally as individuals because consumer society works by breaking us and then selling us products to patch up the hole. And so we must actually learn to restore the relationships internally; to heal ourselves and be whole human beings who then can't be exploited by slick advertising campaigns that tell us to "be loved and loveable, we need a new car".
Message for EU Young Greens
I was really impressed of what I saw of the EUYGs, when I went to the Global Greens in Australia in 2001, I met the Vice President of the EUYGs. I was really impressed to see EUYGs represented in a conference in Australia. The stuff that I see and read about what the EUYGs are doing is really inspiring and I think it's awesome that young people are taking responsibility.
And you know Europe plays such a key role in the consciousness of the world in these kind of matters because the concentration of population is huge. You know Europe in many ways is a world opinion leader so it's really crucial that young people are getting involved, getting active, getting radical.
The key thing is be organised but don't become beauracratised. It's really crucial that as Greens, collectively that we keep a radical edge and we must present a radical critique because the problems of the world are not going to be solved by reforming the corners of capitalism. They're going to be solved by fundamental, radical shift in the way we think and the way we relate and so Greens are the only voice at a parliamentary level that are able to provide that critique.
we think and the way we relate and so Greens are the only voice at a parliamentary level that are able to provide that critique. we think and the way we relate and so Greens are the only voice at a parliamentary level that are able to provide that critique. we think and the way we relate and so Greens are the only voice at a parliamentary level that are able to provide that critique. we think and the way we relate and so Greens are the only voice at a parliamentary level that are able to provide that critique. we think and the way we relate and so Greens are the only voice at a parliamentary level that are able to provide that critique. we think and the way we relate and so Greens are the only voice at a parliamentary level that are able to provide that critique.- How has being a Rastafarian influenced your job as an MP? Does it add more depth to your political analysis?
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- Can the econation idea extend to the rest of the planet, and do you have any message for other EUYGs?
asked by European Young Green
