What even is the environment!?
I HATE THE ENVIRONMENT!
There, I said it.
This afternoon, I came across a quote that perfectly captured the frustrations I feel when I or my work is labeled as “environmentalist” or connected to “environmentalism.” It’s as though we’re meant to think of it as something noble but distant—a way to be a little bit more “green” or “nature-friendly.” That’s not what this is about.
It's not just about protecting nature or throwing in some extra trees. It’s about regeneration. It’s about culture. It’s about existential understanding.
The quote I read was from Wendell Berry in 1992, and it rang so true:
“The idea that we live in something called ‘the environment’ ... is utterly preposterous. ...‘Environment’ means that which surrounds or encircles us; it means a world separate from ourselves, outside us. ... The real state of things, of course, is far more complex and intimate and interesting than that. The world that environs us, that is around us, is also within us. We are made of it; we eat, drink, and breathe it. ... No settled family has ever called its home place an ‘environment’. ... The real names of the environment are the names of rivers and river valleys; creeks, ridges, and mountains; towns and cities; lakes, woodlands, lanes, roads, creatures, and people."
(Berry, 1992, p. 34)
What Berry articulates here is fundamental: the environment isn’t just something “out there.” We aren’t outside of it, looking in or managing it. The world, in all its complexity, is us. We are inherently part of it, made from it, sustained by it. We are the soil, the air, the water. We breathe it, we eat from it, and we shape it with every action we take.
But here's where the shift in thinking is crucial. This isn’t just about ecology or "being good to the planet." This is about how we see ourselves in the grand web of life. It’s about recognizing that our success, our growth, and our well-being should be measured not just by human-centric markers like economic growth or technological advancement, but by our relationship to all life on Earth.
What if we stopped thinking about the world as something we “use” or “protect” and started seeing ourselves as a part of it—as something that belongs to the same ecosystem? Imagine if we truly embraced the idea of Sapiens inter pares, humans alongside all other beings. Not better than, not separate from. What if we integrated this awareness into everything we do—our work, our relationships, our sports, our food, and even our art?
The boundaries between “nature” and “humanity” are arbitrary. They’re constructs that prevent us from fully understanding our role within the larger, intricate system. Nature is not outside of us; it is within us.
So, I reject the term “environmentalist” as it’s often used. I don’t see it as something separate from what I do or who I am. For me, the work we do through The Toolbox and similar initiatives is about more than just reducing our carbon footprint or planting trees. It’s about regeneration at a deep cultural, relational, and existential level. We are not just caretakers of the Earth. We are the Earth.
And that’s where real change begins. It’s not about fixing the world, but about recognizing that the world is part of us, and we are part of it. This shift isn’t just good for the planet—it’s essential for our survival, our happiness, and our place in the grand cycle of life.
So next time you hear someone talk about “saving the environment,” remember: it’s not about something “out there.” It’s about our very exisistance.