Force of Nature Will we run out of WATER? We need to talk about eco-anxiety
About the Episode
In the fifth episode of season two, We Need to Talk about Eco-Anxiety, Clover sets on a journey to uncover our relationship with water and how this vital element is at the core of the climate crisis.
Firstly, Clover meets water rights activist, Beze Gray, to analyse why water rights & scarcity will become an increasingly ubiquitous problem for all. Later on, young people around the world share how our fractious relationship with water worsens their eco-anxiety. We then hear from our resident psychotherapist, Caroline Hickman, on how water can represent the human ego; and finally, Frantz and Oya from P&G to discuss why water scarcity will lead to global conflict and how innovation can help mitigate future water wars.
Top Quotes
"The water systems don't belong to anyone. It's just water. You can't have ownership of that. It's a western thing to say you own the water. Indigenous people would never do that. It just flows. " - Beze Gray
"The symbolism of water is really the way to understand it. Water does not respect us, we need to respect water. Water doesn't respect boundaries; it flows across boundaries. Will we ever wake up to respect the natural cycle, or will we ruin it for everyone?" - Caroline Hickman
About the Guests
Beze Gray is an Anishnaabe land/water protector and student from Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Ontario and is one of seven young people taking the Ford government to court for weakening Ontario’s 2030 climate target. Growing up in an area near Sarnia also known as Chemical Valley, Beze has witnessed the impacts of the fossil fuel industry firsthand.
Caroline Hickman is a psychotherapist and Climate Psychology Therapist in Education at the University of Bath. Her research specialises in children and young people's relationships with nature, and their feelings about the climate and ecological crisis.
Frantz Beznik is the Global Head of Sustainable Innovation at Procter & Gamble - a company selling products to 5 billion people every day. With more than 20 years of experience at P&G, Frantz is a passionate leader working across big brands like Tide, Ariel, Swiffer, and Mr Clean. His obsession is to “Make Sustainable Irresistible” - with his most recent innovation being the 50L home, which aims to lower urban water consumption.
Oya Öngör is Senior Vice President Europe Homecare at Procter & Gamble.
About the Sponsor
Fairy dishwashing liquid - a P&G brand - aims to drive sustainable consumption through performance. With Fairy, consumers can wash in cool water – by only reducing by 20 degrees the water washing temperature, consumers can reduce up to 50% of the CO2, based on the life cycle analysis.
75% of consumers surveyed by Fairy pre-rinse dishes, with an average water consumption of 4 liters each time. Yet Fairy dishwasher capsules are so powerful that consumers can skip pre-rinse and wash in eco-cycle, saving energy and water. Across packaging, they’ve increased recycled plastic in their bottles in Europe from 15 to 50% in the last 2 years.
Resources
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Take our 5-minute quiz ‘Which Changemaker Are You?’, featuring activists like Beze Gray who feature in the podcast https://www.forceofnature.xyz/change-maker-quiz
Learn if you have eco-anxiety by taking our quiz here https://www.forceofnature.xyz/eco-anxiety-quiz
Read our latest blog over on The Bloom, written by one of our young content creators inspired by this episode https://www.forceofnature.xyz/the-bloom