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Care for
the Earth
Large scale meta-studies show that around 90 percent of scientists worldwide agree that accelerated global warming is driven by human activity. This level of consensus is even higher among climate scientists themselves. Our planet is warming, and the consequences for both humanity and the natural world are already profound.
Across the globe, the risks of droughts, heatwaves, and flooding are increasing. These changes are damaging ecosystems, contributing to crop failures, and affecting human health on a large scale. Nature is a delicate and dynamic system, highly sensitive, constantly shifting, and shaped by the balance of resources such as food and territory. Within this ongoing process, every element has its place and role, contributing to a balance that sustains life over time.
Human beings, however, have developed a level of cognitive and technological power that allows us to prioritize our own interests on an unprecedented scale, often at the expense of other forms of life. Yet this same development also gives us something unique: the capacity for moral awareness and conscious choice. We have the ability to act with care, to reduce harm, and to avoid causing unnecessary suffering to other humans, animals, and the natural world.
This means we can choose to respect the physical, mental, and even spiritual integrity of all forms of life, whether human, animal, plant, or ecosystem, and take responsibility for the impact we have on the world around us.
I say “can” because this moral awareness is still underdeveloped in our current societies, especially in the West. This lack of awareness, whether through ignorance, indifference, or carelessness, has led, and continues to lead, to the disruption of entire ecosystems, the extinction of species, threats to the livelihoods of communities, the significant degradation of natural environments (including here in the Netherlands), ongoing nitrogen-related issues, social inequality, declining biodiversity, and the large-scale clearing of forests to make way for urban expansion.
A common argument I hear in discussions about climate action is that ordinary citizens are expected to bear the cost, while many are already struggling. Unfortunately, these views are often not grounded in a full understanding of the facts and tend to reflect the same short-term thinking that contributed to the problem in the first place.
In reality, the long-term costs of inaction will far outweigh the investments required to address the climate crisis now. While some level of adjustment or sacrifice will be necessary, I do not believe this burden has to fall heavily on ordinary people. Nor do I support narratives that place blame on specific groups, such as farmers, or suggest they should be left behind in the transition.
A relatively small number of large companies are responsible for a significant share of global emissions, and this should be clearly acknowledged, alongside a critical review of agricultural and livestock practices in the Netherlands. Livestock numbers will need to decrease; by now, there is broad agreement on this. At the same time, farmers should not be the ones to bear the burden alone.
There are already viable alternatives. Experts have proposed solutions such as EU-supported transitions toward sustainable agriculture, investment in high-quality plant-based alternatives, and a shift toward more localized food systems. Rather than exporting the vast majority of our meat and functioning as one of the world’s largest meat exporters, we could focus on feeding our own population in a more balanced and sustainable way. It is also deeply concerning that forests in countries such as Brazil are being cleared to grow soy for livestock feed, often at the expense of local communities and ecosystems.
Healthy, sustainable, fairly produced, and organic food should form the foundation of public health policy. Few would support a future built on genetic manipulation, hormones in food, cloned animals, human rights violations, or the destruction of forests that are vital to indigenous communities.
Beyond a lack of appreciation for nature as essential to human well-being, we are also witnessing what is increasingly described as “ecocide”: the large-scale destruction of ecosystems. As defined by Polly Higgins, it is the extensive damage to or loss of ecosystems to such an extent that the peaceful enjoyment of a territory is severely diminished.
I find this morally and spiritually unacceptable.
I cannot stand by while my Lowlands face rising sea levels, while cultural and natural heritage is lost, biodiversity declines, landscapes become uniform, pollinators disappear, harvests fail, and the risk of future pandemics increases. Diseases such as avian influenza and Q-fever have already shown how vulnerable intensive livestock systems can be. At the same time, climate change will likely force large numbers of people to migrate, bringing complex social consequences.
There are too many developments that severely disrupt ecological balance. For me, this creates a moral responsibility to speak out and to take action where possible, to contribute, in practical ways, to meaningful change on a larger scale.
This also means holding myself accountable. If I speak about living in harmony with nature, I believe in acting accordingly. I am not perfect, and I remain open to learning and improving, but I make a conscious effort to align my actions with my values.
What I do:
- I aim to live and work as sustainably as possible
- I minimize the use of environmentally harmful products
- I follow a largely plant-based diet
- I occasionally support nature conservation initiatives through MijnNatuur
- For every coaching session, I plant two trees through Trees for All
- I support and contribute as an Earth Protector with Stop Ecocide NL
- My practice is powered by solar energy
- Food and drinks I offer during sessions are plant-based, organic, and fairly sourced wherever possible
- I am a member of Natuurmonumenten
- My practice is home-based, reducing the need for daily travel by car
