“Ecofeminism brings together elements of the feminist and green movements, while at the same time offering a challenge to both.” -Mary Mellor.

In celebrating Women’s History Month, it is crucial to examine the connection between women and nature. They are tightly intertwined in ways that many do not see and offer an alternate perspective on the society we live in today.

Defining Ecofeminism

Ecofeminism is a philosophy that combines environmental concerns with feminist ones. Both are deeply affected and manipulated by society’s male domination.

The term ecofeminism was first proposed in 1974 by a French feminist named Francoise d’Eaudbonne. In her book – Le Feminisme ou la mort (Feminism or Destruction), she called on women to lead the ecological revolution and establish a new relationship between humanity and nature and between men and women. 

It was not until the 1980’s when this revolution and Ecofeminism sparked up again. At this time, an ecological crisis caused by massive amounts of pollution occurred from the industrial age, which began to overwhelm the natural ecosystem. There was a threat to the whole planet, which motivated women to make a change.

Feminism and Ecology

Women tend to have a deeper connection to ecological crises than men because women are known to bear traditional caregiving roles, managing natural resources, and food security.

 This is why we call the planet Mother Earth because it provides humans the resources for life. Real mothers also provide for their children and loved ones. We must treat the Earth with this same love and respect we give our own mothers.

The ecofeminist philosophy ties together aspects of both environmentalism and feminism. It takes human activity on the planet and views it through a feminist lens by abolishing all kinds of discrimination and domination over both people and the planet’s natural resources.

Ecofeminism offers an alternate worldview, a holistic approach that values and embraces all life and recognizes humanity’s dependency on the natural world rather than its dominance. This philosophy emphasizes that all life on Earth is sacred and should be cared for no matter what. 

By practicing Ecofeminism, we can lessen our impact on the environment and change the way humans interact with nature entirely. Humans can unite together to save our planet from the consequences of our own actions.

Key takeaways:

Women’s history month is about celebrating women’s achievements and importance to history, and Ecofeminism is a vital part of that. Applying this philosophy can allow us to:

• Lessen our impact on the environment
• Help the planet heal from the consequences of human activity such as pollution, deforestation, and burning of fossil fuels
• Put a stop to climate change and the degradation of the natural world overall
• Change the way humans interact with nature entirely
• Live a more sustainable and harmonious lifestyle
• Understand the importance of the interrelationship between humans, nature, and the Earth
  

Pledge to bring your own reusable container to pack leftovers and start making a difference today! 

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Written by Morgan Swain