This Walter Rodney Seminar was presented by Richard Joseph and was hosted by the Boston University African Studies Center, on April 3, 2023. The BU African Studies Center is an academic establishment that encourages debate, disagreement and discussion in a civil and respectful manner. Use of slurs, negative generalizations, personal attacks, stereotypes and swears in our comments will not be tolerated and will result in the comment being blocked.
In 1989 Harvard University Press published the book A Forest Journey, a history of human civilizations from the Sumerians to the present _revealing that without vast supplies of wood from forests, the great civilizations of Sumer, Assyria, Egypt, Crete, Greece, Rome, the Islamic World, Western Europe, and North America would never have emerged. Never. The book was recognized as a Harvard Classic in Science and World History and listed as one of the university’s One Hundred Great Books. Its author, John Perlin, continued his research and field work over the next 25 years and when asked by Patagonia to update the book in light of the escalating climate crisis, he was well prepared to do so.
In this talk, John Perlin presents his book ‘A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization’. The 2023 edition of the book concludes with two new chapters on the importance of mature and old-growth forests for our survival. The ability of trees to remove co2 from the atmosphere and sequester it safely in soils and roots is now well known. But the role of trees in keeping the Earth temperate by emitting water into the atmosphere, reducing heat and supplying rain to distant areas cannot be underestimated in a world where drought and warming increase exponentially. John Perlin reminds us, “Humanity needs trees more than ever before. But this time intact.”
Presented by Biodiversity for a Livable Climate and GBH Forum Network
– Contents of the video – 0:00:00 – Introduction 0:01:00 – Welcome Remarks 0:04:00 – John Perlin Presentation 0:17:57 – Discussion Start 1:11:09 – Closing Remarks
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Welcome to Transition Studies. To prosper for very much longer on the changing Earth humankind will need to move beyond its current fossil-fueled civilization toward one that is sustained on recycled materials and renewable energy. This is not a trivial shift. It will require a major transition in all aspects of our lives.
This weblog explores the transition to a sustainable future on our finite planet. It provides links to current news, key documents from government sources and non-governmental organizations, as well as video documentaries about climate change, environmental ethics and environmental justice concerns.
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