Assistant Professor, Department of English Studies, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Delhi
[Article History: Received: 06 Feb 2024. Revised: 10 Feb 2024. Accepted: 18 Feb 2024. Published: 20 Feb 2024]
Abstract
In our contemporary society, we face a convergence of crises spanning agriculture, the global environment, education, and national security. It is a rare moment in our technological age when there is widespread consensus that something is profoundly amiss. The blind faith in technological progress and industrialization has led humanity down a perilous path, resulting in the devastation of life on our planet. Events like Hiroshima, Bhopal, and Chernobyl serve as stark reminders of ecocide, driven by human ignorance, greed, irrationality, and fear. Superficial, Band-Aid policies will not suffice in addressing these pressing issues. What is urgently required is a departure from archaic systems that have wrought only devastation and destruction upon our world. This paper seeks to delve into the workings and significance of these archaic systems when considering environmental sustainability and sustainable growth. It underscores the absurdity of a culture that celebrates its development achievements while simultaneously engaging in geocide. The concept of development, as it has been traditionally pursued, has contributed to the growing scarcity of essential resources such as water, food, and fuel, ultimately rebounding against humanity itself. A significant focus of this paper is to examine how various political factors, including class, race, ethnicity, and gender, shape interactions between different species in our ecosystem. It also delves into the lasting impact of colonial history on contemporary issues related to development and growth.
Keywords: Ecowomanism, Sustainable Development, Sustainability, Patriarchy, Community Engagement