Gaia Nature

In 1989, James Lovelock, the British inventor, engineer and scientist who originated Gaia Science, spelt out the fundamental importance of Gaia nature in the introduction to his book 'The Ages of Gaia':

'In Gaia we are just another species,

neither the owners nor the stewards of this planet.

Our future depends much more upon a right relationship with Gaia

than with the never-ending drama of human interest.'

In 2019 Lovelock celebrated his 100th birthday. Thirty years on, his words have taken on an added urgency as humanity faces many global problems.

Problems like climate change, the spread of the coronavirus, species eradication and plastics in the ocean all stem from the mistaken belief that, as a species, we are superior to the rest of nature, and demonstrate that we don't yet have 'a right relationship with Gaia'.

Problems such as inequality, poverty, and the refugee crisis all stem from our obsession with the 'never-ending drama of human interest'.

These problems show us that Lovelock was right in his observation and that we can't spend another thirty years ignoring Gaia nature. We need to start now to fully appreciate how the self-regulating planetary system works and how we, as one species among many, might best live within it.

Like all organisms and species that have ever existed in the 3,600 million year old history of life on Earth, we evolved from the Gaia system and we already belong in Gaia nature. Finding a right relationship with Gaia can only be a positive voyage of discovery towards becoming a 'truly social species' and to seeing where we really fit into this 'pale blue dot' which is home to all life.

'Gaia's Company' offers interactive and entertaining workshops, seminars and performances on the history of Gaia Science, how it works, and it's social and cultural implications for how we might design our future living systems.