Quakerism and Psychedelics

It is hard to find much information on the connections between Quakerism (or the Religious Society of Friends) and psychedelic use. This is in contrast to discussions on the (actual or possible) influence of psychedelics on other religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and animistic religions. Unlike these other traditions, there are no signs…

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Would Widespread Psychedelic Use Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

It is common to associate psychedelics with environmentalism. In the popular imagination, psychedelic users might be viewed as tree-hugging hippies and Gaia worshippers. But beyond these stereotypes, there is also research to support the links between psychedelic use and connection to nature, which has led some to argue that psychedelics could help us solve the…

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The Complex Relationship Between Flying and Sustainable Tourism

Ecotourism, a term that emerged in the 1980s, refers to a niche segment of tourism in natural areas. According to David E. Fennell, “Ecotourism is a sustainable form of natural resource-based tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature, and which is ethically managed to be low-impact, non-consumptive, and locally-oriented (control, benefits, and…

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The Collaboration Between Farmers and Vegans

Animal agriculture is the second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions (causing more emissions than all transport combined). Raising livestock is also a leading cause of deforestation, habitat loss, species extinction, water pollution, water consumption, and ocean dead zones. Many people, therefore, choose to give up animal products for environmental reasons, although ethical and health…

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Reconciling Ethics and Aesthetics in Architecture

Christine Murray, editor-in-chief of The Developer, a publication about making cities worth living in, wrote a piece for Dezeen on why architects must “choose ethics over aesthetics”. It is a provocative article, and one of the most thought-provoking points that Murray makes – which I was completely unaware of – is that “construction itself is…

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