E18 | Joshua Wright | A Revolution of Spirit: Environmental Activism Rooted in Love and Land
“Not turning away is the first step towards action.”
Here is an audio version.
A video version can be found below.
Joshua shares some of his journey as a young environmental activist, reflecting on how his early travels around the world ignited a deep passion for protecting the Earth. Along the way, he created Eden’s Last Chance, a film documenting his search for grounded solutions to the environmental polycrisis, featuring interviews with climate scientists and frontline activists.
In this conversation, Joshua and Tei discuss their involvement in the Fairy Creek Blockades, Canada’s largest act of civil disobedience, and explore the emotional and spiritual dimensions of activism. They highlight the courage required to confront difficult truths in the face of a powerful military-industrial complex. Joshua advocates for a degrowth-based society rooted in land, community, and connection, while inviting listeners to embrace their roles as agents of change and foster a compassionate relationship with the natural world.
Find Thematic Show Notes Below
Connect with Joshua:
Instagram
Youtube
Photography
Eden’s Last Chance
Connect with WHR:
WHR Instagram
Coyotei Counsel Instagram
Tei’s Instagram
Email - whr.link@gmail.com
Thematic Show Notes
Origins of Environmentalism and Activism:
Joshua’s early travels with family shaped his environmentalism from a young age.
His deep interest in trees led to researching old growth forests and the logging industry, particularly in Washington State.
At 14, he rejected societal expectations, dropped out of high school, and began making the documentary Eden’s Last Chance.
Philosophy on Life and Activism:
“We’re all going to die one day, so why does it matter how many toys or prestige we have?”
Advocates for a degrowth-based society and living in relationship with the land.
A richer life is one lived in communion with the Earth, rather than dominating it.
Joshua’s time in Tanzania, surrounded by lions and elephants, solidified his commitment to environmental activism.
Balancing the Warrior and Lover:
We reflect on what it means to be an environmental warrior, and the need for balancing love for the Earth as a guiding force.
Facing the Climate Crisis and Broader Problems:
Joshua critiques mainstream climate discourse for failing to address the underlying issues of human supremacy, colonization, and industrial civilization.
We emphasise the wisdom of elder forests and bioregions and their vital role for the climate of mind, heart, and soul.
Radical accompaniment: Turning toward the pain of environmental destruction with the same compassion we’d show a loved one in their dying.
“It’s not tragic that we’re going to die; it’s tragic that we’re destroying the processes of Life.”
Challenging the Mechanistic Worldview:
Life and the cosmos are animate systems, not mechanistic structures. Joshua highlights that the universe itself is consciousness.
Hunter-gatherer logic offers a resilient alternative to agriculturalist societies.
Fairy Creek Blockades & A Revolution of Spirit:
Joshua played a key role in organizing the Fairy Creek Blockades, Canada’s largest act of civil disobedience, resisting colonial logging efforts.
Tei shares personal experiences from Fairy Creek, including being arrested and the violence inflicted by the Canadian military industrial complex.
We discuss the complex dynamics between law enforcement and activists.
Joshua reflects on the spiritual revolution that emerged from the movement.
Activism as Contemplative and Creative:
Tei advocates for a contemplative approach to activism, processing difficult emotions and experiences regeneratively.
The power of peaceful, creative, artful, and feminine activism, and the importance of being deeply rooted in the land.
Final Messages:
Joshua’s advice: love the land so deeply that you’d die to protect it.
True allyship with the land involves understanding its living flows and forces.
Joshua’s final call: don’t be a bystander—everyone can be an agent of change, protecting the places they love.