WorldWild Podcast
Episode 8 5th April 2019
False Dichotomies with Jules Pretty
Jules Pretty, author of Agri-Culture (2002) and The Edge of Extinction: Travels with Enduring People in Vanishing Lands (2014), is a man whose life work has been to get to the roots of our connection with land. There are, as he puts it, many false dichotomies that position us further and further from an enduring relationship with the world around us.
In this episode Jules talks to Miles about consumption patterns, sustainable agricultural societies, the hidden costs of cheap food, happiness and well-being, and the power of a simple thought to bring us closer to bondedness...
'We pay three times for our food - first at the till, then in taxes to subsidise and support agriculture and finally to clean up the mess'
- Jules Pretty, episode 8
About Jules Pretty
Jules Pretty, OBE, is Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Essex, and formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor (2010-19). His research is focused on sustainability in agricultural and food systems, consumption patterns and well-being, and green living. He is the author of many books including The East Country (2017) (‘Mythical, a song of praise for a world that is vanishing’ - Astrid Ogilvie), The Edge of Extinction (2014) (‘Offers clues for moderns about how to live the good life’ – Geographical Magazine), and Agri-Culture (2002). He is currently Director of the Centre for Public Engagement at the University of Essex and President of the Essex Wildlife Trust.
Further reading
> Find more from Jules Pretty.
> Further study: 'Sustainable Intensification' (2018) paper in Nature Sustainability.
> Further study: 'Redesigning the Food System for Sustainability' paper (1985) by Stuart Hill.
> Further study: 'The Living Land' (1998) book by Jules Pretty.
> Further study: 'The Edge of Extinction' (2014) book by Jules Pretty
> Watch: 'From Wild to Tame and Back Again' talk by Tor Nørretranders.
About the show
We offer a series of conversations to tap into the wildness within ourselves and to uncover what is possible when we do. It is our hope that through the WorldWild Podcast we can contribute to the revitalisation of wild food culture and conversation around the world.
Through people who know their landscapes intimately, we gather the threads to weave a rich tapestry. Piece by piece the vision of a wilder world comes into view. The wild embrace of nature welcomes us back and offers us a seat at the table. A feast, no less!
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