The Ecologist

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The Ecologist is the title of a British environmental journal, then magazine, that was published from 1970 to 2009. Founded by Edward Goldsmith,[1] it addressed a wide range of environmental subjects and promoted an ecological systems thinking approach through its news stories, investigations and opinion articles. The Ecologist encouraged its readers to tackle global issues on a local scale. After cessation of its print edition in July 2009, The Ecologist continued as a website with a monthly, subscription newsletter.[2] In mid-2012, it merged with Resurgence magazine, edited by Satish Kumar, with the first issue of the new Resurgence & Ecologist appearing in print in September 2012.[3]

Announcing the appointment of a new editor of The Ecologist in October 2013, Satish Kumar said:

"We are delighted that Oliver Tickell has accepted the role of editor of The Ecologist. He is a great writer, committed to ecological issues and will bring tremendous energy to The Ecologist website."

Oliver Tickell responded:

"I am very excited to being taking on this role. The Resurgence Trust is a fantastic place for The Ecologist to be. I have been reading The Ecologist since the 1980s and am ever-mindful of its values and principles. My aim is to manifest those values in a different media landscape and I particularly want to make the website more interactive so it becomes a focus for ideas and debate serving the green movement."[4]

History

The Ecologist emerged from the first wave of environmental awareness that followed the seminal book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, which highlighted the dangers of bio-accumulative pesticides within food chains, and that culminated in the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment at Stockholm in 1972. This period also saw the establishment of leading environmental organisations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

The Ecologist was created in 1970 by Edward Goldsmith as a forum for himself and other academics to publish papers that were deemed too radical to be published in other magazines or the mainstream press. The Ecologist progressed from a small academic journal with an initial circulation of only 400, to one of the world’s leading environmental affairs magazines with monthly sales (including subscriptions and newsstand) of 20,000.[5]

As the magazine grew, its coverage became broader and its style more journalistic. The Ecologist covered topics including food, climate change, news, corporate affairs, chain stores, chemicals, pesticides and the corporatisation of the mass media. It was accused of being both left and right wing in its agenda, but did not follow the doctrine of any specific movement. It claimed to help readers ‘rethink basic assumptions’ about the world.

On April 8, 2009, the Ecologist announced[6] that it was relaunching solely online and that the July issue would be its last print edition. The website launched on June 19, 2009 at http://www.theecologist.org. Publication of The Ecologist's online, monthly newsletters ceased with the May 2012 issue.

In June 2012 The Ecologist merged with Resurgence Magazine. A new, merged Resurgence & Ecologist print publication appeared in September 2012.[7] The Ecologist has also continued to publish online with new articles added daily.

Publishing landmarks

A key landmark in The Ecologist’s history was the 1972 publication of A Blueprint for Survival (1972), to which an entire issue was dedicated. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, former contributor Fred Pearce described it as "a radical green manifesto that went on to sell 750,000 copies and kept the magazine financially afloat for years." A recommendation of the Blueprint led directly to the creation of the People Party which became the Ecology Party and then the Green Party (UK).

A Blueprint for Survival follows through the consequences of what happens when humans disrupt the ecosystems in which they exist. It explains that when these systems are disrupted, they alter other ecosystems all over the world. Written in an age before climate change was understood, A Blueprint for Survival stands as one of the earliest forecasts of many of the environmental problems the world faces today.

In the 'Monsanto' issue of September 1998, The Ecologist assembled a selection of articles critical of agri-business giant, Monsanto’s, environmental record. The Ecologist's printing firm at the time, Penwells,[8] feared libel litigation from Monsanto and pulped the 14,000 copies of the edition. The issue was ultimately printed by a small London printer and went on to become the most-sold issue of The Ecologist ever.

The 1998 Cancer issue discussed the human influences on the increasing number of cancer cases and questioned the views of Sir Richard Doll, who was then seen as an expert in the field. The Ecologist was threatened with legal action for running this story.

The April 2004 edition dedicated a special section to the Slow Food[9] movement, which criticised the health and environmental impacts of fast-food culture, and espoused a ‘slower’ alternative.

Marking the 25th anniversary of the December 1988 Lockerbie bombing, The Ecologist published in January 2014 an article entitled "Flight 103: it was the Uranium" with this introduction:

"Mystery continues to surround the 1988 downing of Pan Am Flight 103 at Lockerbie - who did it, how, and why? After 25 years study of the topic Patrick Haseldine reveals the shocking truth."[10]

The article which directly challenged the Lockerbie Official Narrative quickly became controversial. Lockerbie author, journalist and film researcher John Ashton reacted strongly in the January 2014 edition of Private Eye magazine:

"Most hacks and news organisations have long blocked or junked rants from the Lockerbie-bombing conspiracy theorist Patrick Haseldine. Not so The Ecologist magazine.
"Oliver Tickell, the new editor, has just published 'the shocking truth' of Lockerbie by the man who styles himself 'Emeritus Professor of Lockerbie Studies'. Haselnut has long claimed that Pan Am 103 was blown up by the apartheid South African government in order to kill an unfortunate Swedish passenger, Bernt Carlsson, the UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Commissioner for Namibia."[11]

Key people

Edward Goldsmith, founder of The Ecologist, was born in 1928 in Paris and was the first major influence on the publication. Having studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics, he served in the military and within a variety of different business ventures.

Throughout his life he has taken on the roles of businessman, campaigner, lecturer, writer, editor and publisher. With the inheritance left to him by his father, Major Frank Goldsmith, Edward fulfilled his idea of creating a magazine which doubled as a platform for academic writers who were concerned about the world around them. Thirty-nine years later The Ecologist was still a major source of information on issues such as climate change, globalisation and sustainable economics. Edward Goldsmith was the editor from its foundation in 1970 until 1990, and then again from 1997 until 1998 whilst supporting his nephew, Zac Goldsmith.

Former editors include Nicholas Hildyard, Sarah Sexton, Simon Fairlie, Peter Bunyard, Sarah Sexton, Paul Kingsnorth (deputy editor), Harry Ram (managing editor), Jeremy Smith and Pat Thomas.

When Hildyard left in 1997, Edward Goldsmith’s initial intention was that the Board of the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC), directed by Helena Norberg-Hodge, should manage The Ecologist. Instead, Zac Goldsmith, who was then working for ISEC, became editor, as the other members of ISEC were occupied with other projects.

Zac Goldsmith, born in 1975, joined at 22 years old as an intern before becoming editor of The Ecologist.

Under Zac Goldsmith’s editorship a more diversified readership developed. In the 10 years that he was editor he developed a more conventional looking publication that could compete visually with other current affairs titles, while still maintaining its diverse content. In 2005 he became advisor to Conservative leader David Cameron's Quality of Life Policy Group,[12] and is now a Member of Parliament for Richmond. His influence continued in supporting the Ecologist financially but Goldsmith stepped down as editor in June 2007, saying, "The magazine has to remain impartial and feel free to have a go at the Government and at the Conservatives. So I can't both be the editor and a parliamentary candidate." He remained as Chairman and Director of The Ecologist.[13]

Contributors to The Ecologist included Jonathon Porritt, Mark Lynas, Paul Kingsnorth, who was the magazine's deputy editor from 1999 to 2001, Tom Hodgkinson, Joss Garman & Georgina Downs.

Andrew Wasley, who joined the organisation in 2010, edited The Ecologist's website and newsletters.[14] The current website editor is Oliver Tickell, following his appointment in October 2013.

Circulation

In its magazine format, The Ecologist had an average circulation of 20,000 per issue.[5] In its online incarnation, in addition to the website there was a weekly e-newsletter and a monthly subscriber PDF newsletter, the last issue of which was published in May 2012. The Ecologist has a Facebook[15] page at ‘The Ecologist – Official Page’ with 164,650 "likes" and a Twitter[16] account at ‘the_ecologist’ with over 90,000 followers.

Editorial content

While The Ecologist did not adhere to any particular movements, its influence on anti-globalisation groups could be seen throughout its history in advocating the principle of localisation, with an emphasis on building community resilience in the face of peak oil and climate change while reducing food and other commodity supply chains. According to its blurb, the Resurgence & Ecologist magazine ("publishing to inspire and inform for nearly 50 years") says:

Inside each issue you'll find cutting-edge articles on environmental, ethical and social issues, together with stunning art, poetry and reviews. Recent contributors include Zac Goldsmith, Mary Robinson, Paul Kingsnorth, Caroline Lucas, Rowan Williams, Jane Davidson, Michael Morpurgo and many more...

References

  1. ↑ "Goldsmith: CV". Edwardgoldsmith.com. Retrieved 2010-05-01.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  2. ↑ "The Ecologist website"
  3. ↑ "Ecologist and Resurgence – a stronger voice for change"
  4. ↑ "New Editor for the Ecologist"
  5. ↑ a b "Why The Ecologist has gone on-line". The Ecologist. Retrieved 2010-05-01.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  6. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  7. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions: Resurgence and the Ecologist", TheEcologist.org. Accessed: September 14, 2012.
  8. ↑ "PennWell Publishing- B2B Print and Online Magazine, Events and Jobs". Pennwell.com. Retrieved 2010-05-01.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  9. ↑ "SlowFood UK". Slowfood.org.uk. Retrieved 2010-05-01.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  10. ↑ "Flight 103: it was the Uranium"
  11. ↑ "Private Eye rumbles Haselnut and The Ecologist"
  12. ↑ "Quality of Life Challenge". Quality of Life Challenge. Retrieved 2010-05-01.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  13. ↑ "Zac Goldsmith – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia". En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 2010-05-01.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  14. ↑ "Andrew Wasley - Profile"
  15. ↑ "The Ecologist - Official Page". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-10-06.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  16. ↑ the_ecologist. "The Ecologist (the_ecologist) on Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2010-05-01.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").

External links

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