At Landmark: John Elder, Climate Change 2/6/17

"The Power of Myth and the Challenge of Climate Change” by John Elder

John Elder writes, "Climate activists in the U. S. often draw inspiration from the philosophies of Native American and East Asian traditions. But unless we can bring our own foundational stories into this defining dialogue of our time as well, we're nothing but mooches! In this connection, I'd like to explore the relevance of the myth of Persephone's abduction by Hades and the story of St. Francis, both of which flowed powerfully into my recent travels in Sicily."

John Elder taught English and environmental studies at Middlebury College from 1973 until his retirement in 2010 and lives in the nearby village of Bristol with his wife, Rita. His Reading the Mountains of Home, The Frog Run, and Pilgrimage to Vallombrosa form a sequence that explores the meaning of Vermont’s landscape and environmental history for him as a teacher, writer, and householder. In 2016, he published a book called Picking Up the Flute that explores geological, historical, and environmental parallels between Connemara and Vermont. He is co-editor of the Norton Anthology of Nature Writing.