Imagining our world

The 'Future of Nature' wrap-up

Yesterday, I was watching Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola’s latest movie, when one idea caught my attention:

Talking about utopia is the utopian future we’ve been waiting for.

I loved this approach because it invites everyone to participate in a conversation about a better future. We might never fully reach our utopian dreams and perhaps this is the whole point: utopia exists to spark the right conversations.

When I think of a utopian future, I think of a new worldview.

The biggest problem we face today is not climate change. Not capitalism. Not technocracy. It’s our belief that the human species is better than any other living being on this planet. That the world around us exists only to serve our purposes. That nature has no intrinsic value beyond being a resource to be possessed and exploited for human advancement.

Because of this belief, we destroy the few remaining natural habitats to install green energy infrastructure. Because of this belief, we destroy ancestral indigenous lands with high ecological value to mine lithium for EV batteries. In our quest to build a so-called green utopia that preserves our lifestyle minus the CO2 emissions, we are destroying the ecosystems we depend on.

We do this with a clean conscience because everything—including human beings— is seen as a resource meant to be consumed.

But here’s the thing: we can’t build a better future without healing our relationship with nature. We cannot survive on this planet without an ecosystem that supports human life.

Radical change comes from radical thinking. Utopia starts with a conversation.

This week, I invite you to be part of that conversation by exploring the stories and poems shared in our community writing project The Future of Nature.

To honour Earth Day 2025, a group of 28 writers reflected on the future of the human-nature relationship through their work. You’ll find:

• Stories about valuable species in danger of disappearing, such as the moth.

• Reflections on terra nullis, the colonial take on the idea that the land belongs to no one.

• Questions about the legacy we leave to future generations.

• Cautionary tales about exploiting new worlds.

Here’s the full list of entries.

1. The moth effect by Alia Parker

2. We are Stardust by Alicia Arbe

3. This Will Happen Again by Annie Hendrix

4. You Won’t Remember by Ben Wakeman

5. Red Bloom by Brian Reindel 👾⚔️

6. The Story-Seeker and Her Rooted Friend by 𝐂𝐁 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧

7. Fall of the Jellarks by Chef Chris

8. Human Island by Claudia Befu

9. Silverback by Memoirs of a Mad Scientist

10. GOB CHÀRNAIRC by Dan Reat

11. Bad Kids Don’t Light Good Fires by Devon Nako

12. Archive of Stone by Emily Charlotte Powell

13. Homeobox by Johnathan Reid

14. The Cheyenne Girl by Joseph Young

15. then now someday by Julie Gabrielli

16. Life with birds in the fifty-second world by Kate Bown

17. The Last Dreamer by Marla Lise

18. Earth Day Thoughts by Mary L. Tabor

19. Renovated Home for Sale in the Carolina Mountains. Includes Fish by Nick Buchheit

20. Homo Myceliensis by Nick Winney

21. I dreamt of better worlds by radicaledward

22. Bright shards of sea-worn credit cards by Sarah Rose Nordgren

23. The Future(s) of Justice (Part 1): Sofia108 by Sharon Hom

24. Surface Tension by Shoni

25. Topside by Stephanie Loomis

26. Follow on the Water by Stephanie Sweeney

27. The Stone Dreams by Susan Earlam

28. Books of the Future by Thomas Wharton

A highlight of this event

The science-fiction collaboration between fiction writers and two generous scientists: ecology professor Jonathan Tonkin and marine biologist rebecca hooper. Through live Q&A sessions, they helped us bridge science and imagination.

A huge thank you to Julie Gabrielli, my wonderful co-organizer, to Erica Drayton for promoting our event though Top In Fiction, and to every participant who made time to reflect on the human-nature relationship through story.

Alia Parker | Alicia Arbe | Annie Hendrix | Ben Wakeman | Brian Reindel 👾⚔️ | 𝐂𝐁 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 | Chef Chris | Claudia Befu | D. A. Kelly Author | Dan Reat | Devon Nako | Emily Charlotte Powell | Johnathan Reid | Joseph Young | Julie Gabrielli | Kate Bown | Marla Lise | Mary L. Tabor | Nick Buchheit | Nick Winney | radicaledward | Sarah Rose Nordgren | Sharon Hom | Shoni | Stephanie Loomis | Stephanie Sweeney | Susan Earlam | Thomas Wharton

Celebrate Earth Day 2025 by exploring one or more stories and poems, and share your thoughts in the comments.

Let’s start a conversation about the future we want to build. Because dreaming of a better future is the first step toward living a better future.

📣 New There Is Hope season announcement

The fifth and last season of our climate fiction series There Is Hope will start dropping on May 25. Five new episodes will be released weekly.

Join me one last time on the Dust Road.

There Is Hope is a climate fiction mosaic novel about life on a planet devastated by climate change and the things that give people hope.

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🌱 If this story resonated with you…

The full novel There Is Hope is being serialized now and the final season drops in May. After June, it will go behind the paywall and will be available only to paid subscribers.

If you want to support independent climate fiction and help me build this world, consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Your support makes all of this possible and means the world to me. All funds are used to cover the costs of the upcoming book, including a beautiful cover illustration. Thank you for being part of this journey!