Anthony Turton: Reinventing Uncivilsation
In the current world view, nature is seen to be chaotic and destructive. Descartes spoke of being the master and owner of Nature. To him, Nature was a problem – something to be ‘owned’ and ‘tamed’. Tony asks us to reinvent uncivilisation, not as a mutant of the current barbaric form of what we call ‘civilisation’, based on the control of Nature; but rather as a form of peaceful co-existence between humans and the environment.
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ABOUT Anthony Turton
“Anthony Turton is a twelfth generation South African and the product of a country that has been in virtual constant transition for three and a half centuries.
He has learned how to harness the power of change by seeking to understand the cumulative wisdom of these past twelve generations and by applying that to contemporary situations.
Anthony has been gathering information about the risks facing South Africa’s national watersheds for over 10 years. While he has systematically made his findings available to both Government and Industry, the relevant authorities have reacted with lethargy and ambivalence.
In November 2008 after his presentation of findings was withdrawn from a conference for being too sensational in content, he took his story to the media where the alarming facts about the urgency of acid mine drainage finally reached the public domain.
Anthony was then suspended from his post at the CSIR and later resigned and now continues his efforts in his personal capacity, raising awareness about the urgent intervention needed to save our water resources from further degradation.
He is a thought leader interested in solving seemingly intractible problems, focusing his attention on resources, more specifically the need to overcome water and energy constraints to the future economic growth and prosperity, both of South Africa and the entire South African Development Community region.
He is the author of ‘Shaking Hands with Billy’ and was the South African Breweries (SAB) Environmentalist of the Year (2010).”
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