Little Bear speaks on human impact on nature as part of Galt Presents series

Humanity’s impact on earth was the focus of a talk at the Galt Museum on Wednesday by Leroy Little Bear, professor emeritus at the University of Lethbridge and renowned advocate for First Nations education.

During his career, Little Bear has developed university courses on numerous subjects including political and social issues, Indigenous law, history, philosophy, arts and language.

He spoke as part of The Galt Presents series.

Little Bear said before his talk that while the impact of humans can be reversed, it’s going to take time.

As an example of mankind’s impact, Little Bear talked about how decades ago a person could drive down the highway in summer and bugs would splatter the windshield. Now, he says, due to the amount of insecticides used on fields, that doesn’t happen anymore.

Because of insecticides, birds and bats don’t have their own ready supply source and have to travel much further for food, he said, “whereas in the old days, when there were plenty of bugs that didn’t die from all those pesticides, they were able to feed in their own local area but now they have to travel much further.

“We call it progress,” he said of the changes done to ecology by mankind.

“I’m speaking about homo sapiens and their impact on the earth and the notion of what I refer to as constructed environments. And the impact of those constructed environments on my earth,” said Little Bear about his talk.

“If we want to be around 10,000 years, what do we need to do?” he asked, adding he isn’t sure we will be if things like the Ukraine invasion continue.

“It’s almost like we’re speeding things up. It may be that nature will eventually take its course because if you look at an evolutionary notion, as I jokingly tell people, I used to text Neanderthal man who was our neighbour at one time. But where he is now? And we’re still around but now scientists are already talking about the new species, in other words the new species that’s going to take over humans. In other words, we are kind of a passing phase. It may be that it’s just nature …but maybe we’re speeding up that process.”

“If we keep going the way we’re going right now, maybe we won’t be around too long,” Little Bear said.

“Countries it seems are realizing we need to do things much more environmentally friendly. They’re realizing it but the economic aspect of it kind of keeps getting in the way.”

And the Indigenous way is much more balanced and environmentally friendly, Little Bear said.