Capitalist Agriculture and the Global Bee Crisis
I’m excited to announce that I wrote a book! The book, published by Routledge, is a political ecology of pollination in which I argue that capitalist agriculture is the main…
Pollinator People dissertation
Exciting news! I have completed my PhD dissertation “Pollinator People: an ethnography of bees, bee advocates and possibilities for multispecies commoning in Toronto and London, ON“. You can read it…
Pollinator People: PhD Public Lecture
If you have been following my work, you may be interested in attending a virtual public lecture of my PhD dissertation. Please email for zoom details – rebecca.a.ellis@gmail.com
On hiatus
Hi Everyone, You may have noticed, but I am on hiatus from the blog and podcast. Over the next few months, I will be completing my PhD, starting a herb…
Episode 17: Permaculture Pandemic 3 – Mutual Aid for Collective Futures
In the third instalment of the Permaculture Pandemic Podcast series I discuss the concept and practice of mutual aid, including it’s history (my version), how it relates to permaculture and…
Episode 16: Permaculture Pandemic Podcast 2 – Cultivate Abundance in Uncertainty
Cultivate abundance in the face of uncertainty!
Episode 15: Permaculture Pandemic Podcast 1
This pandemic will make visible some of the worst aspects of capitalism and will require us to organize and act when it is over!
Planning your garden in the face of climate breakdown
In the face of climate breakdown, the task of cheerfully planning one’s garden may be filled with sadness, anxiety, or confusion. The snowy picture of my backyard looks lovely and wintry but until yesterday, it was freakishly mild. I know other parts of the world are experiencing much more serious climate chaos. However, the creation of spaces in which people and non-human nature can flourish is more important now than perhaps ever before.
Small-scale farmers – not lab foods – can help save the planet
George Monbiot’s recent article in which he celebrates the rise of lab-based foods and the end of the agrarian age is highly problematic. It ignores social scientific and scientific research about agricultural systems and minimizes the practices and struggles of small-scale, organic farmers.
Radical change & radical patience: lessons from my garden
Sometimes we have to spend time nurturing things even though we don’t know when and if they will flourish. This is true for gardens and it’s also true for social change and social movements. Maybe there are movements that, like my native wildflowers, seem to have died but will grow back stronger and more beautiful than ever. Maybe there are forms of social change that I will nurture for years like my Paw Paws, possibly never getting to eat the fruit myself but creating the conditions so that others can.
Episode 14: Resolutions for a revolutionary new year!
Some radical New Year’s Resolutions for 2020!
Other worlds are possible but only through struggle
I have certainty about one thing: it will be better to collectively struggle for freedom against this brutal, life-destroying system than to struggle alone. The most amazing moments of exhilarating joy will be collective.
Episode 13: The Power of Witches!
In this special Halloween episode I explore why witches are so threatening to capitalism. I said this episode would be shorter. It wasn’t. I talk a lot. This is the…
Episode 12: The Re-enchantment: in-against-and-beyond capitalism
In this episode, I announce the new podcast name, which I will be rolling out over the next month, and I discuss the climate strike and Canadian elections! Resources from…
Urban bee keepers can help save wild bees
Check out my recent article in The Conversation Urban bee keepers can help save wild bees. If you find it interesting please share! When will the podcast be back? Mid-May. I…
Episode 11: The Global Insect Decline
In this episode I explore the implications the global insect decline. Why are insects in decline and, more importantly why should you care? What actions can we take in cities…
Create a garden in which pollinators flourish
Pollinators – the special group of animals that assist plants in reproduction by moving pollen from the male part of the plant to the female part of the plant, are…
Permaculture on the edge: building an anti/despite/post-capitalist movement
by Rebecca Ellis This article was originally published on my blog on November 2017. It begins to lay out my thoughts for re-visioning permaculture as part of larger anti/despite/post-capitalist movements.…
Create Amazing Soil: Planning for Spring, part 4
Healthy, living soil is the most important aspect of having an abundant and flourishing garden.
Planning for Spring, Part 3: Growing Veggies!
Some tips for deciding what veggies to grow and where to source seed.
Planning for Spring, Part 2 Best Plants for a Pollinator Sanctuary
Re-posting my 4-part Planning for Spring series. Part 2: Best Plants for a Pollinator Sanctuary #permaculture #organicgardening #pollinators #savethebees #bees
Planning for Spring, Part 1: Garden Dreaming
It’s still snowy but get ready to dream your garden into existence.
Episode 10: Interview with Starhawk on the promise of regeneration
In this episode I interview Starhawk, author, activist, and permaculture teacher, about the crisis of climate change and the promise of regeneration.
Climate Change and struggles for a better world!
I participated in a livestream discussion about climate change and struggles for a better world. We had an interesting discussion, check it out:
Episode 9: People powered transportation!
In this episode I talk about struggles for excellent and free public transit and for the creation of walkable, bikeable neighbourhoods. I argue that we simply cannot create socially just,…
Episode 8: Re-enchanting the world through commoning: the work of Silvia Federici
In this episode I discuss the radical potential of re-commoning social reproduction, or the work of everyday life that is necessary for human existence, by exploring the newest book by…
Episode 7: Building an environmental movement that can win!
Welcome to 2019. I invite you to step out of despair and get ready to create a movement to transform the world. In this interview I talk to Steve D’Arcy,…
Bonus episode. RetroSuburbia: a review
As a special end-of-2018 treat, I decided to do a bonus episode of Permaculture for the People in which I review David Holmgren’s new book RetroSuburbia: the downshifters guide to a resilient future. Enjoy and…
Episode 6: Food Crises and Food Riots with Naomi Hossain
In this episode I interview Naomi Hossain, a political sociologist and researcher, about food crises and food riots. Understanding that food scarcity is not what causes famines or even rising…
Episode 5: Workers of the World Unite: we have a world to win!!
In this episode I discuss two important struggles of working class people going on RIGHT NOW: the struggle of postal workers in Canada to strike and the spontaneous riots in…
Episode 4: Permaculture and the Refugee Crisis with Rosemary Morrow
In this episode I give some background about the global refugee crisis and provide the framework with which I believe permaculture people should view this crisis. I then interview the…
Episode 3: Living with the urban wild!
In this episode I touch on the insect crisis and then dig deep into how we can learn to co-create with the wild – with a focus on bees and…
Episode 2: How to have HOPE in spite of climate chaos
In this episode, I tackle the climate chaos and try to leave you with a feeling of hope that we can collectively change the world for the better! This episode…
The Re-enchantment 