Jane Muncke, the indefatigable mover and brilliant environmental scientist, just joined the Global Footprint Network board. She sat down with us to share her vision for the future she wants, and how this organization can contribute to it. Here is our conversation.
Dear Jane, thank you for your time, and for joining our effort. We are thrilled to having you. As you are entering this new role, we were curious to learn more about your ideas, and also how you would like to shape and contribute to our organization’s mission. To learn more about you, let’s start where it started: What first sparked your interest in environmental protection? Was there a moment when it clicked for you? Maybe even in your childhood?
My parents raised me to appreciate nature and how important it is to protect it. I was born in South Africa and learned from an early age to conserve water. And as a rower I have seen the increase in plastic pollution in rivers and lakes over the years. I feel privileged to have the knowledge that allows me to work on protecting the environment for the benefit of all.
That’s life-experience in action. So what’s a belief you hold that you think more people should consider when thinking about the future of the planet?
We humans are not separate from nature. We are nature! Nature is not a “nice to have” but it is essential for our health, wellbeing and for the future of humanity. And nature is beautiful and fascinating. There are so many miracles to discover in nature. I love planting seeds in spring and observing the life that emerges from them. What a wonder life is!
Indeed, so true. We take these miracles too often for granted. What’s something in your background, professional or personal, that people might be surprised to learn shaped your path here?
During my studies at ETH Zurich in Switzerland I started acting, and founded the first Swiss improvisational theatre group EIT with friends. For 15 years I was an active member of EIT, playing hundreds of shows in Switzerland and abroad. Improvisational theatre can be a lot of fun, but practicing it is mindfulness training because you need to be present in the here and now. These skills help me in my daily life, especially when giving talks or moderating panels and events, and even in meetings. Everyone needs to laugh occasionally, and I like cracking jokes, also if this can be a high-risk undertaking and sometimes gets me in trouble.
How cool is that! Life is constant improvisation. And your penchant for humor so refreshing, particularly for serious missions, like the one of your organization, The Food Packaging Forum, or that of Global Footprint Network. What attracts you to our organization? And how does it relate to your own work?
I’m inspired by Mathis Wackernagel, as a person, a storyteller and as a scientist. His work over several decades shows how powerful data can be. I look forward to working with the amazing Global Footprint Network team and hope to contribute to even more awareness for global overshoot, so that smart responses can be developed by harnessing the amazing human creativity and potential for solving problems. In my work I deal with a very similar challenge, namely the need for more awareness on chemicals in food packaging that harm health, because they transfer from packaging into food and from there into the human body. Many of these chemicals have never been tested for their safety, and there are several that are known to harm health, for example because they are breast carcinogens or impair fertility. Essentially, it’s a huge moral dilemma that needs to be addressed urgently and using science.
It’s quite shocking, isn’t it how society has tolerated the proliferation of such potentially hazardous materials. One would assume that protective self-interest would kick in more robustly. So it raises the question how we can engage with the various stakeholders more effectively. Given your experience, what options do you see to making the narrative around sustainability or overshoot more effective?
Today’s young generation is much more conscious of the human predicament and that we are sawing at the branch we are sitting on. That’s great! What I would like to see more of is critical thinking – people connecting the dots and asking questions, especially about commercial activities that promise sustainability but in truth are greenwashing. If something is too good to be true, it’s probably worth a second, closer look.
Luckily we can draw on so many amazing and inspiring people dedicating their lives to science, communication, and action, be it in policy or civil society, working tirelessly for a better world for all. One of my personal heroes is Mahatma Gandhi who, like me, lived in South Africa and was deeply shaped by that experience. His integrity and steadfast pursuit of his values are an endless inspiration to me. I am also inspired by people who create beauty in our world, such as in arts and music and good food. And, of course by nature! All these can help us find ways to connect with our audiences.
And then, to be honest, progress is tenaciously slow, in spite of all these inspirations. What keeps you intrigued and motivated to contribute to this space?
With the knowledge I have I feel a deep responsibility to help. It’s key that we, as humanity, start connecting the dots and understand the complexity of the challenge ahead. It will be important to harness our creativity and to work together, pro-socially, to deal with the implications of our living beyond our means. Our species may not be so good at precautionary action but when it comes to crises we get it done. Our role is to be ready with answers when the time comes.
Ok, then, if you could implement one sustainability policy overnight, what would it be, and why?
I would have much stricter rules for advertising, especially for green claims. Most consumers lack the knowledge to understand such claims, which more often than not fall short of being actually beneficial for planetary and human health.
What are you most excited to explore as part of your role at Global Footprint Network?
I look forward to working with those governments who are aware of their responsibility for future generations – the people who are not even born yet. A wonderful, inspiring and strong woman that I had the honor of meeting during my work on the UN Global Plastics Treaty, Suzanne Smoke of the Alderville First Nation, taught me that we need to look out for the next seven generations and make sure they have the resources they need for a good life. We are the adults in the room now and we must make sure that future humans (and future generations of other living beings) can enjoy our beautiful planet as much as we are.
Yes, there are so many adults in the room, and still, if you could invite one more person (dead or alive) to join a Global Footprint Network brainstorming session, who would it be, and what would you ask them?
I would ask Rachel Carson to join us. I would like to ask her how we can help our fellow humans who are not trained in environmental science to understand our self-inflicted human predicament and how to make them care. I think that Rachel would have some good ideas to share with us!
Oh, thank you, Jane, and we are so glad you are the “one more person” for us, joining our journey. Welcome!