Interview with Elisabeth Dimitras - MSc Biodiversity Conservation, Researcher, Activist, Tiny House Dweller, Permaculturist, Founder of Ethos & Empathy
Please share your journey from growing up in the city to choosing to live off the grid in a tiny house, becoming a vegan, growing your own food and becoming an activist? Were there any early signs when young that this would be your future?
I was born and raised in a suburb of Athens, Greece, I studied Mathematics in Athens and Biodiversity Conservation in Montpellier, France & in Lesvos island - with a thesis of specialization on bears and other big mammals (whether or not they were using the crossing structures over and under the Egnatia highway which was constructed exactly in the middle of their habitat, in the NW part of Greece).
A turning point in my life is the death of my mother. She died when I was just 22 years old, She was my only caregiver. Before and after her death, all my grandparents died too. As a result, I lost all my family quite young. I was left without emotional support. I was already a sensitive person who had overcome severe depression while everyone was still alive, so the depression came back when I couldn't find a job despite the degrees and the rich CV. There was no family around to support me as I was trying to navigate my way in a collapsing world. What saved me was the fact that my ancestors left me with a couple of properties. They didn't have great value, but renting them and eventually selling, kept me going
When I finished my studies, it was right when the financial crisis emerged, so I have mostly been unemployed ever since. However, I've been actively involved with animal rescue, beach & forest cleanings, animal caretaking in wildlife rescue canters and farm sanctuaries, as well as the refugee crisis. I travelled a lot for educational and volunteer opportunities, while fighting mental health issues. After the refugee crisis in 2015 and my experience as a camp coordinator for IOM, in 2017, in combination with the fact that I turned vegan in 2016, nothing made sense in the so called civilized world for me.
What have been the biggest challenges to moving off the grid? What have been the biggest personal benefits of choosing this path?
Living off the grid has been a total nightmare since last year, with these extreme temperatures in combination with the lack of rainfall. It's a constant effort to survive due to the climate breakdown. Last year I ran out of water during the heatwaves. I had so many trees and plants to water - 60 pumpkins and a veggie garden, plus perennial bushes and 15 trees. We realized in mid-July we had run out of water because the water source was emptied. As a result, for 1.5 months we were bringing water daily from my partner's house, or from a tank nearby in big plastic packages that can hold 12L of water each. Twice I also had to pay someone to bring water to fill my tanks. All the plants got stressed and many died.
Living off the grid has been a total nightmare since last year, with these extreme temperatures in combination with the lack of rainfall. It's a constant effort to survive due to the climate breakdown. Last year I ran out of water during the heatwaves. I had so many trees and plants to water - 60 pumpkins and a veggie garden, plus perennial bushes and 15 trees. We realized in mid-July we had run out of water because the water source was emptied. As a result, for 1.5 months we were bringing water daily from my partner's house, or from a tank nearby in big plastic packages that can hold 12L of water each. Twice I also had to pay someone to bring water to fill my tanks. All the plants got stressed and many died.
Another HUGE challenge is the heat. The Tiny House had only fans. Last year I had to take my dogs away from here 5 times, because otherwise we would all have experienced a heatstroke. It was exhausting. As a result, I had to get air conditioning this year. That meant I needed to buy new batteries because the old ones didn't have enough space to store the energy that my panels produce. I wanted to embrace a minimalistic way of living but the climate collapse doesn't let me.
Personal benefits: I said, "Fuck the system!" and I actually did it! I don't have to pay rent to anyone, I don't pay bills except for internet and my mobile. I feel free in these terms. Another benefit is that I have my own organic olive oil and some of my own veggies, plus mint, basil, spearmint, rosemary etc. This always makes me feel one step closer to freedom, one step further away from capitalism that has destroyed our lives. But it's so hard! I wish I could fast forward to the day the trees would start giving fruits. I wish I could find funds to get some machines that would help me become able to feed the soil (e.g a shredder) so I could produce more food, plant more trees, and grow legumes. More funds would help me hire people to do some work that I can't.
How did you become a researcher for animal ethics, human rights and environmentalism?
When living off the grid, how do you stay connected to the web so you can maintain the presence you need for your message to reach an ever-wider population?
I have a small router that I plug in to charge. It works with batteries and it has 5G signal. I try to use it mindfully, though, as I don't want to be always connected. Reaching a wider population is not my priority. I am reaching whoever wants to be reached! I know I am considered a radical, and I am not popular because that's the price you pay when you are a walk out as a trailblazer ahead of your time (see more on walk-outs at the Ted talk here).
What would you most like to share with people about your passion and choice of life, a message you share by living it daily?
If we truly believe in something, we must show it through our daily actions, through our values, through our lifestyle. It's not enough to label ourselves anything if our actions prove us to not be what we claim we are. I have increased the biodiversity in a microscale here. Planting all these trees, flowers, veggie gardens, perennial bushes which attracts insects, who then attract lizards and birds! I am regreening an area which has been very much affected by hunters and shepherds,. As I am only using 1000-2000 square meters from the land (its 10.000 square meters), I have left the rest to the wild animals and birds. They can come here and be protected from hunters. I am daily honoring my values, no matter how hard it is. Integrity is the most important value for me.
Holding an MSc on Biodiversity Conservation with the thesis of specialization that I mentioned, in combination with long record on volunteer work in rescue centers gave me the ticket to work for the NGO Animal Ethics as a freelance researcher. This has been the best working experience in my life. I contacted them to help voluntary with some research that they were doing, I started chatting with the person who was outreaching back then to find people help them with research, and since they had some subjects that they needed a researcher to work on them, the timing was ideal. I did two long researches, and wrote long reports for them which were published later on (can be found here and here) after some volunteers worked more on my results. When I got paid for these 2 longs researches, I felt so good with myself.
The last research I 've applied has been for an essay that I wrote for a book on Critical Animal Studies, which was published earlier this year. I was invited to write it by one of the editors of this book. This essay challenges the idea of traveling by plane and procreating. In order to be able to write this essay properly for the topic of aviation, I had to participate in a webinar hosted by the network Stay Grounded who provided all the scientific and necessary information that is backing up the claims against aviation industry and its greenwashing.
What led you to found Ethos & Empathy, (A non-profit initiative with a mission to promote anti-speciesism and ecology, and encourage people to adopt a holistic approach in their life)? What has come easily? What challenges have you faced?
When I went vegan in 2016, there was no platform in Greece where I could get information on where to find vegan alternatives on everything from shampoo, to food, to clothes and to educate myself on the issue. I decided to start one myself. I made the mistake setting it up with another person who was already in the vegan community though. To set up a charity you need 20 people. So, we went on the hunt to find 18 more people who shared our values. By the time we found them, I was no longer living in Athens. Although we organized the most successful animal rights march in Greece, we argued over several topics. I was also investing most of my time into my research, and living the hermit nomadic life. It wasn't easy to coordinate stuff from afar. I decided to keep the website as an educative platform. It was easier doing it by myself. Since it became a solo thing, I found my peace.
When I went vegan in 2016, there was no platform in Greece where I could get information on where to find vegan alternatives on everything from shampoo, to food, to clothes and to educate myself on the issue. I decided to start one myself. I made the mistake setting it up with another person who was already in the vegan community though. To set up a charity you need 20 people. So, we went on the hunt to find 18 more people who shared our values. By the time we found them, I was no longer living in Athens. Although we organized the most successful animal rights march in Greece, we argued over several topics. I was also investing most of my time into my research, and living the hermit nomadic life. It wasn't easy to coordinate stuff from afar. I decided to keep the website as an educative platform. It was easier doing it by myself. Since it became a solo thing, I found my peace.
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| Podcast interview click here |
I have a small router that I plug in to charge. It works with batteries and it has 5G signal. I try to use it mindfully, though, as I don't want to be always connected. Reaching a wider population is not my priority. I am reaching whoever wants to be reached! I know I am considered a radical, and I am not popular because that's the price you pay when you are a walk out as a trailblazer ahead of your time (see more on walk-outs at the Ted talk here).
If we truly believe in something, we must show it through our daily actions, through our values, through our lifestyle. It's not enough to label ourselves anything if our actions prove us to not be what we claim we are. I have increased the biodiversity in a microscale here. Planting all these trees, flowers, veggie gardens, perennial bushes which attracts insects, who then attract lizards and birds! I am regreening an area which has been very much affected by hunters and shepherds,. As I am only using 1000-2000 square meters from the land (its 10.000 square meters), I have left the rest to the wild animals and birds. They can come here and be protected from hunters. I am daily honoring my values, no matter how hard it is. Integrity is the most important value for me.
Links -
- Website - www.ethosandempathy.org/en/
- Instagram - @_eco_spiritual_
- GoFundMe - www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-dedicated-woman-her-animals-and-the-environment
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