Terraphthora (earth destroyer)  (tera for ra)

(Terra, from the Latin “earth”, the Greek φθορά (phthorá) or “destruction”).

Terranascia  (earth creator) (tera nas cia)

(Terra, from the Latin “earth” and the Latin nātūra, “to be born”).

The conflict between terraphthora and terranascia is now global. Terraphthorans are now destroying the earth within the Anthropocene. Terranascient humans will live symbiotically with the rest of life in the Symbiocene.

From Earth Emotions (2019):

“The death of emotions is tied to a separation story that has been told by many before me, but I want to re-frame it for the twenty-first century. As indicated in the Introduction, instead of being a terranascient, or ‘earth creating’ life form, we have become earth destroyers, or ‘terraphthorans’. I invented these terms after reading about Phytophthora cinnamomi, a soil-borne water mold that produces an infection in plants called “root rot” or “dieback”. My much-loved Jarrah forest in Western Australia suffers from this introduced disease, and it is destroying this noble tree’s historical range and vitality. The word, “phytophthora” literally means “plant destroyer” so I wanted to apply this powerful phthora to my work. The idea that humans can be earth destroyers or terraphthorans was the catalyst for also creating the idea of humans as “terranascient”, giving emphasis to the essential creativity of birth (from the Latin natura and nasci, to be born).”