Interview with Gianfranco Scimone (4/5)

What are the key concepts for you when thinking about ecology?

It is in our hearts. Think with your heart, not with your mind! We tend to run toward money and economic “progress” when we think with our mind. I’m pretty sure we won’t be so cruel to our surrounding nature if we think with our heart. And we all have a good heart, but sometimes the mind controls over it. The keywords will be “Respect” and “Humble”. We have to teach each other…

Last year when I visited my hometown, an old man came up to me to ask if I was the nephew of Giovanni Scimone, Gianfranco. My grandfather used to be an ironsmith in town, and the old man knew him as a child of a farmer nearby. He told me that he remembered my grandfather because he was mending iron tools for poor farmers without taking money. You can’t imagine how proud I felt about my grandfather. This was such a big present for me, more than money or real estate heritage.

One day, when my son or grandson meets somebody who knew me, I want them to have the same feeling. I want to give them this heartwarming present. And I think this is how we should think about ecology and ourselves.