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Developing Ecological Consciousness is a marked departure from those standard environmental studies texts strongly focused on actions that humans need to take to fix the environment. Christopher Uhl explores the path to living in harmony with Earth, and believes it begins -- not with fixing the environment -- but with fixing ourselves -- specifically our perceptions about Earth.

Using findings from science and his own life experience Uhl explains how all our environmental and social problems -- e.g., climate change, species extinction, environmentally-linked cancers, genocide, deforestation -- are rooted in separation -- the severing of relationship between ourselves and the environment. As an antidote to separation, this book is an invitation to see everything -- Earth, Cosmos, Sun, Worm, Bee -- as well as each other and our very selves with "new eyes. This new look through the lens of relationship and interdependence reminds us of the larger ecological truth -- namely: that we are a part of, not apart from Earth. Indeed, at every level, from the sub-atomic to the cosmic, it is an interdependent relationship that defines reality.

Uhl places a large focus on healing throughout the book. As we break away from the old story of hyper-individualism, unrestrained growth, control and consumption, we move to a new story of human realization. Ultimately, this new story reveals that by making peace with ourselves and each other, we gain the capacity to make peace with Earth, delighting in the realization that Earth is our larger body, the sacred whole that we dwell within. Developing Ecological Consciousness successfully exposes the realization that must take place in order to rejoin the community of life; after all, the world was not made for us, but rather, it is we who have been made for the world.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Preface to New Edition(p. ix)
• Acknowledgments(p. xvii)
• Part I Earth, Our Home(p. 1)
• 1 Discovery: Belonging to Something Greater Than Ourselves(p. 5)
• 2 Coming to Awareness: A Living Planet(p. 29)
• 3 Cultivating Community: Intimacy with Earth's Web of Life(p. 55)
• Part II Assessing the Health of Earth(p. 85)
• 4 Listening: Gauging the Health of Earth(p. 89)
• 5 Courage: Facing Up to the Unraveling of the Biosphere(p. 117)
• 6 Living the Questions: Discovering the Causes of Earth Breakdown(p. 147)
• Part III Healing Ourselves, Healing Earth(p. 173)
• 7 The Old Story: Economism and Separation(p. 177)
• 8 Birthing a New Story: The Great Turning(p. 205)
• Epilogue(p. 237)
• Notes(p. 243)
• Index(p. 261)
• About the Author(p. 269)

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CHOICE Review

This book's title proclaims the author's purpose. An important chapter discusses economism and separation. According to Uhl (biology, Penn State), economism is central to the life stories of people today. Individuals see things in terms of money, without understanding the consequences of their actions on the Earth and on others. The author sees economism as a pseudo religion and believes the present time is an "age of separation." Uhl attempts, by description and by suggesting experiences to participate in, to point the way toward changing society so that people are no longer as separated and see the world through a non-economistic worldview. This edition (1st ed., 2004) is 100 pages shorter than the original (CH, Jul'04, 41-6529), with new content added and outdated material removed. The first edition, says the author, concentrated on sustainability. However, he came to believe that even working hard toward sustainability will not get people out of the environmental mess they are plunging into. Radical changes are needed. He is probably right, and absorbing this book would help that. Although there is some scientific ecology in the book, it is an environmental stewardship work, not an ecology text. It is well edited, with a good index and documentation. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. M. LaBar emeritus, Southern Wesleyan University

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Christopher Uhl is a professor of biology at The Pennsylvania State University. He is also the author (along with his partner Dr. Dana L. Stuchul) of Teaching as if Life Matters: The Promise of a New Education Culture-a book reflecting a lifelong passion for teaching and learning. Visit Uhls website at www.chrisuhl.net.