Healing
Our World
(c) 2002 Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D.
CONTENTS
Introduction—by Chellis Glendinning, Ph.D. ....................................
11
Preface by Jackie Giuliano
..................................................................
17
Chapter 1—Disconnection
and Isolation: Our Search for Home
People
used to feel connected to the world. There was a time when the
natural
cycles of the Earth were recognized and observed and our sense
of “home”
was larger than it is today. ...............................................
25
Chapter 2—Nuclear Madness
Possibly
no human activity shows our disconnection from the rhythms of the
natural world more than our use of nuclear weapons and nuclear
energy.
The threat of nuclear devastation is as real today as it ever
was. ....
71
Chapter 3—All My Relations
Examining
our troubled relationship with our animal neighbors reveals the powerful
motivations for so many destructive human actions. This chapter
highlights the fact that humans are participants in, not directors
of, the
web of life. .........................................................................................................................................................105
Chapter 4—Toxic Crisis:
The Earth, Air, and Water
The
destruction of the earth beneath our feet, the air we breathe and
the water
we drink can only lead to disaster. In this chapter, we explore the
threats
to our wildlands from lumbering and toxic
exposure, the pollution of our
atmosphere and the trashing of our precious water. .............................................................168
Chapter 5—The Consumer Treadmill: Needs versus Wants
What
do we really “need?” How do we separate our needs from our “wants?”
This
chapter explores the concept of “value” and presents some ideas on
how to challenge
the assumptions of our lives and how to gain back control
over our destiny. .......................................................................................................................222
Chapter 6—The Betrayal of Our Bodies
The
trend toward virtual immobility as a goal in our Western culture
has had
profound implications for our ability to feel. This chapter,
through
examples of environmental and social choices that are destroying
our health,
presents healing solutions that can bring us back into our
bodies. .................................................... 262
Chapter 7—In a Class By Ourselves: Classism, Racism, and
our Longing for Community
We
are not encouraged by our Western culture to help each other–we are
instead
encouraged to isolate ourselves from the world, to take care of
ourselves,
to be independent. This chapter explores the idea that maybe
classism
and racism are just symptoms of our longing to be in community
with each
other. ............335
Chapter 8—The Rhythms of the Earth: Dancing with the Seasons
We
roll up the windows of our cars to control the climate inside and
we protect
ourselves from the elements so effectively that our homes are now
great
sources of toxic indoor air pollution. This chapter explores the
impact
of being brought up in a culture that doesn’t place much value on
a full,
rich sensory experience in the natural world and the power that
comes
from recognizing our part in the rhythms of nature. ....................................369
Chapter 9—Reconnection and
Integration
What
are basic human needs? How would our lives be different if we took a long,
deep breath between each of our daily activities instead of conducting
our affairs
in one long endless intense stream of busyness? This chapter
explores the barriers that seem to keep us from reconnecting with
the natural
world and with ourselves and offers a plan for reintegration
with the
cycles of life. .....................................................................................417
Chapter 10—Healing Ourselves
and Our World
It
is easy to get discouraged, to feel overwhelmed. This chapter reminds
us of the
wonderful opportunity we have to examine our values and what
we have
placed value on. It can be a joyous time of house cleaning and
soul cleaning,
a time when we embrace nature’s limits and see value in unexpected
places. ...........................452
Conclusion
........................................................................................485
List of Photographs
..........................................................................490
Bibliography
.....................................................................................494
Index
..................................................................................................515
Healing
Our World is an excellent primary
or supplementary textbook for a variety of environmental science,
environmental studies, political science and other classes.
