Healing our relationship with nature
If humanity is going to succeed at avoiding climate and ecological collapse, we need to remember our interconnected nature and individually and collectively protect and care for the natural world.
Read a round-up of the headlines:
Humanity needs to fundamentally change its relationship with nature in order to protect wildlife and enhance the environment…That is the verdict from a milestone report published this week by the European Environment Agency.
Key findings from the report include:
Despite awareness of environmental challenges growing over the past century, humanity's responses have been insufficient to protect nature
There is still a divide between humanity and nature in policy, with humans classed as "us" and other species seen as "them."
Humanity needs to change its relationship with nature to make it part of ourselves/"us," so that biodiversity and our physical surroundings can flourish.
Commenting on the report, Professor Tom Oliver said, "This is a milestone report that highlights the urgent need for us to recognize that we are part of, not separate from, the natural world. We cannot continue with business as usual if we hope to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. It is time for bold action and a new relationship with nature."
Phys.org, Humans need to see themselves as part of nature, says environmental study
“Nature is one of those words that we take for granted. It can be defined as the phenomena of the material world, including the biosphere which was created and is maintained by living processes. In the Western world, where most people live in the built environment, and in urban populations everywhere totalling half of humanity, nature is seen as something external, perhaps to be admired or visited, but not really essential. Even if nature is seen as important, we more readily accept our physical dependence on nature and natural resources than any real link to our psychology, personality or spirituality. This has not always been the case, and is not true for many other cultures. This breakdown in our relationship with nature has not only led to serious environmental problems, but is also behind psychological and even spiritual problems for many today…
A first step in correcting our disconnect with nature is to acknowledge that all natural processes are part of an integrated system of which we are also a part. It then follows that we should not destroy the natural systems on which we depend for our physical survival and well-being. This requires that we detach ourselves from the consumer society and adopt simpler lifestyles.“
Healing Our Relationship with Nature by Arthur Lyon Dahl
More reading:
Grow Mindfulness, Developing a Relationship with Nature