About the Book
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.
Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I: Earth Our Home
Ch. 1: Discovery—Belonging to Something Greater Than Ourselves
Ch. 2: Coming to Awareness—A Living Planet
Ch. 3: Cultivating Community—Intimacy with Earth’s Web of Life
Part II: Assessing the Health of Earth
Ch. 4: Listening—Gauging the Health of Earth
Ch. 5: Courage—Facing Up to the Unraveling of the Biosphere
Ch. 6: Living the Questions—Discovering Causes of Earth Breakdown
Part III: Healing Ourselves, Healing Earth
Ch. 7: The Old Story—Economism and Separation
Ch. 8: The Great Turning—Birthing a New Story
Epilogue
End Notes
Index
About the Author
About the Author :
Christopher Uhl is a professor of biology at The Pennsylvania State University. As a young man, he had an interest in both medicine and ecology. At Penn State he has been able to join these interests under the rubric of "ecological healing." During the 1980s, he studied the ways in which rainforest ecosystems heal following deforestation. Then, in the 1990s he focused on the role that universities might play in healing by modeling sustainable ecological practices. 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. See Uhl’s website at www.chrisuhl.net.
Review :
This book's title proclaims the author's purpose. An important chapter discusses economism and separation. According to Uhl, 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, 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.
Christopher Uhl's Developing Ecological Consciousness is an engaging book that, to its credit, does not sit squarely within any particular academic field or school of thought. Part science text, part philosophical treatise, its main lines of argumentation are remarkably similar to those of the Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess and other figures in the deep ecology movement. Uhl himself is a scientific ecologist and not a philosopher, but he plays both roles well here as he encourages his readers to re-assess their proper place in nature. . . .[I]t surely would be a very useful course book, especially for more general courses covering topics in environmental studies and environmental education. . . .Developing Ecological Consciousness is a fine book. It is, moreover, one that is eminently readable and that carries an optimistic message. Thus it does precisely what it appears to be intended to do: speak to a wide audience, engage students, and bring hope to twenty-first century environmentalism.
Christopher Uhl, professor of biology at the Pennsylvania State University, has written an intriguing book that tackles perhaps the most fundamental issues of our times, specifically, how to achieve sustainable societies that integrate, as opposed to alienate, the ecological world upon which we depend. Whether or not the reader agrees with Uhl's individual points or not is immaterial. It is the connections drawn throughout the book which, like ecology, make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
Christopher Uhl has been developing his own ecological consciousness since the first edition, as is clear from this significant rewrite of that earlier gem. It is shorter, crisper, and significantly deeper, if that’s possible. There is sadness and hope woven in the pages that give us a portrait of the world we share and the relationships that will foretell our common future. He has dug deep to share his collected knowledge and wisdom and opened his heart to all that needs mended. A textbook for sure, but much, much more. . . guide to living.
I was so excited when I discovered the first edition of Developing Ecological Consciousness. It was exactly what I needed in a course book. I have used it every year since and in reviewing the second edition, it just got better.
Christopher Uhl at once offers a loving, joyful invitation, and a profound challenge to transform our relationships with Earth. With great clarity and insight, Uhl shows us that the ecological crisis is fundamentally about who we are, as individuals and as a people. I feature Developing Ecological Consciousness in my introductory environmental courses, and my students and I agree: this is a magnificent, one-of-a-kind book.
Reading Christopher's second edition of Developing Ecological Consciousness has been a homecoming, a reminder of who we are, a reminder of what's really important. It should be required reading for all, because it gives us pause to consider the road we will take. And for the sake of the Earth and for our peace of minds, that will make all the difference. Christopher turns the environmental movement on its head by saying that the question is not how much stuff we can consume and still keep the Earth sustainable, but rather how our lives can nurture the Earth. He uses a variety of devices to accomplish this reorientation. Like Christopher himself, the book is passionate yet gentle; using poignant quotations, revealing vignettes, and easy-to-understand descriptions of how our planet works. Because Developing Ecological Consciousness celebrates the potential of the human spirit, it is uplifting. It brings out the best in the reader.
Christopher Uhl provides a book that begins in wonder and concludes with applied hope. DevelopingEcological Consciousness is a brilliant introduction to the complexities of ecology and mind, and a timely reminder that the world is still rich in possibilities.
I enjoyed Developing Ecological Consciousness so much, I am going to add it to my fall reading list for my Politics, the Environment, and Social Change course. I think so highly of this book for my students in this course that is usually so negative and depressing that having an upbeat book is refreshing and will enhance the course immensely.
From the first edition: The book's greatest potential may be as an innovative textbook for the professor of introductory ecology who wants to motivate students to internalize the web of life into their psyches.
[Uhl] combines ecological information with anecdotes from his personal life, and employs a narrative style that is quick to read and easily accessible.
If you only read one book about sustainability, make it Developing Ecological Consciousness by Christopher Uhl. This readable and inspiring book has remarkable scope, literally from the Big Bang to the practice of loving kindness. It also ranges from well-grounded science clearly explained to philosophy and personal reflection.
Developing Ecological Consciousness powerfully blends information, insight, and inspiration.
A remarkably useful contribution to the literature on the crisis in human relations with Earth and the whole debate over creating sustainability. Developing Ecological Consciousness is a book for the college classroom and for community groups of all kinds. It is a useful resource in terms of its information content, which is provided in sensible amounts for the layperson to take in. But this information is seen as feeding into an experiential process. That is the whole mission of the book: to help us form new contours in the landscape of our greatest asset-our consciousness. This book can be used to support the journeys of all individuals who are venturing onto the path of building a sustainable world. Christopher Uhl has a beautiful style of writing and writes with a quality of deep authenticity that is very refreshing.
Meant as both a textbook and as a general reader, this book effectively marries scientific content with a conviction that the way to solve environmental and social problems comes not from legislation or technology, but from humankind's awakened and caring hearts. Recommended.
Anyone who reads Christopher Uhl's writing will come away with something of value, but two groups will benefit most: people who already appreciate the environment, but want inspiration to take the next step toward sustainable living; and teachers and parents who want to reframe today's environmental issues in a way that reaches their students/children at the gut level.
