The emerging deep ecology movement recognises that there is an intrinsic relationship between planetary and personal wellbeing - that the needs of one are interwoven with the needs of the other. Indeed, our bodies and minds emerged from the same crucible that formed the Universe and the Cosmos. The minerals of the Earth comprise our bones, the oceans our tears. Rivers are our veins and arteries, while forests are our lungs. And when we gaze up into the night sky, we prerceive a mirror image of the human psyche and its infinite expansiveness... (from "Mood Enhancing Plants", 2003).
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Click here to learn more about deep ecology.
In ecopsychology, Jung's Collective Unconscious expands into the Ecological Unconscious. To put it succinctly, ecopsychologists believe that because we are born of the Earth and are composed of the 'stuff of Earth', then we are intrinsically connected to it. Thus, we feel pain at some level (if not always consciously) when Earth is damaged. They say that our pain needs to be addressed, and sometimes the only way to do this is to become actively involved in some aspect of the Green movement. By helping to heal the Earth, we help heal the wounded ecological aspect of 'self'.
Click here to learn more about ecopsychology
Ignoring evidence of ecological breakdown, as many are thus inclined, is nothing less than a manifestation of the condition psychologists describe as pathological denial. When the truth is either too painful or inconvenient to accept, the individual is apt to create a rose-tinted version of reality to appease their conscience. When a distorted version of reality becomes part of a collective way of thinking, alas it can become destructive on a global scale. The reverse is also true, of course. Indeed, when sufficient numbers of people start acting as though the whole world matters, this will help awaken the ecological consciousness of humanity as a whole.
HERB ALERT CAMPAIGN
Herb Alert was launched by the UK consumer charity The Natural Medicines Society and is supported by the well-known botanist and broadcaster, David Bellamy OBE. The campaign was launched to raise awareness of the many issues surrounding commercial wild harvesting of medicinal and aromatic plants, particularly the long term consequences resulting from destruction of fragile ecosystems throughout the world. Herb Alert therefore aims to promote sustainability, conservation and ethical trading for the benefit of the environment and livelihoods of local people.
To learn more about Herb Alert, click here
UNITED PLANT SAVERS (USA)
United Plant Savers is a non-profit educational organisation dedicated to the conservation of medicinal plants native to Canada and the USA. In the view of herbalist Henriette Kress, the organisation's list of threatened plants is largely inadequate because exact locations are not specified. She points out that the same plant may be at risk in one location, yet be abundant in some other region or country.
From my own understanding, the reason exact locations are not given is because commercial wild-harvesting of any popular plant, anywhere within its range, could potentially lead to the plant's decline. Indeed, unknowledgable and uncontrolled commercial collection is the concern here. The essential oil industry is especially problematic as it includes the destruction of wild trees and the collection of vast quantities of aromatic plant material for distillation. Authentic wildcrafting of modest quantities of non-endangered medicinal plants for home use, and foraging for berries, nuts and mushrooms for the table, is a different matter entirely.
Click here to learn all about the work of United Plant Savers
PLANTLIFE INTERNATIONAL
A charity dedicated exclusively to conserving all forms of plant life in their natural habitats across the world.
Click here for Plantlife International
MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIALIST GROUP
Under the auspices of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) this specialist group comprises a global network of experts contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants. Their aim is to increase global awareness of conservation threats to these plants, and to promote conservation action.
Click here for the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group
Henriette's Herbal is an enormously popular herb site for newcomers and experienced herbalists alike. It includes an invaluable online reference library of classic eclectic herbalist texts painstakingly scanned from the original 19th and early 20th century publications. On the other hand, if you are seeking reputable aromatherapy training courses in the UK, you might consider the Nicole Perez School of Holistic Aromatherapy.
Click here for Henriette's Herbal
Click here for Holistic Aromatherapy courses with Nicole Perez, UK
THE HERB SOCIETY (UK)
The Herb Society is the leading organisation dedicated to increasing understanding, use and appreciation of herbs and their benefits to health.
Click here for The Herb Society
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The Sacred Earth Newsletter is an extremely well-written and thoroughly researched free E-zine. Appearing quarterly, it's devoted to all things botanical and comprises a wealth of articles, news and reviews.
Click here for the Sacred Earth archives and to subscribe
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This 'small is beautiful' organisation is a wonderful alternative to the big organic inspection bodies like the Soil Association and Ecocert. The WFA operates a food labelling policy to encourage smallholders and farmers to supply local customers with wholesome sustainably-grown produce, identified by a widely recognised symbol. WFA growers sell their produce directly to the customer, or through local outlets. A scheme that by-passes the supermarket chains, uses less fossil fuel, and avoids the expense or complication of 'organic' certification. If you live in the USA, the WFA website includes a link to a similar organisation providing certification under the 'Certified Naturally Grown' scheme.
To find about more about the Wholesome Food Association click here
THE GM SCANDAL
In simple terms, genetic modification (GM) involves the splicing of genes from one organism to another unrelated organism, for example from a scorpion into a tomato to make the fruit more resistant to freezing temperatures. Genes are also taken from micro-organisms and spliced into plant DNA supposedly to make crops more resistant to agrochemicals. Yet US studies have shown that GM crops often require greater chemical use than their non-modified counterparts. Additionally, some plants are even genetically modified to ensure that the seed will only germinate after a dousing of patented chemicals manufactured by the same company producing the GM seed!
This is a Frankenstein’s monster of a time bomb with unknown long-term consequences for the environment. Moreover, by placing control of the world’s food supplies in the hands of a small number of the most powerful multinational players in agriculture – primarily Monsanto, Syngenta, DuPont and Aventis – patented GM crops will do little to ‘feed the world’, the oft-touted, supposedly altruistic motivation of the GM corporations. Rather the reverse is true. Corporations are not in business to give away their products. In the global supermarket, only those with the income get to eat.
Click here for GM Watch and to learn infinitely more
THE FOLLY OF WIND FARMS
As well as making every effort to conserve existing sources of energy, research into renewable sources is to be applauded, including solar power and the use of small-scale domestic wind turbines sited on roofs. The proliferation of UK government subsidised wind farms, however, is a different matter entirely. We might question whether the trend is anything more than Green tokenism, or a herd of white elephants perhaps? To consider the arguments for and against the industrialisation of wild and beautiful places, click on the following links.
Click here for the argument against wind farms
Click here to see what others believe is good about wind farms.
Below is a view of the hauntingly stark Pen-y-Fan, the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons National Park close to where I live in Wales. A mere remnant of wilderness in an otherwise industrialised and extensively farmed Britain.
If the Blair government has its way, places similar to this will be invaded by monstrous white concrete towers embedded in deep foundations of steel reinforced concrete. With existing wind farms in Britain and elsewhere, underground water courses have been disrupted causing irreversible ecological damage, while roads have been scourged into the landscape to allow large, noisy and polluting vehicles to deliver building materials to wind farm sites.
Then there's the questionable notion that these 300 ft high columns of concrete and gearing metal are 'beautiful'. Surely this is the conditioned perception of an industrialised mindset long since banished from Eden? Above all, it's astounding that anyone should truly believe that this costly, energy inefficient (as Denmark has recently discovered to its chagrin) and environmentally destructive technology is remotely Green!
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Let's remember always the wise words of Scottish-born founder of the National Parks movement, John Muir (1838-1914).
"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilised people are beginning to find that wilderness is a necessity and that mountains, parks and reservations are useful not only as
fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life."
It is important to remember that indigenous cultures have been driven to extinction by the same forces that have destroyed and continue to threaten non-human species through deforestation, unbridled industrialisation and corrupt political regimes.
It's estimated that since 1900 more than 90 tribal societies have become extinct in the Amazon Basin alone. Many dispossessed people have been forced to integrate within the larger community where they have become servants or cheap labour, or they have been forced to grow 'cash crops' to survive. While others live in corridors of land, such as the indigenous peoples' reservations of North America and Australia. Suffering discrimination, loss of land, enforced cultural change, exploitation, hunger and poor health, often their only solace is to be found in a bottle of cheap home-made liquor.
There is a ray of hope in knowing that some indigenous cultures are striving to re-empower themselves by fostering self-worth through their cultural identity, and campaigning for repossession of their ancestral homelands - often with the help of agencies such as Survival International. Currently, Survival is working with around 80 tribes in 34 countries.
Click here to find out about the work of Survival International
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FORUM FOR FRIENDS OF PEOPLE CLOSE TO NATURE
A global movement of individuals and groups dedicated to the survival of tribal peoples, in particular, hunter gatherers.
Click here for Forum for Friends of People Close to Nature
Animal rights and eco-ethics are not separate issues; they are interrelated aspects of deep ecological awareness with its inherent reverence for all life. A growing number of doctors and scientists agree that animal experimentation is not only cruel and unnecessary, but also the results are frequently irrelevant to human physiological processes. Not only are pharmaceuticals and other chemicals tested on animals, herbal extracts and essential oils are researched in this way too. Surely this Mediaeval style of barbarism should have been stopped long ago?
Vote Green, vote humane: the UK Green Party's pledge for animal rights
Animal Aid, the UK's largest animal rights group founded in 1977
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV)
Naturewatch (UK) publishes the excellent Compassionate Shopping Guide
Doctors Against Animal Research
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The UK's only alternative consumer organisation looking at the social and environmental records behind the brand names. By linking to this website and featuring the Green Pen campaign, Ethical Consumer urges consumers to boycott threatened, endangered or otherwise at-risk herbs and essential oils, including products containing such botanicals.
Click here for Ethical Consumer latest boycotts
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RAN works to protect rainforests and the human rights of those living in and around those forests
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