Open or download the entire article by clicking Journal Article 2017

Mark Bowen is currently a staff member at Halcyon London International School in the UK, and has been an education professional since 1985 as guidance counsellor, community college adjunct psychology faculty, secondary psychology teacher in various curricula (AP, IB, and A Level), and was awarded his Doctorate in Education focusing on Ecopsychology in May 2016 by London South Bank University.  Following completion of the degree, he has designed an Ecopsychology course at the secondary level.  He can be reached at drmarkbowen@hotmail.com

“It’s a detail, but just in the years 1973-74 the Italian government claimed some “Sundays with no cars at all”.  All people, not only children, were very happy for living in a world with no cars. 

That was “Last call”: nobody answered.”

In this essay by Guido Dalla Casa, he explains how economics and population growth are the main contributors to what seems to be inevitable demise.

Yet hope is not lost.  Read the “Last Call” to see his perspective.

The ayahuasca ceremony is an ancient shamanic custom that is gaining popularity and acceptance amongst many in the western world. Some are turning towards this sacramental ritual in order to acquire healing, wisdom, and insight, in the hopes of obtaining some glimmer of hope and respite from a culture that seems to alienate us from ourselves, our communities, and our planet. This paper explores the potentiality for healing that this sacred and ancient ceremony offers to modern day humans.

Download the pdf (57K) here: The Ayahuasca Ceremony as a Viable Treatment Modality

About the Author
Mel S. Falck earned his undergraduate degree in Sociology and Art from West Liberty University in 2002. Upon graduation, he worked in domestic violence prevention for a non-profit organization in Wheeling, WV. He enlisted in the U. S. Army in 2004, serving in various means and capacities. After completing his service with the army in 2011, he attended Appalachian State University (ASU) in Boone, NC and pursued a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an Expressive Arts Therapy concentration. Mel is currently pursuing his Ed. D. in Educational Leadership with an Expressive Arts focus. Mel enjoys the arts, creative expression, and being with nature. He’s interested in how spirituality, creativity, and a sensitivity towards our environment can be incorporated into educational institutions in order to facilitate authentic experiences of community and learning.

a poem by Ceó Ruairc

When days turn brilliant and cool
and the forest breathes
with footprints seldom seen
when these dark trails
are mostly mine

I will rest immersed
in piles of Maple leaves
sleep in this amber glow
until Squirrel stops scolding
and even Wren becomes brave

I will dream as I bathe
in her melodious song
as wild Wolves return
a flow of grey
whispers in the woods
running

I will watch Salmon struggle home
from their ocean run
as glistening Bears dine
on river-gifts
and the great rains come

I will give thanks
for the unfathomable
connection of it all
this balance of give and take
death and birth
summer fruits fading
into rich black earth

I will burst open
with the sweet grief
of knowing
my smallness in this world
then slowly trace
a sinuous path home

Returning
I will step lightly
silent as the moon
golden leaves in my pockets
chlorophyll in my veins
fragrant as the earth

Naturalist/poet, Ceó Ruaírc writes from wild places, inspired by wolf song, coastal storms, and the tenacity of trees.

“Counselling and psychotherapy cannot fully alleviate the [patient’s] symptoms unless they can treat the cause (the political and historical constellations that shape the era), and yet that cause is the exact subject psychology is not allowed to address… the critiques put forward by ecopsychology and ecotherapy, of dominant social norms which are inherently destructive to the environment and also destructive to thehuman race, are attempting to place counselling and psychotherapy within a wider cultural and political sphere where nature and the environment play a central role in mental health and well-being.”

Boris Smokrovic

This piece was submitted by “Sally Writes” after reading a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggesting that humans are pushing the 6th great extinction. She wrote, “Part of this is overpopulation and overconsumption, but part is accidental. One area where we’re harming the environment is with our windows, which kill millions of birds each year. As the Content Manager for a small window cleaning service, I felt it important we cover this topic.”

Birds, like all other creatures on this planet, are essential to the natural balance of the ecosystem. They pollinate our plants to enable fertilization and reproduction. They give trees the chance to colonize new areas by assuming an active role in successful seed dispersal and regeneration. They transport the nutrients found in soil from one place to another and play a hugely important role in agricultural systems by regulating the number of pests.

We need birds in order to survive because the Earth needs birds to keep everything in balance, which is why it’s important to create a safe environment for them to live in. At present, up to 1,000,000,000 birds die every year in the United States. Their deaths are the result of sudden collisions with the windows that we install on our skyscrapers and houses. Some die instantly and others later perish from damage caused to the brain or from internal bleeding.

The greatest fear is that a number of species, including the Wood Thrush, Painted Bunting, Warbler, Kentucky Warbler and the Worm-eating Warbler, are in danger of becoming extinct unless we do something about the current situation. Luckily, there are a great number of changes we can make to our windows to help keep our birds safe.

1. We can install Angled Glass, Fritted Glass, Etched or Sandblasted Glass, or even UV-reflective Glass.

2. We can hang decals and wind chimes in front of our windows.

3. We can use external shutters, like Venetian blinds.

4. We can try tape strips, year-round bug screens and even whitewash unused windows.

For more detailed advice on what we can do to protect our birds from the hazards of windows, please take the time to read the following guide on bird and window safety.

Check out their website for more information.

At the 2017 UK Festival Awards, the Green Gathering was awarded with the Greener Festival Award for outstanding commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating positive social impact.

Are you a gifted adult who loves nature? Eric Windhorst is recruiting participants to his PhD research study which is exploring how gifted adults experience ecological self (nature connection)—and how this experience relates to mental health and environmental behaviour. Eric is currently seeking out gifted men in particular.

Contributing to the study will involve participating in two, one-on-one interviews with Eric. Each of the two interviews will be approximately one hour in length and can be conducted over Skype.

Study participation is open to all individuals over the age of 25 that self-identify as gifted.

If you’re interested in contributing to the study, or want to learn more about it, feel free to reach out to Eric directly (ew14ft@brocku.ca).

Information about Electric Vehicles can be found here

**Thanks to Penny Williams for sharing these resources with all of us!”

• Aerial Recycle allows you to recycle your mobile (cellphone) or tablet.  Click here for more information.

Guide to Recycling

For general recycling information, please visit this link.

**Sending thanks to Nadia Sommers for sharing these resources with all of us!**