Religion and Ecology 2026

 4/28/26: This course deeply reinforced my previous beliefs regarding the intrinsic value of the environment. While my views tend to teeter into the camp of the fetishers, I do recognize we have to use natural resources for human development. Meaning we need to find a balance in the way that we place value on the environment intrinsically and instrumentally. Ackowleding natures value both within its own right, and as a tool for our species to thrive. 

 4/28/26: One thing I was left wishing was that more world religions' views on the environment were more evident in this class's curriculum. Outside of our brief exploration into the Dreamtime, it felt we largely focused on Christianity and Judaism. Just something to consider for future classes.

 4/28/26: During my time in this course, I was very surprised to hear people try to separate humans from animals. I will not say any names, out of saving face for them. However, I believe the arguments I heard were not valid; just because man is capable of thought doesn't mean we aren't a part of the environment. We just have the condition to think of the consequences of our actions, which is important for a species with such a global spanning impact of our actions. So are we animals? Yes, we are; we just hold a deeper sense of responsibility to other life forms because of our condition for thought. Despite humanity's pleas to separate itself into the category of "other," our roots are the same as every other animal on this planet. 

 4/28/26: Looking back on this course, one memory is most prevalent, and that was Dr. Redick's story about becoming a person who doesn't eat or drink. A person who relies on photosynthesis like a plant. Is there any life-changing, ahah moment from this story? No, probably not, at most don't abuse substances, but it was such a funny humanizing story. It was moments like this that made me appreciate Dr. Redick, because he was very human. Which I think was a very important aspect in class discussing ways to humanize environmental thought. 

 4/28/26: The Ecology of Eden was one of the more interesting books I have read. Because as an atheist, I have never viewed environmentalism through the lens of Judeo-Christian world views. While I agree with some of the notions on environmental policy, the use of the bible and torah fell mostly on deaf ears. I'm not religiously inclined, and most likely will never be, because I don't believe religion determines the quality of morality. However, I do believe that for those who fall in this camp of thought, the Ecology of Eden could very successfully change the worldview of someone who takes the time to read it. 

 4/28/26: This blog post is in response to the Ecology of Eden. I never totally grasped the concept of Earth Jazz, the analogy was out of my realm, and in my opinion, made the point of the book fall a little flat. While I do appreciate the creativity of expressing environmental cohesion through a music reference, it makes it a bit difficult to follow. 

 4/28/26:  This blog is inspired by the film from the beginning of the semester, focusing in on the Australian Aboriginals. I found the film incredibly poetic. Watching such an ancient culture collapse under the pressures of modernism was a painful pill to swallow. But seeing a tribal elder pass on his knowledge to his son to hopefully preserve their way of life was beautiful. Especially considering his son served as a park ranger and an elder in training. He became the perfect cross-section between Aboriginal mysticism and modern secularism. 

 4/28/26: This blog is inspired by our class discussion on lab-grown meat. While I understand the concerns some have regarding how humane the meat industry is, I'm not concerned with how humane meat plants are. To me, these animals were raised solely to be food. Their entire existence is characterized by their classification as food. I am deeply grateful for them providing us with meat; however, I am not sympathetic. Especially not enough to consider lab-grown meat as a source of my protein. To me it is an abomination, a man-made horror beyond my comprehension. I find comfort in knowing my food was alive in some capacity, because it is natural. Artificially binding proteins together simply is not. It feels dystopian to me. 

 4/28/26: The mountain and the tower have been so heavily investigated and inquired about during this semester. But my final thoughts regarding the debate between the mountain and the tower is that man must find a middle ground. It can lean in either direction, however there needs to be a degree of balance. We need to find a balance between our creature comforts in the tower while embracing the wild found in the mountain. 

 4/28/26: This blog entry is regarding the heated "discussion" held a few weeks back in class regarding child slavery in lithium mining. I felt this would be a good opportunity to express my thoughts regarding this situation. The nitty-gritty and harsh truth is, that I believe the lithium needed to produce EV batteries is a necessary evil. Progress historically has been fueled on the backs of the lower class, and other groups of underprivileged communities. Does this mean I support child slavery? Absolutely not, that's an absurd conclusion to reach. I in no way believe child slavery is okay; however, I don't think we can halt global progress in the green energy transition due to how lithium is mined. Instead, I suggest that first-world countries need to hold transnational corporations and third-world countries accountable for the ethical sourcing of lithium and other resources needed for EV production. With constant pressure being put on these countries and corporatio...

 4/28/26: The Mushroom at the End of the World  by Anna Tsing  explores how life survives in "capitalist ruins"—landscapes damaged by industrial extraction—through the ecological and social life of the matsutake mushroom.  Tsing uses the mushroom's lifecycle to argue against linear progress, proposing that collaborative survival, precarity, and multi-species assemblages offer a path for a liveable future in uncertain times.  

4/28/26:   Deep Ecology is fundamentally influenced by Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic. Deep Ecology was first dubbed by Arne Naess in 1972. The key foundational concepts behind deep ecology is that all life has intrinsic value outside of its usefulness to humans. Differing from previous environmental movements by focusing on more philosophical concepts instead of more physical issues such as water and air pollution.

 4/28/26:   Despite man’s pleas, he is no conqueror of nature; in fact, he is a mere citizen of a state beyond his comprehension. He is but a whimper in the wind to the world’s grandeur, a servant if you will. So the question is, if we are but a citizen of a state, what is our role in it? This question was deeply pondered by American philosopher and conservationist Aldo Leopold. Leopold argues for a shift in human perspective from an anthropocentric lens to an ecocentric lens. To engage in a sense of ecological consciousness and citizenship where man no longer exclude themselves from the biotic community. Instead, recognizing themselves as a citizen of that biotic community, and serving the role of a steward to protect their community.

 4/28/26: The Gaia hypothesis is most valuable when we treat it as a question , not an answer. If we think the Earth is a machine, we’ll try to 'fix' it with geo-engineering. If we think it’s an invincible mother, we’ll stop caring about pollution. But if we see Gaia as a complex, chaotic, and beautifully 'sloppy' system that we barely understand, we gain a sense of humility. We realize that while the 'show' has been running for three billion years, we are just the latest actors on the stage. Gaia is devoid of the all-encompassing wisdom we desired her to hold, rather she is the result of billions of organisms systematically interacting and competing with one another, unintentionally forming a stable bio-sphere through entropy. 

 "Before man walked the earth the creator called upon the council of animal and plant peoples. Concerned over the future survival of mankind, he requested each and every one of the animals and plants that roamed the Earth to provide a gift. The creator believed mankind to be pitiful and unlikely to survive without help from the plants and animals. The first to step forward were the salmon; he offered his body to man so he may not starve. Displaying a degree of selflessness, the sacrifice would lead to humanity's prosperity. Second to bear gifts was water; she promised to provide a home for the salmon to ensure both man and the salmon would remain plentiful." This is, but a short excerpt from my essay on a collective identity known as the Plateau people.    The world around the plateau people is a constant reminder of their faith. Every facet of their existence is surrounded by a complex ecosystem where every animal contributes to the world’s function.

I n this class, I did research and wrote a paper about turtle island. This story was really interesting for me because it showed a religion that was solely based on the connection of nature, specifically life on a turtle's shell and resources from the tree of life. In most religions today, creation is a big question that is asked. Many religions make their reasoning behind the creation of the earth and its natural world. Turtle island was an example of that. I think it's really important to connect nature with religion because nature has so much more depth to it than we realize. It is hard for me to believe that this earth was always here. I fully believe that there had to have been a creator due to its complexity. This reading helped remind me how important nature is to our living and that it is much more complex than we will ever understand.

T his film was about a scientist who was in the mountains. He began to live alongside the animals. The scientist became deeply connected with nature and the animals and the animals kind of viewed him as one of themselves. Later in the film we saw the process of life and death, where the wolf killed one of the caraboo. Then, we discovered that the caraboo they killed actually was creating a deadly disease and the killing of that carraboo saved the rest of the group from having that disease. It was super cool to me because it showed me that there is a reason for everything and animals are connected in ways we will never get to experience and fully understand. They are fully connected with their natural world. i wonder what thats like.

A book I loved growing up, I recently read again and it really connected with our class. The Giving Tree is about a boy who has a relationship with a tree. He plays on it, loves it, eats fruit from it, and cherishes his relationship with it. The tree offered him many resources that he could use throughout life - wood, food, and even just a place to sit and relax. Even as an old man, he still found happiness in the tree because it was still a place he was able to rest. I think this is a great example of what our lives should look like. We too should be connected with nature this closely. Our world was not just made for looking at, it was made for resources and relationships. This book encouraged me to create my own relationship with nature. Whether it's with flowers or trees, I also want to have that deep connection with something that is solely nature related.

O ne of my favorite movies we watched was the short one about paintings (I forgot the name of it). I think cave paintings are a great example between the connection of religion and nature. During that time, people saw animals as divine things higher than they were, almost like animals and nature was their religion. In the movie it talked about how the paintings were a way of communication between humans, something that was better than language. It makes me think about how much more meaningful communication used to be. Now we just type on our phones in a text. I wish the meaning was still here.

R ecently, i have been watching and reading the documentary called the case for creation. In this documentary, lee stroble talks about the creation of earth and that god is the creator of our universe and everything in it. This is really relative to class because our class is solely based on ecology and religion. I used to have a lot of questions about creation and how our natural world was made. Watching this reminded me how complex our world is and how it had to have a creator behind it. It makes learning  about ecology so much more meaningful because I know there is someone behind everything in our nature.

Recently, I visited the noland trail for the first time. Out of four years of being here, I have never visited the trail and I now regret it. I felt so connected to nature while walking the trail. It was beautiful to see all the different types of plants and animals that I saw just on a simple walk. It made me realize that so many people miss out on an ecological lifestyle because they are so focused on their jobs and issues. I have realized that it is incredibly important to spend at least 5 minutes a day in nature, and, through this class, I have realized that it is so beneficial.

This semester, I had the honor of completing an internship with the cnu police department. During my internship, I came across a lot of sad things relating to ecology. I discovered that so many people these days vandalize our natural world or hurt our environment. I responded to multiple rides along where people had intentionally hurt animals or completely vandalized an area of this earth through things like arson. It made me question “why do some people want to hurt the earth? Why do some people choose to damage our natural environment? Were they never connected to our earth in the first place? Could they ever be?” There are questions I wanted to get answered but still haven't really wrapped my mind over. I think growing up, schools should focus more on how important it is to maintain our natural world and protect our earth and keep it clean. Maybe then we would have less people causing damage to it.

Two years ago, I got a new pet named Bugsy and he really helped me connect more with nature. Bugsy is a guinea pig and is on an almost solely plant and fruit based diet. Everyday, I feed him a cup of lettuce and little pieces of fruit and vegetables as treats. I have never had a pet that is on a full natural diet and this has really changed my perspective on nature. Nature is something that living things connect with and form a relationship with but also use to survive. It made me question and come to the conclusion that animals are so much more connected to nature than humans are because they thrive off of nature, live in nature, and live because of the food created in nature. humans now live on a lot of fake food that is not even good for us. Being solely dependent on nature must be a cool thing and it is sad some humans never get to really experience that.

Throughout this semester, hippy kippy has helped me connect with my natural world and religion more. One way he did this was through bringing fresh food to our class. Recently, he brought us a homemade sourdough that consisted of homemade wheat, garlic, and so much more. This bread has so many health benefits and freshness due to the natural ingredients it has inside. It considers things that were needed in order to fill us up and survive. Then he compared the bread to the garlic butter he brought us. He read out the ingredients and showed us all of the unnatural, potentially harmful ingredients that were in the butter. It made me take a step back and realize how awful foods are today for our human body. Back then, everything was fresh and now it has been changed inside. I wonder how much sickness food like this has caused people due to all the natural benefits? This made me realize I want to start growing my own food too because I think it would be a great, healthy way to connect to m...

R ecently, my friend has been really into gardening. It has been his personal way to connect with nature. He has told me that growing his own plant and caring for it makes him feel like he's caring for our environment and making an impact on it. I thought this was a really cool way to think about that. It is so important to have a relationship with nature. So many people look past the relationship aspect and look more into plants as an object of decoration until it one day passes. Plants can hold relationships, memories, familiar smells. It's important to have that personal relationship with nature because I think it takes us away from all of the chaos our world consists of. Plants remind me to take a step back and be calm. It reminds me to be present in the moment. Plants are not worried about their future and when they die, and they are living things, so neither should I.

The philosopher talked about how we are not separate from nature but interconnected with it. I thought this was a great way to view our relationship with nature. However, he stresses that not everyone is aware of this connection. We have to become more self aware of who we are, that will reflect on what nature is to us. When we change our perspective, we learn to view nature as something that we can experience and participate in. He thinks that most of our environmental problems are actually due to the fact that some people do not have that connected self awareness and reflection and therefore do not see the seriousness of these problems causing separation. In my opinion, I think this is a great way to look at this. If you have not self-reflected and are not aware of our deeper connection with nature, you will not realize the problems you cause to the environment nor will you care. I believe it is so important to understand this connection and relationship with nature because maybe one...

I n this book, we read about how Jesus took the form of a slave, even to the point of death, just to be like us. He went from full authority to no authority and this is the same way other christians should be because we are supposed to be made in the image of God. This was a great perspective for me to take in. We are not better than the fish in the sea and birds in the sky. We are equal. And we should treat each other as such. I want to live my life like that from now on and treat everyone just as I would want to be treated, even if that is just for an animal or a single flower. Our natural world is a huge aspect of our life here on earth and it is important to treat our environment with the same respect I have realized.

T his article I really loved. It talked about how when we leave home, we are really just going into someone else's home. The example hippy kippy made was that when we leave home to go camping, we are joining animals in what they call home. Because of this, it is so important to respect our surroundings as if it were our own home. I would not like someone to smoke or litter in my home, so, in return, I should not do that in my environment because that is someone else's home. I really liked this idea because it opened my eyes to a whole new perspective. I need to respect my surroundings more. Even just going to the beach and leaving chips on the ground could be disrupting what an animal calls home. A fish could eat that chip and pass away due to me not thinking about how it could affect them. Now I am going to be more self aware when I leave home and do things because my environment is someone else's, too.

I n this chapter I learned that the existence of human life alters the natural world. However, the previous point shows that humans are not separate from nature, we are interconnected with it. We deeply rely on nature for food, survival, water, and shelter. Because of this, we are connected with nature. How would we survive without it? I liked this chapter because it takes our existence back to our core roots in nature. We do not need a bed room to survive or a school, just the sole existence of nature is all we need and we fully rely on nature because of that. I think it is cool that we are so reliant on nature because how awesome is it to be connected with creation?

I n this chapter, I read about the impact of infrastructure on our world and the importance of saving our environment. I always thought about how people often do not care about the environment anymore and only really care about their own life and money. This chapter talked about how cities can be both positive and negative things, and after reading this chapter, I agree. If you put all of your focus on cities, you forget about the beauty aspect. People don't save land, pollution occurs, animals pass away due to the loss of the environment. However, cities are also the places where culture and connections form. The author talks about how important it is to form these connections, but it is also important to have self control and not take more than we need from the enviornement. I agree, I think there are so many ways that cities can be formed but also respect nature. Even just the simple aspect of recycling can help reduce pollution in our environment but at the same time allow con...

Today I read “Yale Experts Explain Climate Anxiety” which helped me understand how widespread climate worry has become. According to Yale researchers, 64% of Americans said they were at least somewhat worried about global warming, while about 10% reported feeling nervous or anxious about it several days a week. Another 9% said they were unable to stop worrying about climate change. I found it interesting that the article explains some anxiety can be healthy because it motivates action. Yale researchers also found that collective action, such as joining environmental groups, can reduce helplessness and depression. This makes sense because environmental problems are systemic, involving governments, industries, and communities, so the solutions must also be systemic. Real progress requires people working together rather than individuals carrying the burden alone. https://sustainability.yale.edu/explainers/yale-experts-explain-climate-anxiety?utm_source=chatgpt.com

In Chapter 26 of Ecology of Eden, “Tree of Knowledge,” Eisenberg contrasts industrial systems with natural ecosystems. Industrial systems often operate in a linear way. Resources are taken, used, and discarded as waste. This model can be destructive because it ignores limits and creates pollution. Natural ecosystems, however, function in cycles. What is waste for one organism becomes a resource for another, creating renewal and balance. Death and decay even become opportunities for new growth. The chapter suggests humans should learn from nature by designing systems that are less wasteful and more regenerative, where resources are reused and life can continually be renewed.

I thought I would share some final thoughts about the class as a whole. While we have all learned a lot from this class, I think that this class can be summed up by saying that to reject the environment as a part of a larger whole is to reject the environment as a part of the human experience. Whether this is through religion, philosophy, environmental science, ecology, etc. we all find ways to connect to the environment on some kind of advanced level. If we do not do this at least a couple times throughout our lives, we are blatantly ignoring what is right in front of us for a reason. The Bible calls nature to be our companions. Are we not also to be a companion to nature as well? None of us are separate from one another, human beings, or the environment. The quicker we experience the unfathomable joy that grows from within us with another living being, the quicker we realize that.  Additionally, there is beauty in experiencing nature as a religious, spiritual, or philosophical....

 My dad is a landscape architect. This means he gets to design park architecture like playgrounds! Making sure everything is ADA safe, that the design works functionally well, and that the design looks nice and fun of course! A part of his job is knowing different types of plants and trees. It is because of him that I know about bald cypresses, sycamores, and what poison ivy looks like! So whenever we are on a walk outside together, I always ask him about the types of trees I don't know, or I ask if a particular tree is the kind I am thinking of. You would think that this would make me more focused on the knowledge of nature isntead of nature itself, but the opposite is true. I think this has connected me more to nature actually. Because now I can actually see the different kinds of plants and name and identify them. It is through giving a name to them that I know them. Its similar to human names. You only know someone if you know their name. Without a name, they are just a stra...

I began to think about the environment more frequently when I was about 10 years old. I had always played outdoors with my sister growing up: we would fish, make mud-pies, make "concoctions" (muddy water soup with picked flowers as ingredients), etc. We have this couple acre forest behind my house separated by a wood fence. Often when we were outside we would spot white-tailed deer grazing on the bushes just feet away from the fence! That was always a highlight of my childhood. It was only when I was about 10 that I first ventured into that woods one snowy Winter to follow some fox tracks. That became a past-time of mine over the years - going out into the woods to walk, explore, follow tracks and see where they lead, and sometimes, just laying on the forest floor and staring at the vast expanse of blue sky.  Whenever I did go out into the woods, I felt like an explorer or a woodland creature. Someone who was a part of the environment. I didn't realize at the time that me...

 I remember one class we discussed how when we use tools to subdue nature instead of make relationship with it, we only separate ourselves from the world. For example, when you use a lawn mower, it is only for yourself, not nature. It is one sided. You're only using it to make your life easier by cleaning up your lawn. You're only thinking of what the environment can give you. I think this idea has been exacerbated by capitalism and private property ownership. It's the idea that some things only belong to you and you alone. This obsession is extreme, which is why I think that from it we think of ourselves as separate from nature. Because we we can "own" things and we think that we can "own" nature, we believe we are separate from it. We believe we are not Creation and that nature does not shape us. However, that is far from the truth. I think a good solution to this is at least the dismantling of capitalistic ideals. These hold us back from appreciating...

 I like Capon's viewpoint on cooking. It isn't just making food, but a way to ay attention to creation. He talks about modern people consuming quickly and treat meals as a convenience and this causes a disconnect between the consumer and materials consumed. For example, people will eat a rotisserie chicken and throw out the bones because they are perceived waste, when in reality those bones, along with some water and vegetables can be turned into stock which can then be used as a base for many meals to come. Even stems from herbs can be burnt and their ashes used as fertilizer.  It comes across as more thoughtful to do that as people are maximizing the usefulness of items instead casting things away. To some they might just be bones, but to those that see the bones for what they could be, represent an opportunity to be more appreciative of the things around them and what caused them to be. 

     My essay focused on Rosemary Radford Ruether and her contributions to environmental philosophy through ecofeminism. I looked at how her ideas connect environmental issues with social systems like patriarchy, capitalism, and inequality, and how she challenges the idea that humans are separate from nature. I also connected her work to broader class topics like anthropocentrism, environmental justice, sustainability, and activism, as well as The Ecology of Eden , which similarly questions the idea of nature as something untouched or separate from humans.      What stood out to me most while working on this was how interconnected everything is in environmental philosophy. Ruether’s ideas made me realize that environmental problems aren’t just about pollution or climate change on their own, they’re tied to deeper systems of power, culture, and belief. It also helped me see that debates about things like sustainability or conservation are really also debates...

     A lot of people tend to point to overpopulation as the main cause of environmental problems, but that explanation feels a little too simple. It’s not just about how many people are on the planet—it’s also about how resources are being used. In many cases, smaller, wealthier populations consume way more energy, food, and materials per person than larger populations in less developed areas. Because of that, they can end up having a much bigger environmental impact overall, even if their population size is smaller.      Looking at it this way shifts the conversation away from just numbers and more toward issues like lifestyle and inequality. It brings up some important ethical questions about responsibility—like whether it’s fair to blame global environmental damage on population growth when consumption is so unevenly distributed. It also makes you think more critically about what kinds of changes would actually make the biggest difference, whether that’s...

In Chapter 6, “Spiritual Ramblings,” of American Camino, Dr. Redick reflects more deeply on the spiritual meaning behind his journey, especially the idea of kenotic walking as a practice of self-emptying. Rather than treating the walk as a goal-oriented task, he begins to see it as a way of letting go of expectations, control, and even a fixed sense of self. This chapter emphasizes that the act of walking itself becomes spiritual when it is done with humility and openness. Dr. Redick connects this idea to the Christian concept of kenosis, drawing from Paul the Apostle’s description of Christ’s self-emptying in Philippians 2. Just as Christ humbles himself and surrenders power, Dr. Redick suggests that walkers can practice a similar kind of humility by surrendering their need to dominate or fully understand the world around them. Walking becomes less about reaching a destination and more about being present and receptive. Kenotic walking also ties into how we relate to nature. By emptyi...

In my research for my assignment on Joanna Macy, I learned a lot about her beliefs of Deep Ecology and how it challenges the way we typically view our relationship with the natural world. Deep Ecology originated with Arne Naess in the 1970s, who argued that environmental problems come from seeing humans as separate from nature. His ideas were influenced by traditions like Buddhism, which emphasize interconnectedness, something Macy builds on in her work. Deep Ecology emphasizes that humans are deeply connected to nature and that all living things have intrinsic value, not just usefulness. What stood out most to me is the idea of the ecological self, which is closely tied to expanding the self. The ecological self means understanding that our identity is not limited to just our individual body or experiences, but includes the ecosystems, species, and environments we are part of. It’s the idea that who we are is shaped by, and inseparable from, the natural world around us. This concept s...

Waking up yesterday morning was an usually easy task due to one activity on the day's agenda: walking through the wilderness in search of native herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians). Such an adventure has been a part of my identity for as long as I can remember. My parents frequently took my brother and I to the outdoors as an easy childcare method, where our objective was the same as it is today. For as long as we could manage, my brother and I would carefully flip most every log and stone in search of whatever snakes, salamanders, or lizards that we could find. At the end of the day, we would typically have about five animals to show for our efforts. Over the course of nearly two decades, my technique has been considerably refined. Yesterday started with a Southern ring-necked snake and a rough earth snake within 10 minutes of stepping out of the car. The powerline cut in Newport News Park was the main objective, where a black racer was found in the first seconds upon arrival. ...

     Environmental activism can take a lot of different forms, ranging from peaceful protests and awareness campaigns to more intense actions like blocking construction sites or disrupting major infrastructure projects. Some people view activists as essential for pushing environmental issues into the spotlight and forcing governments or corporations to act, especially when other approaches haven’t worked. At the same time, others see certain tactics as going too far, arguing that they can be disruptive, illegal, or even counterproductive to gaining public support.      I think it’s hard to deny that activism has played a major role in driving environmental progress, from influencing policy changes to raising public awareness about urgent issues like climate change and biodiversity loss. But it also brings up complicated questions about how far is too far. For example, is it ever justified to break laws or inconvenience others in order to protect the environ...

 Yesterday afternoon my herpetology class did a field excursion at Back Bay national wildlife refuge and it reminded that beauty is all around us. Unfortunately not many people stop and take the time to look for it. I think its really important to have open spaces of relatively undeveloped land as it gives people a taste of what the natural world looks like with relatively unseen human intervention. Of course there will be some like park rangers clearing trails of debris and doing area upkeep, but these aren't harmful interactions with wildlife like the ones we often see. I'm fortunate and grateful that I get to live in an area so close to these monuments of nature. Watching sand being carried and kicked off of the dunes really gives one a sense of how they formed over time from a hump the size of a speed bump to a 30 foot tall dune that you couldn't dig through if you tried. I'm glad I got to go and would love to visit again.

Wendell Berry is an American environmental activist known for his efforts to support sustainable agriculture. His 1968 poem The Peace of Wild Things discusses trying to find peace in his fear for the future. Berry describes being awake at night, troubled by the state of the world. However, he does not dwell in this space and rather takes himself to "where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds". Through this, Berry contrasts human doubt and worry with the presence of animals and nature. We discussed in class how animals are always in the moment, as they don't have the capacity to critically think and stress about things like the past or the future, like humans do. Berry uses nature as something to keep him grounded, while emphasizing its importance to humanity. Berry finishes the poem with a sense of stillness, as he feels a state of temporary freedom. The Peace of Wild Things suggests that we cannot completely eliminate stress and ecoa...

Tielhard de Chardin was  a French Jesuit priest most known for connecting evolution to spirituality. His most famous book, titled The Phenomenon of Man, blends science, philosophy, and religion into one in an attempt to make sense of human existence. Rather than seeing science and religion as opposition, de Chardin integrates them as one and suggests that evolution is a sacred process. The idea brought up by de Chardin that stood out to me was the idea of the "Omega Point". The Omega Point is essentially the ultimate product of evolution and a state that transcends human intelligence, which is often interpreted to be some sort of divine nature. It is the theorized final destination of all of the cosmos. de Chardin also discusses the "noosphere" which is a conceptual stage centered around human thought. In The Phenomenon of Man and across other works, de Chardin introduces many abstract ideas to blur the line between science and religion. Unlike other ecological thin...

In World as Lover, World as Self, Joanna Macy describes two powerful ways of understanding our relationship with the Earth: world as lover and world as self. Seeing the world as a lover means forming a deep emotional connection with nature. Instead of viewing the Earth as something distant or just a resource, we relate to it with care, appreciation, and even passion. This perspective moves us away from fear or control and encourages love-based action. If we truly care about the world, we are more motivated to protect it. The idea of the world as self goes even further. It suggests that humans and nature are not separate at all, but part of one interconnected system. Our “self” includes the Earth, so harming the environment is ultimately harming ourselves. This shifts environmental care from something external or optional to something personal and necessary. Together, these ideas grounded in Deep Ecology, encourage a shift in perspective from separation to connection, and from obligatio...

This review paper discusses the effects of climate change on the ocean, including ocean acidification, increased sea surface temperatures, dissolved oxygen levels, etc., and how these effects impact ecological systems as well as economics. The paper creates two climate change scenarios, with one being the current rate of global emissions and the other being a scenario with strict climate regulations in place. In both climate scenarios, the world's oceans will be negatively impacted, resulting in death to many marine populations and a loss of valuable ecosystem services. Sea level rise will also continue to worsen, which brings an entirely new wave of problems on top of the disruption to marine environments. Overall, the review documents the potentially dark future for our oceans if no action is taken. In terms of conserving marine systems, I think some people and some nations struggle with understanding the importance. From a cultural perspective, someone living in a landlocked are...

In Ecology of Eden, Chapter 21 on the Gaia Hypothesis, Earth is described as a self-regulating system where living and nonliving parts interact to help maintain conditions for life. Nature can be viewed in different ways. One is the machine model, where ecosystems are seen as predictable and adjustable. Another is seeing Earth as a living system or “mother”, where everything is interconnected and self-sustaining. A third is the idea of entropy, where natural systems tend toward disorder over time without energy input. The Gaia Hypothesis adds that even though there is change and chaos in natural systems, that chaos can actually be part of stability. Ecosystems often have built-in feedback loops and fail-safes that allow them to adapt to environmental changes and recover over time. This makes nature less fragile than it might first appear, but still something humans can significantly disrupt if we push systems too far.

Aldo Leopold was a biologist and conservationist known as the father of wildlife ecology and for his 1949 book A Sand County Almanac . This book criticizes humans' desire to conquer nature as opposed to living in harmony with it. Leopold challenges humanity to “think like a mountain”, meaning they should adopt a more holistic approach and recognize the complexity and interconnectedness of everything in a given ecosystem. In a mountain landscape, if wolves are removed, there would be an abundance of deer since they wouldn't have their natural predator. Humans might see this as "better," but this will result in deer consuming grass and vegetation at extremely high rates, leaving the mountainsides barren and unoccupied. This overgrazing would result in the landscape eroding over time, causing an extremely degraded ecosystem. Therefore, if humans "thought like a mountain", destruction of the ecosystem and the mountain itself would never have occurred. When I wa...

Rachel Carson was an American marine biologist, best known for her 1962 book Silent Spring . This book exposed the unethical practices of pesticide use, including the use of DDT. Before pesticides were regulated, farmers would abuse them, which had extremely detrimental impacts on wildlife, especially bird populations. The book documents the widespread death of wildlife, such as fish and birds, as a direct result of pesticide overuse. Additionally, Carson discusses how insects and pests eventually become resistant to pesticides over time, which would turn chemical control into a sort of positive feedback loop and only enhance the problems that were resulting from its abuse. Shortly following the publication of Silent Spring (and the death of Rachel Carson), the Environmental Protection Agency was founded to prevent things like the overuse of pesticides before they happened. During climate change and the environmental crisis, it is common to see action taken only after a problem has bec...

In class we briefly talked about the Berkeley Pit in Butte, Montana, which is a former copper mine that filled with toxic, acidic water after mining stopped. The pit contains heavy metals like arsenic and lead and is now a Superfund site that requires ongoing monitoring to prevent further environmental damage. What stands out is how long the impacts of mining last even after operations end. The Berkeley Pit is still a serious environmental concern decades later, affecting water quality and posing risks to wildlife and surrounding ecosystems. It shows how industrial activity can leave behind problems that are difficult, expensive, and long-term. It can at least raise questions about how humans value and interact with the natural world. It connects to broader ethical ideas about responsibility, care, and the consequences of treating land purely as a resource.

In Braiding Sweetgrass, the story of Skywoman Falling is a foundational teaching that helps shape Indigenous understandings of the relationship between humans and the natural world. In this creation story, Skywoman does not arrive to “own” the Earth, but to live in relationship with it. The animals help her, the earth receives her, and life is created through cooperation and mutual care. This reflects a worldview where humans are not above nature, but part of a broader web of life. Kimmerer uses this story to show how many Indigenous cultures view the land as a relative rather than a resource. Because of this, there is an emphasis on responsibility, gratitude, and reciprocity. The land is something to be cared for and respected, not controlled or exploited. Practices like the Honorable Harvest grow out of this mindset, encouraging people to take only what is needed and to give thanks for what is received. Overall, Skywoman’s story helps explain how Indigenous ecological thought is roo...

He also used the example of thinking about nature as someone’s home. Forests, rivers, and coastlines aren’t empty spaces, they’re lived-in environments for countless species. When you see it that way, respect becomes more than just a guideline, it’s common decency. You wouldn’t walk into someone’s home and leave trash, damage things, or ignore their presence, so it shouldn’t be any different outdoors.  At the same time, people often move through nature as if it belongs to them. Trails can start to feel like something we “own” or control, rather than spaces we’re borrowing. That mindset can make it easier to ignore the impact we have, whether it’s stepping off trail, disturbing wildlife, or leaving things behind. It creates a subtle distance between us and the environment, where we see ourselves as separate and in charge instead of just one part of a larger system. Thinking more about nature’s hospitality, it shows up in really basic but important ways. The shade of trees, the stabi...

Shrimp farming is a billion-dollar industry with top producers being China, India, Indonesia, etc. The process involves raising shrimp for profit to meet the extremely high global need. Although a very successful industry in terms of economic value, there are ethical concerns involved with it, most notably with mangrove destruction. Entire mangrove forests are cleared for shrimp farming as they have ideal nutrient conditions to support shrimp farms. This is completely devastating as mangroves provide many valuable ecosystem services. They have among the highest carbon storage of any forest type on Earth, protect coastal development from natural disasters (which saves billions of dollars annually), and support fisheries, among other benefits. Due to the importance of shrimp farming globally, it is unrealistic to expect a complete reversal of the harmful effects. However, I think more restrictions should be in place to protect ecosystems like mangrove forests from practices like these. I...

Thomas Berry (1914-2009) was an American catholic priest and eco-philosopher known as one of the most profound thinkers of the 20th century. One of his most influential concepts is the idea of "Earth Community," which emphasizes that humans aren't separate from nature, but instead are deeply embedded within nature. Berry believed that every ecosystem, species within each ecosystem, and natural process has value beyond use to humans. This perspective challenges opinions that are geared toward technology or economics above nature and the environment. Furthermore, he believed humanity should transition from disruptive, industrial ways to a more mutually enhancing relationship with nature. He emphasized not only a technological transformation but also a cultural, spiritual, and ethical transformation to get a better grasp of nature.  Comparing Berry's beliefs to some of the topics covered by Eisenberg in The Ecology of Eden, I see multiple similarities. Both Berry and Eis...

I've heard this idea talked about in numerous courses, including Dr. Redick's, that idea being that we are part of the ecosystems around us and not something separate. Snyder brought up Indigenous perspectives where the land is seen as living and meaningful, with its own inherent value. The idea reinhabitation is appealing to me because I have been trying to get to know the land around me more, and learning the natural history of the area while adjusting my actions to fit that environment, I feel more connected to the place I live and aware of my actions effects. By focusing on small scale practices, we can see real noticeable changes compared to the ever uphill battle of large scale environmental problems. If we see ourselves as part of the ecosystem, educating ourselves on the flora, fauna, watersheds and more become a starting point awareness can grow from. And that's how change starts. I wonder many people at cnu, or really anywhere bother to learn the history of where ...

 Wirzba brings up the idea that if we shift our mindset from the world being nature to the world being one of God's creations could change how much we relate to and care for the planet. By seeing the world as an equal people would be more compelled to upkeep and improve it. Not something we use, but work with. Think of it like your car versus the one that has been vacant sitting in a lot for 30 odd years. We maintain our vehicles because they belong to us, if the 30 year old car was suddenly seen as yours, would you not want what's best for it? His idea shows how religious perspectives can help shape environmental ethics by presenting the earth and humans as God's creations, advocating for people to see the world as something that is shared and not used. 

 Humans, as with all life seemed to have found their place in the world by observing and reacting to the world around them, particularly animals. Hunting practices gave people a greater understanding and appreciation for the animals that sustained them. Additionally hunting was not just a way to get food but a way for people to connect with the land, learn lessons, and remember family. Deer can show us local bodies of water that are to drink from, or someone may perceive a Cardinal to be a relative that has passed away.  Hunter gatherer societies often perform pre and post hunt rituals to acknowledge the sacrifice made by the animal and to remind themselves of the dangers of overharvesting. In contrast, the majority of people today have very little if any connection to the food they eat. Avocados and other fruits are shipped in from the tropics, Nestle chocolate being farmed by child laborers halfway across the world, Cows slaughtered in Missouri and sold in New York. When we ...

       Robert Farrar Capon's  The Super of the Lamb  is a veritable quote-mine. I could (and am about to) write a whole blog post on just a few golden eggs nestled in the excerpts we read for this class. Let us begin. Capon writes that 'I despise recipes that promise results without work' (pg. 7). Impactful! But how? And how does it connect to ecology? I want to answer these questions, but first I need to ramble about how it connects to my personal life, especially as a student.       Recipes that promise results without work. Study methods that promise results without work. Indeed! How could it not connect? I learn best when I toil. The process of learning is one whereby my brain is actually physically changed by the things and ideas I encounter. If do not do the work, I do not undergo the change. If I do not undergo the change, I am not transformed by my experiences. The results are only a part of what matters when we undertake any tas...

 I like how Eisenburg challenges the idea of humans and nature being separate entities. Humans and the environment have been shaping each other for a millennia. Even during conservation practices the land is still being changed. The most wild places we can get, national parks, are the products of human intervention. I used to think that there was a big grey area between what is natural and what isn't but I feel like that mindset can get confusing. Maybe a shift to all or nothing thinking is the solution? Eden isn't really somewhere we can go back to, but by making environmental stewardship our goal, maybe we can shape our own eden because after all, we are a part of nature.

     Over the past semester most of my time has been put towards an independent research project with two of my friends on the American Shad species. Working on this American shad project really made me realize how complex population recovery actually is. I always thought of species decline as kind of a straightforward issue—like once you reduce overfishing or add conservation efforts, populations should bounce back. But looking at the data across different Virginia rivers showed that it’s way more complicated than that. Some rivers, like the Rappahannock, are recovering pretty well, while others like the James River are still struggling, even though they’re in the same general region (which kinda expected with all the issues in the James).      A big takeaway for me was how much both historical and environmental factors still matter today. Things like dam construction and overfishing from decades ago are still affecting migration and spawning, while curre...

       The following is an approximation of the teachings of the Church, which I am exploring here to better my dim understanding.       The following is a summary of the writings of Patriarch Bartholomew in On Earth as in Heaven  regarding theology and ecology, from pages 65-72. In Orthodox theology, there is an ontological category called the 'energies' of God, which are said to be that through which God created the world and that to which the believer is united through theosis. Thus, there is the Divine Essence, common to all persons of the Holy Trinity, the Hypostases (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and the Energies of God. God's energies are made manifest to us through His activity in the world, such as in the creation of the world and acts of divine love. Human beings are made in the image of God, sharing in a common human essence which is expressed as the individual, i.e., every individual is a hypostasis of the human essence. The activ...

     Many people place their hope in technology, such as renewable energy systems or carbon capture initiatives, to mitigate pressing environmental challenges. While these innovations are undeniably crucial for reducing our carbon footprint and transitioning to a more sustainable infrastructure, they often serve as symptomatic treatments rather than comprehensive cures. By focusing primarily on engineering solutions, society risks overlooking the foundational issue of systemic overconsumption, which continues to drive resource depletion and environmental degradation regardless of how "green" our energy sources become.      True progress will likely require a dual approach that marries sophisticated technological advancements with fundamental shifts in human behavior and consumption patterns. Integrating cleaner technology is physically achievable, but the prospect of restructuring economic habits—moving away from a culture of constant growth and disposabili...

In Dr. Redick's book, Fires by Jean Fowler, there was a poem that stuck out to me called Hunting Song, which we read. A phrase that repeats multiple times throughout the poem is "Dance the bear." We discussed how the phrase means a relationship between humans and nature. It is kinship. You become the bear when you eat the bear.  One of the things that kept popping in my head as we read this poem was the contrast and comparison between the Christian symbolism of the Eucharist. The bread symbolizes Jesus' body, which He freely gave as a gift to us all, and the wine represents His blood, which was shed on the cross. While I don't think that we become Jesus Christ, Himself, when we take communion, there is a kind of fellowship we have with one another when this happens. We are engaging in a relationship between the food we are eating as well as a kind of spiritual relationship with God. We are accepting Jesus' gift by eating the sacrifice. We do this literally an...

     It’s wild how much our current environmental choices are going to mess with people who aren’t even born yet, especially since those folks don't have a seat at the table to tell us to stop. It brings up this huge moral question: do we actually owe anything to people who don't exist? It feels super unfair that we’re just burning through resources and wrecking ecosystems, essentially handing them the bill for our lifestyle. Even though they can’t speak up for themselves right now, it feels like we have a pretty major responsibility to think about their quality of life before we make decisions that destroy their future.      I think shifting toward something like "intergenerational justice" is honestly the only way forward. If we actually believe that someone living 100 years from now has just as much of a right to a healthy planet as we do, then saving the environment shouldn't be optional—it’s just our duty. It’s definitely not easy to balance our needs ...

     The Ecology of Eden by Evan Eisenberg is basically a deep dive into how humans and nature are way more connected than we usually think. Instead of treating “nature” like this untouched, perfect place (like the idea of Eden), Eisenberg argues that people have always been part of shaping the environment. He brings in a mix of history, ecology, and philosophy to show that what we consider “natural” has often been influenced by human activity for a long time. The book kind of pushes you to rethink the whole idea that humans and nature are separate things.     As a review, it’s definitely interesting but can be a little hard to get through at times. The writing is smart and detailed, but also pretty dense, so you have to stay focused while reading it. It’s not really a quick or easy read, but it’s worth it if you’re into environmental topics or like thinking about bigger-picture ideas. Overall, it does a good job of challenging common assumptions about conserv...

 Today in class one of the things we discussed was Ahimsa, the Hindu and Jain idea of non-violence. In it, Hindus and Jains refrain from eating animals for food. One of the main ideas we touched upon was that all food are souls and all of nature is just a gift that is exchanged. I thought this was interesting because I used ahimsa as one of my main talking points in my senior seminar thesis. In my thesis project, I argued that the religious practices of the Adivasi, the Indigenous groups of India, are more environmentally friendly than the practices of Hindus.  I also remember learning about ahimsa in one of my anthropology classes a couple of semesters ago. I think the class was called "environmental anthropology." We did a reading that discussed the Hindu principle of ahimsa and why it was so important to the Hindus of that mountainous region. The reading said that it was because of the environment that they lived in that this principle worked in their favor. The mountains ...

I believe that consumerism is the death of creativity. I believe this for many reasons but a big factor is that having access to so many things constantly prohibits you from thinking outside the box. A main driver of consumerism is constantly being influenced by other people, whether that is in real life or online. Constantly being fed ideas and opinions prevents you from having your own. This prevents creativity and the ability to think for yourself, along with having the mental space to create things on your own. I realize that when I stopped constantly buying things and stopped consuming so much social media, I was a lot happier and able to think for myself, not only with my beliefs, but also with the things that I created and surrounded myself with. I was more inclined to do crafts, bake, spend more time cooking, finding new hobbies or even make my own things for everyday life. 

AI cannot replace the feeling of nature: this semester was the first time that I had to use AI for a project, and whether I used it or not, and how well I used it determined my grade. I understand that professors are trying to teach students how to use AI correctly, but I think a lot of us fall into the trap of using AI more than needed, and many people even use AI as a friend or expected to give them happiness. For me personally, my main source of happiness comes from the people around me along with nature. I think it is important for us to remember that, even though AI can be beneficial and help people, it will never bring the happiness or calmness that nature provides for us. Many people have been turning to AI to bring them peace if they feel lonely, but I think a better solution would be to go outside to experience nature or even just to be around real people in order to create longtime happiness instead of a quick solution that will not last.

Using house plants to bring nature to you: a lot of people try to bring nature into their homes to connect themselves to the Earth. There are many ways to do this and some common ways are gardening, foraging, and having plants or seashells in people’s homes. I find myself constantly wanting to bring nature into my home. To me, it helps with my stress levels and to feel more like myself in my own space. When I am stressed, I like to spend time in nature, but having pieces of it in my room to be with me when I do not have the energy to go outside or have the time to go outside seems to help me in my everyday life. There are also many benefits to having plants in your home. An example of this is the snake plant as it helps purify the air. There have also been many studies that show having plants in space is that you spend a lot of time can help boost serotonin levels and help with mental health. I think this is because as humans, we are part of an ecosystem and have lived in the wild for ...

I visited an Atrium community a couple months ago and it was so interesting and educational to see the way that people are able to live in homes without needing to sacrifice anything like comfort. My assumption for the atrium homes was that the homeowners would need to sacrifice comfort or need to be inconvenienced in order to be sustainable, but the house was built so they did not need to do that. When the builders were making the house, they had to think of little details like where the sun would be shining through the windows in order for the house to be heated and cooled off sustainably, along with a community garden, and also a source of water. We learned that the atrium houses are not only sustainable, but the way that the community is built also makes it good if you want to be surrounded by other people who make it feel like a safe and inclusive community. The builders had thought of all of the walking pads, so you will cross paths with your neighbors on a daily basis, along wit...

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-forest-therapy-can-be-good-for-your-body-and-mind Forest bathing is a practice that originates from Japanese culture. It does not mean taking a literal bath in the forest, but refers to the experience of immersing yourself in the atmosphere of nature. Forest therapy is more than just being in the woods. Forest therapists help people participate in experiences in nature that force them to use all of their senses. This is not a new practice and has been around since 1982. There are three different traditional concepts to forest bathing. Yugen, komorebi, and wabi sabi are three main aspects of forest bathing. The first one is about being aware of the beauty of the world around you that the emotions you feel towards nature cannot be expressed through words. Komorebi in the English language translates to “ sunlight leaking through trees” and emphasizes the connection between the sun and the leaves while Wabi Sabi celebrates the imbalances and imperfect...

Homelessness Countering the Destruction of Home: a Return to Sensuous Communication:  Heidegger talks about dwelling, and his description of this shows a home's relation to its community. Kip Reddic explores the tensions between homes and factories and how being homeless voluntarily can be a way to restore the event of dwelling. Reddick uses philosophy to define what a home is and how it is not a building, but an event of dwelling. Humans and the environment exist, where they mirror one another rather than mastering the other. A key element of dwelling is census communication which is an embodied encounter where we interact with the world through a circuit of using all of our senses, he talks about the restoration through being homeless voluntarily, and how a person can leave their social status. He describes how this vulnerability is necessary to shift from viewing the world as an idol to an icon. In conclusion, the homelessness journey offers a restoration of the spirit and allow...

What a Philosopher Discovered More Than 200 Years Ago About Nature by Andrea Wolf: Andrea Wolff talks about the invention of nature and focuses on the life and legacy of Alexander Vaughan Humboldt. There is an emphasis on the web of life and how all creatures are connected through a web in nature as long as they are a living organism, they talk about the invention of the ecosystems as he mapped plants according to climate and altitude rather than the specific name of this species. During this he was able to discover climate zones and proved that nature follows global patterns. Wolf points out that there were traces of predicting man-made climate change as early as the 1800s by observing deforestation at Lake Valencia in Venezuela. He discovered three ways humans impact the environment. This is through deforestation, industrial emissions, and irrigation. The bridge between science and art is the discovery that we cannot understand nature through facts alone, but that we must feel nature...