This is by no means and exhaustive list it is just a beginning. What you will find here are books that I think express important ideas that have been deeply contemplated and presented in an accessible and well written form, often with a sense of humor which I always appreciate. These are books I consider to express the philosophical, political, technological, biological, social and spiritual concepts of the Greenaissance that I speak about on my blog. They are not in any particular order here which means in my opinion all of the references here are equally important and interesting. Have a look for yourself . . . . . . . .
Akamai Backyard- Here is an excellent example of all the things I am talking about applied locally here on Kauai by a homeschool group in Kilauea.
Story of Stuff : How Our Obsession With Stuff Is Trashing The Planet, Our Communities, And Our Health - A Vision For Change by Annie Leonard. Watch the 20 minute video. It may be the most informative and life changing 20 minutes you wil ever spend. This story connects the stuff you consume with everything and everyone that made it and will be stuck with it when you're done.
Spontaneous Evolution by Bruce Lipton and Steve Baherman. Also Bruce Lipton's book Biology of Belief is very interesting and sets up the basic ideas for Spontaneous Evolution.
Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Also by Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, The Omnivore's Dilemma and The Botany of Desire. All very interesting and well written books that are well worth a read.
Mind Sight - The New Science of Transformation by Dr. Daniel Siegel - "At the heart of Mindsight is the concept of integration. Integration is literally defined as the linkage of differentiated components of a system. In an individual mind, integration involves the linkage of separate aspects of mental processes to each other, such as thought with feeling, bodily sensation with logic. In a relationship, integration entails each person being respected for his or her autonomy and differentiated self while at the same time becoming linked to others in empathic communication. For the brain, integration means that separated areas with their unique functions, in the skull and throughout the body, become linked to each other through synaptic connections. These integrated linkages enable more intricate functions to emerge—such as insight, empathy, intuition, and morality. The terms we use for these three forms of integration are a coherent mind, empathic relationships, and an integrated brain." (from Mindsight Institute website)
Blessed Unrest by Paul Hawken. The link takes you to a short video about this. Also check out Paul's University of Portland Commencement 2009 speech it is truly inspiring. Natural Capitalism by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, and L. Hunter Lovins is also worth a good look. Natural capital is the extension of the economic notion of capital (manufactured means of production) to goods and services relating to the natural environment. Natural capital is thus the stock of natural ecosystems that yields a flow of valuable ecosystem goods or services into the future. For example, a stock of trees or fish provides a flow of new trees or fish, a flow which can be indefinitely sustainable. Natural capital may also provide services like recycling wastes or water catchment and erosion control. Since the flow of services from ecosystems requires that they function as whole systems, the structure and diversity of the system are important components of natural capital.
Elizabet Sahtouris - Earthdance: Living Systems in Evolution
Crossing the Event Horizon - DVD Set - Nassim Haramein - The Resonance Project - "Instead of seeing ourselves as separate from everything around us, this view allows us to recognize that we are embedded in a fractal feedback dynamic that intrinsically connects all things via the medium of a vacuum structure of infinite potential. This research has far reaching implications in a variety of fields including theoretical and applied physics, cosmology, quantum mechanics, biology, chemistry, sociology, psychology, archaeology, anthropology, etc. A fundamental understanding of the dynamics of this interconnectivity redefines the lens through which we see the universe and our place in it, and leads to theoretical and technological advancements that move us towards a sustainable future. This new approach to the physics of universal forces has the potential to solve the most pressing issues of our times." ( Resonance Project website)
Conscious Evolution by Barbara Marx Hubbard. Conscious Evolution is a new worldview that is now emerging rapidly and garnering worldwide interest and support. It acknowledges that humankind has attained unprecedented powers to affect, control and change the evolution of life on Earth. In simple terms, Conscious Evolution means that we must improve our ability to use our powers ethically and effectively (consciously) to achieve a positive future (evolve). Conscious Evolution is a new social/scientific/spiritual meta-discipline. This worldview has progressed from Einstein's early admonitions that humankind cannot solve our problems from the same place of consciousness in which we created them, through noted scientists and philosophers such as Julian Huxley, Teilhard de Chardin, Sri Aurobindo, Abraham H. Maslow, Jonas Salk, to today's social scientists such as Bela H. Banathy, Hazel Henderson, Riane Eisler, Ervin Laszlo, Jean Houston, Duane Elgin, Edgar Mitchell, Ken Wilber, Peter Russell, Elisabet Sahtouris, Don Beck and many others who are building frameworks for practical application in health, governance, education, management, environment, science, the arts and media. (from Evolve.org website)
The Science of Oneness - by Malcolm Hollick. Malcolm is a good freind and garden companion from my days at Findhorn. I think he's done a good and careful job here of taking many of the newer developments in science and weaving them together into a framework of coherence.
The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono. This is a sweet and profound little book. It takes maybe an hour to read and can really transform your idea of how much one person can affect the world around them. This link takes you to a 30 minute video which tells the story. This is a book I take with me everywhere and give to everyone.
The work of Geoff Lawton in Greening the Desert - check out this video and some of the others you will find on this link. You will be amazed at what can be done with a minimum of resources. This is how re-planting the Global Garden works in practice. We can and will change the world in a profound way by working with the plants.
Wangari Maathai and The Green Belt Movement - Through its holistic approach to development, the Green Belt Movement addresses the underlying social, political, and economic causes of poverty and environmental degradation at the grassroots level. Its empowerment seminars help people make critical linkages between the environment, governance, and their quality of life. Participants develop a deep desire to better their own lives and communities. As they gain economic security, they are willing to protect shared resources such as forests, public parks, and rivers. The GBM started by addressing a serious problem with a simple solution: getting communities to plant trees as a symbol of their commitment. Today, this approach is taking root worldwide.
The Work of the HeartMath Institute - The Institute of HeartMath is an internationally recognized nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to heart-based living – people relying on the intelligence of their hearts in concert with their minds to conduct their lives at home, school, work and play. HeartMath has been researching heart intelligence, stress and emotional management for more than 19 years and applied its findings to practical, easy-to-use tools that have been scientifically developed and tested.
Biomimicry - Innovation Inspired by Nature by Janine Benyus - Biomimicry is an emerging discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems.
Organic India is a great example of a new green business model and their teas are really good. Here is their framework of operation:
- To provide our customers worldwide with exceptional quality organic foods and health products.
- To introduce a unique and successful business modality that is committed to service, sanctity and integrity and therefore harms no one and benefits all.
- To support natural sustainable Organic Agriculture practices that serve, honor and protect Mother Nature.
- To support the livelihood and well-being of farmers and tribal wild crafters in rural India.
In Search of the Medicine Buddha - by David Crow. It is a journey into the wonders of Himalayan herbology and spirituality, written in lyrical prose that interweaves valuable medical teachings with insights into the Buddhist and Hindu cultures of Nepal. Appealing to those interested in exotic places and genuine mystical encounters, this account of one man's search for authentic lineages of Himalayan medicine evokes the beauty and wonder of a faraway land, and reveals a hidden world of powerful and increasingly important healing knowledge. This lays the foundation for all of David's great work around Floracopeia and Replanting the Global Garden.
Anastasia and The Ringing Cedars Series - These books cover a lot of territory. They tell a story about an amazing being, Anastasia, who lives in the Taiga - the ancient old growth forest of Siberia. These books will challenge you in many ways. Whether Anastasia is real or not is really not the issue. What has happened in Russia and around the world since the introduction of these books is enough to make them worth reading. The link here will take you ther Ringing Cedars website but with a little more exploring you will find lot of other information and commentary about this phenomenon.
Behaving as if the God in all Things Mattered - Machaelle Small Wright and Perelandra Gardens. The link takes you to a short video about Perelandra and tells you a little about the many books and essences Perelandra offers. This book was Machaelle's first and it really started me moving in the direction I am now fully engaged in. It introduces you to Nature as an intelligence that we can learn from and that we can work with in a partnership. This is the essence of the Greenaissance. Working with the Intelligence of Nature and the Universe, seeing all things in the context of intelligent living systems of which we are not the masters but conscious participants.
Pachamama Alliance - The Pachamama Alliance is based on the recognition that those of us in the modern world share a deep connection with the people who call the rainforest their home-each of us having a critical stake in the health and well being of this vital element in our global life support system. We also recognize that indigenous people are the rainforests' natural custodians, and therefore, key strategies of our alliance focus on strengthening their culture and empowering their ability to stand for and represent their own interests.
Another underlying principal of our alliance is based on the recognition of the pervasive role economics plays in the fate of our rainforests. It is generally agreed that the Earth's tropical rainforests are its most valuable ecosystem. Yet, in the economic equations which shape decisions regarding the use of the Earth's resources, rainforests seldom show up as adding any value simply remaining in their natural state. Also, the direct costs to society of having to use technology to replace the environmental services nature provides are seldom considered. Pachamama has a commitment both to develop tangible, real-life projects through which rainforests provide more direct economic benefit standing than cut as well as to broaden the general economic view so that the value of standing rainforests and the costs associated with their destruction are measured and counted. Our work takes place in two distinct program areas: social and economic development projects in the South and education and awareness building in the North.
