North West Earth Institute Discussion Courses

Provided by the Center for Sustainable Living.

The North West Earth Institute (www.nwei.org) is a non-profit organization based in Portland Oregon. They have developed six Earth-centered courses that are now being offered in all 50 states of the continental United States.

The Center for Sustainable Living has been offering these courses for many years. This year we have three consecutively running discussion groups, reading and deliberating upon Exploring Deep Ecology.

The course books are about 110 - 125 pages long and feature articles by many well-known authors, Aldo Leopold, David Orr and Winona LaDuke to name a few.

The courses are constructed so that every participant has the opportunity to lead the discussion at least once. There should be from eight to twelve members in each group. Each group meets eight times and discusses one of the eight chapters each week. The ninth meeting is a celebratory potluck and can meet at another time and place.

At the beginning of each meeting there is an activity, it can be a poem, music, or other creative idea that sets this time apart from our normal lives. Each member may choose to select such a beginning piece for the meeting. To enable each person to share ownership of the group, everyone takes turns in facilitating one of the meetings. The facilitator for the evening leads the discussion, makes sure that every one is heard and that the participants stay on track.

The Discussion Books cost $17. In order to provide some money to cover the Center's expenses, to find a place to hold the meeting, to facilitate and market the events, the Center is asking for an additional $3, making the cost of attending $20.

Title and Synopsis of the Courses

Exploring Deep Ecology
Deep ecology is a term coined in 1973 by a Norwegian philosopher and mountaineer Arne Naess. It describes an approach by which an individual reflects deeply on his or her relationship with the Earth and responsibility for it. Participants discuss how personal values affect the way they view and treat the Earth. Topics covered include: Deep Ecology, The Gaia Hypothesis, Spirituality and the Earth, a New Story from Science, Native American Wisdom, Ecopsychology, Simplicity, Bioregionalism, Celebration. read more >

Discovering a Sense of Place
Until modern times, survival of the human community depended on intimate understanding of and respect for the distinctive geography, climate, plants and animals located in their region. Will a commitment to the local bioregion affect our responsibility to care for the Earth? Topics covered in eight sessions include: A Sense of Place, Responsibility to Place, Knowing your Bioregion, Living in Place, Mapping your place, Building Local Community, Empowerment, Celebration.

Choices for Sustainable Living
Each of us makes choices that have an impact on the Earth. We can choose options that are more sustainable than others. Participants consider steps toward ecologically sustainable lifestyles, communities, and organizations. Topics include: A Call to Sustainability, Ecological Principles, Sustainable communities, Sustainable Business and Economy, Sustainable Food, Sustainable Buying, Sustainable Living, Visions of Sustainability, Celebration.

Voluntary Simplicity
This course explores the personal and environmental benefits of simplicity. Topics covered include: The Meaning of Simplicity, Living More with Less, Your Money or Your Life, Do You Have the Time?, How much is Enough?, Swimming against the Tide, The Practice of Simplicity, Celebration.

Globalization and Its Critics
Globalization involves the increased movement of goods, services, and capital across borders. The course explores how globalization is affecting the environment, local economics and social and cultural customs throughout the world. Topics covered include: Globalization Overview, Questioning Free Trade, Transnational Corporations, Food for the Global Marketplace, Globalization and the Environment, Social Equity, Shaping Opinion, Homogenization of Cultures, Celebration.

Healthy Children, Healthy Planet
This course explores how advertisement media and the consumer culture influence a child's view of the world. It suggests ways to create meaningful family times, a healthy environment for children and encourages parents to explore ways to develop a child's connection to nature and to foster creativity. Topics include: Cultural pressures, Family Rituals and Celebrations, Advertising, Food and Health, Time and Creativity, Technology and the Media, and Exploring Nature