1. Who does Cheryl hope will teach her to be happy "when there's nothing else I can do"?
2. Why does Cheryl suddenly feel like an intruder in her "outdoor office"?
3. What's possibly "the best I can ever hope, as far as Earth is concerned"?
4. Cheryl feels "called out" for her misplaced guilt about what?
5. What happens to Cheryl in the woods?
6. Why does Cheryl hold no grudge for the bark beetle?
7. What are we doing to tip the scales for the beetles?
8. What simple truth washes over Cheryl?
9. Who taught Cheryl that every stone has a story?
10. What "calls forth a new way of being" for Cheryl? How (for example) does she honor it?
11. What are some examples of harm being inflicted by jellyfish?
12. Why are many aquatic species fighting for their survival?
13. What has motherhood taught Cheryl?
Discussion Questions
2. Why does Cheryl suddenly feel like an intruder in her "outdoor office"?
3. What's possibly "the best I can ever hope, as far as Earth is concerned"?
4. Cheryl feels "called out" for her misplaced guilt about what?
5. What happens to Cheryl in the woods?
6. Why does Cheryl hold no grudge for the bark beetle?
7. What are we doing to tip the scales for the beetles?
8. What simple truth washes over Cheryl?
9. Who taught Cheryl that every stone has a story?
10. What "calls forth a new way of being" for Cheryl? How (for example) does she honor it?
11. What are some examples of harm being inflicted by jellyfish?
12. Why are many aquatic species fighting for their survival?
13. What has motherhood taught Cheryl?
Discussion Questions
- Add yours
- How do we strike the right balance between thinking/worrying about our problems and enjoying our lives?
- Are humans inevitable "intruders" in nature? Or is it possible for individuals to live unobtrusively among other species? What about humanity as such?
- Beyond leaving minimal traces of our existence, what may we aspire to contribute to the natural world before we leave it?
- What animal encounters have you benefited from? Was it mutual? Is it possible that all our inter-species relationships might be mutually beneficial?
- Do you "forest bathe"?*
- Is it possible, really, to "be like water"?
- Should we "surrender our judgment" about environmental stresses, winners and losers, etc.? 217
- Do you "bless the bark beetle," if not literally then in the sense of acknowledging the eco-value of animals and ecological events that interfere with specific human interests and preferences?
- Can we learn anything from the resilience of jellyfish? 227
- How can we tune out the daily barrage of bad news while remaining attuned to the health of the planet, and responsibly engaged?
 | 350 dot org (@350) |
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This is huge -- 5000+ people heading towards a German coal mine together to #endcoal and stand for #climatejustice. Follow #EndeGelaende for updates pic.twitter.com/c6yQxlzSwL #fossilfree
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The practice, long-popular in Japan, is gaining traction in the U.S. as a way of harnessing the health benefits of being outdoors.
On first glance, it looked like a two-hour walk in the woods. Our guide had already tackled the hard part of finding a trail with minimal elevation gain and limited poison oak along its flanks. This wasn’t a hike, we were reminded. A hike usually involved clear endpoints and physical exertion. We were invited to walk slower than usual, perhaps a quarter of our normal speed. To pay attention to the different shades of green we encountered, the snapping of twigs beneath our feet, the sudden vaulting of winged life—nothing was ornamental. Everything was in its right place, including us. The forest bathers and I had come to the woods in search of peace. All of us were to be present, focused solely on the moment. Our immersion in the natural world would act not only as a balm to everyday stresses but a catalyst: According to the event description, we had gathered outside that day to emerge, as flowers might after a long winter.
In 1982, Japan made shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” a part of its national health program. The aim was to briefly reconnect people with nature in the simplest way possible. Go to the woods, breathe deeply, be at peace. Forest bathing was Japan’s medically sanctioned method of unplugging before there were smartphones to unplug from. Since shinrin-yoku’s inception, researchers have spent millions of dollars testing its efficacy; the documented benefits to one’s health thus far include lowered blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and stress hormones.
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Pando, the Most Massive Organism on Earth, Is Shrinking
The grove of 47,000 quivering aspen trees in Utah is being diminished by mule deer, foraging cattle and human mismanagement.
On 106 acres in Fishlake National Forest in Richfield, Utah, a 13-million-pound giant has been looming for thousands of years. But few people have ever heard of him.
This is “the Trembling Giant,” or Pando, from the Latin word for “I spread.” A single clone, and genetically male, he is the most massive organism on Earth. He is a forest of one: a grove of some 47,000 quivering aspen trees — Populus tremuloides — connected by a single root system, and all with the same DNA.
But this majestic behemoth may be more of a Goliath, suggests a study published Wednesday in PLOS ONE. Threatened by herds of hungry animals and human encroachment, Pando is fighting a losing battle.
The study, consisting of recent ground surveys and an analysis of 72 years of aerial photographs, revealed that this unrealized natural treasure and keystone species — with hundreds of dependents — is shrinking. And without more careful management of the forest, and the mule deer and cattle that forage within him, the Trembling Giant will continue to dwindle.
“It’s been thriving for thousands of years, and now it’s coming apart on our watch,” said Paul Rogers, an ecologist at Utah State University who led the study... (continues)
Max McConnell
ReplyDelete1. Why does Cheryl feel chosen? Pg 205 She is probably the only person in Los Angeles today under “squirrel siege.”
2. What does Ted Andrews say squirrels should remind us to do? Pg 208 “They are reminders in that in our quest for goals, we should always make time to socialize and play. Work and play go hand in hand, or the work will create problems and become more difficult and less fruitful.”
3. What creates a habitat scarcity for the black-backed woodpecker? Pg 215 Removal of dead trees from forests.
4. What does Cheryl mourn about? Pg 215 She mourns for how we as a species are arming the natural predators of our oxygen producing allies with such an advantage.
5. When did Cheryl swear off “bad news”? Pg 223 After she read about bark beetles decimating forests.
6. What species of jelly fish “turns tissue into soup” causes hearts to seize, and can bring death within minutes? Pg 224 Chironex fleckeri.
7. Who is responsible for stacking the odds in favor of the jellyfish? Pg 228 Human beings.
Do I “forest bathe”?
ReplyDeleteBefore moving to Nashville, I lived on Lake Barkley in Cadiz, Kentucky. I considered myself very lucky to be given this wonderful opportunity to get my life back together after a major life change. I desperately needed a total reboot on my perspective of life in general and to find my new path. I moved in with my grandmother and after long discussions, we would always conclude the discussion with her saying, “honey, you need to get peace in your heart…” The thing was, I did not know how to find peace, let alone find it in my heart. I began to notice small things on my daily commute to work – which was a forty five minute drive – one way. I had to leave no later than six in the morning to get to work on time, and during this time, I would drive quietly and began to observe all the beautiful things around me. I started to notice the beautiful colors in the sky at sunrise. I began to notice the wildflowers along the side of the road and in the fields as they began to open, still dripping with dew. I would see critters of all sorts running around foraging for food. It started to get to the point that on my daily drive, I tried to find more of nature’s beauty to marvel at.
After I got off work, I would move through my evening rituals of cooking dinner, cleaning, laundry and helping my daughter with homework and getting her ready for the next day. With the rushing about, I found myself more anxious and struggling to go to sleep – and I am someone who requires a lot of sleep, so this began to be problematic. After a couple of restless nights, I found myself sitting outside on my porch swing staring at the lake. Watching the water trickle from fish and frogs bobbing in and out of the water and the moonlight reflecting off the water – a calm began to swoon over me. I used this time of reflection to relax and unwind and to put things in perspective. It was nature that helped me find peace in my heart.
That sounds amazing, I had the opportunity to go out West and stay in a tent with my family for a few days and it was amazing. I had a similar experience where everything just sort of faded away and all that I could hear was the sounds of nature around me.
DeleteAlternative Quiz Questions:
ReplyDelete1) What do jellyfish lack that make them s resilient? (3131)They have no rain, no spine, no eyes, no apparent means of communicating among themselves, and most are unable to swim against a current.
2) What is a fancy word for dead zones? (3115) Eutrophication.
3) Why are jellies doing so well in the changing ocean environment - when most marine animals are not? (3106) They do fine in warmer, more acidic, and more polluted waters.
4) Where are some of the most devastating occurrences with jellies occurring? (3097) New Zealand, Chile, Norway, Ireland, Scotland and Canada.
5) What gave Cheryl a healthy respect for the power of the wind? (3024) Hours spent in the basement as a child in the Midwest, clutching a transistor radio while sirens blared and tornado force winds howled.
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It's always been weird to me that while jellyfish lack all those things that they are still so dangerous. Another thing is that while we have't found an apparent way they communicate it has often been believe that they must in some way other wise they way that they congregate together and move would be next to impossible. I found a really cool article about jellyfish heres the link https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/secret-social-lives-jellyfish/.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttwGQzqI_28
ReplyDeleteThis is a link to a quick 5 minute interview with Cheryl Leutjen about the book we are currently reading, "Love Earth Now." With these types of books that we have been reading in this class, I've been personally interested in getting to know a little more about the authors. This quick interview provides some information about the book straight from Cheryl herself and allows you to get an understanding of how this book came about.