Bron Taylor

An interesting read on looking at our planet and environment in terms of ecological awareness. Perhaps the only qualm I have with this book is that it is written from a rather academic perspective, making much of the terminology a bit inaccessible for the average reader. But the topic, on the other hand, is on target and on-point. In changing the mindset of people throughout the entire planet towards one of conserving what we have, preserving it for the future sustainability of life on this planet - the language used within is sometimes blunt and to the point, but very necessary, in my opinion. Dark Green Religion is embodied in a single quote that Taylor borrows from David Suzuki: "Go out into nature....Feel the rain and wind on your face, smell the fragrance of the soil and ocean, gaze at the spectacle of the myriad of stars in clear air or countless animals making their annual migration. Doing so will rekindle that sense of wonder and excitement we all had as children discovering the world and will engender a feeling of peace and harmony at being in balance with the natural world that is our home. Nature is not our enemy, it is our home; in fact, it sustains us and is in every one of us. All living things are our relatives and belong with us in the biosphere."

One of the more endearing moments in the book, was where I stumbled upon a lovely discussion of Disney's Animal Kingdom, particularly the discussion on the gigantic sculpture that dominates this part of the Disney Park system in Florida: The Tree of Life. I was there just two years ago, and found my time in this part of the Disney theme parks to be one of the most enjoyable days of my entire vacation. A secondary discussion concerning Captain Planet and the Planeteers was a small moment of reconnecting with a part of my childhood that I remember being influential on the Pagan practices I have today.

There is a lot more information to take in - from those that pioneered the movement that Taylor describes to even more radical elements. All of these help to define parts of what Taylor calls "Dark Green Religion"...and which is parsed into separate descriptives as well. All in all, its an interesting several steps into an area where environmentalism, ecology, and spirituality all intersect.… (altro)