Issue 239 • November/December 2006

Welcome

A FAR CRY FROM CHRISTMAS • Satish Kumar

We have to replace our quantitative consumerism with a qualitative lifestyle.

Frontline

COOKING UP A CHANGE • Peeyush Sekhsaria

A small-scale village project in Mali combines environmental and human concerns by producing energy-efficient earthenware stoves.

THE FUTURE IS FORDHALL • Martin Large

The community buy-out of an organic farm in Shropshire, UK could point the way for others.

SACRED SKILLS • Lorna Howarth

The Biodiversity Lifeskills Foundation is encouraging temples and communities in Sri Lanka to work together to safeguard traditional knowledge and natural species.

MONKEYING AROUND • Paul Kingsnorth

Monkeybiz works with South African women to promote bead art which funds an HIV clinic.

Keynotes

WRITERS AND THE WAR AGAINST NATURE • Gary Snyder

How artists and writers can join in the defence of the planet and wild Nature.

WORLD IN A FEW WORDS • Tessa Strickland

Poetry can transport us to new ways of experiencing life.

WILL GOD EVER LEAVE US ALONE? • Deepak Chopra

God won't leave us alone as long as we feel afraid.

Undercurrents

FRIENDLY FIRE • David Ehrenfeld

Most of those advocating the new energy technologies are not suggesting any reduction in overall energy consumption.

FROM GLOBAL TO LOCAL • Chris Wright

Fair trade should be creating the conditions in which craftworkers across the world can meet the needs of their own communities.

WHITE POPPIES • Andrew Kleissner

Moving from a remembrance service to a peace service.

Regulars

Deep Spirit - EVERYWHERE AT HOME • Thomas Moore

We need to bring the spirit of home into public places.

Perspectives

Global trade, plastic bags, banana profits, fuel use, carbon dioxide emissions, mobile phones.

The Long View - LESSONS FROM GREEK TRAGEDY • Harry Eyres

Greek tragedy warns that Nemesis, goddess of retribution, stands in wait for excessive pride or hubris.

A Sense of Place - ARCTIC AWAKENING • Laurence Mee

One small, thoughtless action can affect a whole ecosystem.

The Occasional Didymus - GOVERNESS • John Moat

Men behaving badly require a governess.

Recipes - RAINBOW FEAST • Daphne Lambert

A colourful spread to celebrate the winter solstice: tomato chutney, roast tamari carrots, corn cakes, marinaded broccoli, blueberry rice, beetroot salad, parsnip purée.

Letters to the Editors

The Arts

Poetry: FOUR CONTEMPORARY ECO-POETS • Peter Abbs

Poems by Grevel Lindop, Lynne Wycherley, Alice Oswald and Charles Tomlinson.

THE ROAD • Phil Whitaker

The paddock looked like it had fallen victim to a monstrous mole. A short story.

SPIRIT AND PLACE • Simon Olding

The paintings of Michael Cullimore show that there is always one more way of  looking at something.

MYTHICAL SCULPTURES • Jules Cashford

Jacob Lane's granite and wood sculptures explore our relationship to an eternal source.

Reviews

The Big Picture: ELEPHANT!

"Rajan, liberated from his enormous bulk, explored his own free spirit." From Elephant! by Steve Bloom.

In My Own Words: BREAD MATTERS • Andrew Whitley

Bread Matters by Andrew Whitley

In My Own Words: FROM EMPIRE TO EARTH COMMUNITY • David Korten

The Great Turning by David Korten

PUTTING LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE • Tudor Humphries

Bedrock (eds) Lauret E. Savoy, Eldridge M. Moores and Judith E. Moores

THE NATION'S VARIETY • Philip Conford

England in Particular by Sue Clifford and Angela King

REFLECTIVE CHANGE • John Elkington

Presence by Peter Senge, Joseph Jaworski, C. Otto Scharmer and Betty Sue Flowers

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN • Frances Howard-Gordon

Confessions of a Radical Traditionalist by John Michell

TREE HOUSE • Barbara Tremain-Howard

Diary of an Eco-Builder by Will Anderson

BOOKS IN BRIEF • Lorna Howarth & Sophie Poklewski Koziell

Hard Rain by Mark Edwards and Lloyd Timberlake, Manifesto for the Earth by Mikhail Gorbachev, Peace is the Way by Deepak Chopra, What I Heard About Iraq by Eliot Weinberger, Why Birds Sing by David Rothenberg

Web Exclusives

TRUSTEES OF NATURE • Oliver Lowenstein

Moving beyond heritage conservation to embrace environmental concerns. (Editors' Selection)

LAND AND LIVELIHOODS • Jules Pretty

Small family farms do more than just produce food. (Editors' Selection)

A TALE OF TWO BOOKS • Gay Watson

Bhutan by David Macaulay

TRANSCENDING THE FALLEN PSYCHE • James Sainsbury

The Fall by Steve Taylor

UPON REFLECTION • Tishani Doshi

The Night Life of Trees by Bhajju Shyam/Ram Singh Urveti/Druga Bai