The Zen monk argues for a more mindful, spiritual approach to
environmental protection and activism--one that recognizes people and
planet as one and the same
While many experts point to the enormous complexity in addressing issues
ranging from the destruction of ecosystems to the loss of millions of
species, Thich Nhat Hanh identifies one key issue as having the
potential to create a tipping point. He believes that we need to move
beyond the concept of the "environment," as it leads people to
experience themselves and Earth as two separate entities and to see the
planet only in terms of what it can do for them. Thich Nhat Hanh points
to the lack of meaning and connection in peoples' lives as being the
cause of our addiction to consumerism. He deems it vital that we
recognize and respond to the stress we are putting on the Earth if
civilization is to survive. Rejecting the conventional economic
approach, Nhat Hanh shows that mindfulness and a spiritual revolution
are needed to protect nature and limit climate change.
Love Letter to the Earth is a hopeful book that gives us a path to
follow by showing that change is possible only with the recognition that
people and the planet are ultimately one and the same.
