1. SUS-311 Integrated Science and Sustainability
Instructor: Elizabeth O’Connell, Ph.D.
Individual Research Paper
By: Jason E Evitt
April 30, 2013

2. Stemming from the Industrial Era of the late seventeenth and early nineteenth
centuries, alienation from nature has become a way of life for many people. Alienation
from nature leads to destructive, exploitative and unsustainable behavior toward the non-
human environment. A healthy psyche requires a healthy, symbiotic relationship with the
natural world. Ecopsychology combines psychology and ecology to repair the divisions
and separations of the current industrial paradigm. This integrated approach reveals the
parallels and interrelationships of personal and ecological healing that can lead to a New
Ecological Paradigm - a paradigm being the collective, accepted thoughts and personal
norms of an individual, community or society working together as a coherent system.
This paper looks at the impacts of ecopsychology on people and the positive influence it
could bring to environmental policy, education and sustainability. I will consider the
relationship between separation from nature in the psyche of human beings and the
destructive tendencies resulting from that imbalance.
The New Ecological Paradigm is a scale created by Dunlap and Van Liere in the
attempt to gauge collective environmental beliefs of people by incorporating multiple
issues affecting the environment. “Basically, the NEP scale captures ‘...beliefs about
humanity’s ability to upset the balance of nature, the existence of limits to growth for
human societies, and humanity’s right to rule over the rest of nature’” (Lundmark 330).
A New Ecological Paradigm as a desired outcome of ecotherapy, applied
ecopsychology, can be further understood by considering what Aldo Leopold wrote in
1948, where he described “a land ethic in which humans are part of a community in
nature as ecological equals with all other life forms. In this setting, a land-use decision is
‘right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic

3. community’. Without a connection to nature and an ethical regard for it, which is
characteristic of... (traditional) indigenous societies, most of whom have been sustainable
over a long period of time, it is unlikely that we will reach the level of caring for the
Earth and its organisms that is needed for us to tackle the large issues that confront us”
(Hay 313).
“There are many ways that urban-industrial society creates a sense of separation
from the land and steers us toward ecologically unsustainable actions. The qualities of
our culture that are most damaging to the Earth are also those that are most destructive to
the human soul. If we live in a pathological culture- one that threatens what is most
sensitive and beautiful in humans as well as the future of life on the planet- then we need
to uncover ways to heal the culture as well as the individuals who live in it.
Ecopsychology is essentially about becoming cultural healers” (Gomes 1). Below, is a
depiction of the bifurcation that occurs in the brains of humans disassociated from nature
(Grey).
Figure 1: Depiction of Human Psyche Bifurcation Caused by Separation from Nature

4. The separation and superiority of humans toward nature is attributed to the
anthropocentric view humans hold about the environment - instrumental and utilitarian. A
critique of the utilitarian concept of nature is found in the philosophy of Satish Kumar:
“human arrogance deludes us into believing that we are the superior species; that we rule
nature, and so we can do what we like, because the earth is ours. We can cut down the
rainforests, pollute the rivers, over-fish the oceans, and conquer nature. The guiding
philosophy of the last 300 years…tells us we can do what we like to nature because it’s
all out there, for us. But to value nature only in terms of its usefulness to human beings
seems to me the symptom of a deep psychic disease” (Kumar 1).
That dis-ease is thought to be unique to humans. Many people recognize the
apparently unique ability of humans to laugh, reason, and utilize language as evidence of
moral superiority to other beings. This leads to an exploitative, dominating relationship
between humans and the non-human world, where man is in control of nature and expects
nature to satisfy every need and want of people (Lundmark).
“A central assumption of ecopsychology is that the outer world of the
environmental crisis and the cultural and political processes that support it influence our
most intimate personal experiences and feelings. In turn, our states of mind find
expression in the way that we relate to the natural world. The outer and inner worlds
reflect and support one another, which means that a healthy ecosystem is inseparable
from a healthy psyche” (Gomes 1).
“Vandana Shiva has long argued that western science is inherently violent –
even, as she says, in its ‘peaceful domains’ such as health care, agriculture and other
areas whose goal is human welfare. Shiva’s critique should give pause to those seeking

5. sustainability through a simple change of program. For Shiva, ‘. . . modern science is
quintessentially reductionist…Reductionist science is also at the root of the growing
ecological crisis, because it entails a transformation of nature such that the processes and
regularities and the regenerative capacity of nature are destroyed” (Broadhead 304).
There have been many breakthroughs and progress made in healing the divisions
and separateness from nature within the psyche which leads to a more healthy connected
holistic view of nature and our interactions with it. “Being exposed to natural settings can
increase mood, facilitate positive affect change, and can improve a person's well-being”
(Bishop 1). Elan Shapiro, an ecopsychologist whose work in the field has yielded positive
results writes, “The rest of us then walked up the creek above the burned area to a spot in
a small valley that felt relatively undisturbed and also very round and embracing…We
noticed how rooted we felt here after working with trees and how our sense of self felt
wider and more porous, our boundaries more fluid.” We had just, without even noticing,
eased through layers of agonizing racial and class isolation…We also noticed how the
holding environment created by this safe, round little basin nurtured us, enabling us to
open ourselves to the feelings of fragility aroused by planting seedlings in this fire-swept
place” (E. Shapiro 236).
Another success story from Shapiro reveals a symbiotic relationship of healing
with the Earth. “Months later, Ramona wrote to tell me that working with those few
hundred square feet of Earth had given her the inspiration and courage to deal much more
proactively with the sense of isolation caused by differences of race and sexual
preference at her workplace. It had rekindled her vision of the very real, yet smothered,
possibility of living in a rich, diverse, natural community” (E. Shapiro 234). This

6. evidence of healing through ecotherapy is powerful and representative of the healing
effects of a life undivided from nature.
In the book “Native Science,” Gregory Cajete offers this connection of people to
the non-human world: “According to Edmund Husserl, the conceptual father of
phenomenology, there is a kind of “associative empathy” between humans and other
living things... Sociologist E.O. Wilson calls this empathy “biophilia or the innate human
instinct to affiliate with other living things” (Cajete 24).
Our bodies are tuned to nature while socialization leads to detachment from
nature; we become disconnected and, ultimately, disregard nature. When we quit paying
attention, we loose the connection we once had; it is a modern ecological blindness.
People are cut off from nature, and the majority experience nature through media, parks,
captive animals, and farms. Most people have little personal, direct experience with
nature. If we reconnect with nature via nurturing it, we may “remember something truly
wonderful about nature in humans” (Cajete 23).
Our laws and government policies reflect a dominant view of nature. We utilize
nature for our own benefit, to the point of degradation, only to leave nature exploited and
depleted, to fend for itself. Returning to a tangible relationship with nature and engaging
in restorative actions like preventing soil erosion or wetland restoration restores a
respectful relationship with the Earth. Ecotherapy offers the opportunity for everyone,
including our leaders, to repair and restore their disconnectedness from nature and begin
to make decisions based on love and respect for our life sustaining relationship with the
Earth (E. Shapiro).

7. Public education policy offers opportunities for people to regain a healthy
relationship with nature. Indigenous people are known to have a healthy respect and
relationship with nature and offer contributions toward an improved education system
(Cajete). “Cajete has been articulate about the possibilities of indigenous ecological
knowledge, philosophy, and practice in mainstream classrooms. Indeed, he has suggested
that bringing indigenous knowledge into mainstream school curricula is imperative if the
damage done through Western academic paradigms is to be addressed, redressed, and
reversed. He argues that indigenous people’s understanding and application of
relationships with the natural environment are good models that should be re-taught
through modern education” (Beckford 240).
Children are integral to bringing about widespread change. “Learning about and
cherishing a healthy environment is taught, not passed on genetically” (Steinig 64). By
teaching respect and intrinsic value for nature in the early stages of childhood, a New
Environmental Paradigm will be facilitated.
Some government policies go against the principles of ecopsychology and
sustainability. Legislation introduced by State Representative Dennis Hedke (R-Wichita)
seeks to ban Kansas government from spending public money on sustainable
development (Celock). This is a good example of the intent some lawmakers have of
maintaining the status quo. Contrarily, political leaders should bring their influence and
leadership to ecotherapy events and create a positive image for people to bond with and
model, especially children. Figure 2, below, shows Michelle Obama engaged in an event
that parallels ecotherapy principles by planting a Japanese cherry blossom tree along the

8. Potomac River, while simultaneously modeling that pro-environmental behavior for
children (McNamee).
Figure 2: Michelle Obama planting a cherry blossom tree with children along the Potomac River
One way to address the shortsightedness of an anthropocentric point of view is by
balancing the needs of the three E’s of Sustainability: Environment, Economics, and
social Equity. Paralleling and preempting the three E’s was the triple bottom line, a term
coined by John Elkington. Using the terms people, planet and profit as a basis for
sustainable accounting, Elkington asserts, “the values of sustainability…are intended to
help correct for and offset the features of capitalism that tend to externalize costs to
society and to environmental quality that ought to be properly accounted for in each
business enterprise’s own bottom lines” (Winston 33).
Ecopsychology is essential to and inherent in sustainability. The ecological state
of the world, which we have learned about through our analytical approach to the world,
is in decline and is in need of a more harmonious relationship with an ever-growing
human population. An appreciation and respect of the entire biosphere will lead to more
sustainable behavior. By merging the two sides of the psyche that have separated in

9. respect to nature from the person, a new mindset will arise that is benevolent and
considerate of the needs of nature. This is the grassroots of transitioning to a New
Environmental Paradigm (Lundmark, Cajete). Ecopsychology reveals the possibility of
achieving equilibrium between the interests of each stakeholder.
Ecologically, the ability of the planet to support over seven billion people is
tenuous, at best. Many sciences intertwine to study the ecology of the Earth, the impacts
humans have upon it and ways to mitigate those impacts. Industrial ecology,
nanotechnology, engineering, biotechnology, hydrology, agronomy and many more
sciences converge to study and attempt improvement on the many currently stressed,
polluted and depleted systems upon which we depend (Barry). This is important in that it
informs the ecology side of ecopsychology.
The well-being of a community can be thought of in terms of social equity, which
is also comprised of many interdependent, scientific systems of study. Sociology,
behavioral science, economics, health care, physics and mathematics are some of the
sciences that study issues related to social equity. In an article for Disability Studies
Quarterly, Benjamin Bishop writes about benefits of ecotherapy: “Nature-related
programs are a significant resource to enhance the holistic person-centered recovery
model of mental health services. By facilitating individualized development through
educational, therapeutic, and leisure opportunities in community-oriented settings,
participation in nature builds multiple capacities and empowers individuals and their
communities. The utilization of these services can help to generate hope while facilitating
mutual respect and responsibility for the participants and society alike” (Bishop 1).

10. The Integrated Science and Sustainability class that inspired this paper looked at
the interconnectedness of many sciences. By diagramming the lines of connections a web
of interconnectedness manifested into a visual aid useful in recognizing the significance
and contributions of its constituents. Looking deeply into ecopsychology reveals its own
web of connections, incorporating many elements to culminate in a network of
understanding that is building in parallel with the decline of the ecology of the Earth.
This idea of engaging with the environment in a way that embraces the metaphorical
view of the wounded, non-human world in need of healing paralleling the human
condition involves many disciplines. The incorporation of the economy, environment,
and social equity into sustainability and ecopsychology as a tool for promoting
sustainability, fuses together these, as to now, separate pillars of sustainability.
Ecopsychology is a broad concept. Gestalt therapy, biophilia hypothesis, Gaia
hypothesis, ecofeminism, phenomenology, environmental philosophy, deep ecology,
therapeutic horticulture, new age movement, and indigenous knowledge are some of the
components of ecopsychology. Some leverage points within an ecopsychological
approach that can produce change are recycling, The Natural Step, ecological economics,
green consumerism, the ecological footprint, environmental impact assessment,
restoration ecology, environmental law, integrated waste management, ecosystem
services, natural capitalism, industrial ecology, integrated land use planning, and
environmental education (Hay). These are excellent tools and components of
ecopsychology and provide a foundation to build upon while creating a biospheric
paradigm where intrinsic value is applied to nature.

11. There are sometimes challenges and resistance to transcending paradigms. While
there are many correlations that offer hope for overcoming the current dominating
relationship that humans have with the non-human environment, not everyone believes
this unbalanced relationship is in need of change. There is a belief of some people that
technology will save the planet from destruction from overconsumption by humans. The
biotechnology field claims they will invent new mechanisms and efficiencies to produce
more with less (Marangudakis).
In “Can Technology Save the Planet?” Bruce Sterling states that, “given the pace
of technological innovation, we have experienced in the past 50 years, by mid-century we
will have an infrastructure as radically different from today’s as industry in 1900 was
from that of 1700. If we handle the huge transition correctly, it will be worth cheering. In
50 years, nature will be less oppressed, culture will be wiser, government will take new
and improved forms, industrial systems will be more efficient and capable, and business
will be less like a rigged casino. Purveyors of art, fashion, and design will see what went
on nowadays and bust a gut laughing in derision. Our children and grandchildren will get
up in the morning, look at the news, and instead of flinching in terror, they will see the
edifying spectacle of the world's brightest people transparently solving the world's worst
problems. This sounds utopian, but it could soon be everyday life” (Sterling 1).
Robert B. Shapiro, CEO of the Monsanto Company in 1999, offered his take on
the roll of technology for feeding future generations: “I offer a prediction: The early
twenty-first century is going to see a struggle between information technology (including
biotechnology) on one hand and environmental degradation on the other. Information
technology is going to be our most powerful tool.” (R. Shapiro 1)

12. A technological fix applied to the sustainability problems we have today is a
band-aid and is not getting to the root problems we face in the environment and socially.
Depending on technologies like genetically modifying our food-supply is dangerous
because of the unintended consequences. We do not know the ramifications of altering
the genetics of the plants and animals we currently rely on for food and environmental
resilience. It might provide a boon for all, or possibly a bust where we pollute and corrupt
the purity of our current food supply and destroy the capabilities our food now has to
provide what it does. Technology is an unknown variable. It is questionable to put our
faith in an extension of our current paradigm. Given the state of the environment today
while considering the destruction our meddling has created in the past, more of the same
may not be the best course of action.
In conclusion, there are ramifications of human separation from nature. We, as a
society, have come to “utilize” nature for what it offers us, without consideration of the
intrinsic needs of nature; that type of relationship is not sustainable and will result with a
detrimental outcome for nature, and consequently, for ourselves. By implementing policy
change in education for children that embraces ecopsychology, our youth will grow to
have respect for and a relationship with nature that will foster sustainability. By
incorporating the science of ecopsychology that exists and supports nature instead of
exploiting it, our politicians can influence the current paradigm toward a New Ecological
Paradigm. Including our politicians in ecotherapy events will incite immediate change
and empathy toward the environment and facilitate the necessary political structure to
save what is left of our precious non-human world.

13. Citations:
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Walpole Island First Nations, Ontario, Canada." Journal Of Environmental
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14. Marangudakis, Manussos. "Eutopia: The Promise Of Biotechnology And The
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