NiCHE archives
Back to nature
A new publication by NiCHE's Cecily Maller recently appeared in the Nature Australia Winter 2005 edition. Here is an excerpt with a pdf link to the article if you are interested in reading more.
"Ever thought much about the popular catchphrase "Getting back to nature"? Advocates of the idea assume that we have moved away from nature, and that getting back to it is a good thing. Why? What is 'nature'? Are humans part of it? The dominant attitude in modern society is that humans are beyond nature, outside of nature, above nature, or better than nature. That said, it doesn't take a genius to work out that nature makes us feel good (think of your last beach holiday). Interestingly, scientists are coming to the conclusion that humans may be dependent on nature not only for material needs (food, water, shelter) but also for psychological, emotional and spiritual needs."
Maller, C. J. 2005. The Last Word - Back to Nature. Nature Australia, Winter: 80.
