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How Environmental Groups are Saving a Severely Troubled River By Marion Warin Miller* In the summertime, when vacationers revel in the splendor of nature, conservationist volunteers and organizations hit the trails, rivers, forests, and other landscapes to clean and restore the natural beauty of these sites. In the DC area, one beneficiary of these efforts is the Anacostia River—or the “East Branch” of the Potomac River, as it was once called. The 8.5-mile Anacostia runs from its shallow beginnings around Bladensburg, Maryland, through Washington, DC, until it merges with the mighty Potomac River. The Anacostia’s watershed includes heavily populated areas of Prince George’s County and Montgomery County as well as the District of Columbia. Despite all the modern development—and pollution—surrounding its banks, the Anacostia River Watershed is “still a remarkably rich natural area,” says the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS). The nonprofit group said a recent inventory of species, called a BioBlitz, found 522 unique species around the Anacostia, including: bald eagles, beavers, ospreys, cormorants, white perch, striped bass, crayfish, herons, turtles, egrets, otters, red fox, shad, kingfishers, catfish, and mussels. Today, the Anacostia River continues to be cleaned and restored by several exemplary environmental organizations. In fact, a select few sections of the Anacostia River have been deemed safe enough to swim in, according to The Swim Guide. This marks an improvement over 2018, when none of the Anacostia beaches tracked by theswimguide.org could pass a water test. The Anacostia Story Historians say the first riverkeepers of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers were indigenous tribes, such as the Piscataway, Nacotchtank (or Anacostank), Pamunkey, and Mattaponi, among others. In 1608, Captain John Smith, a leader of the Jamestown colony, and twelve companions conducted explorations of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and were well received by the Nacotchtank, the most northerly of the Algonquin tribes living along the Potomac. Captain Smith documented these forays in his journal, The Sixt Voyage (1606): “Within is a country that may have the prerogative over the most pleasant places known, for large and pleasant navigable rivers, heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man's habitation.” The tribal name, Nacotchtank, meaning “town of traders,” was later Latinized to Anacostine. Hence the river’s name, Anacostia, is an homage to the indigenous people who inhabited this area and its abundant wildlife and clear rivers teeming with fish and other marine life. From Pristine to ‘Unfixable’ With the passage of time, industrial development and environmental mismanagement began to foul America’s rivers flowing through urban, suburban, and commercial areas. The Anacostia River became so befouled it was dubbed the “forgotten river” and “unfixable.” A major culprit was the Washington Navy Yard that was built on its banks near Southeast DC in 1800. This US Navy installation “manufactured guns and munitions, built ships, and deposited toxic sediment in the riverbed” through the mid-1960s, the DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice said in a recent report. Toxic sediment, sewage overflows, industrial waste, urban and stormwater runoff, litter and trash, and illegal discharges all helped make the river unsafe for swimming and fishing. In addition to that toxic sediment, sewage overflows, industrial waste, urban and stormwater runoff, litter and trash, and illegal discharges all helped make the river unsafe for swimming and fishing, and harmed the wildlife living in or near the river. By the 1960s, other rivers were also found to be suffering. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson, speaking to state governors and other officials, exclaimed that he found the polluted Potomac flowing near the Capitol building “disgraceful.” Fortunately, such sentiments eventually led to the groundbreaking passage of the Water Quality Act of 1965 and, later, the Clean Water Act of 1972. Senator Howard Baker, a Republican from Tennessee, stated in defense of the Clean Water Act, “As I have talked with thousands of Tennesseans, I have found that the kind of natural environment we bequeath to our children and grandchildren is of paramount importance. If we cannot swim in our lakes and rivers, if we cannot breathe the air God has given us, what other comforts can life offer us?” Reversing the Anacostia River’s Crisis To counter the pollution of the Anacostia River, environmental organizations, such as the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS), the Anacostia Riverkeeper (ARK), and the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC), have been at the forefront of efforts to clean up the river, educate the public, and recruit volunteers. They also conduct scientific research to help develop strategies to protect the river in the future. The Anacostia Watershed Society The AWS prioritizes community involvement and offers educational programs and volunteer opportunities, such as writing letters, making phone calls, and picking up trash. One of AWS's large-scale activities involves mussel population restoration. Biologists have long been aware that mussels, like oysters, play an important role in keeping rivers and waterways clean. Biologists have long been aware that mussels, like oysters, play an important role in keeping rivers and waterways clean. When mussels feed, they act like powerful vacuum cleaners, filtering materials out of several gallons of water per day. In fact, they have been used in New Zealand to help filter and clear up that nation’s freshwater lakes (see the Earth & I article “Mussel Power Cleans New Zealand’s Freshwater Lakes.”) Many of the mussels previously found in the Anacostia River are either endangered or extinct. AWS is now working with Professor John Pfeiffer, a zoologist at the National Museum of Natural History, to raise awareness of local mussel restoration. “Since 2019, the Anacostia Watershed Society has released more than 24,000 mussels into Washington’s Anacostia River, which will filter an equivalent of 132 Olympic-sized swimming pools each year,” says a recent article in Smithsonian Magazine. The AWS also recently launched a project called “Mussel May,” in which volunteers re-introduced several thousands of mussels into the river. The Emerald Ash Borer Threat Another problem besetting the Anacostia region is the devastation of the ash forests along the riverbanks. Approximately twenty years ago, an invasive beetle from Asia known as the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) appeared in North America, decimating ash tree forests in several states. About ten years ago, these beetles began attacking the ash trees adjacent to the Anacostia River. Although in Asia, ash trees have developed a natural resistance to the beetles, the North American ash species is vulnerable and can suffer a 99% mortality rate with no intervention. Although in Asia, ash trees have developed a natural resistance to the beetles, the North American ash species is vulnerable and can suffer a 99% mortality rate with no intervention. “You don’t know how much ash trees make up a riparian forest until they’re dead,” Jorge Bogantes, AWS's Natural Resources Specialist, told the DCist this year. He and his team of volunteers have planted hundreds of trees of fifteen different species not affected by the EAB pest on both sides of the Anacostia River to recreate the forest amidst the dead ash tree snags. The online exhibit Ash Forest Project offers information about the ash tree forest ecosystem and how people can become stewards of this vital natural environment. Anacostia Riverkeeper The ARK works “to protect and restore the Anacostia River for all who live, work, and play in its watershed, and to advocate for a clean river for all its communities.” In line with its mission statement, ARK schedules volunteer cleanup activities. In 2022, for example, more than nine hundred volunteers collected over 20,000 pounds of trash from the river and its shoreline. Besides raw sewage, a rising source of pollution for the Anacostia is the illegal dumping of tires from vehicles. Besides raw sewage, a rising source of pollution for the Anacostia is the illegal dumping of tires from vehicles. This past spring, ARK worked with a group of students from The George Washington University’s Environmental Resource Policy Capstone Project to investigate the issue of tire pollution in the Anacostia watershed and determine how best to mitigate it. The students recommended that the DC government assess a nominal fee on the sale of all new and used tires, of which a small amount would go to the dealer and the bulk of the fee would go to a tire management fund. Such types of funds have been used elsewhere to expedite tire cleanup, deter repeat offenders, develop a monitoring task force, and schedule free tire drop-off events. ARK volunteers also regularly sample and monitor the river’s water quality to alert the community to the ongoing health of the Anacostia River. Earth Conservation Corps In 1992, nine youths from the Valley Green public housing project in Southeast DC kickstarted the ECC by deciding to improve their lives through environmental cleanup. The nonprofit ECC has since helped at-risk youth transform their lives by improving the environment in which they live. The ECC and its allies have long targeted the Anacostia River for rehabilitation and have ended up raising and investing more than $40 million in youth-driven conservation projects. After thirty-one years of clean river advocacy and conservation programs, there is a visible improvement in surface-level river quality and millions of dollars are planned in current and future investments. With the support of the National Wildlife Federation, AmeriCorps, and other groups, the ECC has helped to restore and maintain DC’s first certified wetland along the Anacostia. After thirty-one years of clean river advocacy and conservation programs, there is a visible improvement in surface-level river quality and millions of dollars are planned in current and future investments. The Anacostia Recovery The Anacostia River is a precious historical and natural treasure. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including fish, birds, and turtles. The growing success of the efforts to clean up the Anacostia River shows that when people take ownership of their environment and engage in wise stewardship, both natural habitats and America’s communities can become healthier and more livable. In concord, the DC government is investing in improving its processes to prevent wastewater from entering the Capital’s waterways untreated. *Marion Warin Miller is a French bilingual researcher, writer, and editor now residing in Northern Virginia. She has master’s degrees in Business and Economics, and in International Economics and Economic Development. She has also ministered for community development and world peace. As a grandmother of eight, she is deeply interested in environmental stewardship and preserving natural wonders for future generations. She has traveled to many natural sites in countries around the world and now escapes to the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley National Park whenever time allows.

By Rick Laezman* To prevent irreversible climate changes and sustainably power the future, a myriad of possible energy sources are being explored. While renewable energy and electric cars grab many of the headlines about reducing carbon emissions, one of the most promising avenues is harnessing “ambient” energy from power-consuming devices themselves. Many forms of ambient energy created by nature are already available for use by humans. In an environment driven by innovation and the determined pursuit of whatever can be done, it should come as no surprise that many efforts are underway to capture even more of this seemingly ubiquitous power source. What is Ambient Energy? The term ambient energy refers to energy that is available in the surrounding environment. This is a very broad definition and includes many different types of ambient energy. To better understand the concept, this power source can be divided into two categories. The first category refers to ambient energy that occurs naturally. The second category refers to power created by humans and their devices. Naturally occurring ambient energy takes many forms and can be harvested in different ways. Naturally occurring ambient energy takes many forms and can be harvested in different ways. For example, sunlight generates heat that can be harnessed as thermal energy. The heat from the Earth's core can also be harnessed as geothermal power. Mechanical energy is another naturally occurring form of ambient power. Waves, wind, and hydropower can all be harnessed to generate electricity. Solar photovoltaic panels capture ambient energy generated by sunlight. Less well-known—but with no less potential—are ambient energies generated by human activity. Some are on a large scale while others are so small as to be undetected by human senses. How Ambient Energy is Captured Capturing plentiful ambient energy in the surrounding environment is a complex process. Dr. Vincenzo Pecunia, professor of sustainable energy engineering at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, has conducted extensive research on the field of ambient energy harvesting and identified five major approaches to the process: Photovoltaics involves capturing energy from light and the sun. Triboelectrics captures electricity from vibrations or friction. (The term “tribo” has its origin in the Greek word tribein, which means to rub). Piezoelectrics refers to materials that create electricity under stress. (The term “piezo” derives from the Greek word piezein, to squeeze or press.) Radiofrequency energy harvesting is the process of capturing energy from radio waves. Thermoelectrics focuses on materials that convert heat into electricity. These broad categories encompass a variety of ambient energy forms. Some forms of ambient power harnessing have a long history of use. An example for thermoelectrics is how combined-cycle power plants capture the excess heat that is generated by gas turbines. That heat is channeled to a second set of turbines that produce power from steam. These turbines generate far more power than traditional plants that only generate power from the first set of turbines. This technology has been in existence for more than sixty years. Another form of mechanical energy harvesting is the regenerative braking in a hybrid-electric car, like the Toyota Prius. It captures the kinetic energy that is generated when the driver applies the brakes and channels a current back into the car's battery. Similarly, researchers at the Virginia Tech Center for Vehicle Systems and Safety (CVeSS) are working on developing technology to harvest energy from the rotating wheels of a train. Even the human body can be harnessed as a source of power. And yes, scientists are working on that, too. Cell phones, tablets, and the myriad of devices we collectively refer to as the Internet of Things (IoT) emit their own energy, which can be harnessed to power other devices. One form of ambient power has emerged recently with the advent and growth of electronic devices. For example, cell phones, tablets, and the myriad of devices we collectively refer to as the Internet of Things (IoT) emit their own energy, which can be harnessed to power other devices. Dr. Peter Spies has been researching the topic at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Germany. Describing ambient energy for the online magazine Fraunhofer, he says that small devices “release an energy that we can hardly feel, but which can be used to power brief moments of activity.” Ironically, this energy is perfectly poised to power other IoT devices. As Dr. Spies explains, “new wireless technologies and microelectronic devices are consuming smaller and smaller amounts of energy, meaning that energy harvesting modules are now a genuine energy self-sufficient alternative to batteries and cables.” “New wireless technologies and microelectronic devices are consuming smaller amounts of energy, meaning that energy harvesting modules are now a genuine energy self-sufficient alternative to batteries and cables.” Due to their remote, disconnected nature, these devices have unique needs for power, which also makes them ideal candidates to rely on these same energy harvesting techniques. The Future of Ambient Energy Harvesting The ability to harness energy from the environment is a remarkable phenomenon. As society fights the existential battle against global warming, this unique human ability has grown in significance, and it continues to shine. The field itself is diverse and highly promising. Various analyses quantify the global market for energy harvesting systems at anywhere from $400 million to $700 million and project the market to almost double in size, averaging a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 7% to 10% over the next ten years (see, for example, ResearchAndMarkets.com’s “Global Energy Harvesting Systems Market Report 2022: Market to Reach $651.5 Million by 2025 - The US and China to Witness Phenomenal Growth.”) The growth of the IoT has accentuated the need for more advanced and microforms of energy harvesting. Ironically, those devices are both ideal providers and consumers of that power. There is little question that ambient energy harvesting in all its forms will be a fixture in the energy industry for many years to come. *Richard Laezman is a freelance writer in Los Angeles, California. He has a passion for energy efficiency and innovation. He has been covering renewable power and other related subjects for more than ten years.

Biochar is a carbon-rich substance created by burning biomass in low-oxygen conditions. It is a soil amendment that can rejuvenate the soil and promote soil and plant health. Biochar's porous structure also means it retains water and improves soil's ability to hold moisture, keeping beneficial soil microorganisms alive and promoting plant growth. Improving Soil Fertility Biochar improves soil fertility by attracting and holding moisture, nutrients, and agrochemicals, including difficult-to-hold nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. It also reduces soil density and soil hardening, increases soil aeration and cation-exchange capacity, and changes the soil structure and consistency. Biochar can stimulate soil fertility by increasing soil pH, increasing the ability to retain moisture, and increasing the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil. It also improves soil moisture retention, aggregate stability, nutrient retention, microbial growth, and enzymatic activities. Biochar is a sustainable approach for improving plant growth and soil quality, making it a good way to overcome nutrient deficiency. It can play an important role in developing a sustainable system of agriculture and is considered an effective method to reclaim contaminated soil and achieve high crop yields without harming the natural environment. Biochar made from manure retains a significant amount of nutrients from its source, making it an exception to the rule that biochar does not actually add nutrients. Overall, the use of biochar produced from different organic residues is an effective approach for the long-term improvement of soil fertility and crop productivity. Environmental Benefits Using biochar in agriculture has many environmental benefits. Biochar can sequester carbon, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. It can also improve soil texture, increase soil organic carbon, and reduce the use of fertilizers, which leads to a decrease in pollution through fertilizer run-off. Biochar can improve soil water-holding capacity, reducing drought by increasing the moisture content of the soil, thus reducing soil erosion and nutrient leaching. Biochar can also increase agricultural production, especially in soils with low fertility and soil degradation, where it can be especially beneficial. However, the availability of feedstock, economic merits, energy needs, and environmental risks of large-scale production and use of biochar remain to be investigated. Economic Benefits Using biochar in agriculture has the potential to provide economic benefits. Biochar can improve the agronomic and environmental sustainability of biomass production systems, improving the economic sustainability of bioenergy enterprises by offsetting feedstock purchases with revenue from biochar sales. Biochar can also improve soil texture, sorption for nutrients, and crop production and yield, reducing the use of fertilizers and decreasing pollution through fertilizer run-off. However, there is a wide range of costs for marginally improved yield from biochar additions, which is often economically impracticable. The economic value of biochar as an agricultural technology for the long-term improvement of arable farming remains to be investigated. The development of biochar as a commercial product must establish concrete benefits of the technology and create a market for it. Conclusion Biochar can rejuvenate the soil, promote plant growth, and combat climate change. It can improve soil fertility, enhance crop yields, and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Biochar can sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and combat climate change. However, there are still uncertainties surrounding the climate benefits of biochar that require further research. Additionally, the selection of biochar and its application should be carefully performed to yield the desired results. While biochar has many potential benefits, more research and investment are needed to fully realize its potential as a commercial product for sustainable agriculture.

Interview With Dr. Lisa Miller, Founder of Columbia University's Spirituality Mind Body Institute Dr. Lisa Miller spoke with The Earth & I about our sacred bond with nature: I am going to start with a story. Some years ago, I was on the river near our home, and it was March, so the snow had just melted, and the waters were high and strong, and I thought, “What a great day to go kayaking!” So, I hopped in my kayak. Suddenly, as I hit the midpoint of my travels, a goose, and another right behind her, started squawking and craning their necks [as if to say], “Go right! Go right!” The message was clear—and the message was strong and unanimous—so I pulled my kayak to the right. And, as I moved by the geese, I saw I had narrowly averted a big cement pylon in the middle of the river. The geese had really saved me. As I went another 300 yards downstream, new geese appeared and began to squawk and gesture, “Go left!” and I thought, “I’ll follow their instructions,” and I again averted another buried impediment under the river (the waters were high). The third time I approached an impediment, there were no geese. I did not know where I was, and I hit the impediment and flipped over in the March waters, barely holding onto my kayak. I looked up and, high on the cliff above, there was a human couple. So, I waved with one hand and called out, “Down here! Down here!” and, truly, they looked at me, got back in their luxury car, and drove away. So, the geese had saved me twice that day and the humans did not really show up, or perhaps did not fully connect with the moment. But I think what I experienced that day was a microcosm of the fact that all living beings of all different sorts are in relationship with one another and are very present and aware. Included in the range of those relationships is “care” and “love” and “protection” and “guidance” in the sense that we show up as emanations of the force of life—loving, holding, and guiding—and everybody is part of the symphony, except, at times, we humans. “What I experienced that day was a microcosm of the fact that all living beings of all different sorts are in relationship with one another and are very present and aware.” I can only imagine how terrifying and bizarre we must look to fellow living beings. It is as if we have gouged out our eyes and covered our ears. We are deaf to the present living moment, to the needs of fellow living beings, and to the help and love and connection with our fellow living beings. We must look strangely “cut off” from the rest of the world. But everyone else is showing up, and we humans are this close—every one of us—to reawakening our awareness of our capacity to be in relationships with other living beings. It really is a matter of being present and feeling that deep love of what I call God, or Source, and being 100% “on” and alive to see who is showing up right before us. If I were not listening to the geese, I would have capsized in a violent way, and yet, when I needed the humans—I don’t think they were bad folks; I think if I’d met them at a school board meeting, they would have been very gracious—they did not dial into the moment, to the needs of fellow human beings that day. So, this is a good opening, perhaps, to our discussion today of who we really are to one another and who we are to all emanations—like rays of the sun—our fellow living beings in nature. E&I: I recall reading a passage from an article where you were talking about humans being like whitecaps on an ocean. And the ocean was the totality of consciousness or the Source or whatever word one cares to use. Don’t you think that animals, everything that lives, is a whitecap on that same ocean? Dr. Lisa Miller: Absolutely! Every animal, every plant. I would say every body of water, and water itself, all bodies of water, the clouds, the sky, every bit of creation, the sun, the mountains, and the Earth. When I speak to my students at Columbia on this point, I say we are a “point” and part of a “wave.” We are each distinct and unique. We have different, zipped-up, bio bodysuits and GPS coordinates, and we are, indeed, part of the mind and body of life, one sacred consciousness field—whitecaps on one ocean. In this duality of being, both as a point and part of a wave, we can show up as a point—uniquely, as we are, as we have been called into position into this world—and hold the deep awareness, the unitive awareness of love and interbeing with all of life. We feel each other’s needs—their “calls”—and turn to Source for guidance, and do our job as a distinct point into which we have incarnated. And that is a tremendous opportunity, as we “show up” for each other. “In this duality of being, both as a point and part of a wave, we can show up as a point … and hold the deep awareness, the unitive awareness of love and interbeing with all of life. We feel each other’s needs—their “calls”—and turn to Source for guidance, and do our job as a distinct point into which we have incarnated.” I sometimes use the term “trail angels” as an expression of the way in which we are guided through our unitive awareness to show up for one another in this state of interbeing in which we are both one “sea of love” consciousness as well as having unique, distinct incarnate roles to play. This is an opportunity to realize, I think, something sacred in every step. Nothing is wasted, nothing is accidental. Everything from the guy on the subway to the bird in front of me as I wait in traffic—every single piece is important. E&I: This is not a typical college curriculum…, so how do you see this manifesting in your students when they immerse themselves in this material for a full semester? What do they tell you? How does it change their lives, especially vis a vis animals and nature? Dr. Lisa Miller: Well, this is such an important point because this generation, Gen Z, has grown up with an implicit understanding of a unitive reality, whereas, forty years ago, we picked up a telephone that was connected by a wire; everything had a mechanistic route. Gen Z has spent their whole life pulling information out of the air, or being connected to people at radically different GPS coordinates simultaneously. So, the notion that we inhabit one unitive consciousness field, and yet are distinct points in a three-dimensional sense, is very much resonant and at home with them. Gen Z hungers for a language, for a system of meaning, for an academia, a science that you show up in and share that lived reality. And I think you have people now—activists, scholars, people of great wisdom—who are bringing forward— verbally, explicitly, through action and activism, and walking the walk—a unitive reality. So, Gen Z is very quick and hungry for this, and when the conversation in other settings might slide into the materialistic and mechanistic, I watch their eyes glaze over because it does not resonate with their reality. So, we are poised and ready to go. I think where Gen Z might continue to expand and flourish, and perhaps where we can be helpful is in the realization that every bit of this unitive field is sacred. We don’t need to feel fear… we’re not going to fall through an existential hole into oblivion. There is something in the deep fabric of reality, who I call God and others might say Source or Hashem, Jesus, the Universe, Allah, whatever one’s word might be. There’s an Ultimate Source or Force, loving, holding, and guiding, through which we are never alone. And because the very resource that nature absorbs is loving, holding, and guiding, not only will we not erupt or existentially face Hell, but our way forward will unfold if we allow ourselves to be an open system to be used with what is our birthright, the neuro docking station that is awakened awareness. I share in my book, The Awakened Brain, that everyone of us is born innately with this neuro docking station, an innate transcendent awareness. We are built for the sacred, transcendent relationship through which we receive guidance, as well as direction for our frightened, seemingly isolated moment in which we are actually loved and held. So, this is our birthright and how the universe is built. I think we then step into the urgency of understanding our environment more deeply, just as we are built—to be loving, holding, guiding to one another and other beings. Not only do we have a transcendent relationship, not only do we feel God’s presence through our neuro docking station, but it is the very same neuro docking station through which we perceive immanence, the presence of all sacred force in every being—in every tree, in every ray of sunlight, in every fish and bird. Not only do we have a transcendent relationship, not only do we feel God’s presence through our neuro docking station, but it is the very same neuro docking station through which we perceive immanence, the presence of all sacred force in every being—in every tree, in every ray of sunlight, in every fish and bird. So, where is God? Well, God is here and in this beautiful planet. God is everywhere. And this is something that inhabited human knowledge for so many thousands of years; we knew this. And then we got a little bit frozen out and lost sight of this. And no one was more lost than perhaps the sciences in the 20th century when we moved away from a deep intersubjectivity with all living beings, where nature was not just beautiful, but we were emanations of nature. Nature was our guide, our teacher, our parent, our child for whom to care. Nature is part of our family. The sciences got very lost in the 20th century and objectified nature. And nothing, I think, was a worse lesson for humanity than to dissect a frog in fifth grade to say “this life only has knowledge for you when it is dead and cut open on the table.” That is a real violation of the life of that living being, the little frog, and it is also a violation of the growing child who actually would learn far much more, I’m sure, if she or he were to watch the frog and befriend the frog and learn how the frog handles weather when it’s cold and how it learns to work with its own little babies and tadpoles. That would have been a lesson in relationship, and certainly a relationship in sustainability. So, we need to revisit how we teach science. We need to revisit how we teach who we are in our relationship to Earth in just about every academic discipline. That is because the “silent” curriculum is the one that is infused with radical materialism, a lack of intersubjectivity, and radical objectivity that, in the end, really leads people to feel lonely, and isolated, and willing to harm the Earth. We end up thinking that we are stampeding on an inert Earth, as opposed to being in a deep, connected relationship, learning from and watching Earth, while giving something back to protect Earth. *Lisa Miller, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Education at the Teachers College and Founder of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute of Columbia University. She is also the bestselling author of The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life.

Earth Day 2023: Securing Humanity's Stewardship of the Natural Environment By Alina Bradford* Earth Day has been observed for more than fifty years. Since its inception in the United States in 1970, Earth Day has inspired many millions of people to act and make positive changes in their communities, either on Earth Day April 22 or the day of the spring equinox. Today, as the world grapples with numerous environmental challenges, including the effects of climate change, Earth Day’s importance has only grown. By the mid-1960s, amid antiwar and civil rights social protest movements, many Americans became concerned about how industrial pollution affected the environment. Smokestacks belched foul-smelling and strangely colored gases into the air. Big cities, like New York City and Los Angeles, struggled with smog. On January 28, 1969, a blowout on a drilling platform off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, caused a massive oil spill—one of the biggest in the US. It led to the death of thousands of birds, fish, and other sea creatures, and befouled beaches and ecosystems over an area of 800 square miles. Then in June 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire because it was so contaminated with chemicals. These and other disasters prompted a groundswell of activism. A prominent environmentalist in Congress, US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, led a broad cross-section of concerned citizens—environmentalists, scientists, politicians, and business leaders—to create Earth Day on April 22, 1970. It was a day to get educated and active in saving the environment. Twenty million Americans took part in rallies, teach-ins, and other events. Other historical events ensued: In early 1970, President Richard Nixon began taking actions to establish a new federal agency to oversee US natural resources and take on the mission of fighting pollution. Congress worked all year with the White House, holding hearings and crafting legislation, and by the end of the year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was born. The EPA’s first administrator, William Ruckelshaus, was sworn into office on December 4, 1970. Then came the Clean Air Act (initially legislated in 1963, with amendments in 1970, 1977, and 1990), the Clean Water Act (1972), and the Endangered Species Act (1973) to help protect the United States from pollution. But America wasn't the only country with environmental problems. That's why Earth Day went global in 1990, and now it's celebrated in more than 190 countries. Earth Day Activities There are plenty of free ways to honor Earth Day. Consider these ideas to get started. Nature appreciation. Being outside in nature can tangibly affect our lives. It's not just about feeling good—natural and built outdoor environments can have an uplifting impact on everything from thoughts and emotions to actions. Spending time in green spaces, like city parks, community gardens, and even just one’s backyard, can make a significant, positive difference in physical and mental health. Being in nature can help one make friends, stay active, get chores done, be more mindful, and even lower pollution levels. So, just getting outside is an excellent way to celebrate Earth Day. Taking it (literally) a step further, one can share experiences with others by creating or joining a nature or hiking club. Hiking and exploring nature requires a little preparation and a few items like proper clothing, good shoes, and a cell phone with nature apps like iNaturalist, the Audubon Bird Guide App, Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Merlin Bird ID app, PlantSnap, or others to help identify birds, plants, trees, and flowers. Fellow hikers can be found on MeetUp or one’s local community page on Facebook. Environmental Service Activities Earth Day traditionally offers service projects to make a difference in one’s community: Plant a community garden. Grocery stores' produce has a massive carbon footprint due to how far the goods must be transported. Growing food in one’s neighborhood reduces carbon emissions and helps promote neighborhood unity. To get started, get neighbors together to locate a piece of public or privately owned land; work up a land use agreement with the owner (here’s a sample land owner agreement); and finally, do some planting. The Noble Research Institute has some great advice on starting a community garden. Organize a community litter pick-up campaign. Getting together with friends or neighbors to pick up litter can be an Earth Day—or even a weekly—activity. A community litter pick-up improves public spaces’ appearance and the community overall. A study from Penn State shows that cleaning up neighborhoods reduces crime and improves the quality of life. When vacant lots were cleared of trash, graded, seeded with new grass, planted with trees, and protected with low wooden fences, there was a 29% drop in gun violence, a 22% decrease in burglaries, and a 30% decrease in noise complaints and illegal dumping. Start composting. Composting is the process of turning waste into nutrient-rich food for plants. Even better, composting keeps food waste and garden debris out of landfills. Read more in The Earth & I article “Stopping the Food Waste—An Introduction to Composting.” Plant something. Even if one doesn’t have a green thumb, one can still make the world a little greener. Many people celebrate Earth Day by planting a tree, but an easier way to help the Earth and promote healthy biodiversity in one’s area is by spreading native wildflower seeds. Wildflower seeds don’t need to be intentionally “planted” to grow. If they are thrown into abandoned lots, abandoned planters around town, and ditches, lovely flowers will pop up on their own. The flowers will also attract pollinators and help grow the dwindling bee population. This native plant tool helps to find native wildflowers for one’s area. Reduce the use of plastics. The production of plastics creates 232 million tons of CO2 emissions annually that contribute to global warming. After plastic is produced, used, and discarded, it harms the environment by filling landfills, polluting land and waterways, and sometimes entangling wildlife. Reducing plastic use is a great way to observe Earth Day. Start by using reusable straws and shopping bags instead of plastic ones. Try to buy products that are in compostable containers (like cardboard) or containers that are recyclable. It can be as easy as choosing a soda in a can instead of a plastic bottle. A host of environmental service organizations support additional projects. For example, Project Drawdown offers a Table of Solutions | Project Drawdown, and EARTHDAY.ORG offers an Earth Day Action Toolkit. Choosing one or more of these actions goes a long way to improve the natural environment, not only on Earth Day but every day. *Alina Bradford is a safety and security expert that has contributed to CBS, MTV, USA Today, Reader’s Digest, and more. She is currently the editorial lead at SafeWise.com.

An unusual stream of “rivers in the sky” are the reason for the daunting rains and snows over California in recent months. The US National Centers for Environmental Predictions (NCEP) has reported that their global forecast systems tracked multiple atmospheric river (AR) events that flooded—or buried under snow—portions of California from October 2022 to early 2023. According to the NCEP’s parent organization, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “atmospheric rivers” act like long, narrow “rivers” in the sky. At some point, they will dump their water vapor back to Earth as rain or snow. Though ARs vary in shape and size, those that come with large amounts of water vapor and strong winds can stall over watersheds and cause extreme rainfall, snowfall, and floods. And—like the recent, record-breaking AR events in California—they can be extremely dangerous, disrupting travel and taking a disastrous toll on life and property. Unlike the extreme events seen in 2022-2023, most ARs are weak and bring beneficial rain or snow to crucial water supplies. According to NOAA, “ARs move with the weather and are present somewhere on the Earth at any given time.” NOAA has learned a great deal about atmospheric rivers from more than a decade of scientific studies using new satellite and radar technology. As much as half of annual precipitation in the Western US coastal states occurs—on average—in a few AR events. ARs are 400-600 km (248-372 miles) wide on average. They flow at the bottom of the atmosphere, about half a mile to a mile above the Earth. Strong ARs transport water vapor amounts roughly equivalent to 7.5–15 times the average water flow at the mouth of the Mississippi River. ARs are, in fact, the largest “rivers” on Earth. The US Geological Survey says that, “At any given time, 90% of the water vapor moving toward the poles is concentrated in about four to five atmospheric rivers across the globe.” A well-known type of strong AR that can hit the US West Coast is called the "Pineapple Express." Its name is derived from its apparent ability to transport moisture from tropical areas near Hawaii to the US West Coast. NOAA and partner organizations carry out targeted field campaigns that use “satellite measurements, offshore aircraft reconnaissance, and land-based AR observatories” to help develop forecasting models. NOAA’s US West Coast AR Landfall Tool, courtesy of Dr. Jason Cordeira of Plymouth State University, offers accessible graphic representations of AR events. Sources: https://psl.noaa.gov/arportal/ https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/rivers-sky-6-facts-you-should-know-about-atmospheric-rivers

By Julie Peterson* The joy of a delicious meal can be undermined by feeling tired, feeling down, or rushed when mealtime rolls around. But these times are also the best to prepare a fresh and healthy meal, as good food can improve feelings of well-being. As an essential daily activity, eating meals should ideally involve a consistent diet of all-natural, delicious, and nutritious foods. The total experience of mealtime can foster better mental, physical, and spiritual health, inspire love, gratitude, and peace, and raise consciousness through intention and connection. Elevating ‘Mood’ with High-Quality Foods While it is common knowledge that spending time in nature and in positive relationships can elevate “mood” and feelings of well-being, it is also true that eating a “high frequency” meal of healthy, natural, unprocessed food can help do the same. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of foods to choose from that can help elevate one’s “vibes”: Sprouts and microgreens. These tiny germinating plants contain many vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and will grow on a windowsill. It’s easy to experiment with the textures and flavors in salads, stir fries, sandwiches, as a garnish, or blended into smoothies. For beginners, the simplest sprouts to grow are alfalfa, broccoli, radish, and mung beans, with snow peas, amaranth, wheatgrass, clover, sunflower, and onions great items to grow with more experience. Vegetables. Whether grown at home or sourced from local organic growers, vegetables are powerhouses for both nutrition and raising feelings of well-being. Vegetables—such as broccoli, beetroot, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes—are superb when eaten raw as snacks, in salads, or juiced with other fruits and vegetables. Stir frying or steaming are the healthiest cooking methods; just avoid cooking them until they change color as this reduces their potency. Leafy greens. Spinach, endive, arugula, dandelion, and collard greens are all excellent additions to smoothies, juices, salads, and sandwiches. But kale tops the list as a nutritional powerhouse with powerful antioxidant properties. Fresh berries. Organic strawberries, blueberries, goji berries, and cranberries are delicious examples that can be used in smoothies, salads, or eaten straight up like nature’s candy. Tibetan goji berries and Amazonian acai may only be available in dehydrated or frozen form. Fresh fruits. Papaya, kiwi, peaches, apricots, bananas, pomegranates, dragon fruit, pineapple, mango, and citrus are all beneficial to the body and soul. Look for sun-ripened, organic, non-GMO, locally sourced fruits. They are best stored in a cool, dark area, not in a refrigerator. Fermented foods. Try kimchi, tempeh, sauerkraut, or kombucha. Herbs and spices. Ginger promotes healthy digestion; cumin helps cholesterol and blood sugar; turmeric is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral. Plant-based fats. In reasonable quantities, fats in raw hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, avocado, coconut, and olives are beneficial. Sweeteners. The least-processed forms of sweeteners include honey, maple syrup, and dates. Less-healthy Choices? Just as some foods may elevate feelings of well-being, others may have an opposite effect. Caffeinated tea or coffee. To maintain high energy levels naturally, try potassium-rich foods like bananas, avocados, and whole eggs instead. In addition, electrolytes can boost energy levels and are readily available in watermelon, pomegranates, and oranges. Preserves and jams. These cooked products are not as potent as the original products. Try mashing actual fruit instead of opening a jar. Animal products. The best choices are likely to be grass-fed beef or bison, wild salmon, or free-range poultry. Eggs should come from pastured poultry. Just as some foods may elevate feelings of well-being, others may have an opposite effect. Highly processed food products. The list of products generally deemed less healthy include those that have a long shelf life, come in a packet, or are ready-to-eat. Some have additives (artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives). Others contain hydrogenated or trans fats, margarine, or lard. ‘Vibes’ From Beyond the Food Itself While the quality of the food plays a huge role in feelings of well-being, there are other factors to consider at mealtimes. Eating is as much about nourishing the soul as it is about feeding the body, so all the following aspects of a meal contribute to “vibes”: “One of the best things you can do to raise your vibe is to develop a healthy relationship with food,” says Cate Ritter, wellness coach and functional nutritionist in Oregon, USA. “Think beneficial thoughts.” Bless food by being grateful; many meal prayers include giving thanks for the bounty. Life coach Tony Robbins said, “You can’t feel fear or anger while feeling gratitude at the same time.” If there are any negative emotions at the table, turn them around by finding gratitude in the food, the table, the people, the plate, or anything immediate. Imagine each bite of a food as nourishing for the body; eat mindfully, being aware of the colors, textures, aromas, and flavors. When one feels present in the moment, the nervous system calms and there is a feeling of greater peace. Have a dedicated space, preferably a table, for meals. “Eating around the table challenges your busy schedule. It takes a stand against feelings of stress and anxiety, and instead, puts your basic needs first and foremost. It’s a time to take a break from your daily responsibilities and focus on taking care of your body, your mind, and your relationships,” according to Chopra.com. It’s impossible to eat mindfully while using technology and multitasking. Phones, computers, TVs, and even books and newspapers can be left out of the dining room. Make the dining room a beautiful place with colors that are calming or rejuvenating, bring in natural lighting or use bright lighting. Use the “good” dishes often, and set the table with intention, even if dining alone. Practitioners of Feng Shui recommend keeping the dining room clean and tidy. They also recommend light from candles as it emits positive energy. A mirror in the dining room can also amplify natural light and give the illusion of more space. Finally, live plants naturally bring high vibes to the room. Fresh, organic, raw fruits and vegetables are great additions to any diet, and the more often they are included in meals, the more desirable they will become, thanks to the natural high and energy that they provide. Spinach Avocado Salad with Berries Recipe by Nora Rusev from Savory Nothings A simple but stunning salad you can whip up in no time! Have it as a side or as a healthy meal, either way it's one you'll come back to again and again. Ingredients For the dressing: 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/8 teaspoon dried garlic powder Salt and pepper For the salad: 2 tablespoons chopped almonds 10 oz bag of baby spinach 1/2 pound strawberries washed, hulled, and sliced 1 cup raspberries washed and gently dried 1 cup blueberries washed and gently dried 1 large sliced avocado Instructions To make the dressing, whisk all ingredients together and set aside. To make the salad, gently toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl with the prepared dressing. Serve immediately. Notes Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a meal. Nutrition Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 6665IU | Vitamin C: 64.7mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2.9mg *Julie Peterson is a freelance journalist based in the Midwest region of the US who has written hundreds of articles on natural approaches to health, environmental issues, and sustainable living.

There’s no better way to celebrate Earth Day every day than to reduce dependency on single-use plastic products by using reusable shopping bags and washable drink containers. If anyone thinks disposable plastic products are no big deal, the folks at earthday.org offer some sobering statistics: Annual global plastic production virtually equals the weight of all humanity. Fifty percent of global annual plastic production goes into single-use products. Five trillion plastic bags are made worldwide each year. Americans discard about 100 billion plastic bags annually. The global population uses about 1.2 million plastic bottles per minute. Only around 9% of plastic water bottles are recycled; the other 91% end up in landfills or as plastic litter in bodies of water. The global population uses about 500 billion plastic cups every year. Americans discard about 25 billion Styrofoam cups a year. About 146 million metric tons of packaging plastic was used worldwide in 2017. Americans use about half a billion drinking straws each day on average. Source: https://www.earthday.org/fact-sheet-single-use-plastics/

Rebalancing Humanity’s Relationship with Self and the Natural World By Gregory Henschel* The practice of yoga—as in, “I am going to yoga”—refers to classes where people collectively do postures to strengthen the body by resisting one’s own weight and stretching to keep the body limber. Clearly, many people have benefitted from group yoga classes taught in many fitness centers. But what is a yogic “lifestyle”? The expression suggests something more than visiting the gym. In its lifestyle manifestation, yoga means a broad range of mental and physical disciplines to increase a person’s vitality and bring the mind to a state of equipoise or balance. Aside from postures, a yogic lifestyle involves a deeper penetration of many of the following practices, which affect many aspects of life, from without and within. Breath Control It is said that “breath controls the mind, not the other way around.” To enhance concentration, to modify mood, and expand a feeling of calm, breathing exercises can be quite beneficial. While yogis evolved systems of breath control ages ago, much has been confirmed by science. A 2019 article in the Scientific American magazine explains, “slow, deep breathing increases the activity of the vagus nerve,” a part of parasympathetic nervous system that controls, and also measures, the activity of many internal organs. “When the vagus nerve is stimulated, calmness pervades the body. The heart rate slows and becomes regular, blood pressure decreases, [and] muscles relax,” the article says. Diet Dietary fads abound, but yogic diets are based on time-honored principles. In general, yoga emphasizes vegetarian food. Fresh vegetables and fruits are believed to have the most “life force” or prana. Further, meat is considered to weigh down the mind and make it harder to sit still for meditation. Beyond this basic guidance, there are many schools: lacto-vegetarian, vegan, lacto-ovo, etc. But what is right for an individual? Many factors should be considered, as no one diet will work for everyone. This is where the environment comes into play. A journal article in Nature Food states that greenhouse gas emissions, which are deemed responsible for global warming, are twice as intensive for animal-based foods than for plant-based foods. The article, and many like it, show that there is large variance between animal-based foods, with beef causing much greater greenhouse gas emissions than, say, poultry. This is also part of the yogic lifestyle— being conscious of the effects of one’s personal actions on others. And what about stimulants, recreational drugs, and alcohol? Those are basically out, although some serious practitioners do take moderate amounts of tea or coffee. Yoga Postures This is a popular topic, and there are many schools. Some hold classes in rooms that are quite hot. Others have friendly animals, such as goats, walking around while the class is in progress. While many people have received great benefit from yoga postures, as with any form of exercise, it is possible to get hurt. Amidst the diversity of yoga styles, it is important to find a qualified teacher. One way to help make sure that yoga teachers and schools have met learning standards and are committed to ethical standards is to check with Yoga Alliance. This nonprofit professional association representing the yoga community has over 7,000 Registered Yoga Schools (RYS) and more than 100,000 Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT) as of April 2020. Anyone can search for individual teachers and schools on their website. Mindfulness and Meditation The diversity of meditation teachers and styles of practice is even more wide-ranging than yoga schools. Meditation can mean everything from just watching the river flow to intensive concentration techniques practiced in austere monastery-like environments. Most people have heard of Transcendental Meditation Technique, Vipassana, and other meditation schools. Some are accompanied by philosophical or religious teachings, while others are not. In the search for a good school, students should look at the teachers and community around them. Are they happy, healthy, and open to questions? Or, do they seem more interested in getting paid than doing service? Service There is more that lies beyond the common manifestation of yoga in contemporary culture. There is the meaning of yoga, which is “unity.” Yoga, akin to the English word “yoke,” means the uniting of the small “s” self and the inner capital “S” Self. This fullest expression of yoga centers one’s life not only on personal health and balance of the body-mind system, but also on the inner connection to one’s place in the cosmos, to a deep unification with all existence, the Oneness of all Being. Practitioners of this yoga seek to live with a subtle type of morality while focusing the mind’s eye on the inner spirit in all things. From this core, an outward yoga can emanate for rebalancing the economy, improving social justice, and rebalancing humanity’s shared relationship to the natural world. It is the consummation of the yogic lifestyle to bring balance to the body, the mind, to the inner spirit and from there, a sustainable harmony between oneself and others. This all-around “unity” is, in final form, sought through service. This is not the same as retail service, as in “billions of burgers served!” Instead, this is a striving for the good and happiness of all through thoughts, words, and actions. This kind of yoga—a continuous flow of Self-awareness and expression of kindness—integrates meditation with outward acts. When all this works together, the “lifestyle” becomes something even greater: a mission. It becomes one’s mission in life. *Gregory Henschel is also known as Acharya Govinda. Acharya means “one who teaches by example.” He has been a dedicated meditator and practitioner of yoga for 50 years and has been teaching classes since the mid-1970s. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife Francey and their parrot Scarlett.

United Nations member states have agreed on a treaty text for management of the two-thirds of Earth’s oceans that lie outside national jurisdictions. These vast areas, known as the “high seas,” refer to the waters outside the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) that now extend 200 nautical miles (370km) from a nation’s coasts, Reuters said in a March 30, 2023 article. Nations currently can limit human activity in EEZ waters and sea beds. The new international treaty—known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty (BBNJ)—is twenty years in the making. It aims “to protect biodiversity by establishing large-scale marine protected areas and regulating marine research for scientific and commercial development,” says Reuters. Some of the treaty’s goals are to combat ocean pollution and overfishing, as well as regulate the building of infrastructures in the oceans for agriculture, mining, and power plants. While there is limited study of the Earth’s oceans, research warns that marine species are at special risk for extinction due to man-made activities. The Marine Conservation Institute, a member of the High Seas Alliance, says less than 3% of the oceans are presently “fully or highly protected.” It is hoped that the treaty will help the UN achieve its “30x30” goal to protect at least 30% of the planet’s land and water by 2030. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the treaty a “breakthrough” for “global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health,” and credited Rena Lee, Singapore’s Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea Issues and Special Envoy of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for her leadership and dedication in taking the lead negotiating position for the “historic” agreement. Sources: https://www.reuters.com/graphics/GLOBAL-ENVIRONMENT/OCEANS/jnvwyjomdvw/ https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134157

Unexplainable Phenomena Suggest ‘Intelligent Design’ Linking Humans and Nature By Dr. Beverly Rubik* In the quest to understand the origins of the universe, the concept of “super synchronicities”—or multiple experiences of unexplainable coincidences in people’s lives—is gaining interest. Studies are finding that these experiences often bring people into higher states of consciousness that allow them to see the benefits of relationships with each other and with Nature. In 2022, Dr. Gary Schwartz, Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry and Surgery at the University of Arizona, presented research on fascinating phenomena or “super synchronicities” as among the best evidence of an underlying intelligent design. He defined super synchronicities as patterns of six or more serial coincidences in life that cannot be simply explained. Synchronicity can have a profound effect on one’s sense of connection to Source and nature. It is a notable aspect of Jungian psychology, of a causal connection beyond space and time. Carl Jung wrote in 1973 that synchronicity reveals facets of the unus mundi, the underlying unity of the world. Jung’s viewpoint recovered the meaningful connections between the subjective [non-material] and objective [material] realms. Super synchronicities can be extraordinary experiences. They can evoke meaning, sense of purpose, heightened emotions, and even personal transformation. Those who experience super synchronicities may feel wonder, delight, amazement, greater spiritual connection, and humility before a Divine order and creativity. They may also feel love, joy, and gratitude. Thus, synchronicities can trigger expanded psychospiritual states of consciousness. Such expanded states, including a profound experience of a personal interconnection with the cosmos, could help bootstrap humanity to recover a lost relationship with nature and the environment. Persons in this state frequently experience even more synchronicities, too, which further reinforce their heightened state. In contrast, other people may feel cut off from the greater whole. To them, a synchronicity appears to be a rare and random incident rather than a meaningful aspect of temporal order and creative unfolding of the universe. Such people may be seen as being in a contracted state. When one feels separate from nature, then nature may be seen mainly as resources to be consumed. Pollution of the environment can become rampant. A sense of separation from nature along with a lack of awareness that nature nurtures life, may be at the root of environmental degradation. Frontier science has revealed some new discoveries about emotions that could lead to some helpful technology. Therefore, I would like to briefly mention our work at The Institute for Frontier Science. A subject in one of our experiments, an energy healer, intentionally moved from a neutral state to sending “healing love,” and we then measured almost four times more biophotons near the heart. One of our main projects is research on the human biofield or energy field (Rubik, 2002; 2015; Rubik et al., 2015). We can measure extremely low-level light emissions from the body, also known as biophotons. A subject in one of our experiments, an energy healer, intentionally moved from a neutral state to sending “healing love,” and we then measured almost four times more biophotons near the heart (Rubik and Jabs 2017). In experiments with several human subjects, we found that biophoton emission from the body can change according to intent, emotion, and state of consciousness. The biofield may be seen as a bridge between consciousness and the physical body. Besides biophotons, we are investigating other parts of the biofield. This involves developing novel detectors. We found a coupling between the dynamic emotions experienced over time by a subject and certain physical detectors that were shielded from conventional energies. In other words, the parameters of certain physical systems changed in a predictable way with the human subject’s emotions. Positive and negative emotions, respectively, led to changes in opposite directions of the parameters. It is possible that there is a “subtle energy” associated with emotions. We have a prototype of this detector as part of our “sensor suite,” which also includes conventional environmental and physiological detectors (Jabs and Rubik 2019). Our so-called “subtle energy” detector shows the greatest response on a computer data acquisition system when a human subject experiences positive emotions such as love and joy. [Synchronicities] can uplift people to heightened states of consciousness that can change their relationship with nature and one another. Although this technology needs further development, we foresee applications, including biofeedback, to help people engage more in positive emotions, which are also important for optimal health and well-being. Such technology might help boost the time spent in heightened psychospiritual states and increase emotional intelligence. In today’s world, many people interact more with communication technology and less with real persons or nature. Cultivating love, joy and gratitude counteracts the increasingly robotic shaping of humanity by lifeless computer programs in educational systems and work life. Positive emotions have also been shown to energize water. Consider that water comprises approximately 70% of the human body, and 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. The frontier science of water demonstrates that water plays an active role. Indeed, it is the matrix of life itself. Using the Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV) Camera Pro, a digital Kirlian camera, we measured greater intensity and larger patterns of light emitted from water droplets when human subjects expressed love and sent positive energy to the water samples (Rubik 2011) If people would focus their love on water in the environment, hypothetically, it could have a beneficial impact. With loving kindness and greater awareness that human beings are an intimate part of the cosmos, humanity can choose to live differently—in a nurturing relationship with nature and the environment. Synchronicities bring about a sense of wonder and an expanded vision of reality. They can infuse human life with meaning and love, providing a sense of oneness with Divine Source and with the universe. They can uplift people to heightened states of consciousness that can change their relationship with nature and one another. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1959) wrote, “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” *Beverly Rubik, Ph.D., is President and Founder, Institute for Frontier Science, Oakland, California, and Adjunct Faculty Member, Integral Health, California Institute for Human Science, Encinitas, California. Editorial Note: Author Title: Second Commentary on “A Vision for Earth’s Future Arising from Frontier Science,” Presentation by Dr. Gary E. Schwartz at the Third International Conference on Science and God (ICSG III), April 2022. References: Jung, C.G. 1973. Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Schwartz, G.E. 2022. “A Vision for Earth’s Future Arising from Frontier Science.” Invited presentation, Third International Conference on Science and God (ICSG III), “Environmental Restoration in the Era of Frontier Science.” April 2022. Teilhard de Chardin, P. 1959. The Phenomenon of Man. New York: Harper & Row.

Researchers at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University (US), in a study published on March 15 in Emerging Infectious Disease, associated a deadly 2022 outbreak of H5N1 with the deaths of New England harbor and gray seals in June and July 2022 along the US’s New England coast. The outbreak was connected to “a wave of avian influenza in birds in the region,” according to a March 15, 2023 report in Science Daily. Here is some of the report’s data on the disturbing toll of H5N1, a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenzaH (HPAI), known commonly as bird flu. The deadly H5N1 has led to the destruction of 60 million US farmed birds since October 2020. The Tufts study is among those to first connect HPAI directly to a deadly event in wild animal populations. H5N1 recently killed many sea birds in Peru—notably 60,000 pelicans, penguins, and gulls. Peru has also reported the deaths of 3,500 sea lions from the virus. The Tufts research team identified at least three strains of bird flu that crossed the Atlantic to the US from Europe. The deadly seal event in New England—330 animals perished—coincided with the deaths of gulls in the region. H5N1 is almost 100% fatal for domestic and wild birds (except waterfowl). The same lethality held true for all the New England seals that tested positive, though it is unknown if some survivors in the seal population were asymptomatic. Fewer than 10 human cases* of H5N1 have been reported globally since December 2021—all were associated with direct human exposure to infected poultry. A total of 868 cases of human infection with H5N1 have been reported worldwide since 2003, according to the World Health Organization. Some 457 of these infections were fatal—about a 50% mortality rate. *According to the Science Daily report, no documentation exists for human transmission of H5N1. Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230315132401.htm