Salvation from Below. Individuals and Grassroots Movements for Ecological Renewal

The contemporary ecological crisis points to the precarious state of Earth, our planetary home. The ecological crisis is about our home as it is evident in the etymological origin of the very term ‘ecology’, derived from two Greek words: oikos and logos, meaning ‘home’ and ‘discourse’ respectively. It is not a mere environmental issue, or even a host of them, as it is often presented in the media and in academic discussions. The crisis is about the real threat to the survival and flou-rishing of life, including human life, on Earth, our common home. From climate change to species extinction, from pollution of land, air and water to the fast depletion of natural resources, the impact of the contemporary ecological crisis on our common planetary home is indeed a matter of deep concern. There has been no dearth of warnings about the crisis of our common home1. The awareness regarding the ecological crisis led to the first Earth Day in the United States in 1970 celebrated by nearly 20 million people, and the United Nations organized an important conference on the theme of ecological stewardship in 1972