The Granite Earth Institute
Granite Earth Institute is a regional nonprofit organization that offers a format for groups like G.A.L.A. to start their own Study Circles. At a small fee, GEI provides course workbooks that participants are asked to read from before each meeting. Approximately thirteen Wolfeboro-area residents recently completed a 9-session course on "Choices for Sustainable Living" last Winter, and twelve more are scheduled to begin a "Voluntary Simplicity" course this Fall. Although suggested discussion questions are provided in the workbook at the end of each chapter, all study circles are self-run by participants.
Detailed course descriptions can be found on the Granite Earth Institute website. A brief description of each course is below. Contact G.A.L.A. to find out when the next Study Circle starts and how you can sign up!
Voluntary Simplicity: The meaning of simplicity, living more with less, your money or your life, do you have the time, how much is enough, swimming against the tide, the practice of simplicity. (8 sessions)
Globalization and its Critics: Globalization, questioning free trade, trans-national corporations, food in the global marketplace, environment, social equity, shaping opinion, and homogenization of cultures. (9 sessions)
Healthy Schools, Healthy Children: Understanding how the pervasive effects of advertising, media, and our consumer culture influence a child's view of the world; discovering ways to create meaningful family times and healthful environments; and exploring ways to develop a child's creativity and connection with nature. (8 sessions)
Discovering a Sense of Place: A bioregional perspective, sense of place, the land ethic, knowing your bioregion, living in place, mapping, community, empowerment. (8 sessions)
Exploring Deep Ecology: Deep ecology, the Gaia hypothesis, spirituality and the earth, the New Story of the earth, Native-American wisdom, ecopsychology, simplicity, and bioregionalism. (9 sessions)
Choices for Sustainable Living: A call to sustainability, ecological principles, sustainable communities, sustainable business and economy, sustainable food, sustainable buying, sustainable lifestyles, visions of sustainability. (9 sessions)
Global Warming, Changing CO2urse: A four-session course exploring the history and science of global warming, personal values and habits as they relate to climate change, and personal actions to curb the effects of global warming. (4 sessions)
