Reclaiming ‘tree hugger’

(Sierra Club) – Most people think of “tree hugger” as a casual insult for a certain kind of environmentalist. The term actually has a proud history. It is time to take it back. In 1730, 363 members of Bishnois branch of Hinduism in India clung to – or “hugged” – the trees in their village to stop them from being cut down to build a palace. The protesters were killed for their cause. But the incident led to a royal decree that outlawed any more trees being cut down in Bishnoi villages. More than 200 years later, a group of peasant women inspired by the Bishnoi “hugged” trees to stop them from being cut down in Uttar Pradesh, India. That action led to the Chipko movement, which saved countless trees in the Himalayan region from reckless deforestation. Chipko means “to cling” and that evolved into “tree hugging.” Related Stories Dr. Daniela Shebitz, an ecologist and ethnobotanist at Kean University says, “you get a sense of connection with nature through that physical contact but it also helps emotional wellbeing … even just taking a few seconds, whether it’s smelling flowers or hugging trees. Just finding a moment to connect with nature...