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"Currently our society is experiencing unprecedented conflict and violence from many different types of situations and causes. As our society is becoming increasingly more diverse, it has become more apparent that we need to rely on more environmentally sustainable mechanisms and cooperative behaviors to help address and reverse this trend. Political extremism, ethnocentric ideology and recent authoritarian leadership has resulted in an increasingly divided and polarized community. This book attempts to address the problems of violence and extremism through our evolutionary history in the need for all groups of individuals to work cooperatively and contribute to a healthier and more productive community where all individuals are afforded opportunities to share their skills in a more holistic, organic and collaborative process, what Ervin Staub (2013) refers to as the "constructive social process." This book examines how natural and ecologically sustainable (i.e., "green space") environments can help to promote more cooperative and prosocial behaviors within our communities and address the serious problems involving violence and ethnocentric ideologies"--

Acknowledgements -- Education and community service work -- Foreword / by Virginia Arthur -- Introduction: creating a transformational community -- Transforming schools into communities of learning : inspiring youths through positive learning environments / by August John Hoffman -- Building collaborative partnerships with schools & community programs : why organized activities are important / by August John Hoffman -- Environment and community service work -- Get growing : an ecopsychological approach to improved cooperative behaviors via community service work activities / by August John Hoffman -- Mental health and horticultural therapeutic intervention : unique benefits of community gardening to specific population / by August John Hoffman -- Health, eating and nutrition -- Urban agriculture : the new approach in holistic foods production / by August John Hoffman -- Eating virtues brings community growth : principles of wholesome foods everybody can consume / by Désirée Weins -- Spirituality and stewardship practices within the community -- Discovering spirituality and ethical values via community service activities / by August John Hoffman -- Evolving and essential organizations that facilitate stewardship within the community : community schools & libraries / by Michelle Filkins and August Hoffman -- Religion, cultural competence, and community service : promoting wellness "responding to stress" facilitating sustained recovery / by Glen Milstein and Joseph R. Ferrari -- Concluding comments / Epilogue -- Epilogue: future trends in community development and environmental sustainability -- About the contributors

Intro -- Preface -- References -- Contents -- List of Figures -- Chapter 1: Community Development, Stewardship Activities, and Volunteerism: The Evolution of Human "Connectedness" and Interdependency -- Human Choice or Is "Biology Our Destiny"? -- Social Media, Technology, and Illusions of "Connectedness" -- Community Development and "Facebook Depression" -- The "Robber's Cave Experiment": Promoting Friendships Through Interdependent Goals -- Stage I: In-Group Versus Out-Group Development or the "We-They" Dichotomy -- Stage II: Competition and Friction -- The Value of Superordinate Goals: Drinking Water Together -- Stage III: Integration and Unification -- Community Service Programs and the "Jigsaw" Approach -- Evolution of Group Dynamics -- Group Development and Community Service Work Activities -- Stage 1: Community Deterioration -- Stage 2: Community Discovery and Need -- Stage 3: Community Awareness, Interaction, and "Inattentional Blindness": We Do Not Notice What We Are Not Looking For -- Perceptual Blindness, Gorillas Playing Basketball, and Community Deterioration -- Take Notice! Tips on Kick-Starting the Community Service Activity -- Stage 4: Community Commitment and Involvement: Intrinsic Motivation -- CSW Activities Should Be Intrinsically Rewarding -- Stage 5: Community Participation and Resolution -- References -- Chapter 2: The Virtues of Community Development and Stewardship: How Communities Respond to Disasters and Build Resilience -- Community Resilience and Disasters: Rebuilding Communities Through Service Work-Sandy Hook Elementary School -- Hurricane Katrina and the Healing Effects of Trees -- Natural Disasters, Poverty, and Race -- Planting Trees in New Orleans Post Katrina: Rebuilding the Community of the People -- The 9/11 Tragedy, the Living Memorials Project, and the "Survivor Tree".

The purpose of this text is to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the nature of violence, aggression, extremism, and ethnic hate crimes in the US, and to explicate how community development, stewardship, and service may be implemented to address and reduce these problems. When individuals of diverse backgrounds are provided with engagement, interaction, and community-building stewardship programs, negative ethnic stereotypes are debunked, conflict is reduced, and individuals are more likely to communicate and build a more resilient and empowered community. Recent political and administrative policies have created a very tense environment among cities within the US, especially within communities that have larger populations of immigrant refugees and persons of varied ethnicities. This book aims to ameliorate some of that tension.

Community service work, volunteerism and mentoring have recently become popular topics of research as effective methods in improving self-esteem and civic responsibility. In the current study we explored the relationship between participation in a community service gardening program and ethnocentrism. We hypothesised that an inverse correlation would emerge where students who participated in a community service-gardening program would increase their perceptions of the importance of community service work and decrease their scores in ethnocentrism. Results of the paired samples t-test strongly support the hypothesis that community service gardening work significantly reduces reports of ethnocentrism: t(10) = -2.52, (p < .03) for community college students. The ramifications of the study and ramifications for future research are offered.

Community service work is an ideal way not only to help define how young people deal with each other but actually to facilitate these interactions and help them achieve meaning in their lives. This book addresses community service ways to overcome divisions, foster multicultural group development, and reduce ethnocentrism and ethnic conflict

Community service work is an ideal way not only to help define how young people deal with each other but actually to facilitate these interactions and help them achieve meaning in their lives. This book addresses community service ways to overcome divisions, foster multicultural group development, and reduce ethnocentrism and ethnic conflict.