Comments on:
Institutions, Infrastructure, and Schooling
Comments on Similar Missions
I've just read the document "How do we develop a shared vision?" This is indeed a "formidable task," as you say. I believe you and I are on the same wavelength. We have the same long term general goals in mind and seem to think at a strategic rather than tactical level.
It will take more than one future search conference a year to make significant progress. I like the way you emphasize changing the process of decision making, rather than trying to identify and impose yet another solution. Strong democracy seems a pleasant improvement. :-)
What I'll be doing is twofold:
1. Continue producing about one document a week, following the outline on my website. This involves much education on my part. I'm making small discoveries that may contribute to progress towards a solution. The pattern I keep seeing again and again is most environmental NGOs have mission statements but no strategic plan to achieve them. The group as a whole certainly has no unified plan, no unified solution to offer. That's where I hope to contribute.
2. Start small amounts of contact with like minded groups and individuals. I want to plug in and start working elbow to elbow with others, getting feedback, giving it, melding our efforts into a better whole. I'm especially curious to see how the Sierra Club reacts to my work once it's more mature. That's kind of a litmus test.
Then once I complete a first pass on the entire outline, I'll shift gears. It may be useful to publish it as a book. I hope to start spending much time with others working out a vision, a proposal, that gradually works its way up to legislatures. I'm hoping it's possible to get environmental groups to unite behind a single strategic approach on sustainability. I would guess this is your dream too.
Thanks for your very fine efforts with ESDA.
Jack
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Regarding the referenced article that appeared in "Rachels Environmental Health News, number 727, June 21, 2001; we have an idea that encompasses all of the sustainability goals presented in the above referenced article. This idea includes community: that is, building economic community.
1. An organization/community would request the members to purchase an affordable share each month (say $5./share). No member would be allowed to own more than 10% of the fund. No corporations could own shares. Sustainable/socially responsible businesses would be invited to take part in this Venture Capital/Community Mutual Development Mutual Fund. (Or whatever people want to name it.)
2. Accumulated funds would be invested in start-up or sustainable businesses or loaned for the expansion of businesses meeting the sustainability criteria previously agreed upon by the Board of Directors.
3. The intent is to enable all people to own shares in their economic future. Those who can't afford to pay money for shares may work part-time for a special member business, or for a special task thereby 'earning' two shares for each hour worked. Participating organizations can encourage local government to buy blocks of shares and use them as payment to homeless, part-time, volunteer or other special situations that need human energy to accomplish what needs to be done.
This is a limited presentation of this idea that will, also, bring people together to help overcome alienation.
We would like to start a dialogue on these ideas. Please include anyone else whom you think would be interested. We are willing to put our money into the first or similar fund.
With HOPE, Bob and Cassandra
P.S. How about ESW? (Envisioning a Sustainable World)
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Elise Boulding has done a lot of similar work too. Envisioning workshops.
claude
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I read about your work with ESDA on the Rachel listserv, and decided to check out your website. I am a student at Hunter College in New York City studying sustainable development. Right now I am doing some research on adaptation measures to make New York State collegiate institutions sustainable. I am impressed with the goals of ESDA and would like to know what your network is up to right now.
Daniel
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Hi, I love what you are visioning! It is critically important that people see there is someplace to go to as we try to deconstruct our current culture. I have just started a grassroots environmental organization and part of our work is providing environmental education in a workshop format (3-2 hour sessions) to adult ed and continuing education programs. The idea behind this is that there is a huge disconnect (as you know) between what knowledge environmental activists have and what the general public has in terms of the changes that need to happen to create a more sustainable society. Educating people about the power of their consumer choices and the belief systems that those purchases support is, we believe, one place to start.
I will reread what you've got thus far when I have more time (I'm heading off to a conference this weekend) and look forward to contributing to this vision!
Karen
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Thanks for your vision of a sustainable America. This is one more integrative project that brings together the A&T (Alternative and Transformational) movement(s) into a united whole. Among others are Simpol, Towards a New Civilization, Planetary Wisdom, Gaian Doers, Earth Community, Aligning with Purpose, WinWinWorld, The ARK, Shiftingground, and Global Dialogue.
This is an exciting new trend. At first view it has problems. It exchanges the specialization mode of know more and more about less and less until you know everthing about nothing about everying, to the generalist mode of knowin less and less about more a more until you know nothing about everying. Neither will change society but somehow a balance between the two might. How are you going to DO IT ?
THE PEOPLE ARE NOT THE PROBLEMS. THEY ARE THE SOLUTIONS. IF THE PEOPLE LEAD, THE LEADERS WILL FOLLOW.
Bill
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I really am enjoying this edition of Rachel's. I have shared this vision of what the world should be like for about 10 years. For the past year, I have been working on implementing the energy component of it in Atlanta (of all places). When you get ready to talk about to implement this vision, I would be interested in sharing my thoughts and experiences.
Robert
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Excellent analysis! Many have written on the myriad of topics on sustainability, much of it good. However, what we need along with the analysis is a HOW TO GET IT DONE, which has been lacking until recently. I would like to introduce you to Simultaneous Policy, an initiative out of London, England, already operating on five continents in a small way, but which promises us a non-violent, no-risk way to get what we so desperately need.
Please check the web site: www.simpol.org
Noam Chomsky has said of SP: "It's ambitious and provocative. Can it work? Certainly worth a serious try." There's a small group of us who are giving it a serious try, and since it seems to fit perfectly with the Rachel-News philosophy, it would be great of Rachel and subscribers could "adopt" SP.
Diana
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have you read the US government's 'joint vision 2020'? could be nice if your vision was able to bring that approach to the attention it deserves. full spectrum dominance or?
cheers
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You are invited to participate in an exciting and important event taking place at Drexel University in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 29, 2001. Many U.S. cities will be linked via satellite for this event where we will present the Earth Charter, a declaration of sixteen principles and values that promote a healthy, peaceful and sustainable global society. Organizations will endorse the Earth Charter and you will be able to sign the Earth Charter before it is presented to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 for adoption by the United Nations.
The Earth Charter has been drafted by thousands of people and leaders of major world religions in 56 countries over the course of 12 years. Long term supporters include Under Secretary for the United Nations - Maurice Strong; Green Cross International leader - Mikhail Gorbachev; world renowned animal primatologist - Jane Goodall; and philanthropist Steven Rockefeller. Based on the interdependence of all life, the Earth Charter promotes economic justice, social justice, non-violence, democracy and ecological integrity. It is being used in other countries for city planning, professional codes of ethics, public school curriculums, and businesses' mission statements. At our national level, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted it for use in designing city programs, planning and development.
The Earth Charter Summits is the primary grassroots effort to introduce the Earth Charter to the people in the U.S. Many people want to do something to rebuild their communities but are feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, and organizational efforts are sometimes fragmented - the Earth Charter Summits can provide a unifying vision and a common focus for societal change.
On September 29, 2001 here in Philadelphia and in 10 cities across the U.S., you, along with the staff and members of local organizations, will design new action projects and build coalitions to carry those projects forward. This is a free, working Summit -- a local people's assembly, not a conference.
The intended outcomes of the Philadelphia Earth Charter Summits are:
* Raise the level of public awareness and organizational responsibility to global concerns
* Design new action projects that will fulfill chosen Earth Charter principles in the tri-state area
* Develop and strengthen coalitions committed to carry out the new action projects
* Commit to reconvene within six weeks to further boost action projects and coalitions