Insight Environmentalists discussion

On May 15th, the 14th Dalai Lama visited Madison, Wisconsin. Nobel Prize winner Dr. Johathan Patz--on stage with the Dalai Lama--said something like: "When I got out of college, I worked to protect the Perigrin Falcon. It was an endangered species at the time. Environmentalists were not successful protecting it or other threatened species until they realized they had to protect the animal's habitat." He went on, "Humans are no different. If we are to save humanity then we must save our habitat, planet earth."
I thought Patz's observation was insightful, practical, and inspiring. Perhaps it will speak to many.

Hi, I'm Geri. The group seems different because its members want to do deeper -beyond the first reaction to understand the contextual and historical frame we need to use to approach any problem or challenge -whether environmental or social. We need to go deeper into the inextricable ties binding us to the natural world of which we are a part. As Patz's observes- it's the same place, the same world

Thank you, Geri. Welcome to the group.

I came across Futurist Paul Gilding's quote today...something he said in The Great Disruption: How the Climate Crisis Will Change EVERYTHING (For the Better). He said, "To hold the paradox in our heads--that things are desperately dangerous and urgent but we must act positively and full of hope--is an enormous test for the mind and the soul to act together." The Great Disruption: Why the Climate Crisis Will Bring On the End of Shopping and the Birth of a New World

I think we need to start thinking about prosperity in very much the same way as the market economy thinks in order to solve problems. This is a really interested TED talk:

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta...

If we can change values and make the right action "profitable," then I think a great impact can be made. Without addressing individual "wealth" and economies, there really cannot be change.

Thanks for this link, William. In my past life I founded and directed a conservation not-for-profit for nearly 15 years. I loved Dan Pallotta's point about not confusing morality with frugality when we consider a charity's overhead!