Happy Spring!

Daffodils and magnolias are blooming here, and it’s a good time to think about earth. Three happenings have given me great hope related to the environment.

First, Van Jones, the founder of Green for All and author of The Green Collar Economy, has just been appointed as White House Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. His big idea is that by greening the economy, you provide green jobs and lift people out of poverty as you save the earth. “If you’re going to have a world-class green economy, you’ve got to have a world class green-collar workforce to do all the work. Somebody has to put up all those solar panels and weatherize the buildings and reforest all the countryside and urban landscapes, and all of that’s labor.” Van is one of the best movement builders there is and now has the ear of the President – a dynamite combination – so let’s watch closely.

Second, 12,000 wildly enthusiastic committed students converged on Washington for the PowerShift 09 Conference in early March. Six from Missouri State University stayed at our house, and we were impressed with their practicality and dynamism. The agenda for students across the country is to green every campus and they will not take “no” for an answer. Lindsey Berger, President of Missouri State’s Students for a Sustainable Future, said, “We have seven years to completely turn around our ways to reach a point of stabilization where we’re not going to jeopardize the futures of all generations.” She is on fire as are the others. Monday the Conference was devoted to visiting legislators on the Hill.  Despite a paralyzing snow storm in DC, 4,000 showed up – the largest environmental lobbying effort ever.

In conjunction with that, the third happening involved environmental biggies, Bill McKibben, Gus Speth, James Hansen and others protested outside the coal plant that powers the Capitol. Prior to this action, Nancy Pelosi and others passed legislation to convert the Capitol to gas power – not a long term solution but surely a reasonable short term one and a visible signal that coal has to go.

Together making a world that works for all,

Jackie

Thought for Today

“One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of the status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. But today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy New Year!

 

This promises to be an important year. E.J. Dionne in his Post column calls it the beginning of the 21st century in that it will usher in new ways of thinking that are more global than nation focused.

Here are my hopes. I hope that the United States will signal its desire to partner with all nations and peoples to create a world that works for all. I hope that we’ll begin hearing public speeches (for example, the Inaugural) begin with a greeting to Americans but also to people around the world who also care. I hope speeches will end with words like these: “May our planet and the whole human family be blessed.” This is a Buddhist form of blessing that includes people with or without faith and yet ties us to our noblest purpose to care for one another and the Earth.

Our Defining Moment is in the hands of Washington Post writers and members of Obama’s Transition team as well as many of the authors quoted. Early response is encouraging. Peter Barnes, a world-class economic thinker, and one of my heroes, called it brilliant! Keep passing it on to friends.

Now there is a Comment tab at the top of this website where you can leave your comments.

Together for a world that works for all,

Welcome

Welcome to the Global Renaissance blog. First readers of Our Defining Moment have been very encouraging. People are excited by the hope that we could actually create a Global Renaissance.

One reader says she has a new determination to throw herself behind global renaissance. Another wants to pass the word on to his whole staff. A teacher is thinking about how to incorporate global renaissance into his teaching. A number of folks are giving Defining Moment as Christmas gifts.

Speaking of Christmas, my vote for a last minute Christmas gift would be to give a subscription to Yes! Magazine. Now in its thirteeth year, Yes! packs each issue with excellent articles on analysis of a current theme, heroes who are building a world that works, and models to show us the way. Recent themes have been Global Warming, Happiness, Health Care For All, Ten Most Hopeful Trends of the Last Ten Years.

Visit www.yesmagazine.org for information. You can download a gift card to put under the tree.

“Peace on earth, good will to all.” The ancient Christmas blessing. We are the ones who will make that a reality. Share how that is happening in your neck of the woods. This blog is a place to share how that is happening…..