Howdy folks,
Your favorite Redneck returns live on Tues, Feb 27 at 3pm pacific, 6pm eastern. I will be interviewing Kali Young (Wellbeing Economy Alliance) and Philip Clayton (Institute for Ecological Civilization). We will be talking about the upcoming California Just Economy Summit happening in Sacramento March 8-9.
As always, I have written a deep dive essay below my signature.
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Onward to the world we deserve,
David Cobb (he/him)
Why I put my pronouns in my email signature
The Role of the Individual in Creating An Ecological Civilization
To get us on the same page, let’s ask: What do we mean by the phrase “Ecological Civilization?” The Institute for Ecological Civilization sums it up well on their website:
We understand a civilization to be a way that humans pattern their lives together; it encompasses values, institutions, beliefs, cultures, and actions. To live ecologically is to recognize that all living things are members of ecosystems, and then to act to “to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community” (Aldo Leopold). In promoting ecological civilization, we work towards the development of human societies that are structured to promote a cooperative relationship between the planet’s human inhabitants and the biosphere they inhabit.
It can feel daunting to think about what an individual might do to influence larger systems. But I am reminded of Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish girl who kept a diary while she was hiding from Nazis in an attic in Amsterdam. She began writing in her diary at age 13 and died in a concentration camp at age 16. Her diary contains entries of the mundane, musings about her relationships with family members, acknowledgements of her fear and anguish, and appreciation for people who helped her and her family. In the midst of that pathology and insanity, she wrote this line:
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
– Anne Frank
In that spirit, I invite all of us to face the interconnected and increasing social, political, and environmental crises. It is becoming increasingly clear to more and more people that we need to transform our entire economic system. And from my perspective, that means each of us should ask what we are inspired to do, and do that.
For me, part of that is to convene with others to ask what policies and practices are achievable now. And if we are successful, what can we do tomorrow that we can’t do today? It’s like Martin Luther King Jr said, “You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
That’s why I am so excited to be going to Sacramento March 8-9 to dream, imagine and conspire with a wide range of actors and organizations from across California. We will connect, learn from one another and identify potential avenues for radical collaboration moving forward.
So if you live in California and are passionate about the need for a regenerative, democratic, and just economy, this event is for you! Through facilitated group discussions, community building opportunities and policy visioning exercises, you’ll get a chance to connect with like-minded individuals and inspiring initiatives that demonstrate that a different economic system is not only possible, but already underway.
WHEN: 8:30am-5:30pm, pacific March 8-9th, 2024
WHERE: Capitol Event Center, Sacramento, CA
This event is being organized by a wide range of organizations including the Institute for Ecological Civilization, WEAll California, California Public Banking Alliance, California Progressive Alliance, Community Alliance of Family Farmers, Democracy Collaborative, Lift Economy, Native Roots Network, Solidarity Research Center, Sustainable Economies Law Center , United Way of Greater Los Angeles with more joining every day!
If your organization is interested in supporting the design, communication or funding of this event, please reach out to Sam Moon at smoon@ecociv.org.
In an effort to ensure that no one is excluded from participating in this event due to financial constraints, the organizers are offering limited stipends to help offset transportation, accommodation, and childcare costs associated with attending the event.
For more information and to apply for a stipend, please click here. For a list of some available accommodations, please click here. For a draft agenda, please click here.
Philip Clayton is the president of the Institute for Ecological Civilization. As a visionary thinker, Philip leads EcoCiv in expanding and deepening its mission at the intersections of environment and humanity. With several decades of experience in university-based research, teaching, and lecturing, Philip is involved in the conceptual development of all EcoCiv’s projects and ensures mission fit. In particular, he helps project leaders think about intersectional societal changes relevant for their particular projects. Philip is the author or editor of several dozen books and some 300 articles on science, ethics, and religion.
Kali Young serves as the US Coordinator at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, often referred to as WeAll. WeAll is a global collaboration of organizations, alliances, movements and individuals working towards a Wellbeing Economy. WeAll was formed in 2018 as a time-bound project to catalyze a transition towards a Wellbeing Economy by promoting radical connection and collaboration between different actors of the new economy ecosystem, so we can achieve impact larger than the sum of our parts. Kali is passionate about transforming economics towards collective liberation and regeneration.