Bioneer's: Connecting for Change New Bedford, MA. A Leading Edge

I just returned from a weekend of inspiring solutions.                                

Music  

Dancing and Drumming

Great Quotes.

Kids

Voices speaking out.

Nikki Henderson: Food Justice and Jobs

The speakers ranged from:

David de Rothschild sailed the Plastiki across the Pacific and used his adventure to explain our misuse of plastic. It never breaks down, it just gets smaller. There are 6 pieces of plastic for every plankton organism.

Riki Ott shared amazing facts about the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the deadly health problems we now face in the Gulf as a result of BP's actions.

She also pointed out the absolute danger and hypocrisy we face with the Supreme Court's decision on Corporations as Citizens.  So, they lend money to polluter-candidates for public office because that is their "right".

But, when they are sued for bribing public officials, grand theft, fomenting unjust wars, murder, torture, fraud, stock swindles (just to name a few well-known crimes), then they are corporations and have special exemptions.

Annie Leonard:   A wonderful speaker explained how we get depressed by having too much STUFF.    She makes such a good point how the advertising media can hook us into believing we need MORE and more and more.

For this, George Beck has incited people to call and harass Annie with death threats. The FBI warned her not to speak in public. Now, that's real Democracy! 

Beck Blabs On.  Click off Fox.  Click on: (http://www.storyofstuff.com/).

Most upsetting fact for me:  One perfectly healthy newborn from middle U.S.A. had 200 toxic chemicals in its umbilical cord.

The overall message of the weekend was Collaboration and Education. 

Greg Mortenson was amazing in his presentation of Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools.His ability to empower people to work together is such an inspiration.

He is still trying to get the U.S. to sign the Land Mine Treaty.

Hope and Power

The Ameri-Corps staff were amazing examples of organization and kindness.The mass of young people in attendance gives me hope. They are connecting and mapping out the difficult road to a sustainable future. 

I was empowered by making connections with old friends and new. I was inspired by brilliant college students who work on the geology of rocks on Mars, awesome microbiology research, and robotics to aid humankind. All these examples of people at work reinforced the "Education and Collaboration" focus of the weekend.

Bioneers by the Bay:  Conference on Connecting for Change 

Go and Become Part of the Future