Another thought: I think he's right that one reason for these learning centers is to have a nexus, one place within a bioregion where these conversation happen, where people find others for projects they want to start. If you have a lot of smaller initiatives, they tend to peter out after a time.
Same here--it got me thinking about my bioregion, which I define as central Appalachia. But there are no clear lines--we could take the Ohio River as the western boundary but there are foothills in southeast Ohio and eastern Kentucky; and you could instead see the Ohio River valley as a bioregion, extending up into the hills on either side. I don't think we should choose between but instead integrate both viewpoints.
I thought maybe there was too much focus on education, but perhaps that's a good initial focus, followed naturally by people forming committees and starting projects. Seems to me the overarching question is, How can we transition to a new economy here that not only doesn't degrade the landscape but heals prior harms, with the humans working collaboratively together and respecting not only each other (across former divides like race) but also with the rest of biodiversity? The things we need that we can't grow or make here--what could we trade for them? Can we get past our society's adolescent notion that we will accept no limits, and its childish notion that the point of life is to get a lot of stuff, to get rich, to win?
I do think that we will not, ever, get our governments to do anything useful, so we have to find ways to make a transition without them, around them. Hopefully they will not interfere.
This an inspiring practical vision for the future, that is already happening. Joe Brewer is an authentic person.I was touched.
Another thought: I think he's right that one reason for these learning centers is to have a nexus, one place within a bioregion where these conversation happen, where people find others for projects they want to start. If you have a lot of smaller initiatives, they tend to peter out after a time.
Same here--it got me thinking about my bioregion, which I define as central Appalachia. But there are no clear lines--we could take the Ohio River as the western boundary but there are foothills in southeast Ohio and eastern Kentucky; and you could instead see the Ohio River valley as a bioregion, extending up into the hills on either side. I don't think we should choose between but instead integrate both viewpoints.
I thought maybe there was too much focus on education, but perhaps that's a good initial focus, followed naturally by people forming committees and starting projects. Seems to me the overarching question is, How can we transition to a new economy here that not only doesn't degrade the landscape but heals prior harms, with the humans working collaboratively together and respecting not only each other (across former divides like race) but also with the rest of biodiversity? The things we need that we can't grow or make here--what could we trade for them? Can we get past our society's adolescent notion that we will accept no limits, and its childish notion that the point of life is to get a lot of stuff, to get rich, to win?
I do think that we will not, ever, get our governments to do anything useful, so we have to find ways to make a transition without them, around them. Hopefully they will not interfere.