Envisioning a Sustainable World

Majora Carter is unlocking the potential in all communities with real renewal solutions. Photo Courtesy: www.majoracartergroup.com

 

 

 

I've never been to a sustainability conference. In fact I've never even really had the chance to attend but the University of Northern Iowa will hold its first Sustainability & Dialogue in Action: Academia and Community Looking to the Future event this weekend, April 12-13. Now not everybody is quite so lucky to live in Iowa and has the chance to attend this event, which is why I'm bringing this dynamic event to you right here on my blog.

The event successfully booked three major speakers and environmentalists including Majora Carter, a renowned urban revitalization strategist, Andres Edwards, educator and award winning author and Winona LaDuke, an American Indian activist and environmentalist.

The three keynote speakers are nothing less than extraordinary and I urge you to check out their achievements and familiarize yourself with their work. Carter is the founder of Sustainable South Bronx and built one of the most successful urban "green collar" training and placement systems, while few were even considering sustainability in urban settings. Carter has created a philanthropic movement with a wide reach, even extending internationally. Follow her on Twitter @MajoraCarter and discover her passion for greater self-esteem and economic potential on the Majora Carter Group website.

Every 15 seconds on our Earth Island, a child dies from waterborne disease. Three times an hour, another species becomes extinct. Each day we consume 85 million barrels of oil and pump 23 million tons of carbon dioxide into an already warming atmosphere. But against this bleak backdrop, beacons of hope shine from thousands of large and small initiatives taking place everywhere from isolated villages to major urban centers. 

Edward's latest text: Thriving Beyond Sustainability. Photo rights: www.andresedwards.com

 

Andrés Edwards begins his book, Thriving Beyond Sustainability: Pathways to a Resilient Society, with these shocking yet eye-opening words. Not only did this particular title win the Gold Medal: Living Now Book Award, Edwards is also an educator, entrepreneur and consultant. Thriving Beyond Sustainability has been recognized for its extraordinary ability to discuss relocalization, green commerce and social transformation.

An author of six books, Winona LaDuke is an Anishinaabekwe (Ojibwe) member of the Mississippi Band Anishinaabekwe and is the Executive Director of Honor the Earth,  raising public support and funding environmental groups. LaDuke was nominated by Time magazine as one of America's fifty most promising leaders in 1994 and continues to write passionately about Native American and environmental issues. Check out her support of the White Earth Land Recovery Project and her website to gain insight into a little discussed topic for many of us.

Which environmentalists, activists and speakers truly inspire you?