do you know that the future of the planet lies in your hands by the time my
planet lies in your hands by the time my
planet lies in your hands by the time my talk is over you’ll know what you need
talk is over you’ll know what you need
talk is over you’ll know what you need to do to help save our world and keep
to do to help save our world and keep
to do to help save our world and keep this human adventure going today I’m
this human adventure going today I’m
this human adventure going today I’m going to tell you about nine reasons why
going to tell you about nine reasons why
going to tell you about nine reasons why we can successfully transform our way of
we can successfully transform our way of
we can successfully transform our way of life but first I’m going to tell you a
life but first I’m going to tell you a
life but first I’m going to tell you a story everything changed for me about a
story everything changed for me about a
story everything changed for me about a dozen years ago when five large wood
dozen years ago when five large wood
dozen years ago when five large wood burning power plants were proposed in
burning power plants were proposed in
burning power plants were proposed in western Massachusetts where I live they
western Massachusetts where I live they
western Massachusetts where I live they were called biomass plants and at first
were called biomass plants and at first
were called biomass plants and at first I thought they sounded good but people
I thought they sounded good but people
I thought they sounded good but people living near the proposed projects
living near the proposed projects
living near the proposed projects started raising questions and concerns
started raising questions and concerns
started raising questions and concerns in meetings with government officials
in meetings with government officials
in meetings with government officials and in letters to newspaper editors they
and in letters to newspaper editors they
and in letters to newspaper editors they were worried about air pollution and
were worried about air pollution and
were worried about air pollution and other harmful impacts one of the
other harmful impacts one of the
other harmful impacts one of the concerned citizens and I happened to be
concerned citizens and I happened to be
concerned citizens and I happened to be in a small group of artists who met once
in a small group of artists who met once
in a small group of artists who met once a month to show and discuss our latest
a month to show and discuss our latest
a month to show and discuss our latest work and there she told me about the
work and there she told me about the
work and there she told me about the proposed plant near her I read up on
proposed plant near her I read up on
proposed plant near her I read up on these projects and the more I learned
these projects and the more I learned
these projects and the more I learned the more appalled I was at their
the more appalled I was at their
the more appalled I was at their horrendous impacts on air water trees
horrendous impacts on air water trees
horrendous impacts on air water trees wildlife health local communities our
wildlife health local communities our
wildlife health local communities our finances and more but regulatory
finances and more but regulatory
finances and more but regulatory agencies had been taken in by developers
agencies had been taken in by developers
agencies had been taken in by developers false claims that biomass plants would
false claims that biomass plants would
false claims that biomass plants would be clean green and renewable they were
be clean green and renewable they were
be clean green and renewable they were green lighting the projects despite
green lighting the projects despite
green lighting the projects despite citizens concerns and science for
citizens concerns and science for
citizens concerns and science for example regulators approved a plan for
example regulators approved a plan for
example regulators approved a plan for one of the plants to spew out hundreds
one of the plants to spew out hundreds
one of the plants to spew out hundreds of tons of air pollutants each year into
of tons of air pollutants each year into
of tons of air pollutants each year into a poor urban area whose air quality
a poor urban area whose air quality
a poor urban area whose air quality already had received a grade of F from
already had received a grade of F from
already had received a grade of F from the American Lung Association so
the American Lung Association so
the American Lung Association so citizens were on our own to protect
citizens were on our own to protect
citizens were on our own to protect ourselves and our environment with the
ourselves and our environment with the
ourselves and our environment with the help of several environmental non
help of several environmental non
help of several environmental non profit organizations we fought like
profit organizations we fought like
profit organizations we fought like crazy and we won the biomass Wars we
crazy and we won the biomass Wars we
crazy and we won the biomass Wars we gathered 78 thousand signatures enough
gathered 78 thousand signatures enough
gathered 78 thousand signatures enough to put a question on the state ballot
to put a question on the state ballot
to put a question on the state ballot asking voters if they wanted to
asking voters if they wanted to
asking voters if they wanted to subsidize these stupid projects guess
subsidize these stupid projects guess
subsidize these stupid projects guess what the regulator’s did they change the
what the regulator’s did they change the
what the regulator’s did they change the rules to take away the corporate welfare
rules to take away the corporate welfare
rules to take away the corporate welfare that these projects needed to survive
here’s what I learned we have forgotten
here’s what I learned we have forgotten our connection with nature so profoundly
our connection with nature so profoundly
our connection with nature so profoundly that we’re foolishly destroying our
that we’re foolishly destroying our
that we’re foolishly destroying our life-support system
life-support system
life-support system forests throughout Central and Western
forests throughout Central and Western
forests throughout Central and Western Massachusetts could have been heavily
Massachusetts could have been heavily
Massachusetts could have been heavily logged in about a decade just to provide
logged in about a decade just to provide
logged in about a decade just to provide 1% of Massachusetts electricity
1% of Massachusetts electricity
1% of Massachusetts electricity generation I was shocked
generation I was shocked
generation I was shocked it plans to kill trees and Wildlife rip
it plans to kill trees and Wildlife rip
it plans to kill trees and Wildlife rip off ratepayers
off ratepayers
off ratepayers foul our air and water it was ridiculous
foul our air and water it was ridiculous
foul our air and water it was ridiculous but here’s what else I learned citizens
but here’s what else I learned citizens
but here’s what else I learned citizens have the power to create the massive
have the power to create the massive
have the power to create the massive health and environmental upgrade we need
health and environmental upgrade we need
health and environmental upgrade we need I observed that the most effective
I observed that the most effective
I observed that the most effective advocates fought hard while remaining
advocates fought hard while remaining
advocates fought hard while remaining optimistic and solutions oriented and
optimistic and solutions oriented and
optimistic and solutions oriented and taking good care of their own health and
taking good care of their own health and
taking good care of their own health and well-being so what about now well if
well-being so what about now well if
well-being so what about now well if anything the environment has gotten
anything the environment has gotten
anything the environment has gotten worse with hotter temperatures war trees
worse with hotter temperatures war trees
worse with hotter temperatures war trees dead war species extinct more air
dead war species extinct more air
dead war species extinct more air pollution more water supplies depleted
pollution more water supplies depleted
pollution more water supplies depleted more soil eroded more toxic chemicals
more soil eroded more toxic chemicals
more soil eroded more toxic chemicals and more of us on the planet when our
and more of us on the planet when our
and more of us on the planet when our environment suffers we suffer just
environment suffers we suffer just
environment suffers we suffer just consider all the suffering from this
consider all the suffering from this
consider all the suffering from this year’s hurricane season in the US you
year’s hurricane season in the US you
year’s hurricane season in the US you may know someone who went through hell
may know someone who went through hell
may know someone who went through hell or maybe you went through hell your
but take heart because in crisis lies
but take heart because in crisis lies opportunity only after the caterpillar
opportunity only after the caterpillar
opportunity only after the caterpillar goes through a near-death experience
goes through a near-death experience
goes through a near-death experience does it transform into a butterfly or a
does it transform into a butterfly or a
does it transform into a butterfly or a person may survive a life-threatening
person may survive a life-threatening
person may survive a life-threatening illness and go on to achieve magnificent
illness and go on to achieve magnificent
illness and go on to achieve magnificent dreams the same holds true for human
dreams the same holds true for human
dreams the same holds true for human societies in the 1300s the bubonic
societies in the 1300s the bubonic
societies in the 1300s the bubonic plague wiped out half the population in
plague wiped out half the population in
plague wiped out half the population in London in just one to two years can you
London in just one to two years can you
London in just one to two years can you imagine being a survivor with half your
imagine being a survivor with half your
imagine being a survivor with half your family and your friends dead
family and your friends dead
family and your friends dead not knowing why and whether you would be
not knowing why and whether you would be
not knowing why and whether you would be next well after several plague events
next well after several plague events
next well after several plague events Londoners made the connection between
Londoners made the connection between
Londoners made the connection between waste and disease they became bigger
waste and disease they became bigger
waste and disease they became bigger than their problems and they declared a
than their problems and they declared a
than their problems and they declared a war on filth they got busy cleaning up
war on filth they got busy cleaning up
war on filth they got busy cleaning up the city and creating systems for
the city and creating systems for
the city and creating systems for dealing with the waste this collective
dealing with the waste this collective
dealing with the waste this collective effort uplifted society and eventually
effort uplifted society and eventually
effort uplifted society and eventually London became the center of the largest
London became the center of the largest
London became the center of the largest empire on earth now it is time for us to
empire on earth now it is time for us to
empire on earth now it is time for us to declare a war on greenhouse gases and
declare a war on greenhouse gases and
declare a war on greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals an upgrade from Empire
toxic chemicals an upgrade from Empire
toxic chemicals an upgrade from Empire to earth community the human species is
to earth community the human species is
to earth community the human species is in darkness and turmoil in so many ways
in darkness and turmoil in so many ways
in darkness and turmoil in so many ways now but so much potential also exists
now but so much potential also exists
now but so much potential also exists could we be on the cusp of a quantum
could we be on the cusp of a quantum
could we be on the cusp of a quantum leap
leap
leap that can propel our species into a
that can propel our species into a
that can propel our species into a sustainable way of life that can keep us
sustainable way of life that can keep us
sustainable way of life that can keep us in fellow species going far into the
in fellow species going far into the
in fellow species going far into the future our attitude may hold the answer
future our attitude may hold the answer
future our attitude may hold the answer instead of being debilitated by fear and
instead of being debilitated by fear and
instead of being debilitated by fear and despair we can focus on solutions and
despair we can focus on solutions and
despair we can focus on solutions and our and our strengths
our and our strengths
our and our strengths here are nine reasons why we can
here are nine reasons why we can
here are nine reasons why we can successfully transform our way of life
successfully transform our way of life
successfully transform our way of life first our rich capacities and
first our rich capacities and
first our rich capacities and evolutionary success enabled us to
evolutionary success enabled us to
evolutionary success enabled us to overrun and alter the planet we wouldn’t
overrun and alter the planet we wouldn’t
overrun and alter the planet we wouldn’t have these dire environmental problems
have these dire environmental problems
have these dire environmental problems today if not for our long track record
today if not for our long track record
today if not for our long track record of success and beyond physical survival
of success and beyond physical survival
of success and beyond physical survival consider astounding human achievements
consider astounding human achievements
consider astounding human achievements in language math science engineering art
in language math science engineering art
in language math science engineering art music and more secondly we have millions
music and more secondly we have millions
music and more secondly we have millions of years of experience living
of years of experience living
of years of experience living sustainably which success which suggests
sustainably which success which suggests
sustainably which success which suggests that maybe we can do so again indigenous
that maybe we can do so again indigenous
that maybe we can do so again indigenous people who make up 5% of the world’s
people who make up 5% of the world’s
people who make up 5% of the world’s human population can remind
human population can remind
human population can remind industrialized people that we are the
industrialized people that we are the
industrialized people that we are the environment that the environment enters
environment that the environment enters
environment that the environment enters our body with every breath of air every
our body with every breath of air every
our body with every breath of air every sip of water every bite of food and
sip of water every bite of food and
sip of water every bite of food and through our senses
a third a compelling urge to survive and
a third a compelling urge to survive and help our children survive is deeply
help our children survive is deeply
help our children survive is deeply rooted in our biology its cooperation
rooted in our biology its cooperation
rooted in our biology its cooperation and caring that enabled our evolutionary
and caring that enabled our evolutionary
and caring that enabled our evolutionary success also deep we have a deep
success also deep we have a deep
success also deep we have a deep affinity for other living things even
affinity for other living things even
affinity for other living things even those far different from us caring
those far different from us caring
those far different from us caring motivates us to take action to protect
motivates us to take action to protect
motivates us to take action to protect other living things fourth our toolbox
other living things fourth our toolbox
other living things fourth our toolbox is full of green tools such as solar and
is full of green tools such as solar and
is full of green tools such as solar and fuel cell technologies and
fuel cell technologies and
fuel cell technologies and communications technologies enable us to
communications technologies enable us to
communications technologies enable us to access information and ideas from all
access information and ideas from all
access information and ideas from all over the world and to organize
over the world and to organize
over the world and to organize collective action fifth we have larger
collective action fifth we have larger
collective action fifth we have larger lives with more opportunities to learn
lives with more opportunities to learn
lives with more opportunities to learn grow and act than ever before average
grow and act than ever before average
grow and act than ever before average life expectancy in the u.s. doubled
life expectancy in the u.s. doubled
life expectancy in the u.s. doubled since the 1700s concerned and
since the 1700s concerned and
since the 1700s concerned and experienced elders who created massive
experienced elders who created massive
experienced elders who created massive social and environmental change in the
social and environmental change in the
social and environmental change in the past today teach younger people and
past today teach younger people and
past today teach younger people and promote intergenerational consciousness
promote intergenerational consciousness
promote intergenerational consciousness our geographical reach has expanded
our geographical reach has expanded
our geographical reach has expanded beyond Earth for many explorers and
beyond Earth for many explorers and
beyond Earth for many explorers and career opportunities have vastly
career opportunities have vastly
career opportunities have vastly improved especially for women 6 we are
improved especially for women 6 we are
improved especially for women 6 we are powerful and free our democracy
powerful and free our democracy
powerful and free our democracy guarantees us the rights to life liberty
guarantees us the rights to life liberty
guarantees us the rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness freedom of
and the pursuit of happiness freedom of
and the pursuit of happiness freedom of speech and assembly and the right to
speech and assembly and the right to
speech and assembly and the right to throw the bums out citizens are the
throw the bums out citizens are the
throw the bums out citizens are the ultimate human superpower because we
ultimate human superpower because we
ultimate human superpower because we vote and we buy things our purchases
vote and we buy things our purchases
vote and we buy things our purchases make up two-thirds of the US economy and
make up two-thirds of the US economy and
make up two-thirds of the US economy and people do what we pay them to do
seventh we want change recent Gallup
seventh we want change recent Gallup polls indicate that more than two-thirds
polls indicate that more than two-thirds
polls indicate that more than two-thirds of Americans two-thirds
of Americans two-thirds
of Americans two-thirds are dissatisfied with the way things are
are dissatisfied with the way things are
are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the US and about half of us
going in the US and about half of us
going in the US and about half of us worry a great deal about climate change
worry a great deal about climate change
worry a great deal about climate change air and water pollution and species
air and water pollution and species
air and water pollution and species extinction we sometimes feel manipulated
extinction we sometimes feel manipulated
extinction we sometimes feel manipulated and diminished by our society we want
and diminished by our society we want
and diminished by our society we want more for our lives we live on an
more for our lives we live on an
more for our lives we live on an abundant and forgiving planet nature
abundant and forgiving planet nature
abundant and forgiving planet nature provides copious resources including
provides copious resources including
provides copious resources including more energy showering down upon us than
more energy showering down upon us than
more energy showering down upon us than we can ever possibly use and when we
we can ever possibly use and when we
we can ever possibly use and when we stop our damaging behavior living things
stop our damaging behavior living things
stop our damaging behavior living things and ecosystems tend to self heal which
and ecosystems tend to self heal which
and ecosystems tend to self heal which is amazing
is amazing
is amazing and ninth so far we really haven’t tried
and ninth so far we really haven’t tried
and ninth so far we really haven’t tried very hard to create a sustainable world
very hard to create a sustainable world
very hard to create a sustainable world for ourselves so plenty of low-hanging
for ourselves so plenty of low-hanging
for ourselves so plenty of low-hanging fruit awaits easy picking we can take
fruit awaits easy picking we can take
fruit awaits easy picking we can take some easy actions that yield marvelously
some easy actions that yield marvelously
some easy actions that yield marvelously large payoffs and this can motivate and
large payoffs and this can motivate and
large payoffs and this can motivate and inspire us to do more for starters we
inspire us to do more for starters we
inspire us to do more for starters we could replace coal and biomass power
could replace coal and biomass power
could replace coal and biomass power plants with rooftop solar which would
plants with rooftop solar which would
plants with rooftop solar which would help our health air quality and climate
help our health air quality and climate
help our health air quality and climate enormous Lee feeling stuck is an
enormous Lee feeling stuck is an
enormous Lee feeling stuck is an illusion things constantly change
illusion things constantly change
illusion things constantly change evolution never stops and our
evolution never stops and our
evolution never stops and our transformation is already underway big
transformation is already underway big
transformation is already underway big change is not only possible but routine
change is not only possible but routine
change is not only possible but routine as when an acorn becomes a giant oak
as when an acorn becomes a giant oak
as when an acorn becomes a giant oak tree or when dinosaurs evolved into
tree or when dinosaurs evolved into
tree or when dinosaurs evolved into birds
birds
birds we transformation requires effort and
we transformation requires effort and
we transformation requires effort and faith a chick has to break through a
faith a chick has to break through a
faith a chick has to break through a hard-edged shell without knowing what’s
hard-edged shell without knowing what’s
hard-edged shell without knowing what’s on the other side a seedling has to push
on the other side a seedling has to push
on the other side a seedling has to push up through through the heavy ground
up through through the heavy ground
up through through the heavy ground without ever having experienced sunlight
without ever having experienced sunlight
without ever having experienced sunlight as part of nature we too are endowed
as part of nature we too are endowed
as part of nature we too are endowed with the creative life force that allows
with the creative life force that allows
with the creative life force that allows us to do great things people are
us to do great things people are
us to do great things people are responding to current challenges with
responding to current challenges with
responding to current challenges with conscious and deliberate action recent
conscious and deliberate action recent
conscious and deliberate action recent examples include the women’s March the
examples include the women’s March the
examples include the women’s March the people’s climate March and US states
people’s climate March and US states
people’s climate March and US states cities universities and companies
cities universities and companies
cities universities and companies committing to the International climate
committing to the International climate
committing to the International climate agreement no matter what the president
agreement no matter what the president
agreement no matter what the president says we truly can succeed but we’re on a
says we truly can succeed but we’re on a
says we truly can succeed but we’re on a knife edge where we can’t remain the
knife edge where we can’t remain the
knife edge where we can’t remain the choices you and I make today could
choices you and I make today could
choices you and I make today could determine whether the human species
determine whether the human species
determine whether the human species wrecks our life-support system and
wrecks our life-support system and
wrecks our life-support system and crashes and burns or if we succeed in
crashes and burns or if we succeed in
crashes and burns or if we succeed in changing course
we have everything we need to upgrade to
we have everything we need to upgrade to a high tech and high nature way of life
a high tech and high nature way of life
a high tech and high nature way of life but time is our scarcest resource and
but time is our scarcest resource and
but time is our scarcest resource and our dire situation calls on us to do
our dire situation calls on us to do
our dire situation calls on us to do much more action is our bridge to a
much more action is our bridge to a
much more action is our bridge to a sustainable world there’s so many
sustainable world there’s so many
sustainable world there’s so many specific actions you and I can take but
specific actions you and I can take but
specific actions you and I can take but if I could just leave you with one
if I could just leave you with one
if I could just leave you with one prescription that could change
prescription that could change
prescription that could change everything it is this this is where it
everything it is this this is where it
everything it is this this is where it starts go for a walk in the woods or on
starts go for a walk in the woods or on
starts go for a walk in the woods or on the beach or in the park relishing your
the beach or in the park relishing your
the beach or in the park relishing your connection with nature and reflecting on
connection with nature and reflecting on
connection with nature and reflecting on the good news possibilities I’ve shared
the good news possibilities I’ve shared
the good news possibilities I’ve shared with you today and feel in your heart
with you today and feel in your heart
with you today and feel in your heart that you and other living things are
that you and other living things are
that you and other living things are worth protecting
worth protecting
worth protecting if we focus on all we have going for us
if we focus on all we have going for us
if we focus on all we have going for us we’ll feel confident feeling confident
we’ll feel confident feeling confident
we’ll feel confident feeling confident we’ll try harder and trying harder
we’ll try harder and trying harder
we’ll try harder and trying harder remote more likely to succeed in
remote more likely to succeed in
remote more likely to succeed in creating the kind of world we want for
creating the kind of world we want for
creating the kind of world we want for ourselves future generations and our
ourselves future generations and our
ourselves future generations and our fellow species thank
fellow species thank
fellow species thank [Applause]
”
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