Paul Stamets, Katsi Cook and Jeffrey Bronfman – Plant Sacraments and the Mind of Nature

Can plants help people access the intelligence in nature—the “mind of nature”—that we must learn to understand in order to supersede our ecologically destructive habits? This panel features Jeffrey Bronfman, founding member of the União do Vegetal church of the United States; Paul Stamets, master mycologist; Katsi Cook, renowned Mohawk midwife and environmental activist. Hosted by J.P. Harpignies, Bioneers Associate Producer.

This panel took place at the 2014 Bioneers Annual Conference. Video shot and edited by Bjarni Thor Haraldsson.

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Sandra Steingraber – The Environmental Life of Children

The brilliant health researcher, cancer survivor, bestselling author of Living Downstream, and the most articulate advocate for a toxic-free environment since Rachel Carson, describes her health battles, motherhood and activism. She shows the environmental links to many cancers (including hers) that the medical establishment refuses to look at. She focuses on the effects even tiny amounts of chemicals can have on the fetus and small children, and challenges our collective failure to address our global ecological unraveling or control toxic chemicals. She has faith that an environmental human rights movement will emerge to usher in a far more conscious era.

This talk was given at the 2008 Bioneers Annual Conference and is part of the Everywoman’s Leadership, Vol. 1 and Ecological Medicine, Vol. 1 Collections.

 

Nina Simons – Women, Purpose and Power

In this inspiring talk, Bioneers Co-Founder Nina Simons shares what 20 years with Bioneers, and years co-leading Cultivating Women’s Leadership workshops has taught her: Effective women’s leadership arises from natural feminine qualities (that are also present in men). By allowing the intelligences “in our bodies, hearts and bones” to guide us – generosity, intuition, vulnerability, fear and love – we can create relationships that make leadership the province of each of us, not just the few.

This speech was given at the 2009 Bioneers Annual Conference and is part of the Everywoman’s Leadership Collection, Vol. 1.

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Jensine Larsen – The Electric Pulse of Women Transforming our World

Growing up in rural Wisconsin, Jensine Larsen scoured news publications for the voices of women teachers. When she couldn’t find them, at 19 she took off for the Amazon, where she gathered stories and shared them back home through outlets such as NPR and Air America. Larsen brims with excitement about the global rise of women’s leadership and its relationship to the communications revolution that she catalyzes and supports through World Pulse, an online media platform she designed to turn up the volume on women’s stories across the globe.

This speech was given at the 2009 Bioneers Annual Conference and is part of the Everywoman’s Leadership Collection, Vol. 1.

 

Lily Yeh – The Rwanda Healing Project

In this uplifting presentation, Lily Yeh shares stories and images from her internationally celebrated community art projects. From the inner city of Philadelphia to the genocide-ravaged countryside of Rwanda, she depicts her experiences creating art that’s rooted in communities, rather than imposed on them. She uses the medium of mosaics as both art and metaphor to encourage people to use pieces of things that are broken to create beauty. The projects improve the physical environment, promote economic development, preserve indigenous art and culture, and empower damaged and impoverished communities to heal and revitalize themselves. She exudes the gentle grace of a Taoist priestess and the fearlessness of a warrior for peace.

This speech was given at the 2009 Bioneers Annual Conference.

Ilarion Merculieff – The Womb at the Center of the Universe

This Aleut traditional messenger invokes indigenous perspectives and ancestral wisdom to guide us through modern times. His elders say that the leadership of women is paramount to transform civilization to conserve Earth’s capacity to sustain life.

This speech was given at the 2013 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Joanna Macy – Choosing Life

Deep Ecology extends an inalienable right to life to all beings. A systems theorist, author and lifelong activist, Joanna Macy describes how healing the world and healing your heart and soul go hand in hand.

This talk took place at the 2013 Bioneers National Conference and is part of the Protecting and Restoring Nature Collection, Vol. 1.

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins – Motherhood and Leadership

The former CEO of Green For All shares her deeply personal journey of the experience of becoming a mother and her renewed urgency to create a healthier and more just planet. The challenges of parenting have stretched and transformed her approach to leadership.

This speech was given at the 2013 Bioneers Annual Conference.

 

Jay Harman – The Nature of Innovation

The President-CEO of PAX Scientific reveals how scientists and designers are taking cues from nature to find breakthrough solutions. Take sunscreen modeled on hippo sweat. How might we borrow the recipe? It’s time for a fresh look at technology and design, with nature as our mentor.

This speech was given at the 2013 Bioneers Annual Conference.

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Janine Benyus – The Biomimicry Network Effect

The acclaimed biologist, innovation consultant and author Janine Benyus illuminates how the biomimicry community can collaborate with nature on a hot list of challenges that just can’t wait. Invoking leading-edge science, she shows how biological networks can provide a model to spread good ideas far and wide.

This speech was given at the 2013 Bioneers Annual Conference.

David McConville – Cosmomimicry: Why the Universe Matters

The Buckminster Fuller Institute Board Chair illustrates the geocentric view of the universe as our renewed cosmic model. Earth – our observational center – is also our ecological center. Yet we can embrace systems thinking as far-reaching as the universe and find a restorative path to our future – knowing “the universe we design for is the universe we’re going to get.”

This speech was given at the 2013 Bioneers National Conference and is part of the Eco-Design Collection, Vol. 2.