Janine Benyus – What Life Knows

Biomimicry seeks to emulate the time-tested adaptive strategies of many species of plants, animals and microorganisms to transform how we live on this planet. Janine Benyus of the Biomimicry Guild celebrates the newest ancient ideas bubbling up in the natural sciences, illuminating how evolution’s wisdom can help us design benign, life-enhancing technologies while inspiring us to protect Earth’s biodiversity. Introduction by Kenny Ausubel, Bioneers CEO and Co-Founder.

This speech was presented at the 2005 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Gloria Steinem – When Women Are People…and Corporations Are Not

Often the same adversaries oppose women’s, anti-racist, environmental, peace, human rights, indigenous, sexual liberation, consumer, children’s rights and other such movements. Yet these movements often remain separate and don’t see their organic linkage. Gloria Steinem, the iconic leader who continues to inhabit the leading edges of progressive social change, traces the historical, political and practical reasons movements are linked — not ranked — and why our success depends on it. Introduction by Nina Simons, Bioneers President and Co-Founder.

This speech was given at the 2011 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Van Jones – The Marriage of Social Justice & Environmental Protection

Van Jones, a highly influential, award-winning activist and author, currently a CNN political contributor, founded and led four social and environmental justice NGOs (The Ella Baker Center, promoting criminal justice reform; Color of Change, focused on racial fairness; Green for All, which promotes “green” job creation; and Rebuild The Dream/Dream Corps Unlimited). He is a major figure in challenging the criminal justice system and its over-incarceration of urban youth. His keen intelligence and dynamic but deeply centered initiatives have won him widespread local, national and international recognition and honors. Introduction by Nina Simons, Bioneers President and Co-Founder.

This speech was given at the 2003 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Van Jones – Towards a Green Alliance: Birthing a New Politics

It is the chief moral obligation of our time to build a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. The activist and founder of four non-profits, including Dream Corps and Green For All, Van Jones urges us to carry our spiritual, cultural and economic movements into the electoral arena to transform politics and forge a green “New Deal” coalition so that kids who are now prison fodder will help create a zero-pollution economy, harvest the sun and heal the land instead.

Introduction by Jodie Evans, co-founder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace.

This speech was given at the 2007 Bioneers National Conference.

See related videos in our Green New Deal Media Collection.

Dayna Baumeister – Biomimicry: Life’s Operating Manual

Envision what our world would and could look like if we actually started reading and following the directions contained in “Life’s Operating Manual.” Co-founder with Janine Benyus of the Biomimicry Guild and Biomimicry Institute, Dayna Baumeister provides an eagle’s-eye view of biomimicry breakthroughs using ecological design and nature-inspired technologies that emulate nature’s profound design sophistication. She has worked in the field of biomimicry with Janine Benyus since 1998 and designed and teaches the world’s first Biomimicry Professional Certification Program. Introduction by Byrony Schwan, Executive Director of the Biomimicry Institute.

This speech was given at the 2011 Bioneers National Conference.

Explore our Biomimicry media collection >

Karen Brown – Revolutionizing K-12 Education with Sustainability in Mind

“Smart by Nature” education has the potential to impart to our young the keys to sustainable living, revitalize our nation’s approach to schooling, and point the way to a hopeful future. This bold vision developed by the Center for Ecoliteracy is preparing today’s young people for the ecological challenges of the coming decades. Karen Brown, CEL Creative Director and an award-winning designer, explores how this vision is becoming reality in K-12 schools nationally.

This speech was given at the 2011 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Bill McKibben – Global Warming

The mother of all environmental threats, global warming requires immediate technological and social responses on an unprecedented global scale. Author and environmental activist Bill McKibben, a frequent contributor to a wide variety of publications including The New York Times, explores how humanity is rising to the challenge.

This speech was given at the 2005 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Rha Goddess – Who’s Got Next

Young women are rising up to take their power, and in doing so they are re-weaving a web of relationship that promises to rock the world. Performing artist, activist and hip-hop entrepreneur Rha Goddess, renowned for her spoken-word dexterity and feisty political consciousness, explores how this generation’s daughters are branding their own movement of love, power and freedom.

Find out more about Rha Goddess and her current endeavors by visiting https://www.movethecrowd.me/.

See more from our Everywoman’s Leadership Program >>

Lois Gibbs – From Love Canal to the Nation

Lois Gibbs, the legendary grassroots champion of environmental justice, describes how society is moving away from counting the bodies resulting from bad industrial and pollution policies to prevention, precaution and other winning strategies for a healthy, safe and economically sound future.

Lois Gibbs founded the Center for Health, Environment & Justice in 1981 after her experience exposing the now-infamous Love Canal disaster, which unfolded in her own backyard (literally). Find out more about Lois and her work and campaigns by visiting the Center for Health, Environment & Justice.

This speech was given at the 2006 Bioneers Conference.

Sofia Quintero: Women Telling Our Stories and Promoting Justice

Sofia Quintero, the Bronx-born writer, activist, educator, comedienne and self-proclaimed “Ivy-League homegirl” of Puerto Rican-Dominican descent shares how she has married her activism with storytelling in the critically acclaimed Black Artemis novels and in other socially conscious entertainment in many media.

This speech took place at the 2006 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Thom Hartmann: Beyond Framing

“Conservatives” and corporate interests use the powerful tools of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to define arguments, win elections and persuade the public. To be effective in the public arena, progressives and bioneers must first understand these tools. Thom Hartmann learned NLP 27 years ago as a psychotherapist and advertising agency CEO. He is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host, and award-winning author of 14 books including Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights.

Find out more about Thom Hartmann and how you can engage with his campaigns and efforts by visiting The Hartmann Report

This speech was given at the 2005 Bioneers National Conference.

 

Maude Barlow – Blue Gold: Water as a Human Right

The world is running out of fresh water, and there is no environmental crisis as great as the commodification of the world’s water supply by giant corporations. Maude Barlow, national chairperson of The Council of Canadians, and author of Blue Gold, will describe the movement to guarantee a water-secure future based on conservation, equity and the public good.

Find out more about Maude Barlow and how you can engage with her campaigns and efforts by visiting The Council of Canadians or by following her on Twitter, @MaudeBarlow.

This speech was given at the 2003 Bioneers National Conference.