Annie Dunn Watson
We'll be discussing, among other things, what it's like to attempt to educate others about something about which they don't want to hear.
The silence that greets peak oil along with the naysayers who say "it's not a production problem it's an investment problem."
We've helped create a greater interest in local food production, alternatives to dependence on the single occupant vehicle, green energy future, and community building. Energy and community projects around the state are being kicked off by peak oil-inspired people. We're part of the work engagement instead of helplessness.
Our focus on communities has not deterred people in the network from partaking in statewide initiatives.
Home is going to become a lot more local than it used to be. We need to encourage one another, not criticize, because each of us will change as and when we can. Let's offer courage to one another.
Carl Etnier
They are starting to pay attention to us. It's happening not only globally, but here in the state. Peak oil task forces in Bennington, Brattleboro, Addision. There's been testimony in the legislature - not only by VPON, but by John Kaufman from Portland Oregon's Energy Department on their energy planning.
There's a public forum on heating costs next week. Please, if you have time, the more the merrier: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 from 7:00 PM -8:30 PM in Room 11.
Also, Richard Hineburg will speak in VT, Symington and Shumlin co-sponsoring his visit in Montpelier.
As Ghandi said: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
We're not trying to convince people that peak oil is real, we're trying to convince people to respond to the challenges presented by peak oil.
It's like people floating on a raft, having a party. The raft is sinking, but not fast enough to cause them to panic and try to get into harbor. So they keep partying, and the raft keeps sinking. Exactly when it will go under is unknown, but by the time their feet are wet, it may be too late to save themselves.
We know where we need to go. We're not sure about the timing. Even if we don't know the timing, we need to move in the right direction. We're here today to help us understand for ourselves what the right direction is.
Developing Capacities for Response to Peak Oil Presentation
The immediacy of climate change is coming to join the immediacy of peak oil. Scientists are beginning to speak out with what they really believe.
Presented by: SustainabilityInstitute.org
A "think do" tank. Not just think about the problems, but do something about them...
Did an energy retrofit last year on the building in which they work, giving it life into the future.
Our Climate Ourselves project (ourclimateourselves.org) - there are systemic traps that face us in climate change. Climate change activists feel great common purpose (and common problems) with the peak oil people.
Requires courage, independent thinking, and willingness to hold onto a vision. It's hard to remember that when the media is "debunking" it, that's the good news, because at least it's being mentioned.
A bathtub analogy was used to illustrate global climate change at this point. Rather than describe it, try the Bath tub simulator.
Moving from Despair to Empowerment
Rather than wasting our energy in ignoring our feelings, learn how to harness what we feel about overwhelming issues and put it to work.
Rigorous Analysis & Clear Communication
For whatever issue you're working on, break it down to see which of the 3 main categories ...[***fill in later***]
Acknowledge and look for the seeds that are around us.
It's easy to lose sight of what's happening all around us. It's important to look around, see what's happening around us, and point others to those things.
Be oriented toward a vision of what we want to see.
All actions happen when someone gets a vision, that vision is shared, people co-create based on that vision, then the vision is brought into being.
Check out the Dana Meadows video on vision.
Rubber band demo:
This is where we are now - pull the rubber band taut. The tension is the difference between where we are and where we want to be. There are two ways to relive the tension: lower your vision or increase your vision, to change reality in such a way that the fullest extent of rubber band is now less than the full extent of reality.
Two Senses of Vision:
1) Personal: inspiration, motivation, action, commitent, deep aspiration. If you choose a point far enough away, it can be used as a beacon. It can be a practical tool [quote from Dana Meadows): "If we haven't specified where we want to go, it is hard to set our compass.
2) Leadership
Engage and inspire others, motivate others to work together, and sharing what we want with others in a purposeful way.
Sometimes we self-sabotage our visions via ambiguity, reduced aspirations, or focusing on what we want to avoid rather than what we want to create.
We can build our capacity for visioning. Envisioning is a skill that can be developed, like any other human skill.
Commit your vision - be open about how to achieve it.
When we play with large ideas, we make room for vision. Let it try its little sneakers on and see if it can move.
We don't know how we are going to get to a sustainable society, but you can travel all over the world and see the pieces of it, today.
One thing cool about vision is you don't need anything fancy to do it - just your imagination.
Get a clear picture in your mind of what it is you're working toward. Be very open about how you're going to get there. If you're clear about where you want the world to go, then you'll recognize the seeds when you see them. The path may not be exactly what you expect, but you'll get there.
[group practice in visualizing happens here, sorry can't type for this exercise.]
Visions:
I've agreed to blog only the official presentations, not individual participant's statements, so I'll just state the premise: Envision where you personally are 20 years from now. What does your community look like, your home? Envision the food people eat, the clothes they wear. Etc.
How Systems Change
Hint: It's Not "You have a leader with a plan, and the leader makes you implement the plan."
Networks
The world doesn't change one person at a time. it changes when networks of relationships from among people who share a common cause and vision of what's possible. (margaret wheatley)
Emergence
Interconnections new wholes: the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
Upward Spirals
Someone does something and word spreads. Someone does a pilot project and others see that it really works and are inspired.
We can choose upward or downward sprials. (See Seeing Nature for explanations of how upward and downward spirals work)
Exercise: We answered a series of questions about a project vision, the obstacles we could throw in our own way, how we could overcome those, what resources we could apply to the project, and what we're going to do in the next 24 hrs toward it.
There are all of these images of how we will accomplish the solutions we'll need, but none of them have a single leader making it all happen. It's all of us working together, on our own pieces, in our own ways. Good ideas will go viral. There will be spokespeople. We wouldn't want to bet on just spokespeople, but also on a room full of our neighbors.
Quote from Paul Krafel, Seeing Nature, p.176: "Begin the work, even though you cannot see the path by which this work can lead to your goal. Do not block your power with your current understanding. Evolution is the process by which the impossible becomes possible through small, accumulating changes."
Talking Plain Seminar
a conflict doesn't have to be a problem unless you treat it like a problem.
Each of us have our personality, our vocabulary, experiences, and comfort level. What's the hook that brought you into this discussion? Write that on a piece of paper. That's your theme. Write 3 points that deal with that. Get me a personal story.
Book: Beyond Powerpoint.
In presentations, numbers and graphs won't do it for everyone. You've gotta have human pictures. How does it impact the family down the road? How does it impact you?
You want a human-to-human connection. It's preferable if it's your personal story and you're willing to share it.
Write down the things that happen during your day, and what peak oil implies for those things.
Don't use passive verbs, make it happen right now.
Almost an entire industry of researchers figuring out what it will take to get the average american to understand about climate change...
ACEE Behavior Energy and Climate Change Conference
3 categories of motivation:
Idealists
We do things because we know we should, so why wouldn't we?
Achievement-based (by far the Largest Group)
The rest of the group is doing it, so why don't I do it?
Most people have an OVERWHELMING urge to conform.
This group will respond if they see a reflection of themselves in others.
Social levers are more important than economic levers - "Everyone else is doing it vs you'll save 50%." Find something close to home.
Studies show that using fear, instead of motivating people, has the opposite effect.
The message: "We're doing great! And we can do even more!" is MUCH more effective than "We're not doing enough, we must do more!"
Individualists
Will do whatever they want whenever hey want regardless of everyone else.
Resources:
Transition Initiatives [warning: PDF]
Beyond Powerpoint.
World Without Us
ACEE Behavior Energy and Climate Change Conference |
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