Environment

Mark Leach has been teaching and living out the substance of his recent E-Book, Positive Participation with Nature: Ecological Restoration in Wisconsin. Engaging deeply with the the geography, history, flora, & fauna of a place, Mark shares lessons and insights into really meeting nature on respectful grounds and healing some of the scars of thoughtless human habitation of our land.

Aaron Ableman & Dave Room have founded Balance Edutainment to use a wide range of media in order to light young people's dreams with a vision of making a better world. They've just released Pacha's Pajamas and are rolling it out in many different forms - video, audio, app and book - with prominent names like Talib Kweli & Mos Def taking part.

John Michael Greer is a prolific author writing on diverse topics like peak oil, nature-based economics and, of course, druidry, because he is the Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America. His knowledge is vast and his presentation makes even complex topics understandable and compelling. His books include The Ecotechnic Future: Envisioning a Post-Peak World and The Wealth of Nature: Economics as if survival Matter.

Singer/songwriter/activist Eileen McGann weaves powerful themes of healing the world through much of her music, embedded in a spiritual depth and consciousness. Care for the Earth & all its creatures, war, democracy, economic fairness and equality are just some of the concerns that Eileen sings compellingly about.

All the songs in this program are performed by Eileen McGann:

5 students from Scattergood Friends School are headed down the Mississippi for Paddle for the Planet, a 1-month educational journey of environmental discovery. Colby, Sophia, Sam, Jamiah & Mary have studied renewable energy, river fish, the Gulf's dead zone, phenology & useful plants in preparation.

Sara Thomsen is strongly called to heal the world through her music. One of her songs, "Is It For Freedom", has been heard repeatedly on Democracy Now, because of its poignant call for our nation's self-examination following 9-11. Her concerns are wide - women, LGBT issues, care for creation, peace and more - and she writes and sings with soul-deep sensitivity.

All the songs in this program are performed by Sara Thomsen

Back on April 22nd, also known as Earth Day 2007, the Eau Claire Friends Meeting organized, Unity Christ Center of Eau Claire hosted and the Sierra Club and the Shalom Mennonite Church co-sponsored an Earth Banquet Potluck and Community Earth Singalong. About 40 hearty voices showed up and lifted up song of their souls for the Earth. It was all done without practice and with low-tech recording methods, but with immense joy.