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Posted - 10/25/2012 Planting Seeds: Musings from the 1st Annual ITP Grant Partner Gathering
PlantingSeeds.pngAs the 5th year of ITP Grant Partners (“GP”) began “invoking their pauses” over the past few months, I was reminded once again of ITP’s mission.  An accumulation of collaborative acts  -- “adding, adding to, adding more” ** – fertilizing  new ideas and understandings about climate change impacts on our planet.  I saw synergies among these GP’s efforts.  I wanted them to meet each other sooner rather than later, share stories, and see what kismet would be sparked.


** “Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.  Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely.  It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good.  What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts, adding, adding to, adding more, continuing.  We know that it does not take everyone on earth to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up during the first, second or hundredth gale.”      -Clarissa Pinkola Estes

So, we recently gathered together at the San Francisco  Fort Mason “On the Commons” studio of a previous GP.    What a rich and lively afternoon of personal storytelling and “pause” presentations among participants meeting each other for the 1st time, including a Skype call with a North Carolina GP.   We transitioned through a blazing sunset into an evening of animated conversations and camaraderie, seasoned with a delicious “Bounty from Sonoma County” repast and bio-dynamic wines!

Just a few highlights from the GP presentations:
  • creation of  a “Disaster Smart Phone App” to develop a tool for communities to help build resiliency networks dealing with natural disasters as a result of climate change;
  • creating a new initiative at Duke University to get students involved in research about how certain words -- such as “nature, environment, climate change”—are processed in the brain and how neuroscience can help shape how people think ecologically;
  • documentary film about organic farming in Sonoma, CA to educate people about 'sustainability', from shopping and eating healthy, locally grown foods to helping farmers lead more economically viable livelihoods;
  • a collaboration between a seasoned journalist and a renowned photographer telling a story of climate change impacts on California agriculture from a unique perspective;
  • a coalition of organizations working locally and across 33 states focusing on individual and community actions to create and unite personal, home and community ecologies.
At the onset, I was curious what “ROR’s” (“Return on Relationships”) and “Collateral Delights” could be created.  I need not have wondered for long!!   From the 1st presentation, GPs chimed in with suggestions to each other, sharing contacts and resources.  The energy and enthusiasm built.  Their presentations exceeded the allotted time frame.  We poured wine and continued to dialogue well into the evening hours before dinner and more conversation!

I realize we now developed a template for a new annual GP event! We “ROC”d (“Return on Community/Collaboration) each other!!

I am excited to see what will be seeded from this gathering - please visit the website gallery for photos from the day!  Stay tuned…and please return to this website soon for more updates!!




 

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