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GROUP DETAILS
Created: Feb 20, 2008
Updated: Nov 19, 2009
Membership: Open
Public
Environmental Circle of the Coalition for OneVoice
(a.k.a.: Environmental Focus Circle)
( Network/ Coalition/ Collective )
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Environmental Circle of the Coalition for One Voice (see Coalition for OneVoice and New York Coalition for OneVoice here at WiserEarth) is a "Focus Circle" of the COV. As such, its member extend beyond just the COV and include a number of New York City environmental organization leaders and other interested persons. These persons have been, among other things, involved in creating the "New YorkCity Metro Coalition" here at WiserEarth. These include persons like Dr. Kurt Johnson, a prominent New York City-based ecologist; Dan Miner, coordinator the the New York City Sierra Club; Dr. Bill Gellerman of the Climate and Energy Caucus at the United Nations; Eleanor Rae and Alayne O'Reilly, founder/directors of the Earth Values Caucus at the United Nations, Rick Ulfik, founder of the international activist NGO "We the World", Jane Gignoux, a leader in international World Cafe' and discussion of "world story shift"; New York Emmy Award winning director Emily Squires, and former NPR feature writer Richard Schiffman. This Circle and others meet monthly, or more often in New York City. See WiserEarth postings and schedules at www.coalitionforonevoice.org (Environmental Focus Circle).
Currently, the Circle is working with reknowned tree portrait artist Anders Knutsson (www.andersknutsson.com) to create a regular venue for gathering New York City-based environmental activists for discussion of potential projects of mutual interest, activities, and other projects. For information on this activity contact janehg4@verizon.net; for information on the Circle contact kurtjohnsonisd@yahoo.com.
Initiative I: "TreeFriends"
Many, if not most, New Yorkers have very little opportunity to connect deeply to the natural world on a regular basis. We live in a man-made world of computers, electronic switches and devices, using artificial light sources, and underground transport. Concern about global warming or the environment may seem remote and unimportant compared to the pressures of our immendiate day-to-day lives. Whether we hang out in a third grade classroom, a Wall Street board room, a CVS stockroom, an upscale ad agency, or a high rise corporate cubicle, the world of nature has precious little chance to intrude.
TreeFriends is an initiative intended to invite our urban neighbors to get to know and build long-lasting relationships with some of our most powerful, influential, and magnificent fellow beings--our Trees.
Anders Knutsson is a Swedish-born painter and long time resident of New York City. For the last 14 years he has been painting some of our most impressive examples of the life form we often take for granted--the Tree. These paintings are in no way landscapes; they are true portraits. A fine portrait, one that can actually move the viewer, is not merely a good physical likeness. Rather it manages to capture the inner, spiritual being of the subject. When we gaze at the Mona Lisa or a Rembrandt portrait, we are inevitably drawn into relationship with another being. Something in our own inner knowing connects with the essence emmanating from the artist's rendition. Anders' Trees are such portraits.
The plan is to show some of the Knutsson Tree portraits in a public space in Manhattan (and hopefully later in the other boroughs), collaborate with performing artists--musicians, dancers, poets--to create a multi-sensory experience for New Yorkers, as well as visitors. These program would vary depending on the type of group attending. For instance, there would be different school programs to suit the interests of primary, middle, and high school students. Some programs would be interactive and energetic, while others might be more contemplative evoking guiet and stillness.
We hope to tie in TreeFriends with concrete actions sponsored by organizations working to protect, plant, and/or nurture trees and forests both locally and worldwide. Some of the activities may be out of doors in the parks and wildlands of the City, where we can join with urban park rangers, biologists, and others to actually explore and celebrate the City's little-known world of trees.
TreeFriends is currently in the early stages of development. We are reaching out to creative people in many fields who have a passion for the natural world in order to introduce them to Knutsson's Trees. Invariably on these occasions, people are drawn to the power, magesty, and intimacy of the portraits. In addition to engaging people in the arts, we are seeking New Yorkers with a history of making things happen to improve our way of life here, imaginative folk of all kinds who are willing to be the change we want to see in the world.
Here is an update on TreeFriends. We welcome your feedback and participation.
Summary
The core purpose of TreeFriends is to catalyse urban behavioural change in response to the environmental crisis. TreeFriends engages people in revisiting the fundamental human story and radically changing that story so that it is in alignment with current scientific findings that confirm the interrelated and interdependent nature of all life on planet Earth.
Short history, current programs and services of TreeFriends’ Sponsor, FIONS
Friends of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (FIONS) was founded in 1989 “to affect quality of life issues so that we may live in our environment and achieve our greatest individual and collective potential.” In 1998, FIONS launched Teens for Planet Earth, inviting NYC high schools students to work in small teams to address the questions “What kind of planet do you want to live on?? and “How can we make our lives better?” The teams created bus posters, the winning posters were displayed in all NYC busses for several months.
In 2006, some FIONS members joined with others to found the Coalition for OneVoice (COV), “to bring together individuals and organizations who are dedicated to spiritual, social and environmental transformation for the betterment of all beings.” COV has produced several large events featuring Deepak Chopra, Andrew Cohen, Carolyn Myss, Andrew Harvey, and Matthew Fox. People also meet regularly in small focus circles.
TreeFriends was born from the COV’s Environment Focus Circle. Its mission, “Using the arts to transform our relationship to the natural world,” is based on the realization that humans need to embrace a new story of who we are and our place in the web of life on Earth. Instead of continuing to behave as though humans are separate from and superior to all other life forms, we need to recognize and live by the reality that science demonstrates: all life is interconnected and interdependent. Using art, music, poetry, movement, TreeFriends works with students of all ages who dialogue respectfully, create new and strong commitments to alternative ways to relate to and use energy, water, and other resources. Students create projects, connect to existing community programs— thereby living a new story.
TreeFriends Goal & Action Plan
TreeFriends’ goal is to radically change the motivation and behaviour of New Yorkers in relation to their environment, fellow human beings and all other life forms. TreeFriends aims to change the story of who we are and our role on planet Earth. For millennia most people have been behaving as though humans are separate from and superior to other life forms. In addition, the assumption has been that certain humans are superior to and more deserving than others. As this story continued to be played out over the centuries, people considered all life (including “inferior” humans) as their “resource” to be controlled, used, removed, discarded and/or eliminated. The dire consequences of this behaviour are becoming increasingly obvious to more and more people. Recently some thinkers have been calling for humans to adopt a new story. But how? Urban dwellers have an especially difficult task of reconnecting to nature in all its magnificent complexity because it is not part of their every day experience.
The TreeFriends action plan is to work in collaboration with resident faculty offering multi-media experiences and activities to certain NYC high schools and graduate students that will directly and indirectly address questions such as: Who am I really? How am I connected to the natural world? How do my actions affect others? What can I do to acknowledge the reality that all life is interconnected and interdependent? As students become more conscious of the consequences of their actions and motivated to change their behaviour, TreeFriends will connect them to existing environmental and community programs designed to improve urban conditions. This process is intended to both educate and inspire, resulting in life-changing and deeply motivated commitments to honour and respect all life.
What is the existing situation?
TreeFriends launched in April 2009 with an Invitational Reception and subsequent Multi-Media event in New York City. The program attracted over 40 leaders and influencers in education, environment, the arts, the private sector, government and public policy. TreeFriends now has partnership agreements with two New York City Public High Schools, Fordham University and is represented on the Education Sub-Committee of the Mayor’s MillionTree Campaign. We are currently planning youth and community engagement programs for the academic year 2009-2010 at the intersection of environmental and climate literacy, behaviour change and consciousness awakening for society regarding not merely responsible environmental citizenship but more crucially the underlying shift required to motivate and sustain these activities.
What is the envisioned effect on the long term compared to the situation right now?
We envision TreeFriends growing and spreading to more schools and community groups, not just in the New York City metro area but beyond. We anticipate a critical mass of people forming who are committed to finding ways to live out the new story of our interconnectedness and interdependence. Centuries ago humans had to radically change from the widely accepted story that Earth was the centre of the universe to the one that all school children learn today. That major shift in consciousness took place slowly and painfully with strenuous resistance from the reigning power institutions. Today we face a critical urgency, not merely from the evidence of climate change but also the globally escalating imbalances between rich and poor, the breakdown of social systems both local and worldwide that produce widespread violence, isolation and despair. We are also witnessing the same kind of strenuous resistance from today’s power structures.
As more people let go of the old story, however, and embrace a new story that takes its narrative from close observation of and appreciation for the beauty, richness and creativity of the diverse forms of life on Earth, they can celebrate this reality and truly become fully human beings. Anyone who has been part of a human community in which the members all respect one another, knows that the experience creates strong bonds of cooperation, trust and deep appreciation. TreeFriends’ long term aim is to build such communities that include, not just other humans but all other life forms. A quantum world of both/and
Praise for TreeFriends
“Congratulations on a very successful preview Tree Friends event. The dialogue process and the specific series of questions asked were very provocative and I think the combination of art, poetry and movement really primed the pump well.”
— J. Chevalier, Artist
“I never realized how wasteful my personal use of water was. From now on I’m going to change my behavior.”
— R. Sheley, Actor
“I want my graduate students to experience TreeFriends.”
— J. Stoner, Chair Global Sustainability Dept, Fordham University Business School