Bioregionalism: Redesigning Society

Bulletin 19

Bioregionalism: Redesigning Society

Bioregionalism: Redesigning Society

An Introduction - with David Haenke

Natalie Koesten, Heartland All Species Project Intern reports on
David Haenke Visit UMKC, about 40 in attendance
03.19.05

Spokesperson for bioregionalism, David Haenke, visited UMKC Saturday for a four-hour open forum to discuss the purpose of a bioregional (eco-regional) congress. "Bioregionalism involves redesigning society and its institutions to achieve environmental balance and human equity." Its fundamental ideas are geared toward changing paradigms that no longer serve the world community. Bioregionalism encourages a focus on local people and production to make the most out of what each watershed, independently, has to offer.

Our group Saturday consisted of students and community members alike. We were amongst many civic activists such as the founder of the Kansas City Green Party, Dee Barry, and the director of the Heartland All Species Project, Marty Kraft, as well as individuals interested in learning more about sustainable community. The ideas involved in sustainable living address issues such as composting, alternatives to supermarket dependency, and supporting local growers. Composting is an alternative to mixing organic "waste" with non-organic waste such as plastics. By composting, the process that combines leaves, food waste and water to create humus, we are transforming waste into food for the soil. David Haenke believes that removing dependency from large corporations is a way to empower citizens and encourage many burgeoning local projects such as gardens, restaurants, and other various businesses capable of becoming eco-friendly.

One of the largest positions Haenke stands by is in opposition to our traditional, western, anthropocentric view of the world. He advocates a shift in this paradigm because the failure to view (and treat) non-human entities as having equal rights leads to their destruction and our demise as a consequence, because the human race is infinitely dependent on these entities for survival.

Seeds were planted Saturday in Royall Hall. Each of us participated in a productive discussion, became familiar with fellow Kansas City dwellers, and made connections for the future of sustainability in Kansas City.

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In 1977 David Haenke cofounded the Ozark Area Community Congress, the first bioregional congress. He conceptualized and organized the North American Bioregional Congress (1984), was one of the five original convenors of the US Greens-Green Party (1984), and founded the North American Conference on Christianity and Ecology (1984) with Thomas Berry. He is one of the best spokesperson for bioregionalism and has introduced it around the world. He manages a sustainable forest and lives near Brixie Missouri in Ozark County. He is an Ecodreamer, Ecothinker and an Ecodoer.
http://www.nrec.org/haenke/

Saturday, March 19th, Royal Hall, UMKC at 52nd and Charlotte, Room 305 from 10 AM - 2PM. Please bring a sack lunch.

For more information http://www.bioregionalcongress.org

Sponsored by Heartland All Species Project in collaboration with the
Center for Applied and Professional Ethics at UMKC and
the Environmental Studies Student Association.

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