PROGRAM
9-9:30 Check in. Pick up lunch and drink tickets
Coffee
9:30 Welcome by PHE Board President, Doug Couchon
Overview of the day - Elizabeth Whitehouse
9:50 In this 2018 TED Talk (viewed 5 million times), British economist Kate Raworth describes an economy designed to thrive, not grow, while staying within the planet’s ecological limits, so-called Doughnut Economics. She presents some revolutionary ideas, completely at odds with traditional economic theory. She is our keynote speaker and subsequent presentations expand on her ideas.
10:10 Questions?
10:15 Former Secretary of Labor, and co-founder of Inequality Media, Robert Reich, presents the “reader's digest” version of his 2020 book, The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It. He explores the system of power in America that bails out corporations instead of people, even in times of crisis. (Video)
10:35 Alfred University Professor of Philosophy, Emrys Westacott, talks about simplicity based on his book, The Wisdom of Frugality: Why Less Is More - More or Less
10:55 Quick stretch
11:00 STEM the tide - getting back to humanity. - Elizabeth Whitehouse Technology has led us to the brink of disaster; technology will not get us out of the mess we are in.
11:20 The Green Revolution and unintended consequences - Sarah Savory explains (via Zoom) how industrial agriculture has caused widespread desertification, and how Holistic Management can reverse the damage.
11:40 LUNCH - First sitting (A)
12:10 Second sitting (B)
During the lunch hour you can:
* visit with our co-sponsors and learn more about the work their groups do
* watch a short video on Miyawaki forests
* pick up handouts
* shop our bookstore/flea market
* record questions for discussion at the end of the afternoon
12:40 “R” we there yet: “If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt,
refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled or composted, then it should be restricted,
redesigned or removed from production.”
Pete Seeger
This session will look at waste in various forms,
including wasted opportunities.
12:45 The perils of landfills. Landfills seemed like a good idea at the time.
Yvonne Taylor of Seneca Lake Guardian, will tell us what went wrong.
1:05 In one of many wonderful animated videos from the Story of Stuff
Project, Annie Leonard explains what’s wrong with Plastic Bottles.
1:25 Waste (and wasted) Water - Jimmie Joe Carl from the Chemung
County Wastewater Coalition talks about water management.
1:45 From Parking Lots to Paradise - Katherine Rose. Through urban
re-greening, Depave, from Portland Oregon, transforms over-paved
places, creating resilient community green spaces. (Zoom)
2:05 Break
2:20 Creating Livable Communities. Jim Hassell has been studying urban
planning, based on the Main Street America model. Here he
presents some of his ideas for Elmira and other Southern Tier communities.
2:40 The Power of Compost. Master Composter, Josh Enderle, will share his
extensive knowledge of composting, and the important role the
process plays in diverting organic material from landfills.
3:00 Growing food in urban environments. Zeke Pierce will talk about the many
ways that city dwellers can contribute to food production.
3:15 Restoring Biodiversity. The simplest solution to all environmental and
ecological problems, yet the most difficult to achieve.
Journalist and author, Judith Schwartz, wraps up the day. (Zoom)
3:45 Discussion. Q & A
4:30 Happy hour to enjoy complimentary refreshments and continue the
conversation.