Regeneration – The Movement
There are many people talking about regeneration, including many in this collection of people, books and organizations. We want to highlight the work of Damon Gameau. He has been working with Paul Hawken, the founder of Project Drawdown, Kate Raworth the ground-breaking economist, and others around the world on films and campaigns to help generate more understanding and excitement around the possibilities of regeneration.
Check out the film 2040 – here is the trailer.
There are educator resources that accompany the 2040 film here.
Damon’s latest initiative can be found at this website. Watch this video about joining the regeneration.
We have watched Damon’s TedTalk many times since it was published in fall 2022 – a compelling appeal to tell a new, old story of humans and our kin.
We are also inspired by Sierra Robinson from British Columbia who made this TedTalk at the age of 17. She makes a strong case for regeneration over sustainability.
Braiding Sweetgrass
Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer is Professor of Environmental and Forest Biology at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
In her book, Braiding Sweetgrass, she performs the most exquisite alchemy by weaving her scientific training, Indigenous wisdom traditions and her teachings of plants into pure gold – and medicine – for our time. A natural born story teller and teacher, she lays before us a path that circles back and forward at the same time, marking the way with defining questions that are worthy of answering.
There is a great new adaptation now available: Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults.
Note that her new book, The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, is anticipated in November 2024. You can pre-order with our friends at The Outdoor Learning School & Store, a wonderful Canadian charity.
Evidence-Based Hope
Dr. Elin Kelsey, a Canadian scholar, public speaker, educator and award-winning author, is helping to shift the narrative around our environmental issues to help us see the amazing things happening all over the world to rebuild biodiversity, address plastic pollution, restore species at risk, and so much more. She has been interviewed in several podcasts about her work, and her book, Hope Matters – Why Changing the Way We Think Is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis.
Check out #oceanoptimism, #earthoptimism, and #conservationoptimism, for stories of impact and change for the better.
The Good Ancestor
Written by Roman Krznaric, this book is provoking us to consider how we can be thinking seven generations forward, consider intergenerational justice, and how to build a path to becoming a good ancestor. Can’t recommend this one enough!
Get a flavour by watching Roman’s TedTalk.
Triple WellBeing®
ThoughtBox Education, a UK social enterprise, is doing wonderful things to lead wellbeing for self, others and the more than human world. They have so many wonderful free resources for educators and leaders, and a list of great podcast episodes.
Climate Mental Health Resources
The Climate Mental Health Network has a wide array of resources, including resources for teachers in K-12 schools, as well as resources for parents, students, and all of us trying to manage these complex times. There is a lesson plan for High School teachers written by Bonita Ford, a Canadian doing great work in this space. You can learn more about Bonita’s work here.
And definitely check out the TripleWellbeing resources above.
UNESCO Greening Education Guidance
In June 2024 UNESCO published this comprehensive guide to teaching and learning in climate action. Gratitude to the contributors from all over the world, including one of our advisors, Dr. Ellen Field.
Climate Justice Education
This is a great resource to understand climate justice and integrate it into formal and informal education.
Bravo to the team of Deb L. Morrison, Kelsie Fowler, Philip Bell and Taiji Nelson out of the University of Washington in Seattle. Thank you for sharing!
Whole School Approaches to Sustainability
Published as an open access book in the summer of 2024, you will find a huge range of chapters from around the world highlighting different ways that school leaders are taking an institutional approach to increasing the efforts to a sustainable world.
Check out the chapter, Accelerating Change-Making: Reflections on on Embedding Regenerative Practices in School Climate Action. It was co-authored by one of our advisors, Dr. Ellen Field, our Co-Founder & Executive Director, Michèle Andrews, and leaders from 3 of our Pilot Schools in the Climate Action Accelerator Program: Alison Elliott, Sustainability Director at Trinity College School (Grades 6 – 12 in Port Hope, Ontario); John Hannah, Science Teacher & Eleonor Kerr, Director of Operations at Hillfield Strathallan College (preK-12 school in Hamilton, Ontario), and Drew Stephens, Head of School at Southridge School (K-12 school in Surrey, British Columbia).
Project Drawdown
This collaborative effort of scientists around the world presents the solutions that already exist to achieve the point where we start drawing down greenhouse gas emissions. It has many free resources, including a short video-based course, and a set of programs for schools.
Their Executive Director, Jonathan Foley, presented this TedTalk which gives an excellent 15-minute summary of both the critical point we are at, and what we can do to chart the path forward.
Visit the Project Drawdown Website
Doughnut Economics
Doughnut Economics is a brilliant way to look at the planetary limitations, and the social foundation for human life. It can be used as a lens, a model, for charting a future that will address the many intersecting crises of our time. Kate Raworth is the founder – check out this TedTalk where she explains it.
She is also a guest in the Flourish podcast series we highlight below.
Learn more here
Flourish Systems Change Podcast
Based on the wonderful book, Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency, this podcast is a series of thought-provoking from leaders around the world helping us adopt a regenerative approach to shaping our future.
Find the podcasts here.
Regeneration.org
Paul Hawken is a leader in the regeneration movement. He was the founder of Project Drawdown, and is now leading a new initiative to help amplify the solutions to the climate crisis with his book, Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation, and the accompanying website. Plenty of inspiration to fuel your action.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation
There is so much to learn about how to make the necessary transition to a circular economy, where the word “waste” doesn’t exist.
Here are four short videos they have made (amongst many) that will give you a crash course in the circular economy in under 13 minutes!
Biomimicry
Let Janine Benyus, co-founder of the Biomicry Institute, tell you more about the incredible and growing field of biomimicry.
Visit the Biomimicry Institute Website
One Planet Living
“Imagine a world where everyone, everywhere lives happy, healthy lives within the limits of the planet, leaving space for wildlife and wilderness. We call this One Planet Living, and we believe it’s achievable.” One Planet Living is a vision of a world where we can live happily within the Earth’s resources, using a straightforward framework to inspire and support action.
International Living Future Institute
The International Living Future Institute is working to catalyze the transformation to communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. We have been deeply moved by their leadership, and are proud to be working on a registered Living Building Challenge project.
We invite you to watch this TedTalk by Jason McLennan, the founder of the Living Building Challenge. Jason is now a Principal at PerkinsWill, the second largest architectural firm in the world. Jason lives in the US Northwest, and is also proud Canadian.
Read Jason’s November 2022 blog reflecting on what is needed now in the “green building” movement.
All We Can Save
Dr. Katharine Wilkinson and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson are leaders in helping people take bold climate action. They are editors of the book All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, a collection of essays from scientists, artists, activists on the climate crisis.
These women are also doing amazing work – they founded the All We Can Save Project with resources to help facilitate action by anyone who wants to try.
Dr. Johnson has a great TedTalk on How to Find Joy in Climate Action.
Dr. Wilkinson co-hosts a wonderful podcast, A Matter of Degrees, which is filled with stories of bold climate leadership, groundbreaking campaigns, and people doing their best to be part of the solution.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The UN Sustainable Development Goals are about achieving peace and prosperity for all people, and our planet. These are always worth reviewing as you embark on climate and nature action in your school and community.