VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2 Summer 2016

continued on page 3

INSIDE: Message from Our Executive Director, page 2

Sustainability Works: A Changemaker Interview, page 4

EcoChallenge 2.0 Is Here, page 5

Support Our New Simplicty Course, page 6

Thank you to our supporters!, page 7 •

By Sarah van GelderWe come into this world naked

with nothing to count on but love.Along the way, we pick up other

ideas about what’s important—status, possessions, money, a bucket list of experiences and accomplishments. But those who reflect back, as they near the end of life, often rediscover love as the source of real happiness.

It is a form of happiness that endures because it starts with the fundamentals and aspirations of being human.

Philosophers and religious leaders have long warned against getting distracted by petty ambitions. “It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents men from living

EarthMattersT H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E N O R T H W E S T E A R T H I N S T I T U T E

freely and nobly,” said British philosopher Bertrand Russell.

Still, many of us do get distracted and confused. After all, we need material security to live, and support our families, and our increasingly unequal society makes that more and more difficult. Meanwhile, advertisers spend billions to convince us that buying more stuff will make us happy; the elusive goal of material well-being stays just out of reach.

It is true that all of us need a basic level of material security. But after that, more stuff does not bring more happiness. The research shows that sustainable happiness comes from other sources, like having meaningful work to do (paid

or unpaid) and having authentic relationships.

In the nearly 20 years we’ve been covering sustainable happiness, we’ve found a remarkable consistency to what spiritual leaders, philosophers, and researchers say about it.

A starting point is to realize that we have choices.

Viktor E. Frankl, concentration camp survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, wrote, “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing: your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.”

Here are some of the things we’ve learned that you can do right now:

7 WAYS TO GET HAPPY - WITHOUT COSTING THE PLANET

The starting point is to realize we have choices—like meaningful work, authentic relationships, and gratitude.

EarthMatters 2 Summer 2016

A NOTE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORAs I write this, it’s been just

days since the events in Baton Rouge, St. Paul, and Dallas, and less than 4 weeks after Orlando. It’s difficult to share anything else before mourning the lives lost and witnessing the pain felt. As a team, we are heartbroken. We are deeply impacted by the issues of racial justice, diversity, and community safety associated with these tragic events. How we respond, especially systemically, to these issues may be complex, but whether we respond is simple: yes, we must. As an organization and a community, we are committed to expanding the ways our principles, learning model, and programs foster a more just and sustainable life for all people and communities.

This commitment to social justice is top of mind as we work to engage people in our work this year and going forward.

There are many changes and new projects to share. To put it simply – we are very busy. Here’s an attempt to tease out the biggest storylines.

ECOCHALLENGE 2.0This fall we launch the new

EcoChallenge. EcoChallenge “2.0” will give us the ability to increase participation from 5,000 a year to tens of thousands. That’s a big deal! We have the

potential to scale our impact in a huge way! There are many new features and opportunities we’ll be sharing soon. Beyond the new web platform, the biggest shift is our ability to host custom EcoChallenge events. We want to put the power in your hands. We are eager to see how you use this powerful tool to engage and create impact in your communities, businesses, and schools.

GROWING FROM OUR ROOTSWe see the future as evolution.

We are building on two decades of using our simple and powerful learning model: connect - reflect - act. Our principles, such as exploring personal and community change in a fun and social way and celebrating the little things that can make a big difference, continue to profoundly inform the decisions we make.

Questions we’re mulling over related to our evolution are: How do we integrate discussion courses with EcoChallenge? How do we integrate transformative learning with behavior change? How do we integrate in-person engagement with online engagement? We are committed to discovering these answers and welcome any ideas and feedback you have.

OUR GUIDE FOR THE JOURNEY

“Life creates conditions conducive to life.” -Janine Benyus

We believe that what we create and offer to the world is a direct reflection of who we are and what we value. All of our journeys, individually and collectively, are inextricably linked. That’s why we are committed to a living systems approach as an organization. Curious? See nwei.org/living_systems_approach/ for more details.

INTO THE UNKNOWNTo be honest, we’re taking some

risks, and we’re not sure what the next turn on our path will bring. We’re doing this because we believe in ourselves and we believe in you. We believe every person has the power to create positive action. Thinking about our future, I am reminded of a quote by Lao-Tzu referenced in the book, The Power of Positive Deviance:

Learn from the peoplePlan with the peopleBegin with what they haveBuild on what they knowOf the best leadersWhen the task is accomplishedThe people all remarkWe have done it ourselves

WHAT WILL YOU DO? -DAVID

ABOUT DAVID MACEKDavid joined the NWEI team as Executive Director in late 2015. As a

Massachusetts native who spent the last 12 years in California, Montana, and Colorado (and 25 countries traveled in between!), David has worn many hats leading transformation-centered nonprofits focusing on critical issues relating to the environment, education and culture. Within each organization, he has uncovered new systems and partnerships that create efficiency and collaboration to support new growth and greater impact.

EarthMatters 3 Summer 2016

7 Ways to Get Happy, cont. from page 1

1. Show up for your life mindfully

Mindfulness—and its sibling, compassion—can lighten the burdens of your past and lessen your worries about the future. Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk and translator for the Dalai Lama, says that by fully inhabiting the present moment, we become conscious of the interplay of our emotions and desires and less at the mercy of events around us.

2. Kick your addictions If you rely on drugs or alcohol to

get through the day, then kicking that addiction and dealing with the underlying causes is your first step. But many forms of addiction are more subtle. Maybe you spend so much time on Facebook or checking email that you miss out on connecting with the people around you. Some cafés now have laptop-free days to encourage customers to show up ready to interact with each other. Or maybe you’ve gotten addicted to shopping and having the best or the latest. Make conscious choices about where you direct your attention, and consider what brings deep happiness.

3. Find work you love In a time of chronic

unemployment, this may seem like a luxury. But getting clear on the work that ignites your interest, if not your passion, adds greatly to your happiness. When Shannon Hayes finished her dissertation, she realized what she really wanted was to work on her family farm. And she risked everything she had worked for to make it happen. There are times when we have few choices—when we have to take whatever job is available. But there are also moments when we do have choices, and doing work that taps our deepest gifts and desires

is among the most satisfying experiences we can have.

4. Live simply and liberate your time

With less clutter, you can spend time on the things that offer you the most meaning and enjoyment. If you don’t need as much stuff, you have more freedom to choose how much time you spend working for pay. If you make or grow more of what you need and trade with others, you can be less dependent on the cash economy and paid employment.

5. Find and celebrate gifts—yours and those of others

Too often, we lose track of our uniqueness because our gifts don’t fit the expectations of schools or work places. Puanani Burgess, a native Hawaiian poet and community builder, learned this lesson when she met a so-called at-risk student who was struggling with school, but he came to value his gifts as a fisherman and the resources they provided for his family.

6. Give the gift of your timeShare meals with your family

and friends, like author and mother Cathy Garcia-Prats, who spent years of dinner time feeding her children’s minds and souls, not just their bodies. This holiday, instead of shopping to exhaustion, give repurposed gifts or gifts of service. Instead of multitasking, give your coworkers or acquaintances your full attention.

7. Choose gratitude We can rehash over and

over every slight or perceived insult, allowing the sense of being wronged to dominate our experience. Or we can choose to turn our attention instead to what we appreciate. Some people keep a gratitude journal, noting things each day that bring beauty or pleasure. Research shows that

these journals increase happiness. Take Pavithra Mehta, who with her friends started a restaurant where meals are free—paid for by the voluntary donation of other customers. Once you’ve eaten, you can choose whether to make a contribution to cover someone else’s meal.

The good news for our world is that sustainable happiness doesn’t mean we have to use up and wear out the planet in a mad rush to produce more stuff. We don’t need people working in sweatshop conditions to produce cheap products that feed an endless appetite for possessions.

Instead, sustainable happiness is enhanced when everyone is doing well. It comes about in thriving communities free of the poverty and powerlessness associated with highly unequal societies. And it flourishes when we live in a healthy, natural world, where other animals, birds, and fish also thrive.

The work of rebuilding thriving communities can be difficult and contentious. But this is the way to authentic and sustainable happiness. When our families, our neighbors, those we meet on the street, and the creatures of the natural world are doing well, their happiness contributes to our own. Trust and well-being become a generative cycle. Sustainable happiness in one realm fosters well-being in all the other realms of life. Interconnectedness—love, even—is unleashed.

Sarah van Gelder is co-founder and editor in chief of YES! Magazine. This piece was adapted from Sustainable Happiness: Live Simply, Live Well, Make a Difference, edited by Sarah van Gelder and the staff of YES! Magazine, and published by Berrett Koehler. Order now at yesmagazine.org/happiness-book or find it at your local, independent bookstore.

EarthMatters 4 Summer 2016

Can what’s good for business and the bottom-line be good for the planet too? How can we find the ‘sweet spot’ where they intersect?

Research shows that being a good corporate citizen can also increase revenue and productivity. Research also shows that potential employees and consumers alike are seeking out companies that are socially responsible.

Creating a sustainable business — one that uses the “triple bottom line” of people, planet, and profit to measure success — is not only possible (and “the right thing to do”), it’s an imperative for the 21st century.

This spring, NWEI launched our Sustainability Works: Rethinking Business as Usual discussion course. Sustainability Works helps businesses and organizations respond to the need for systems-level change that benefits both people and the planet.

NWEI programs are unique in that they provide an opportunity for individuals and teams to reflect and discuss important issues together, building support and momentum for change. By dedicating time to a process of inquiry and discussion, employees begin owning the issue of sustainability and become champions for its integration.

Earlier this year, we sat down for this Changemaker Interview with Jon Blumenauer, the owner of The Joinery, a Portland-based business that has used NWEI programs to drive action and impact. Jon notes that “The Joinery is a great model for how business can and should

be run. It produces beautiful, high quality made-to-last furniture in a way that values employees, contributes to our community, and protects the environment.” NWEI: What inspired you and the Joinery, to participate in NWEI’s discussion course and EcoChallenge last year? Jon: We did the Sustainable Systems at Work discussion course last year, and all of our employees participated. The course was mandatory, and we provided paid time at work to read the materials and offered several meeting options. This made it easy for people to participate, and clearly demonstrated that it was important to the company. We wanted to do the discussion course as a way to introduce everyone to sustainability concepts and provide a common framework. It allowed those with a stronger interest to step forward, and these folks formed a new Sustainability Team. Participating in NWEI’s EcoChallenge was a logical and fun next step for us — we liked that it offered a way to continue our employee engagement efforts after the discussion course. NWEI: Can you tell us more about the Joinery’s Sustainability Team that formed as a result of the discussion course? Jon: As I mentioned, all employees participated in the course, and several folks were quite engaged and wanted to do more. As a result, we launched a Sustainability Team made up of people across all key functions in the organization. The Sustainability Team was tasked with following up on

things identified during the course, as well as investigating new opportunities. Currently we are getting comfortable with the Natural Step framework as a reference and benchmarking our resource use. We’ve had people come in and conduct assessments, and have identified electricity as the highest value opportunity for efficiency improvement. We are looking at more transformational ideas as well, which we’ll be able to share more about as they evolve. We decided to do NWEI’s EcoChallenge in the fall, so about six months after the discussion course, and we had over 80% of our employees participate. The Sustainability Team also came up with our EcoChallenge focus areas.NWEI: What were the impacts of the EcoChallenge? Jon: We collectively achieved a total of 203 meatless days from our employees (plus several more from the participation of significant others), and five people on our team went the entire two weeks without eating meat. We reduced our printing by 38% during the EcoChallenge. We eliminated paper towels during the Challenge, and have continued with this action going forward. All in all, our experiences have been inspiring — and the changes we’ve made have been lasting!

For the complete Changemaker Interview with The Joinery’s Jon Blumenauer, please visit our blog at nwei.org/joinery.

Sustainability Works: A Changemaker Interview with The Joinery

EarthMatters 5 Summer 2016

Join us this October as we prove that small actions add up to real change! The 2016 EcoChallenge will take place October 14-28, and registration is underway. Head over to 2016.

EcoChallenge.org to create a team and invite your network to participate, or join the NWEI Community Team. Don’t hesitate to be in touch if there’s anything we can do to help you engage your community in the EcoChallenge.

YOU’RE INVITED! ECOCHALLENGE KICK-OFF PARTY

October 6th, 5:00-7:30pm | Airbnb Office, 503 W Burnside, Portland, ORJoin us for drinks and appetizers as we toast the launch of EcoChallenge 2.0.

ECOCHALLENGE

OCTOBER 14-28ECOCHALLENGE

SMALL ACTIONS ADD UP TO REAL CHANGE!

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?

powered by

2016.ECOCHALLENGE.ORG

We believe the solution to the planet’s biggest challenges lies in the power of collective action.

EcoChallenge has been changing the habits and lives of participants across the world since 2010. This year, we reimagined the EcoChallenge platform, and we’re in the process of increasing our reach — and more importantly, scaling the impact we’re having on our world.

We believe the little things make a big difference.

EcoChallenge gives you the tools and inspiration to reduce your impact on the planet and contribute to a healthy, vibrant, and sustainable future — while engaging your community and having fun in the process.

Our October EcoChallenge is free and open to everyone. In 2015, we had 4,333 participants representing over 25 countries. Starting this year, you can also use the power of the EcoChallenge platform to create a Challenge for your workplace, college, or community. Your Challenge can be completely customized to meet the needs and goals of your community. You can engage any or all of our Challenge categories (energy, food, water, waste, nature, community, simplicity, transportation) and select actions from our library, or create your own categories and actions.

EarthMatters 6 Summer 2016

We invite you to play a unique and very important role in the development of our forthcoming discussion course on simplicity.

Simplicity and simple living are foundational topics for us at NWEI. As we work to inspire people to take responsiblity for Earth, we encourage people to examine their lifestyles and to seize opportunities to reduce personal impacts. The positive benefits of living simply are great — it’s good for you and the planet!

This winter, we will release a new course on simplicity, to complement our very popular Voluntary Simplicity course. The new course will offer participants actionable ideas to simplify their lives and will include the most current thinking on the subject by experts in the field.

Today we hope you’ll join us in bringing this new discussion course to fruition in January 2017 by supporting the endeavor as a sponsor. We have 5 sessions and 100 pages available for sponsorship.

Session Sponsors will be recognized on the first page of “their session”, and page sponsors will be thanked on “their page”.

To support this project, return the form below with your contribution. You can also call us at 503-227-2807, or visit nwei.org/sponsorapage.

All supporters will receive a complimentary copy of the new simplicity course too!

Thank You!

Sponsor a Session or Page of our New Simplicity Course

YES, I would like to partner with the NWEI to promote simplicity!

I/We would like to support page (s) at $100 each 6 pages for $500I/We would like to support session(s) of the course at $1,000 each Name(s)AddressCity State Zip PhoneEmail Course book inscription, please print clearly:

In honor of In memory of Enclosed is my check for $ payable to NWEI or

Please charge my/our credit card $

Credit card# Expiration Please return the completed form with your donation to NWEI, 107 SE Washington St., #240, Portland, OR 97214.

THANK YOU!

EarthMatters 7 Summer 2016

The following individuals and organizations donated at the Earth Steward ($100) level or higher, between 12/15/15 and 7/1/16:Diana Myrvang and Joel ArioDustin BachelderEnergy Trust of OregonCarol BernickDavid and Christie

Bernklau HalvorKathy and Dean BrewerMarney BruceKatherine Kubick & Paul BunnScott and Glenda BurnsSteven Moore and Gigi CallaizakisDori CampbellThe Collins FoundationTerry CollinsKaren CouneLesley Cox and Ron EnnisGun DenhartPamela EdwardsChris and Christine Edwardsen

John and Jane EmrickConnie and Fredrick EricksonMarnie and Erik FredericksonLinda Gerber and

Charles ChristensenWard and Diane GreeneThomas and Karen GritzkaBill and Elaine HallmarkKaren and Frank HalvorsenWilliam and Barbara HarrisDave HaslipBeatrice HedlundCindy Scott and Al HemmingsenAlbert and Lois HowlettJackson FoundationJ&R GroupGlen and Carolyn JenkinsWilliam and Wanda JenningsMartin Jones and Gayle LandtAlan and Sherri JorgensenAl and Nancy JubitzKathy Jubitz Chris and Beth KarlinJim and Sue KellyMarilynne KeyserNancy King Smith

Morley and James KnollGrace Lee-Park and Eric ParkKatherine McDowell and

Ken LernerGerding EdlenJeff LyfordRod MacDowPaula and Jack MacekLisa Rome and David MacekMaggie and Chuck MaggioJon and Margie MastersonSteven MaxwellEllen and Ed McClaranJack and Carolyn McMurchieMike MercerDave and Joyce MercerMalinda and Doug MooreNancy MurrayColleen MurrayCynthia and Steve NorstromRick and Holly NorthNW NaturalMilo and Beverly OrmsethPacific Continental BankLinda ParkJohn Patrick and Rebecca Selove

Claire S. PerricelliMichael Ponder & Beatrice DavisAlysa Rose and David FinkelmanRose Tucker Charitable TrustLena RotenbergRebecca Selove & John PatrickPeter and Penny SerrurierRichard Sessions and

Julia SurtshinThe StandardCharles StephensBill StollerSusie StragnellPaul SunderlandLee A TaylorStephen R. TiwaldMichele TobenkinJennifer and Mark TrumboCheri and Mike UngerMark and Susan VosslerDaniell C. WaltersDilafruz WilliamsJan WilsonMike and Darcy WinslowBob and Martha ZavodskyElizabeth Zavodsky & Jeremy Mohr

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to NWEI this Winter and Spring!

facebook.com/northwestearthinstitute

twitter.com/nwearth

nwei.org/blog

vimeo.com/nwei

Board of Directors Eric Park (Chair) Cambia Health Solutions Linda Gerber (Vice Chair) PCC Sylvania (Retired) Carrie Hearne (Secretary) B-Line Colleen Murray (Treasurer) Perkins and Co. Carol Bernick OR State Bar Prof. Liability Fund Bala Cadambi Intel Sarah Cleveland Sarah Cleveland Consulting Tim Eddy, Hennebery Eddy Architects Kathy Jubitz, Jubitz Family Foundation Alysa Rose, Portland Habilitation Center NW Mike Winslow, The Standard (Retired)

The Elm Circle is a group of committed donors who, through their monthly gifts, inspire people from around the world to create their own communities of change.

Giving a little each month through your bank or an automatic credit card donation provides us with ongoing support. All gifts are invested right back into our programs every month.

Elm Circle Members receive a copy of each new NWEI course book as they are released, too. Find out more and join the Elm Circle at: nwei.org/membership/join-the-elm-circle/.

Thank You to our Elm Circle Donors for supporting NWEI with monthly contributions!

Bonnie and Steve Altshuld

Beth BerglundPat BrownLynne BrownCarolyn and Charlie

BucknerKristen ConnorKaren GarberAmanda GreenPhilip HarrisDave HaslipKim Hauze

Carrie HearneNancy and Sean

Higgins O’NeillThomas and

Deborah HorganLeigh KnoxHelen and Peter

LauritzenElise Lind and

Dan WagnerChuck LyndCarolyn McDade

Kenann McKenzie-Thompson

Robin MenkeMike MercerHolly MeyerChris MullinsRafael PalaciosAllison RenwickKaren Ronning- Hall

and Bill Hall Alysa Rose and

David FinkelmanMike Rosen

Chris RunyardJim SegerPhilena SeldonPeter SergienkoBetty and

Jon ShelleyAnne and

Keith StrangeKjell van ZoenChristopher WardElizabeth Zavodsky

Join the Elm Circle!

EarthMatters 8 Summer 2016

Please return this form with your donation to: NWEI, 107 SE Washington St, Suite 240, Portland, OR 97214. Or fax to: 503-227-2917.

I’d like to support the Northwest Earth Institute by becoming a member or renewing my membership!Name(s) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

State_____________________ Zip Code_____________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone: (_______________) ________________________________________ Email _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Individual, $35 Household/Contributor, $50 EarthSteward, $100 Sustainer, $250

Patron, $500 Founder’s Circle, $1,000 Other Amount $____________

I’d like to join the Elm Circle and make a monthly donation of $____________

Please print my name/our names as follows in the donor recognition section in the Newsletter:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pay by Credit Card (Visa, MC, AmEx): Card #_____________________________________________________Exp. Date_________________________

Name on Card: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for supporting the Northwest Earth Institute!

NEWSLETTER STAFFMANAGING EDITOR

Kerry Lyles

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Lacy Cagle Kerry Lyles

David Macek

EarthMatters is published by Northwest Earth Institute

phone: 503/227-2807 fax: 503/227-2917

email: kerry@nwei.org www.nwei.org

EarthMatters is printed

on Neenah Environment paper, 100% post consumer recycled

© Copyright 2016

all donations are tax deductible

Non Profit Org.U. S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 123Portland, OR

107 SE Washington St. Suite 240Portland, Oregon 97214503.227.2807 • nwei.org