The Cycling for a Sustainable Future tour

Wesley Roe and Marjorie Lakin Erickson lakinroe at silcom.com
Wed Mar 1 20:11:46 PST 2000


Greetings, Friends!

Well, it is that time of year again.  The snow is beginning to melt in small

patches on Popou Rd. and there are the voices of migrant birds returning

ringing through the forest - clear signs that it is time to hit the road!

The Cycling for a Sustainable Future tour is gearing up for it's 3rd annual

adventure to the west coast of B.C. and Washington.  On March 20, rain or

shine, we will head over 7 mountain passes toward Vancouver. We will be

meeting with university classes and community groups to look deeper into our

lifestyles and how we can move toward a sustainable culture.  Our schedule

is as follows:


Vancouver, B.C.:  March 29 - April1 

Victoria, B.C.:  April 2 - 5

Bellingham, WA: April 6 -7

Whidbey Island, WA:  April 9

Seattle, WA: April 10 - 18

Bellingham,WA:  April 20 - 21


If you or a group you know is interested in hosting an event, please let us

know.  You can also contact us for specific events in your city. Detailed

information on the tour and the programs we offer is included below.


We're hoping this finds you clear and joyous in your work and play.


Sustainably,

Erica, Jimi and Ivan





CYCLING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 2000


The Global Living Project is in the midst of planning the year 2000 Cycling 
for

a Sustainable Future bike tour leaving the interior of BC in late March.

Mathis Wackernagel, co-author of "Our Ecological Footprint" and Jimi Merkel

and Erica Sherwood a.k.a. "the Wiseacres" of the Global Living Project are

getting ready to hit the road again! Last years tour was a huge success,

talking with thousands of people about the advantage of living

simply, equitably and harmoniously within the means of nature. This year we

hope to take the discussion further with students, educators, community

groups, activists and individuals committed to finding creative solutions to

pressing global issues. The tour will pass through Vancouver, B.C. in the

beginning of April and travel down the coast to Seattle, Washington offering

presentations, practical skills and inspiration to walk lightly in the new

millennium.


Using ecological footprinting as a yardstick and incorporating the household

accounting principles of the national best seller "Your Money or Your Life"

we will explore a myriad of ways to meet the current situation on earth.

With thought and creativity, lets seek ways to embody joyous, meaningful

lifestyles that are truly "sustainable". 


Below is a summary of the workshops that will be offered.  If you or your

organization are interested in hosting an event, arranging a media interview

(newspaper, radio, TV), or putting up this team of 3 please contact Erica

Sherwood at the Global Living Project


THE PROGRAMS


SHRINKING YOUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT doesn't have to be painful - actually

building a sustainable future can add a lot of thrill to your life.

Downshifters, overworked teachers, cynical pessimists, skeptical

scientists, worried activists, gloom and doomers, 9 to 5 ers, come and get

some inspiration - we can do it!


Mathis Wackernagel, Jimi Merkel and Erica Sherwood, of the Global Living

Project are cycling down the west coast, meeting with educators, students,

community groups, policy makers and interested

individuals sharing hot new research and the practical "how to's" of

sustainability. They will explore fun and fulfilling ways to greet the new

millennium. The programs will be high energy, intelligent, action-based and

with a heart.



SEVERAL WORKSHOPS ARE BEING OFFERED:



1. QUANTUM LEAP - INTO A SUSTAINABLE NEW MILLENIUM


EXCITING NEW INSIGHTS - EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL - AND WHY THE

TRANSITION

MAY BE FUN


(primarily for universities and community groups)


Shrinking our ecological footprint - a workshop highlighting the newest

ecological footprint research from all over the globe and practical

inspiration on the transition to a sustainable culture. Both citizens and

students are invited to explore their callings while contributing to

solving humanity's most pressing social and ecological challenges. Is it

possible in North America to live a life that is equitable with other

humans as well as with other species? The trends of accelerating population

growth and consumerism on a finite planet are a recipe for disaster that

could play out in our lifetimes. Could our material abundance, education and

creativity be harnessed in this new millennium to create an equitable,

peaceful and sustainable planet? Examples of sustainable lifestyles in

Kerala, India, the Himalayas, and the Global Living Project of British

Columbia will offer a dose of hope for the new millennium.



2. CREATING A VIRTUAL HOMESTEAD

(particularly for community and youth groups)


The morning alarm rings. You take a hot shower, brew up a cup of coffee,

read a bit from the morning newspaper and hop in the car to get to work on

time. Every step in this process has an environmental impact. And it has

impacts on people, particularly you. In many cases it can drain the

planet's life energy, and the life energy of ourselves. Why do we get

caught in the fast lane, buying things we do not even want with money we do

not have, in an attempt to keep up with the Jones's?  In an interactive

workshop using ecological footprinting and some life-planning skills as

posed in the national best seller "Your Money or Your Life", we will design

possible homesteads that can advance sustainability. They won't be so

entangled with global markets and technological systems vulnerable to

collapse. They won't drain the Earth's resources; and they won't drain us

either. We will explore a strong foundation of simple living strategies able

to build a secure and constructive life.



3 a) TEACHING ABOUT GLOBAL CHALLENGES WITH THE ECOLOGICAL

FOOTPRINT


3b) PUTTING VALUES INTO ACTION WITH GAMES AND EXERCISES


(particularly for high school, college and university teachers)


What is the advantage for educators to not only talk the talk but also walk

the walk? In these workshops we will explore the connections between the

most critical issues facing our planet and the way we, students and

educators, live as humans on the planet. Let us reflect upon the costs of

consumerism and benefits of many other possible lifestyles. As educators or

parents, our actions are more important than our words in the eyes of youth.

An interactive introduction will establish a baseline of common

understanding and assess how familiar participants are with the global state

of affairs, footprinting and voluntary simplicity. We will present tools,

exercises and games, that can create in playful interactions a greater

global understanding and inspire commitment to social justice. They allow us

also to evaluate how equitable our relationships are to other cultures and

other species. Is it possible for humans to live equitably and harmoniously

within the means of nature? And how can we translate such questions into

solid activities for all levels of education?



4. YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE


A workshop based on the best seller "Your Money or Your Life" led by Jim

Merkel, a young man who left a high-paying position and

fast-paced life ten years ago to live simply and follow his calling. This

workshop will examine strategies on how to get off the treadmill and chart a

path toward thriving into the new millennium. By following the practical

steps outlined, it is possible to obtain financial freedom and live a more

meaningful life knowing you are contributing toward healing the planet.



5. SUSTAINABILITY IN KERALA


A slide show with poems, research and adventure by Jim Merkel on

sustainable lifestyles in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Kerala

provides inspiration and insight into human possibilities as well as a

wealth of information on alternative - often radical - approaches to

achieving excellent life quality (education, health care, replacement

fertility, food distribution, democratic access to local, and small scale

income producing opportunities). Jim Merkel is the founder of the Global

Living Project and the Alternative Transportation Task Force, has led

hundreds of workshops and was the recipient of the Gaia Fellowship to

research resource use in Kerala India.



6. FOOTPRINT APPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITY

GROUPS


In order to live, people consume what nature offers. So, every one of us

has an impact on our planet. This is not bad as long as we don't take more

from the Earth than it has to offer. But do we? This is what the

"ecological footprint" measures: how much nature we consume. The tool

documents how much bio-productive land and water we occupy to produce our

resources and to absorb our waste. It shows the area required to support our

current lifestyle.


Dr. Mathis Wackernagel from Redefining Progress in San Francisco, and the

Centre for Sustainability Studies in Xalapa (Mexico) explains with the

ecological footprint how we can monitor human impact at the household,

municipal and regional level, and how to compare it to the biosphere's

capacity to regenerate itself. With focus on either methodological and

technical aspects of footprints or on strategies to make this tool policy

relevant for governments and NGOs, the seminar will be spiced with hands-on

exercises and examples on how to use this tool for building a sustainable

future in our lives, communities and regions.




WHO IS ON THE TEAM?


* Jim Merkel has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and has worked 12 years in

industry designing and marketing industrial and military systems. At 30, Jim

realized the earths problems were too serious to wait until retirement.

After spending a weekend with his engineering economics text books open, he

analyzed his situation.  "Instead of asking how much can I  make,  I asked,

how much do I need?"  He gave his months notice on Monday, took his car off

the road, rented his spare room and planted a garden. For the past 10 years

Jim has mostly volunteered his time in community environmental projects.  


He founded the Global Living Project, now in it's 4th year and the

Alternative Transportation Task Force and held an elected position on the

ECOSLO board and the Sierra Club Executive committee. Jim is a member of the

New Road Map Foundation Speakers Bureau and has led hundreds of workshops on

"Your Money or Your Life" and sustainable

lifestyles.  In 1994 he was the recipient of the Gaia Fellowship to research

resource use in Kerala, India and has since given over 300 slide shows on

his experience.   Currently,  the Global Living Project's "wiseacre

challenge" keeps Jim busy learning from the wilds and simplifying the

homestead with his partner Erica Sherwood.



*  Mathis Wackernagel is the Director of the Indicators Program at

Redefining Progress in San Francisco and the Coordinator of the Centre for

Sustainability Studies at Anáhuac University of Xalapa, Mexico. After

receiving a degree in mechanical engineering from the Swiss Federal

Institute of Technology, he developed the "ecological footprint" concept as

his doctoral dissertation in Community and Regional Planning under Prof.

William Rees at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Born and raised in Switzerland, he has worked on sustainability issues for a

number of organizations in France, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Sweden and

the United States and has lectured at over 70 Universities and many

government institutions in 17 countries. He has published more than a dozen

academic articles and, with William Rees, a book called "Our Ecological

Footprint". His research on how to secure everybody's quality of life within

the means of nature is being used by decision makers, planners, schools,

universities and individuals around the world.


* Erica Sherwood is trained as a speech-language pathologist.  She earned a

B.S. from Ithaca college and was pursuing a masters degree until she

realized that she couldn't be at peace until she was working for the earth.

She has worked in education and human services while exploring her deeper

interests in ecology, poetry and earth based spirituality.  As an activist

Erica has worked

on a variety of womens issues and volunteered with Buy Nothing Day campaigns.

 

Erica recently left her life of simple urban living in Seattle to join the

Global Living Project, where she is deepening her skills and offering her

organizational and creative experience. This is her second year  organizing

the Cycling for a Sustainable Future Tour and spent most of 1999 on her

bike, crossing the continent with her partner Jimi Merkel with a message of

peace through simplicity.  On her days off she can be seen flying through

the Slocan Valley on a bike with Jimi chasing behind out of breath.


We do not charge a speakers fee but gladly accept donations or honorariums

to help offset the costs of the tour and to continue our research and 
projects. 


A GIFT TO THE FUTURE:


Learning to Live Better

        on a Smaller Footprint


      oooO

      (   )

       \ (

        \_)   Oooo

              (   )

               ) /

              (_/


"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts"  H.D. 

Thoreau



For more information, contact:


Erica Sherwood

Global Living Project

GR4 C.17  RR#1

Winlaw B.C.  VOG 2JO

(250) 355-2585

e-mail:  jmerkel at netidea.com

Web site:  http://www.netidea.com/~jmerkel/


Our prayers go out for this miraculous earth - that she finally gets the

love and respect she deserves. 

That we will live simply, so that other peoples, beings, mountains and

rivers can simply live.


A GIFT TO THE FUTURE: 


Learning to Live Better 

        on a Smaller Footprint


      oooO

      (   )

       \ (

        \_)   Oooo

              (   )

               ) /

              (_/


"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts"  H.D.  Thoreau


James Merkel and Erica Sherwood

Global Living Project

GR4 C.17  RR#1

Winlaw B.C.  VOG 2JO

(250)355-2585

Web site    http://www.netidea.com/~jmerkel/
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