Climate Solutions

Too many greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere – from burning fossil fuels like coal and oil – are causing the planet to warm up and creating extreme weather catastrophes. Consequently, we are experiencing more frequent and intense hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires with toxic air, and rising sea levels.

Some familiar with the science believe we have already reached a point of no return. Others believe we can still mitigate the damage if we take more bold action quickly.

The truth is we are in a horse race, with more fossil fuel projects still being approved AND with a massive movement of investment funds and entrepreneurship in renewable energy like wind and solar power. Which way it goes depends on what we choose to do. In any case, we must stop emitting greenhouse gases now, and transition rapidly to a green economy.

We will address the question raised by author Wendell Berry, “What does this earth require if we want to continue to live on it?”

To understand what actions might really matter, it helps to look at a deeper level of how we got into this situation. We will:

• Identify two of the root causes underlying the climate crisis;
• Outline five core solutions that will help us address those root causes successfully; and
• Showcase Solutionaries actively working to implement those solutions now.

Climate Solutions Day (11/6) Program

OPENING Remarks
Eleanor LeCain

Session ONE: GREEN IS GOLDEN
Gil Friend
Sustainable business strategist

Session TWO: CLIMATE SOLUTIONS – Why we have HOPE
Rebecca Solnit
Author of Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Author of Braiding Sweetgrass

Session THREE: ROADMAPS to a RENEWABLE ECONOMY
Roadmaps to 100% renewable, CLEAN ENERGY
Mark Z. Jacobson
Professor at Stanford University

PUBLIC TRANSIT as a climate solution and green job creator
Xinge Wang
Deputy Director, International Transportation Learning Center
David Stephen
Senior Communications Specialist, International Transportation Learning Center

CLOSING Remarks
Eleanor LeCain & Gil Friend

Economic Insecurity

Too few people have too much wealth, while too many people struggle to make ends meet. The top 1% own more wealth than the bottom 90% of people combined. Nearly 4 in 10 Americans have trouble paying an unexpected expense of $400 in a month (says Federal Reserve). Working families struggle to pay basic expenses. Financial challenges tend to be worse for women and people of color.

We will address the Challenge:

• How do we create more widespread financial security?

To understand what actions might really matter, we will look at a deeper level at the root causes that got us into this situation. We will:

• Identify several root causes underlying the extreme economic inequality;
• Outline a framework for more widespread financial security;
• Offer six key solutions that will help us address those root causes successfully; and
• Showcase Solutionaries actively working to implement those solutions now.

Economic Security Day (11/9) Program

OPENING Remarks
Eleanor LeCain

Session ONE: Expand Prosperity by Building COMMUNITY WEALTH
The road to broader prosperity is MAIN STREET
Michael H. Shuman
Economist, attorney, & author of Going Local: New Opportunities for Community Economies

Building a Democratic Economy
Stephanie McHenry
CEO of The Democracy Collaborative & former bank president

Local Control of Energy and Food
John Farrell
Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self Reliance & Director of the Energy Democracy Initiative
Anthony Flaccavento
Author of The Rural New Deal

Session TWO: Building INDIVIDUAL Wealth, Kitchen Table Economics
Doug Ryan
Vice President of Prosperity Now

CLOSING Remarks
Eleanor LeCain

Health Solutions

More than half of Americans have a serious illness like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. That means being seriously sick is the norm in the United States. Moreover problems in mental health have become widespread, particularly concerning among young people.

The healthcare system is often overwhelmed with so many patients, leaving doctors and nurses exhausted and sick people often waiting a long time before being seen by a medical professional. Treatment is usually given after disease has set in, making it harder for patients to heal. Treatments often focus on drugs and surgery which in some cases can be lifesaving, but in other cases are more invasive and expensive than other treatment possibilities.

We will address the Challenge:

• How do we create more widespread health and well-being so being physically and mentally healthy is the norm

To understand what actions might really matter, we will look at a deeper level at the root causes that got us into this situation. We will:

• Identify several root causes underlying widespread illness and a highly stressed healthcare system;
• Articulate four key challenges that need to be met for more widespread health and a more resilient healthcare system;
• Offer four key solutions that will help us address those root causes successfully; and
• Showcase Solutionaries actively working to implement those solutions now.

Health Solutions Day (11/14) Program

OPENING Remarks
Jennae Wallach
Peace Educator & Public Health Consultant

 Session ONE: Preventing and Curing Disease
Ocean Robbins
CEO of The Food Revolution, “The Power of Food as Medicine”

Tera Fazzino
Professor, Psychology Dept., University of Kansas & lead author, “How tobacco companies engineered food to be addictive”

Session TWO: Keeping Communities Healthy
“IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH: Healing Trauma
Dr. James S. Gordon, MD
Founder & CEO of the Center for Mind-Body

A Low Cost Way To Improve Our Mental Health and Physical Well Being
Rollin McCraty
Research Director at the HeartMath Institute

Transforming Racism in Healthcare
Dr. Yvette Miller
Executive Medical Officer, American Red Cross

A Model of Community Health Care
Dr. Vernicka Porter-Sales
Chief Population Health and Legacy Performance Services Officer, Legacy Community Health Services

CLOSING Remarks
Eleanor LeCain
Dr. Susan Abookire, MD
Professor at Harvard Medical School

Democracy Solutions

Authoritarianism is on the rise in the United States, fueled in part by White Christian nationalists and anger by millions of people feeling left out and left behind. Paving the way to authoritarianism is widespread misinformation which has taken root: now almost one-third of all Americans – and 69% of Republicans – believe wrongly that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

Widespread efforts continue to suppress voters, particularly Blacks, youth and people with low incomes.

Moreover, the wealthy have too much influence on elections and policy.

This is NOT an issue of Democrats vs Republicans. This battle is about Americans who believe in democracy, fundamental freedom, the right to vote, and rule by we the people vs extremism and rule by the few.

To understand what actions might really matter, we will look at a deeper level at the root causes that got us into this situation. We will:

To understand what actions might really matter, we will look at a deeper level at the root causes that got us into this situation. We will:

• Identify three of the root causes underlying the democracy crisis;
• Outline five core solutions that will help us address those root causes successfully; and
• Showcase Solutionaries actively working to implement those solutions now.

Democracy Day (11/16) Program

OPENING Remarks
Eleanor LeCain

Session ONE: DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE  
Nancy MacLean
Author of Democracy in Chains & Professor at Duke University

Session TWO: DEFENDING DEMOCRACY
Secretary of State Jena Griswold (Colorado)
Chair of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

Session THREE: UNITING THE PEOPLE
Brad Onishi
Author of Preparing for War: the Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism – and What Comes Next
Milagros Phillips
Author of Cracking the Healers Code: A Prescription for Healing Racism and Finding Wholeness

Session FOUR: MOBILIZING CITIZENS
Frances Moore Lappe
Author of international best-seller Diet for a Small Planet
Cynthia Richie Terrell
RepresentWomen & FairVote
Korina Iribe
Arizona State Advisor, Movement Voter Project

CLOSING Remarks
Eleanor LeCain
Governor Spencer Cox (Utah)
Chair of the National Governors Association & leader of the “Disagree Better” campaign