by Valerie Piedmont, September 2020
Recently, many in our community viewed a film entitled 2040. The film offered an amazing vision of how humans could move toward a regenerative way of life using today’s existing modern technology. Panelists and the audience were asked to share their own particular vision.
In my 2040, we have broken away from our dependency on fossil fuels. The carbon emitting fires of the industrial, military, prison and institutionalized age have gone cold. We reached a critical mass understanding of how much we had to sacrifice in order to feed a greedy, addictive, exploitative and endlessly destructive way of life that brought on the sixth recorded major extinction on the planet. Collectively, we slowly began reclaiming the Earth as our Mother and with that, the deepest desire to protect her and all of the life she supports.
We learned some harsh lessons about what’s really important. We need a living, breathing biosphere, free of toxic chemicals to live good lives. We need pure water, clean air, and fertile soil teeming with microscopic organisms.
All of our foods and medicines are sourced locally. Rather than striving for technological advancements, we have become comfortable with our place within the web of life. We consider each other as kindred spirits. We know how to resolve conflicts respectfully. We live independently or communally and have perfected the art of sharing, caring, cooperating and appreciating the gift of life. We look for guidance from children and nature-inspired leadership. We honor and celebrate the full circle of life with limitless expressions of creativity.
What’s your 2040?