Spirit in Action

Frances Moore Lappé is putting herself on the line as part of the April 2016 Democracy Spring and Democracy Awakening .

An article on the CVPost.org site announced Visiting theologian brings eco-spiritual approach to Lenten series , and so I discovered David Weiss , a deep thinker, poet, and diligent worker for justice, beauty, and grace in our world, particularly in the way we treat LGBT folks and the Earth.

Ed Nieves is coordinator of the Mendicino Environmental Center (MEC) in Ukiah, CA, a place and an organization which has been at the center of cutting edge change to improve the world, starting locally. Saving the Redwoods, banning pesticides & herbicides, legalizing medical marijuana, protecting free speech - there's a locus of community healing issuing from Mendocino County, MEC, and station...

4 scientists from UW-EC gather to share about the intersection of science & spirituality at the UU Congregation in Eau Claire. See the article about the interview linked via the CVPost.

Talks with 3 science profs at UW-EC about their intersection with spirituality. Matt Jewell, Derek Gingerich, and Doug Matthews bring their experience with spirit face-to-face with their knowledge of Materials Science, Biology, and Behavioral Neuroscience, respectively. See the article about the interview linked via the CVPost.

The David McLimans Art for Peace Memorial Scholarship was launched this year at a 2/27/16 event, conceived of by Eva Hagenhofer, sponsored by Madison Veterans for Peace , and hosted at the Farley Center for Peace, Justice, and Sustainability . David was author of 3 books, including Big Turtle .

Mike McCabe, founder of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign creates a blueprint forward, out of our widespread disillusionment which is based on parallel situations over our history. The result is his book, Blue Jeans in High Places: The Coming Makeover of American Politics . Mike speaks powerfully of a proven way forward for the common citizen.

Rachel MacNair is the author of Religions and Nonviolence: The Rise of Effective Advocacy for Peace , an enthralling look inside a number of religions. Rachel's interdisciplinary Ph. D. is in Psychology & Sociology, and her BA was in Peace & Conflict Studies.

John Greenler is part of 2 institutions looking for energy ways forward in Wisconsin, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Wisconsin Energy Institute , where John works as director of education & outreach. In addition to these professional roles, John is co-owner of a CSA called Zephyr Farm , which keeps him grounded in hands-on sustainable alternatives as well.

More insights & music from  Peter Alsop  on sex, sex roles, sexuality, & relationships, using humor and creativity to shine a light on our society's too-little-examined wounds, presumptions, and possibilities of health & balance.

Peter Alsop has the wit & talent to discuss tough topics in a way that can open eyes & change minds. Today & next week he'll talk with us about love, sex, sex roles, sexuality and more. Peter is a great combination of deep thinker & musician, humorous & creative lyricist, and educational psychologist. Among other places, find this songs in the video of Alsop for Adults Concert:...

There's a young Peace Studies program at UW-Stout , where we talk to Senior Lecturer in Peace Studies and Geography, James Handley , a current student, Emma Kornack, and a Peace Studies graduate and Americorps volunteer, Shelby Schuppe. What does the program teach, and what changes does it bring about, in students and in the community? Music Featured:

Erin LaFaive is passionate about plants and the vital role they play in our health and will-being, and she shares her passion and knowledge in several ways, including through Full Circle Herbals . She also works days as horticultural educator with Eau Claire County UW Extension . Combining science nerd inclinations with Earth-based spirituality, Erin delivers the best of both worlds.

Charley Earp is honestly devoted to the religiously-inspired communism of his youth, without apology or irony.

Investigative reporter Greg O'Brien shares the inside story of coping with Alzheimer's Disease, an experience that mixes faith and fury.

In writing this book, Chris Tomlinson asks himself the question, "What crimes had my ancestors committed to maintain their power and privilege? Did they know what they did was wrong? As an American and Texan, I wanted to understand the sins of our fathers."

A visit with Nels Paulson , sociologist in the Social Science Department of UW-Stout about his research & presentations on Old Ideas, New Knowledge, Sustainable Communities , on trophy hunting, and on influences of religious/spirituality in disaster relief.

Words like innovate, change, and adapt can be inspirational or the agent of doom for our well-being, depending on your perspective. In Trees on Mars: Our Obsession with the Future ,  Hal Niedzviecki takes us on a ride through the technology & ideas which promise that we can "win the future", giving us a penetrating look at the consequences of our mad rush "forward".

Focusing on the African countries of Burundi & Somalia, Alissa Wilson is AFSC's Public Education & Advocacy Coordinator for Africa . She has served in Americorps, was an election observer in Nigeria, and is co-author of Practical Idealists: Changing the World and Getting Paid . Featured Music: Sweet Mother - Prince Nico Mbarga

The Energy Fair is the flagship event of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and Doug Stingle is their Development Director. Since 1990 the MREA has powerfully & joyfully spread the gospel of living better on the Earth, with flair and persistence.

Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison , by Nell Bernstein, takes an unflinching look at the travesty we call juvenile prison. She has an unequivocal solution - get rid of them. With some 20 years of knowing the system and by telling the stories of the victims of it, Nell explores the history, reform, trends, and consequences of the "reformatories" which do the exact opposite of their...

Through the OurHighestWork.com community, George Kao helps folks work toward doing the best work they can, in tune with their ethics and leadings, and effectively. Having made his own transition from a "more, more, more" ethic to a "better, better, better" purpose, he coaches people, especially solopreneurs, in selecting their work and doing it wisely.

In his memoir, Not From Here , sociologist & author Allan G. Johnson takes us on an odyssey of introspection about our unrootedness and the symptoms of that dysfunction in our personal and national identities, things like the native genocide, slavery, but also the holes in our lives because we don't belong.

From a financially-strapped Irish-American upbringing, to Peace Corps Service in Botswana, to the the trade-offs of life, family, and finances, and, now, to deeply engaged activism with Global Warming and environmental responsibility, Renewable: One Woman’s Search for Simplicity, Faithfulness, and Hope is Eileen Flanagan's story of wrestling with the big issues and putting her life in service

Tom Small found a way to take on species extinction on the local level, and he tells about it in his book,  Using Native Plants to Restore Community (In Southwest Michigan and Beyond) . By converting his grass-lawn into native flora, creating habitat for native fauna, Tom found a way to make a difference, locally.