As the U.S. grapples with deepening political divides and an escalating climate crisis, we must find a solution. One that is tangible, scalable and one that addresses the root cause of the many issues we collectively face with full awareness of the timeline we are up against. It is easy to get caught up in the crisis de jure, in fact they are hoping we do. If the public is running around putting out the daily fires left and right, then the oligarchy can easily distract us while the main act unfolds before our eyes.
We each must find our own medicine for this suffering. Some might turn to the bottle, or a pill, shopping, denial or despair. Others will find power in protests, shaking their fists and ranting against the powers that be. And yes yoga, meditation, and time in nature are healing in the moment but do not translate to the transformational social change we need. But what if…. we all chose to live the solutions right now in our everyday lives. What if we stopped waiting for the government to solve the very problems it has created? What if we stopped giving our hard-earned money to corporations in an attempt to mask our panic with consumerism?
What if regenerative living became mainstream?
Regenerative living not only fosters a more sustainable relationship with our environment but also cultivates social cohesion and resilience within our communities. Regenerative living goes beyond sustainability; it encompasses a holistic approach that seeks to restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and improve human health and well-being. It advocates harmonious interactions between people and the planet, emphasizing the need for systems that thrive on renewal rather than extraction. This involves mindful consumption, restorative agriculture, renewable energy, circular economic and resource flows, community resilience, and a commitment to social equity.
Regenerative living signifies a paradigm shift that moves beyond the concept of sustainability, aiming for a state of thrivability. This involves actively striving to enhance the health, vitality, and overall abundance of social-ecological systems over time. It is not merely about minimizing negative impacts but about creating positive change and increasing the inherent capacity of living systems to flourish.
For example, residents of The Ark, an intentional community near Santa Teresa, enjoy off grid living for energy, and water. They have regenerated the land with agroforest systems and soon will be growing most of their food. They cultivate their own medicinal herbs and are creating a health and wellness center in the community. Residents benefit from passive income as co-op owners of the community and will receive a percentage of profits from all the operations starting in 2028.
The team at Rancho Margot enjoy the highest wages in the region while tending to the land in a regenerative way leveraging the Savory model of holistic management. They make their own furniture, their own soaps, grow 95% of the food they eat (rice and oil are their only imports), make their own yogurt and butter etc. Their buildings have green roofs acting as natural cooling and the project is also 100% off grid for energy and water. Both of these communities are actively sequestering carbon by the way they steward the land (Rancho Margot is carbon negative); they are retaining more water by intentional design and able to show an increase in resident well-being purely by living there. When the next global supply chain interruption hits the mainstream US, these communities will be able to continue as if nothing happened. #Self-Sufficiency is sexy!
The political landscape in the U.S. has become increasingly polarized, with differing ideologies often leading to intolerance and conflict, not much flourishing there! Regenerative living offers a shared framework that transcends political affiliations. It invites individuals and communities to engage in common goals: clean air, healthy food, vibrant ecosystems and healthy communities. Who doesn’t want that? Only those who stand to make money off the demise… hmm I wonder who that is?
There are millions of political and climate refugees across the world. All fleeing some disaster from resource inequities to political turmoil or violence. What if the reasons for this strife could be coded out of the system by how we design our communities? Guess what…It can! We have to stop listening to the news that tells us everything is awful and instead tune into our hearts and be the change the world needs. The violence and conflict in our world are because many people cannot meet their basic human needs, the veil of lack is promoted that furthers the greed and acts of violence to “get mine”. The regenerative model enables everyone to get their needs met in an equitable way. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone could meet their needs and appreciate what/when it is “enough.”
How can we stop fighting the hamster wheel of crisis each day and instead proactively plan not just for a better future, but a better today? Intentional and regenerative communities are (and have been for a long time) popping up all over the globe to do just this. They are living examples of solutions to the most pressing issues facing humanity right now. The Global Ecovillage Network estimated that there were over 10,000 of these communities alive and thriving in 2021, and that is just the ones they have mapped. These communities are real, tangible examples of how we can design our communities to not only mitigate climate change and inequality in their design but also adapt to the changing climate and increase social wellbeing for all. They are communities that are as close to, if not 100%, self-sufficient, not reliant on external supply chains. These are communities that feed themselves with fresh and healthy food not laden with toxins. Some communities are off grid energy, some even off grid water. What would it be like to live in a community where all your needs are met locally? Where you are not worried about the next toilet paper shortage or grocery store run?
It is a choice how we spend our time. It is a choice how we spend our money, what we watch on TV, what we share in conversation. What if we all started to choose regenerative living? What if we stopped waiting for the government to save us and instead rolled up our sleeves and built regenerative communities all across America? What if we became the #regenerates and together lead the way for the Great Turning? We are all alive at this moment for a reason, we can either put our energy into hate, fear and despair, or we can put our energy into an intentional shift in consciousness away from a take-make-waste industrialized world, into a life-sustaining, love-honoring, collectively-flourishing-chance for well-being. You might be shaking your head and doubting this is possible, but it is. My family and I personally just got to spend 3 months in Costa Rica visiting 10 communities that are all on this path and they are working (find out more on the website Regenerative World Quest, or check out our YouTube channel). They are living the solutions, and you can too!
Regenerative living stands as a powerful response to the intertwined political and climate crises facing the United States and the world. By fostering community, creating resilience, and advocating for sustainable practices, individuals and groups can turn divisive challenges into collaborative opportunities for renewal and regeneration. In a time when the path forward often seems unclear, embracing this holistic approach offers not just hope but tangible solutions for a thriving future.
Join us on the #RegenerativeWorldQuest!
