Life Saves the Planet Blog:
Action Taking proactive steps to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and promote sustainable practices, involving individuals, communities, and governments at various levels.
Taking proactive steps to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and promote sustainable practices, involving individuals, communities, and governments at various levels.
Trees & Forests — Wildlife, Wildfires, Water Cycles & Climate Change — starts December 5
Forests are more important than most of us realize. Forests make rain, cool the temperature, and send moisture to regions around the world. In many cases, forests have become monoculture “tree plantations” for the timber industry, lacking biodiversity and moisture. In a biodiverse forest, the soil soaks up water like a sponge, preventing wildfires, drought,…
Biodiversity 11: Warming Oceans, Moving Shorelines & Sea Level Rise – with Jim Laurie
What can be done to break the ocean’s fever and cool the planet? With the oceans warming rapidly causing larger storms and hurricanes, forecasts for sea level rise ranging from 2 feet to 20 feet by 2100, and polar regions warming three times faster than the rest of the world, humanity may be facing the…
2024 Midwest Beaver Summit (virtual) – August 28 – 11 am – 3 pm Central Time
Bio4Climate is excited to co-host the 2024 Midwest Beaver Summit alongside many outstanding environmental nonprofits, land trusts, restoration practitioners, and other organizations dedicated to conservation, implementing coexistence strategies, and cultivating awareness of the importance of beavers as keystone species in our ecosystems. Join us on Wednesday, August 28 from 11 am – 3 pm Central…
Signing on to Protect Forests
We, the undersigned organizations, are writing with the hopes of establishing a dialogue regarding the October 17, 2023 joint comment letter sent to Congress by the Outdoor Industry Association, Outdoor Alliance, and The Conservation Alliance concerning the Farm Bill.
Biodiversity Day: A Community Celebration
By Paul Barringer and Jean Devine of Native Plant Community Gardeners Our first Biodiversity Day festival was a success! On Saturday, May 4th, over 120 visitors came to Danehy Park, Cambridge, to join birding tours, Miyawaki Forest tours, learn about pollinator gardens, native plants, and ecosystem restoration from ten local environmental organizations who joined us…
Cool Forests for a Hot World
We affirm the need to restore the five billion hectares of degraded land worldwide but we have also found a way to bring the power of eco restoration home. Home to our own communities; Home to those most in need of a healing shot of nature; By planting tiny forests in urban areas, using the…
Rewilding the Windy City
I’ve loved Chicago from the first day I set foot there, and I’ve missed the Windy City since I left after college in 2018. When I had a chance to visit two weeks ago, I made it a point to try to understand Chicago’s ecosystems better, and check in on the many ways communities across…
Blackwaters Film Screening and Discussion – Friday, March 15
Join Bio4Climate community members for the Cambridge screening of a groundbreaking new film, BLACKWATERS – Brotherhood In The Wild. We are proud to co-sponsor this free screening along with other organizations and the hosts at the Greater Boston Chapter of Trout Unlimited. To join our meetup, RSVP here and make sure you register with Trout…
Regenerating Life Screening and Discussion Series – February 8, 15, and 22
Join soil scientist Didi Pershouse and Bio4Climate members Jim Laurie and Maya Dutta this February for a learning and discussion series on John Feldman’s Regenerating Life. The Center for an Ecology Based Economy (CEBE) is hosting a hybrid series to screen the documentary in three parts and discuss the science and solutions within. Register now…
Biodiversity Deep Dive: Beavers, Wetlands, and Living Shorelines
Starting Wednesday, February 21, Jim Laurie begins his 12 week Biodiversity Deep Dive course. Join us for an exploration of wetlands, shorelines, the water cycle, and the solutions powered by a systems approach to climate. This course meets every Wednesday, starting February 21 and running through May 8, 2024. Sessions will be held from 12…
Toward a Regenerative Future – Monday, January 29 at 6pm ET
On Monday, January 29, Vincent Stanley of Patagonia joined our Life Saves the Planet lecture series to discuss the role of business in pivoting to regenerative systems. It is easy to vilify globalization and corporate America, but what would happen if the vast resources of the world economy turned towards eco-restoration, fair trade and uplifting…
2023 in the Forest
As the year rounds out, it is time to reflect on the changes and growth we’ve seen in 2023. Nothing gives me quite as much pride, amazement, and faith in the power of change than our young Miyawaki forests. I was honored to share our work with the public in this short feature from the…
Halley’s Comet and Scenario 300
Halley’s Comet last hurtled around the Sun in 1986 and is expected to return in July of 2061. What will the Earth be like when the Comet returns? What kind of world do we want to greet it?
Water Holistic @ COP28 in Dubai
While most people are focused on the irony of COP28 being hosted by the fossil fuel industry, we will be focusing on the work being done on biodiversity, eco-restoration and water cycles.
Regenerating Life Film Premiere – Panel Discussion
We are excited to share with you the panel discussion from the Boston Premiere of the film Regenerating Life! It was such a full day with three parts to the film, interesting exhibitors, and reconnecting with friends, that it was difficult to take it all in at once. You can share some of that excitement from…
Are We Doing Solar Right?
On Thursday, November 9 at 6 pm ET, we welcomed Michelle Manion of Mass Audubon to our Life Saves the Planet lecture series to discuss the negative impacts of solar installations on forest land and the viability of alternatives. Check out the recording now.
Save Mass Forests – Forest Protection Bills in MA under review in Nov. 2023
As renewable energy projects are implemented to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, regulations suspended to help fast-track beneficial projects and combat climate change have allowed the deforestation of intact woodlands. This decreases our resilience, and makes very little sense in the long term. Simply put, we don’t need to cut down trees to put…
Aligning natural and human laws for global wellbeing: Legislative Action
Dr. Makarieva explains why protecting existing forests is one of the most important things we can do to stabilize the climate. Pending legislation in MA (USA) serves as a model for policy protections needed around the world. Learn more about taking action here, and find out more at Save Mass Forests. Our climate system is incredibly…
Bring Nature to the Global Fight to End Fossil Fuels – September 10 – 24
From now until September 24, we each have a critical opportunity to spread the message that #NatureCools in cities throughout the world, on social media, and in the mainstream media. Join us in showing people that restoring and protecting nature cools the climate, hydrates the land to prevent wildfires, drought and flooding, and reduces extreme weather.…
Gaia Songs: Seeking Equilibrium
Here are the writings and paintings that made up my exhibit, “Gaia Songs: Seeking Equilibrium.” The exhibit included my essay, “Earth is a Person” and my article “Building Climate Stability” and six paintings with Artist’s Statements. The Artist Statements include two paragraphs for each painting about how they relate to the conference “The Uses and…
An Inspiring Grassroots Approach to Ecorestoration: Sahel Ecovillage Communities
On Thursday July 27 at 1 pm ET, we welcomed Dr. Ousmane Pame, Katrina Jeffries, and Dr. Marie Nazon to our Life Saves the Planet lecture series to discuss the Ecovillage movement and their work with REDES, a Network for Ecovillage Emergence and Development in the Sahel region of Africa. They shared their experience and…
What Drives the Greenhouse Effect
One of the profound ways Australian Climatologist Walter Jehne influenced my thinking was in helping me see the other side of the greenhouse effect. We always think about the “insulating” gases, and not about the source of the heat. And that’s bare land… This introduces the first of my RegenLife Minutes: From the new documentary Regenerating Life, this…
Regenerating Life: Support the Film, Support the Movement!
John Feldman brings the voices of Bio4Climate together in his new film – Regenerating Life. When you donate to this campaign, part of your donation goes to support our work (as long as you fill in the box on the donation page with our name). And you get to see this groundbreaking film before the…
A Review Of John Feldman’s “Regenerating Life”
by Fred Jennings, Ecological Economist for Biodiversity for a Livable Climate Part One: “Water Cools The Planet” Runtime 41:43 John Feldman introduces himself and expresses surprise that this work got him thinking a lot about water. The film proceeds to talk about water in its many diverse aspects: as a powerful greenhouse gas; in its…
Report from the Conference of the Parties
United Nations, New York CityMarch 23-24, 2023 Biodiversity for a Livable Climate was in New York meeting with attendees of the Conference of Parties (COP) on Water. Board member Sue Butler and Assistant Director of Regenerative Projects Maya Dutta, working with Jon Schull from EcoRestoration Alliance, had meetings with several exciting global Water Advocates. Meeting…
Primates and Peatlands: Restoring Indonesian Ecosystems in the Face of Flooding
Meet Eka Cahyaningrum, restorer of peatlands and advocate for primates. Her work in Indonesia restores wild animal populations and their habitats while uplifting local communities. Her youth-led efforts demonstrate the power of coming together under one goal: to create better living conditions for all living beings, so that we can all thrive. Eka Cahyaningrum, Primate…
Environmental Activism and the Search for Purpose
By Carlos Mdemu Social Media, Writing, and Online Outreach Intern Since 2011, I have been working in the field of environmental and solid waste management. At the beginning of my journey, I remember visiting one of the famous local markets in Dar es Salaam for a community cleanup. The local market, in terms of waste management…
Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild our Communities
Bulu mini-forest in Cameroon after 19 months; Photo: Agborkang Godfred Hannah Lewis, Compendium Editor for Biodiversity for a Liveable Climate and freelance writer The Miyawaki Method The Miyawaki Method is a way to grow natural, mature forests in a couple of decades rather than a couple of centuries. You do this by observing what happens…
Climate Justice: For People and Planet
Climate change is already here. Severe weather-related events such as more frequent hurricanes, intense droughts, longer wildfire seasons, and devastating floods are evidence of this statement. However, not all people are experiencing the consequences of the climate crisis equally. All too often, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) are on the frontlines. Due to systemic…
A Montage of Words and Images
“Ecological processes are not only more complex than we think. They are more complex than we can ever think.” – Michael Crowfoot, Soil Scientist “On one of my early projects…a scientist friend asked me, how did I know what I was doing, and where did I get the knowledge to understand the system with which…
Reflections on Activism
At Biodiversity for a Livable Climate, we believe that everyone has a place in the fight for a livable climate and flourishing future. We were called to this work from different places and for different reasons, but we’re united in our commitment to be stewards of nature, and to work with nature and each other…
A Global Action Plan for the Restoration of Natural Water Cycles and Climate
Ing. Michal Kravčík,CSc. / Jan Lambert https://bio4climate.org/downloads/Kravcik_Global_Action_Plan.pdf Jan’s Quick-Take: This is a document intended to guide people from individuals to the national level, on addressing climate change through the restoration of short, or small water cycles, thus increasing the production potential and biodiversity of all continents through the introduction of various measures of rainwater retention.…
Cool It! Water and the Climate Crisis
With a record drought in California, floods in the UK and snow paralyzing areas of the South that have hardly met a plow, people are starting to make the connection between climate change and water. But generally the cause-and-effect link only goes one way, noting how climate change will affect water by putting stress on…