One of the highlights of the annual meeting of the American Holistic Medical Association was the closing keynote by Kenny Ausubel, founder and co-director of the Bioneers. This is a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting ecology and sustainability for solving our multiple simmering global crises.

Here are some of Kenny Ausubel's sparkling observations:

We are the endangered species on this planet.

We suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder.

Diversity = resilience. We must preserve the many varieties of plants and animals that are endangered by the monocultures of industrial farming and animal raising factories. Diversity offers protection against diseases that can decimate monoculture populations.

Through face to face community we build the networks of support for global change. 

We must acknowledge a Declaration of Interdependence (See next blog for outstanding, succinct video on this.)

The most serious Gulf War is the growing gulf between rich and poor. Without addressing this, we cannot expect to have peace.

Public health has saved far more lives than one-on-one interventions.

In nature there is no waste.

 Even more than by the content of his presentation, I was impressed by Kenny Ausubel's positive attitude towards the challenges that face us. He believes that humanity can rise to the challenges that we are facing - by working together globally to solve global problems.

See more in Blog entry of July 10 

Dan Benor, WHEE-MD