In the Rockies, evening sun graces snow on the mountaintop. If we let its beauty call us to act, we may later say of our climate work, as Christiana Figuerez hopes, “We did everything that was necessary.”—Photos by Ann Suellentrop

Climate response course in KC offers hope for Earth

At the halfway point of a climate response course, I am engaged and inspired. I’ve been drinking in ideas of environmental leaders including Paul Hawkins, Joanna Macy, Dr. Riane Eisler, and Christiana Figuerez.

Ann Suellentrop sings Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” ending with Ann’s no-nuke verse, with a bow to Marvin Gaye (for “love can conquer hate"): “How many times will we escalate? / When will we learn that only love can conquer hate? / How many times must we say no to nukes / Before we take them all down? / How many years must we risk all life on Earth / Before we are all truly free? / The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind / The answer is blowin’ in the wind.”—Zoom screenshots by Kriss Avery, unless otherwise noted.

Song, sorrow, hope at heart of PeaceWorks’ Annual Meeting

“Blowin’ in the Wind” framed our sorrow about the war on Ukraine, with reflections and hope shared at the PeaceWorks Annual Meeting via Zoom.

Charles Carney and Donna Constantineau, his wife, reach the end of the Peace Walk’s 253rd mile with supporters eager to celebrate.—Photo by Jane Stoever

Charles Carney completes 253-Mile Wichita-KC Peace Walk

At the rally concluding the Peace Walk, Mary Hladky poses a question from Howard Zinn: “Have we reached a point in history where we are ready to embrace a new way of living in the world, expanding not our military power, but our humanity?”

"Ultimately, we will not reach a nuclear-free world alone, we will do it as an ever-expanding community of love," Charles Carney said. "Will we let greed destroy our children's future? NO!"--Photos by Kriss Avery

Charles Carney speaks at Peace Walk Finale Rally  

While on the Flint Hills Nature Trail, I realized how deeply our radical interconnectedness with plants, trees, animals, bugs, deer and wolves, and with other humans, renders any act of violence toward each other or the Earth utterly ludicrous. We will not go quietly into the deep dark destruction of nuclear madness!