“I like to think of the moment we are in like the Millenium Falcon in Star Wars; we need to go sideways to get through the window of opportunity before it closes.” ~ Amanda Joy Ravenhill
E74 – AMANDA JOY RAVENHILL ON SYSTEMS THINKING, BUCKMINSTER FULLER AND REGENERATIVE DESIGN
THE AWKWARD ERA: SLOWING DOWN TO ACT FAST
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About this interview:
How can we design for a regenerative future?
In this episode, Amisha sits down with Amanda Joy Ravenhill, Executive Director of The Buckminster Fuller Institute.
Amanda shares her approach to navigating what she calls ‘the awkward era’ that we find ourselves in now. She talks about the work that she and others at the Buckminster Fuller Institute are doing to facilitate regenerative action. She shares the remarkable story of “Bucky’s” early life and how he came to prominence as early as age 5 as an innovative polymath designer with a systems bent.
Amanda introduces us to a dazzling array of regenerative projects – from agroforestry to kelp farming – that offer win/win solutions to the intertwined issues of climate crisis, biodiversity loss, food security, and economic security. She explains how these initiatives represent the ‘hatchling’ phase in Buckminster Fuller’s metaphorical model of humanity as baby chicks; hatching from an egg and stepping out of the embryonic fluid of fossil fuels to repurpose our technologies for the greater good.
Finally, Amanda shares with us her personal story – how growing up as a “third culture kid” and living in many different parts of the world during her childhood has shaped her work at the systems level, and how living in a community nurtures and supports her in that work.
Together, Amisha and Amanda speak about the importance of metabolising the anger, grief, and anxiety that is provoked by the crises we currently face on a global scale. They talk about how we can stay out of despair and remain cooperative and creative in our approach.
“Whenever I complain about something I try to have an alternative in mind and try to make it productive. I think that’s really important in these times. As we are facing and awakening to so many things that have been messed up and dysfunctional for so long, to not just complain but to also offer what’s the next step, what’s the alternative” ~ Amanda Joy Ravenhill
Amanda Joy Ravenhill is Executive Director of the Buckminster Fuller Institute, which is dedicated to accelerating the development and deployment of strategies that radically regenerate Earth’s ecosystems. She is also a member of The Seastars, an acapella group blending harmonies with new narratives of a future that works for 100% of life. She is also an avid gardener, stewarding her small backyard farm to build soil, host pollinators, create medicines, and grow food.
Amanda Joy previously held the role of Co-Founder and Executive Director of Project Drawdown, the comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. Other positions she has held include lecturer at Presidio Graduate School, teaching the Principles of Sustainable Management course; co-founder of The Hero Hatchery, a climate activist fellowship program; Business Partnership Coordinator at 350.org; and Americorp Sustainable Communities and Education Fellow.
Amanda Joy is driven by her experience living and working internationally as well as her enthusiasm to integrate design and science. She lectures and speaks publicly on climate, biochar, regenerative design, carbon drawdown strategies, mindfulness, and systems thinking. She is an active member of the international community focused on addressing imminent global challenges and welcomes you to join her in weaving the tale of our planet’s regenerative metamorphosis.
To find out more about The Buckminster Fuller Institute visit bfi.org
To connect or work with Amisha, visit amisha.co.uk
Resources and links from this episode:
- The SeaStars
- Project Drawdown
- Co-operating Manual for Spaceship Earth
- Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by Buckminster Fuller
- Pacari Chocolate
- Green Wave 3D Ocean Farming
- Guba permaculture training
- Burning Man
- Center for the Study of the Force Majeure
- The Berkana Institute
- Starhawk
- Film: The Ghost Fleet
- Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows
Connect more with us:
- Beautiful Leadership mentoring
- Amisha’s One-to-One sessions
- Amisha’s book – INTUITION
- all that we are membership
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