What does the US-China handshake on climate change mean for our Planet of Cities? When Eagle Shakes Hands with the Dragon On the one hand it should give them confidence that they are the seed beds of global change – for it is cities who took the initiative on the climate file. While [...]
International Organization for Standards (ISO) has announced a new standard for quality of life in cities. ISO City Standard (retrieved from http://conference.cityminded.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Patricia_McCarney_PDF.pdf) In London, UK on November 17-18, 2014, ISO in conjunction the World Council on City Data (WCCD) launches the the first international standard for sustainable cities, ISO 37120: Sustainable development of communities [...]
I am truly awed with the announcement that the European Space Agency has finessed a washing machine sized lander on the ubiquitous Comet 67P/C. Philae on Comet (retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30034060) That’s like driving a hole-in-one to a comet not much larger than an earth-sized 4 km golf course – but with a drive that [...]
Remembrance Day has traditionally commemorated human life lost in defense of our freedoms. We long for Peace. World Peace Flame, Palace of Peace, den Haag, NL But as our worlds have expanded the dimensions of space, time and moral influence, so too have we expanded the “reach” of peace. We have grown Traditional [...]
When I think about harm, I am generally trying to ward off the harm others or circumstances might do to me. World Peace Flame The human species has evolved through a continuous onslaught of external threats from the natural world that have taught us to avoid, remove, reduce or prevent harm in [...]
How do you celebrate Remembrance Day in a community that does not believe in war? Peace Palace den Haag, NL It’s a question I have never asked myself, until I moved into a community designed by the Mennonites. I knew they opposed the (Abbotsford) air show because it promoted war planes/machinery. And I [...]
I am Integral City. Web of Conversations I am a web of constant, connecting, mysteriously transformative conversations, manifesting the 12 City Intelligences, [i] amongst my 4 voices[ii] — citizens, government, organizations, and businesses. Some people align towards, others resist, co-creating a more beautiful and sustainable world. Worldviews expand from self, to city, to world, [...]
Cities are the most complex, diverse, and novel human construction. I love them. Gaia Whispers At the most basic level, cities are made of zillions of tiny connections: the interactions of people conducting their lives in them. It makes me feel so alive! Exhilarating! In Humanity’s New Story, city-zens live better when [...]
We are Peer Spirits learning to read five Maps[i] of Integral City’s Intelligences and dance with her Communities of Practice. Peer Spirits in the Dance Apart, we situate our connections in the city as mentors[ii] to individual growth; as coaches[iii] to holarchic relationships between individuals and groups;[iv] as facilitator[v] for fractal synergetics of [...]
What paradigms might best guide humanity’s Communities of Practice around connecting global and local conversations about change? Indra's Web Why do we connect? We value connecting and intend to connect. Whom do we connect with? Knowing our values, and understanding our purpose and our world, illuminate relevance. How do we connect well? We [...]