Earth First! Organizers Conference 2005 February 19-22 Southern Arizona

Scientists have confirmed what indigenous cultures have taught for thousands of years: all forms of life are vitally connected; removing even a single strand from the web of life produces a widening ripple of catastrophe. A wild environment is inspiring, because all species of flora and fauna live together to their full potential. Contrast this with a society where the majority of human animals are so estranged from nature that they are systematically destroying their own habitat. As a part of nature, our culture alienates us not only from the wild but from each other as well. It is recognition of this loss that distinguishes eco-radicals from environmental reformers. Earth Firsters understand that we can never be the healthy humans that we were meant to be in a world without wilderness, clean air and the howling wolves under the moon. It is not enough to ask politicians and corporations to destroy less wilderness. We need to preserve it all, to recreate lost habitats and reintroduce the delicate web of life.
Environmental problems have been caused by human behavior and beliefs; therefore a radical eco-psycho-logical approach is crucial for finding solutions. Presently, our human ego not only destroys the environment but inhibits our movement's ability to protect it. To overcome this, we all need to find roots in a personal practice that holds life sacred and encourages an engaged intimacy with our fellow beings. Otherwise, facing the challenges ahead is nearly impossible. Activists on any front throughout history have seen the dire need to create sustainable communities of resistance.
Intellect alone will never really serve the cause of wildlife, for those of us who act to save a wetland or defend a river are not really motivated by reason. We are motivated by what we care for. We simply inhabit a world in which actions of this sort make sense.
The premise for the 2005 Earth First! Organizers' Conference is to find a place for humanity within the EF! movement. We will meet in the Dragoon Mountains of southern Arizona to create a unifying experience, one that strengthens the bonds between active Earth First! groups and supports the coordination of new ones. We will look at ways to build motivation from a positive source rather than a negative one. We will also investigate ways to work with more diverse social groups, getting perspective from past campaigns and guest speakers.
A representative from every active Earth First! group is expected to attend, and we welcome anyone who is inter¬ested in strengthening the core of the radical environmental movement. Through sharing our experiences, we will evaluate our organizing and action styles to see where we can improve our efforts to create an authentic, life serving subculture that can sustain environmental advocacy.
What to bring: camping gear (if you don’t know just ask), warm sleeping bag, warm weather and freezing weather clothes (you may find yourself hiking naked all say long and in the evening have icicle boogers) rain gear, a couple of personalized water containers, a dish, utensils, mug, toilet paper, snacks, musical instruments and information about your bioregion and campgrounds.

For more information, directions or if you need financial or logistical travel support, contact (520) 792-6472; az_earth_first [at] hotmail.com; http://www.earthfirstjournal.org .



NORTHWEST REGIONAL RENDEZVOUS FEBURARY 26-27
A decades-old tradition of EF! Regional rendezvous’ every season is returning to the Puget Sound/Olympic Vancouver Island bioregion this winter. The next gathering is on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula.
For more information, contact olyef [at] cascadiarising.org


*I intend to attend both events contact me if you want to travel together from san diego. I may drive, but hope to travel by other means.