An author, journalist, and hemp advocate addressed the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The video was produced by Barry Heidt.

Please join The Commonwealth Club of California and UC Berkeley’s Townsend Center for the Humanities for the second in a series of dialogues on catastrophe, storytelling and the present

Please join The Commonwealth Club of California and UC Berkeley’s Townsend Center for the Humanities for the second in a series of dialogues on catastrophe, storytelling and the present moment. In “Climate Change and Sacred Groves,” Townsend Center scholar Sugata Ray will meet with visual artist Ranu Mukherjee to investigate the relationship between the natural world and the sacred realm, especially as it has developed in India over the last several centuries of civilization and the rise of the Anthropocene era.

In his most recent book, Climate Change and the Art of Devotion, Sugata shows how a site-specific and ecologically grounded theology emerged in northern India in the wake of the Little Ice Age (ca. 1550–1850), an epoch marked by climatic catastrophes across the globe. His interests dovetail in unexpected and compelling ways with Ranu’s visionary and captivating recent work, which positions the banyan tree as a meeting point between ecology and culture. Their conversation will be an opportunity for viewers to contemplate and rethink the role of art as it relates to contemporary concerns around climate, disease, human flourishing and the sacred.

Sugata Ray is associate professor of South and Southeast Asian art in the History of Art Department at the University of California, Berkeley. His research and writing focus on climate change and the visual arts from the 1500s onward. Ray is the author of Climate Change and the Art of Devotion: Geoaesthetics in the Land of Krishna, 1550–1850 (2019); Water Histories of South Asia: The Materiality of Liquescence (2019; coedited); and Ecologies, Aesthetics, and Histories of Art (forthcoming; coedited).

Ranu Mukherjee is a visual artist who makes paintings, animations and large-scale installations. Her current work focuses on shifting senses of ecology, non-human agency, diaspora, migration and transnational feminist experience. Her most recent installation was presented at the ecologically focused 2019 Karachi Biennale; she has exhibited solo at the San Jose Museum of Art, the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, the Asian Art Museum, and the de Young Museum. She is an associate professor in graduate fine art at the California College of the Arts. Mukherjee is represented by Gallery Wendi Norris.

NOTES
Artwork from The Met (in public domain): "Krishna and Balarama by a River: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu)"

Part one in this series, “The Book of Exodus,” can be viewed here


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David Wessel's book, "Only the Rich Can Play," exposes the 2017 Opportunity Zone tax break. Intended to aid underserved communities, this initiative, passed with little scrutiny, primarily

David Wessel's book, "Only the Rich Can Play," exposes the 2017 Opportunity Zone tax break. Intended to aid underserved communities, this initiative, passed with little scrutiny, primarily benefited wealthy areas like the Las Vegas Strip, allowing investors to avoid capital gains taxes.

Wessel's analysis details the program's failures and limited successes, offering lessons for better design. Join David Wessel (@davidmwessel) and Lenny Mendonca for an in-depth discussion on this system, which Wessel argues keeps the rich richer. This event was presented by The Commonwealth Club of California.

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The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, which released over 40 million liters of crude oil into Alaska's pristine waterways, continues to have lasting effects. Decades later, oil still pollutes the

The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, which released over 40 million liters of crude oil into Alaska's pristine waterways, continues to have lasting effects. Decades later, oil still pollutes the shores, and bankrupted fishermen await a $5 billion payout granted in 1994.

After appeals, the payout was reduced to $2.5 billion, and fishermen fear the pro-business US Supreme Court may leave them with nothing. While ExxonMobil claims the area has recovered, locals and scientific evidence dispute this, citing vastly depleted fish stocks. Many plaintiffs have died or lost hope as the legal battle drags on, feeling cheated by Exxon's claims of responsible action.

For more information, visit: http://www.journeyman.tv/?lid=58958&bid=2

Lydia Jennings, a member of the Huichol (Wixaritari) and Pascua Yaqui (Yoeme) Nations, holds a doctorate in soil microbiology. Her work champions environmental science and the essential role of

Lydia Jennings, a member of the Huichol (Wixaritari) and Pascua Yaqui (Yoeme) Nations, holds a doctorate in soil microbiology. Her work champions environmental science and the essential role of Indigenous communities, striving for more inclusive academic and environmental landscapes.

When her graduation was canceled due to the pandemic, Lydia celebrated by running 50 miles to honor Indigenous scientists and knowledge keepers—a tribute to the past, present, and future. This inspiring story is captured in a film by Devin Whetstone and Jordan Marie Daniel.

Special thanks to Rising Hearts for making this film possible. Music was composed by Stephanie Nicora & Bill Reynolds, featuring vocalist Eden Fine Day, and songs by Portugal. The Man and Raye Zaragoza.

As the global push for a Circular Economy grows, Azby Brown's book "Just Enough" highlights how Edo-period Japan offers a historical prototype. Edo's environmental and design principles closely

As the global push for a Circular Economy grows, Azby Brown's book "Just Enough" highlights how Edo-period Japan offers a historical prototype. Edo's environmental and design principles closely align with Circular Economy ideals, demonstrating a comfortable, healthy, and beautiful sustainable lifestyle.

Brown, an expert in environmentalism and traditional Japanese sustainable practices, has lived in Japan for over three decades. His internationally recognized writings cover traditional carpentry and compact housing. Since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, he also leads research for Safecast, a global citizen-science organization.

This talk was given at a TEDx event. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.