This Time Last Year - Interdependent Project Radio

By this time last year we were well into the launching of the Interdependent Project Radio on Modavox's new Green Talk Network.  So why did radio programming cease?

The whole internet radio program developed the summer of 2008 when we contacted an internet talk radio platform and requested that they add a new category called 'sustainability' for interview shows we wanted to do that featured the best of the best pioneers, educators, and leaders within the sustainability movement.

Those of you who have been with us since back then probably remember the excited emails we sent out explaining that we had been offered our own 24/7 channel on their platform after sharing with them our program ideas - verbally that is.  After we spent months lining up guests, the representative who had made the offer dropped the bomb on us and told us that the agreement he had made earlier was now null and void.

We are intentionally leaving out some sordid details not to save them from any bad press but to save you the time in having to read it.  First big lesson on this learning spiral - "get it in writing" (sad but true when dealing with entities that missed the course on win/win realities).....

So we contacted Modavox and they appeared to be an upgrade - next lesson - "don't be fooled by appearances" - and we then went into a - get this - 'non-cancelable' contract (as if such a thing really exists) with a promise of millions of listeners and movable audio widgets.  After one month of broadcasting and a less than desirable Google Analytics report we decided to cancel the deal for more reasons than we can even share openly here.

It was then that we decided it would be best to simply get our own licenses and launch our own radio network.  We set a goal to resume broadcasting after the release of Volume I of the Seeds of Sustainability Education Series...another lesson - "if you want something done right do it yourself." 


We lamented the fact that these old proverbial sayings proved to be true in our learning spiral and we are confident that many more will hold up as we progress down the path of inspired idealistic folly.  We imagine we will somewhere in here cross the dreaded path that 'they' have all warned us about - the place where you simply realize your efforts have all been in vain and that you cannot stray outside of the box and refuse to adhere to rules without having to..uhumm..compromise your principles "like we all had to - you know - 'bite the bullet' or 'wake up and smell the coffee' or even god forbid 'grow up' right?  

We'll see...until we get there though we can only say that as long as we are having fun - which we are - it matters not one iota how others judge and measure our successes or failures.  


So on that note - we are stoked to be going into the next stage of planning for the Interdependent Project Radio.  We hope you have appreciated this behind the scenes and candid sharing.  If you enjoyed any of the launch radio shows you can look forward to more coming this spring/summer...if you have not even listened to any of them you can check them out in the archives here.  

On our next 2009 revisited post we will share with you what happened around the original brand and why we changed it...

In Sustainable Solidarity
Darlene Green

Interdependent Project Celebrates Core Team Members

Everyone knows how hard it is to birth an excellent team and the Interdependent Project has been blessed to have attracted core team members who are aligned with it's mission.  In the beginning we had some team members who fully supported the project during its launch phase and contributed energy in ways that fueled the rockets to get lift off and their contributions were invaluable.  But just as the solid rocket boosters must fall away as orbit is made these team members had other commitments to fulfill and directions they were heading.  The Interdependent Project is celebrating its one year since launch and we want to celebrate the team members who have made this past year a deep success as well as introduce new team members who will be helping to set coordinates as we navigate through the global transition to a sustainable future.

SUSAN FRANK

Beginning in May 2009 team member Susan Frank who is the executive administrator of the Interdependent Community Sphere began a 6 month 'Communities and Sustainable 'green' Events Tour' that took her across the United States to visit developing/existing sustainable communities and attend/volunteer at events/festivals that were focused on 'green' and sustainable living themes.  As the Interdependent Project Media Ambassador Susan conducted interviews and produced videos throughout her journey and blogged her travels as she immersed herself in many different worlds that share a common vision of a sustainable future.  We are featuring her videos and posting links to her stories on the main site.  Most of her travels and experiences were incredibly positive and enriching but she also shares her own perspective of some of the shortcomings and disappointments that she encountered as well.

Susan was a student as Prescott University during her travels and much of her work was also course related for her degree which she successfully earned in December 09`.  Her reports to the Interdependent Project during her travels also contributed to changes and re-shaping of the IP strategies and alliances.  Susan has set a standard for the project of the high quality commitment and dedication we are striving for with our core team and her contributions are impeccable.  Thank you Susan!

MEET EVAN SPURRELL

Evan T. Spurrell joins the Interdependent Project core team from ground zero of the project's second year since launch.  He is the founder of the Permaculture Production Crew which is a campus club at Sierra College.  Evan leads students into the realm of Earth Stewardship/regenerative projects and inspires students to learn permaculture practices within urban and rural environments.  We met Evan at the Seeds of Sustainability DVD release party and were instantly impressed with his authentic and sincere dedication to world-bridging solutions to those who have limited access to the solutions that exist and perhaps have been living in a state of hopelessness around the global problems.  Evan will be participating in the production of Volume 2 of the Seeds of Sustainability Education Series and working with the team to further the goals of the Interdependent Project.  We are stoked to have you aboard Evan!

We also want to give a special thanks to Vladimir Frolov, Josh Green aka 'Electrolysis', Robin Marche, Jason Deptula and Alayne Chauncey for the rocket fuel they continually have provided to keep this ship in orbit.

We invite you now to check out the updated 'Sustain Yourself" page and the info about 'Raw Food' which includes some great links to the G-Living Network  site!

In Sustainable Solidarity

Darlene Green

Happy New Decade!

1 - 10 - 10...we thought we would wait a bit before we posted about the turning of the first decade of the new millennium...and what a turning it has been! The Interdependent Project is celebrating it's 1 year anniversary for the rest of the month of January and we have updated the main website with new content and cleaned the site up a bit....

2009 was an epic year for us and we were actually pretty amazed at how much our team accomplished and learned.  We have often used the terms 'running sideways' and 'learning spirals' in many of our posts and emails because the truth of the matter was when we began we had nothing but our unbending intent to 'Dream It-Do It' - Youth Venture slogan...

Many along the way scoffed at our idealistic grandiose goals and we have had our fair share of shocking obstacles and hurdles to jump over.  Humor was our savior during the worst parts and as we learned we made sure to take note of the lessons in ways that allowed us to further develop the 'standards' we would be sure to go by in the future.  

The launching of this project began in 2008 when we received a small seed grant from Youth Venture with the intent to launch a private online networking hub for EcoVillages and sustainable communities.  That was when the project was named and the first mission statement was developed.  The universe decided to give us an opportunity - that turned out to be a lesson and then another opportunity - that turned into lesson - again and again in relationship to this project.  So are we more knowledgeable now?

We believe in the Golden Dragon Rule:

“Life's secret lies in Comprehension rather than only in Knowledge."

The Tree of Sustainability page on the main site finally has an article written on it and we invite you to check it out and let us know if it is 'comprehensible'....

This month we will be blogging about goals for 2010 (and the next decade), posting about the new content and recapitulating the past in order to share and process our journey thus far into the Sustainability Matrix!

In Sustainable Solidarity

Darlene Green

SOLSTICE BLESSINGS
WINTER SOLSTICE IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
SUMMER SOLSTICE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Gratitude & ThanksGIVING

G - iving
R - eflection
A - ttention
T - ime
I - nside
T - ruth
U - pholding
D - ivine
E - xperience

We wanted to thank all of you on this day and express our gratitude for the Interdependent reality that we all share.

In Sustainable Solidarity
Darlene Green

Titans of Transition

Equinox - 12 hours day, 12 hours night - perfect balance at the point of shift...the Titans of Transition awaken as the collective of humanity unites with a shared vision of a healthy and sustainable world. This image is dedicated to these Titans and as we move toward the end of 2009 may we all take time each day to nurture ourselves and strengthen our interdependent bonds.

We know as we awaken to our own personal power to create the world we all envision there will be many who arise from our collective who embody the characteristics that we are all cultivating within ourselves. As leaders of leaders these individuals are upheld among us as our collective voice and will expressed through their words and actions. As we honor them we are honoring ourselves because they represent us. The Interdependent Project would like to invite all of you to share with us the people, groups, and organizations who you feel are worthy of honor and acknowledgment during these times of transition. On the Sustainable Matrix Weavers Network there is a blog post titled 'Titans of Transition' - simply ad a reply to this post with information and photos of those whom you wish to honor - including yourself! We look forward to the emergence...


We would like to honor Shai Agassi as the first Titan of Transition. Please click here to watch videos and read more.

May you all shine brightly!

Summer & Seeds of Sustainability

Almost the end of August and we have been working since Earth Day on the Seeds of Sustainability program. The learning spiral never ends on this path of regenerative media. Our team is small and the list of things to do endless during this hot summer. We realized too late that we did not make a post to this blog for the June 21st Interdependence Day celebration - duh - so here is a link to the page with the special radio broadcast and videos celebrating the event. We shamelessly admit that more than 50% of our time is spent outdoors stewarding the Land of Dandarius here in Northern Caly. 60 acres of land inspires a huge amount of devotion. Here is one before and after shot of the small fish pond area we created by the house...

Before

After

We also had some computer problems here - operating systems going haywire (Vista sucks) and master computer crashing and giving its final beep goodbye. We have Linux now on the previous Vista computer and a new big mamma computer which is still getting all of the programs reloaded but she's a serious machine with 200GB - and we are getting a 2000GB external hardrive for all of the media we plan to launch this fall/winter. We hope to have the dvd done within the next couple weeks but we know better than to set ourselves up for any 'dates'...this project has a spirit and clock of it's own.

The Green PaTroll has been keeping things moving in the new Interdependent network and below is a copy of the Stage Two Launch report that he posted in the forum there....if you have not already joined please feel free to come join and weave your visions and make some connections:
_____________________________________

Greetings Sustainable Matrix Weavers

I have been commissioned to give you all a full report of the Stage Two Launch of the Interdependent Project. Those of you who have been with us since Stage One launch know that the Interdependent Project's main website, Interdependent Project Radio, the Interdependent Project Community Sphere, and the Seeds of Sustainability Program were the focus of Stage One Launch. Because the team is on a "learn as they go" mission the learning spiral involved in getting this matrix weaved was full of wild rides, unexpected surprises as well as disappointments, exciting connections with amazing individuals/organizations, and new friends joining the team.

The re-branding of the whole project was a huge undertaking and Dandarius is going to write a small and humorous ebook 'expose`' revealing the behind the scenes drama for those who might be interested in what kind of details have been involved in the creation of this multi-media portal.

Interdependence Day marked the beginning of the Stage Two Launch which encompasses the following projects goals:

Interdependent Ambassador Susan Frank's community tour and media outreach for the summer and fall. Susan is visiting many communities striving for sustainable living and attending events focused on 'green' themes. She will be spending a great deal of time at the Tennessee Farm as an apprentice to core team member Greg Landua helping the Farm prepare for the upcoming Bioregional Congress that is being hosted at the Farm. You can keep up with Susan's tour on her blog and if you are interested in attending please contact Susan directly so that she can have you on her own guest list during your visit!

Seeds of Sustainability will be releasing the first educational DVD that introduces master sprouting alchemist and core team member Robin Marche's revolutionary sprouting and living oils methods. These methods show how to make the highest quality sprouted vegetables using simple methods that eliminate the need to do daily rinsing and how to create living oils from nuts and seeds. You can download a free ebook and join the S.O.S. community if you are into accessing new and simple ways to add the highest living nutritious foods to your diet. Members of the private Interdependent Community Sphere (EcoVillages and Sustainable Communities) will be gifted a free digital download of the DVD and the team is going to give all members of the Interdependent Project an opportunity for a free download as well...more about that soon....

The Interdependent Community Sphere will be expanding this summer now that the first four communities have provided the feedback and joined the platform that is going to allow these communities to expand their connections with each other. It has been very exciting for the team to provide this private platform to these pioneers of sustainable living and try to find ways of serving their needs. 10+ new communities will be invited this summer into the Sphere and Susan will be recommending more during her travels.

The Interdependent Project Radio....as you all know the first 11 launch shows were a great success in many ways. The Green Talk Radio network however proved to not quite be the best platform in the teams opinion for future shows so radio broadcasting temporarily ceased while the team has been learning how to launch their own network. They are hoping to be able to resume broadcasting late fall/early winter when everyone is back indoors and ready for more cutting edge 'best of the best' in sustainable solutions. They still have many unbroadcasted/archived interviews with people like Earnest Callenbach, author of Ecotopia, and many more on cue so please stay tuned. There will be special broadcasts during the summer to keep you all up to date on great events like the Bioregional Congress and others that the team has time to produce.

Speaking of time...there never seems to be enough lately and I have watched the team struggle with this issue the most. Weaving a high quality matrix like the Interdependent Project is a huge time commitment and during these past few months the team has had a few challenges to overcome so they feel bad that they have not been able to keep up with a great deal of email communications and project related content. I have volunteered to help them in many ways but they still need team members who can contribute time and talent. They are currently looking for dedicated individuals to volunteer for the following areas:

~Full time video producer/editor for published digital DVD's and YouTube movies.
~~Radio hosts to do interviews in the 10 categories of the Sustainable Matrix. One host per category - we already have regular host lined up for the Earth Shelters and Sustain Yourself shows but need someone for others.
~~~Audio editor for radio shows
~~~~Webmaster to work with Dar on site updates/upgrades.
~~~~~Interdependent Partners marketing director.
~~~~~~Networkers to help weave Interdependent connections
~~~~~~~Language translators for audio and video

The Interdependent Project team is committed to the next 7 generations...that is 150 years approximately and although that is not much for us Trolls it can seem like forever to humans. I believe those of you who are making a deep commitment to the future have a part of your being already living there enjoying the fruits of the Tree of Sustainability that you are planting right now. I also believe humans are not far from unlocking the door to living even far beyond that time span by opening yourselves to the magic of life NOW.
In deepest gratitude and service
Your friend
Green PaTroll
________________________________________

In Sustainable Solidarity

Darlene Green

Happy Interdependence Day!

Interdependence Day message from Darlene Green, founder of the Interdependent Project:

What have we learned in the past three years in developing this project?

Interdependence is not easy....

It requires us to reprogram ourselves everyday and rethink every idea and belief system that we have been operating in up until now. These are challenging times for humanity, and the challenges are only going to increase. Fortunately for us, this will also mark a time of coming together in ways that we did not even consider possible before. Challenges have the potential to bring out the best of us as individuals, and as a unified collective.

The changes are happening so fast that looking for balance is a moot point, and all we can do is ride the wave of constant adaptation and recalibration. There have been many upheavals in the lives of everyone, including the members of the interdependent project. No matter how bleak or challenging it may seem to go through this constant change, the fact that we are all together is a source of unending strength as everything (including the structure of this project) dies and is reborn over and over and over again.

When we look back at what our plans were at the beginning of this journey, and how many mutations that has gone through, with the only constant being our intent, its hard to hold back the tears as we remember the challenges and obstacles we have grown through continually having to overcome.

On this day, the first global Interdependence Day, I invite you all to find your Interdependent tribe and let them know just how much their presence has meant in your life. I know that I would not be the person I am today if it was not for everyone connected to this project. Even those who tried to embrace interdependence but were unable to make that final leap have taught me many lessons and contributed to my sense of calm unity (community) more than they could ever imagine. To all of you who have supported this project, thank you, and happy Interdependence Day 2009.

Darlene Green
Interdependent Project Founder