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The Importance of Vision

The conference gave participants an opportunity to think collectively about the many possible "futures" for our country. Amid the talk of environmental and social consequences of current consumption patterns, conference planners made an unusual effort to heighten awareness of "nonmaterial" commodities such as silence, reflection, and vision. Donella Meadows and Paul Gorman of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment led an exercise in silent reflection and guided meditation. They asked each participant, after a period of silence, to visualize a sustainable future in some detail. How would dwellings look? Of what would they be made? Where would we work? How would we get there? What would we eat? Of what would our clothes be made? How would we produce goods? How would we recycle and use waste? What would change in the "built" environment? Our household culture? Our trade regime? Our relationship to television and advertisers?

Participants did not try to consolidate individual visions or craft a blueprint for a sustainable future. This session did highlight how difficult it is to look ahead, and to imagine a society and culture with the systems, policies, technology, and values to guarantee adequate resources for future generations.