For the 8th year in a row The American Renewable Energy Day (ARE DAY) is gathering Committed Citizens, Entrepreneurs, CEO’s, Visionaries, Climate Scientists, Celebrities, Senators, Generals, Professors, Governors, a smattering of the “poor & unknown” and YOU in Aspen, Colorado August 17 -21, 2011.

We’re witnessing the end of the OIL TRIBE ERA, as we usher in a whole new world of possibilities. We’re facing an urgent need to transform our conventional energy systems before we squander all of our options. The Theme of this ARE DAY gathering is “Putting the Green in Green”. Learn about the most dynamic leading- edge ideas for systemic change in our approach to Energy and the Environment. Discover what’s working.  You’ll want to re-arrange your schedule right now and plan your participation.

There will be an all day film festival, talks, and plenty of interaction in an intimate setting surrounded by the magnificent White River National Forest.

What does all this have to do with breathing?

To put it bluntly, we’re adding so much pollution to our atmosphere that it won’t be pleasant to breathe unless we stop the insanity of extinguishing our life support system by burning the remains of dinosaurs. Really, how smart is that?

You know it and I know it, there are better, cleaner, smarter, renewable ways to generate our electricity and satisfy our needs and desires for energy. Don’t forget about consuming less as the lowest hanging fruit begging for us to notice. If you just can’t control your desire to consume, we have outstanding alternatives to coal, oil and gas, right now. The ARE DAY conference in Aspen will showcase all the latest and greatest solutions to our energy crisis. You can kick the tires, as it were, at an all day Expo in Wagner Park.

Alec Loorz, one of the featured  youth leaders from a collection of short DVD’s produced by Young Voices on Climate Change, will  be there representing the new generation of activists. If you’re ambivalent, you won’t be after you hear what Alec has to say. After all, he and his generation will inherit what we do or perhaps fail to do about the climate crisis.

Included among more than 90 presenters is Colorado’s own Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). He’ll be sharing RMI’s new initiative: “Re-Inventing Fire”.

… and that’s just one of the inspiring talks you’ll hear, even Waylon’s hero, Ted Turner will be there.

Amory and RMI bring a practical, pragmatic and clever twist to Teilhard de Chardin’s wonderful quote. Would you expect anything less from a Paleontologist, philosopher, and Jesuit Priest? Teilhard’s inner Priest explains the reference to God:

The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And, on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.

Bucky Fuller put it another way in this classic poster from The Windstar Foundation – published in the mid-1980’s, it’s time to implement this vision:

Come mingle, ask questions, engage, agree, disagree, be inspired and design your own vision of the future. Whatever your beliefs and orientation, come hang out with people who care about our relationships with each other and the Earth. They’re doing something about it and they want you to join in the fun and meet the challenge.  This is your invitation!  I’ll be there doing my best to be a responsible journalist!

As is my practice lately, I’ll leave you with a song. I was privileged to listen to this moving memorial tribute in a high mountain meadow in the Ashcroft Valley above Aspen. John Denver wrote it and sang it in honor of Stuart Mace, a long time naturalist in the Roaring Fork Valley. John sang it from the depths of his heart, I hope it inspires you to think about your own relationship with Nature and then Register for ARE DAY today. You’ll be glad you did.

When you notice the price, appreciate that it is well worth it.  Take a deep breath while we still have clean air to breathe and practice compassion  (as all good Elephant Journal readers do) for the organizers. These bold leaders have the courage to risk a heck of a lot more of their own finances than a couple hundred Mocha Lattes. Is our future worth it?

Onward with Courage