FW: [nhnenews] Grist (& Grist Readers) Interview Julia Butterfly Hill

[Guest guest]

She's based in Oakland. Has she ever been to see Amma? She wouldn't like the

use of Styrofoam in the dining hall.

 

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FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY

 

JULIA BUTTERFLY HILL, ACTIVIST AND ONETIME TREE-SITTER, ANSWERS GRIST'S

QUESTIONS

 

Questions from Grist editors

Grist

January 23, 2006

 

http://www.grist.org/comments/interactivist/2006/01/23/hill/index.html

 

QUESTION: What work do you do?

 

ANSWER: I founded Circle of Life <http://www.circleoflifefoundation.org/> in

1999 while living in the branches of an over-1,000-year-old redwood to keep

it from being cut down by MAXXAM-owned Pacific Lumber Company.

 

QUESTION: What does your organization do?

 

ANSWER: Circle of Life activates people through education, inspiration, and

connection to live in a way that honors the diversity and interdependence of

all life. We believe that you -- yes, you -- make the difference in the

world.

 

QUESTION: What do you really do, on a day-to-day basis? What are you working

on at the moment?

 

ANSWER: My days are filled with answering requests like this one from Grist.

I also facilitate workshops, speak at events, fund-raise for many

organizations (including Circle of Life, which also needs funds to do the

work we do), strategize with team members around programs and ideas, write

forewords and endorsements for books for authors who publish in ecologically

sound ways, make art that is auctioned for nonprofits, and have meetings

with key movement leaders.

 

QUESTION: What long and winding road led you to your current position?

 

ANSWER: It actually was a road that led me to where I am now. Literally. I

had a car wreck in August of 1996 when I was designated driver, driving my

friend's car (she had been drinking), and we were hit from behind by a drunk

driver. It took 10 months of physical and cognitive therapy to recover from

the wreck, and during that time I realized I wanted to find a more powerful

purpose for being here on this planet. After I was released from my last

doctor, I went on a road trip with friends which led me to California, which

led me to the redwoods, which led me to found Circle of Life, which led

Grist to be able to have a way to contact me, which led to this moment of me

answering these questions.

 

QUESTION: How many emails are currently in your inbox?

 

ANSWER: I do not use email -- it takes all I have to just keep up with my

life.

 

QUESTION: Where were you born? Where do you live now?

 

ANSWER: I was born in Mount Vernon, Mo. I now am based in Oakland, Calif.,

and have been for the last four years.

 

QUESTION: Who is your environmental hero?

 

ANSWER: I have so many people I look to for inspiration and motivation

including Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Amílcar Cabral, and Joan Baez. I am

inspired continuously by all kinds of people, young and old, of all kinds of

cultural and economic backgrounds, who are contributing to making our world

a better place.

 

QUESTION: What are you reading these days?

 

ANSWER: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee; Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun

Dance by Leonard Peltier; The Lorax; Horton Hears a Who; everything Rumi --

just to name a few. I love to read.

 

QUESTION: What's your favorite meal?

 

ANSWER: Just about anything vegan! I am a joyous vegan, and an avid cook and

un-cook. I love preparing food that is healthy for people, the planet, and

animals, and tastes damn good.

 

QUESTION: What's your favorite place or ecosystem?

 

ANSWER: Of course, the redwood forests are some of the most beautiful and

sacred to me. I also have a strong love for any place that is tropical with

ocean and fruit trees. I love being on the beach in the middle of nowhere,

baking in the sun and listening to the hypnotic ocean.

 

QUESTION: What's one thing the environmental movement is doing badly, and

how could it be done better?

 

ANSWER: We are doing a sad job at un-learning and undoing racism and

classism and sexism within ourselves, our organizations, and our movement.

Also, as a whole, we are pretty profoundly lacking in integrity. We need to

spend less time preaching and more time practicing.

 

QUESTION: If you could institute by fiat one environmental reform, what

would it be?

 

ANSWER: We could learn a heck of a lot from many European countries,

including making manufacturers responsible for the life of the products they

make, taxing manufacturers and consumers on everything that falls under the

term "disposable," and holding manufacturers responsible for paying for the

end result of all their packaging.

 

QUESTION: Who was your favorite musical artist when you were 18? How about

now?

 

ANSWER: My music tastes are actually still pretty much what they were when I

was 18 only I have added more world music and conscious hip-hop like The

Coup to my repertoire. I am very eclectic. Some of my favorite bands then

and now include Sinead O'Connor, Tori Amos, Tool, Nine Inch Nails,

Metallica, Sarah McLachlan, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Tupac Amaru Shakur

(2Pac), to name a few.

 

QUESTION: What's your favorite TV show? Movie?

 

ANSWER: TV kills your mind and your creativity.

 

Like my music tastes, my movie tastes are all over the place. My old-school

all-time favorites are The Princess Bride, The Secret of NIMH, and The Usual

Suspects. More recent favorites include the Lord of the Rings trilogy and

Whale Rider.

 

QUESTION: What are you happy about right now?

 

ANSWER: This breath. And this one. And this one ... It is magic every time.

 

QUESTION: If you could have every InterActivist reader do one thing, what

would it be?

 

ANSWER: Get rid of disposability consciousness -- every paper bag, paper

plate, paper napkin, plastic to-go container, and Styrofoam cup. I have

walked on the earth that is connected to the thread at the other end of

those horrific choices, and I am not being overdramatic when I say

disposables are weapons of mass destruction.

 

And, if you are inspired by the message and work of Circle of Life, please

donate whatever you can.

 

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MADAME BUTTERFLY

 

JULIA BUTTERFLY HILL, ACTIVIST AND ONETIME TREE-SITTER, ANSWERS READERS'

QUESTIONS

 

Questions from readers

Grist

January 27, 2006

 

http://www.grist.org/comments/interactivist/2006/01/23/hill/index1.html

 

QUESTION: How do you feel about your experiences surrounding Luna being

turned into a film? What is your involvement with the project? -- Chris

Schults, Seattle, Wash.

 

ANSWER: Over the last seven years, various individuals, producers, and

studios have approached me, wanting to turn my story into a film. Even when

there were financially lucrative opportunities at the table, I ended up

walking away from all previous offers because there was a lack of integrity

somewhere in the process. I feel truly blessed to be working with

Participant Productions and Baldwin Entertainment on this project. I am

working with people who have such a commitment to making our world a better

place, and one of the areas they feel is a powerful place to do this is in

the media and film industry. And they are highly accomplished and talented

in their respective fields. Furthermore, this is going to be the first

committed green set in Hollywood, and we are already implementing this in

areas like offsetting carbon emissions for travel with wind credits

purchased through Native Energy <http://www.nativeenergy.com/>, a majority

Native-owned wind-energy company. I feel this film is an incredible

opportunity to get my message out in a really powerful way.

 

QUESTION: When you ascended Luna you didn't set out to become a celebrity,

but now that you've attained that status, what do you think about its

effects on your life and activism? Do you find that you (however

reluctantly) embrace your status due to some of its obvious advantages, or

is your notoriety something you wish you could turn off despite its

usefulness? -- Todd Hymas, Olympia, Wash.

 

ANSWER: On a personal level, I have always struggled with the attention

focused on me. My ongoing commitment, though, has been to do everything in

my power to use this attention as a catalyst and opportunity for others to

step into their courage, power, divinity, passion, and purpose. I want to

see a world full of people finding their own version of their "tree,"

committing to living their lives for something bigger than themselves, and

creating lives of meaning, joy, and connection.

 

QUESTION: I know a couple of years ago you were refusing to pay income taxes

in protest of the ongoing Iraq war. How did this turn out? -- Bill Prescott,

Knoxville, Tenn.

 

ANSWER: I remain a war-tax resister. I choose to live below the poverty

level so that the government cannot use money I generate to perpetuate war

against the planet and its people. For information on what it means to be a

war-tax resister, its history, and the various ways to be a conscientious

objector around taxes check out the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating

Committee <http://www.nwtrcc.org/> and our Activism Is Patriotism

<http://www.activismispatriotism.org/> campaign for the many ways to use

your mind, money, voice, and vote to make a difference.

 

QUESTION: How important is spirituality to your life and work? -- Adrian

Harris, London, U.K.

 

ANSWER: Spirituality is not just a part of my life; it is my life. My

religion is love and integrity. My life is my spiritual practice where I put

love and integrity into action. A deep sense of the Sacred is my moral

compass that guides my thoughts, words, and actions.

 

QUESTION: I've been a big fan for years, but wonder if you have found

yourself appealing to, or connecting with, more "mainstream" folks? -- Anna

Swanson, Missoula, Mont.

 

ANSWER: A lot of my work and the work of my nonprofit Circle of Life

<http://www.circleoflife.org/> has been about creating powerful, fun,

creative, and meaningful events and opportunities that reach into the

mainstream and create a space for anyone, anywhere, at any stage in their

life, to find steps toward contributing to our world and making a

difference. At just about every event I have ever done, there are people who

come just because they heard about me in the media and are curious. I love

having the opportunity to interact with them and prove that we are all much

more diverse and wonderful than stereotypes allow. Activism is not about

stereotypes, labels, or cliques. It is about caring about your world and

choosing to do something to contribute and make a difference.

 

QUESTION: Your message is overwhelmingly positive and focuses on inspiring

people. However, as an ecologically sensitive being, you must experience

pain often when you witness degradation in its myriad forms. How do you deal

with sadness, anger, and hopelessness? -- Renee Lertzman, Cardiff, U.K.

 

ANSWER: In my commitment to be powerfully connected, I am connected both to

the inspiring beauty, wonder, and magic, and to the deep grief and sadness.

There is very rarely a day that goes by that I don't cry. As I write this,

my mind and heart reflect on our prisons overflowing with lives we are

throwing away, the ancient grove of Nanning Creek in Humboldt, Calif., that

has recently been devastated, the last wild buffalo who face slaughter every

time they leave the safety of Yellowstone, the starving and dying in Africa

and India, the toxic "recycling" dumps in China, the bombed-out homes and

lives in Iraq, Palestine, and Afghanistan, and the continuous cultural

genocide of Native people in the U.S. And as I reflect, the tears are

sliding down my cheeks.

 

I have found that my power is in my care and commitment, my joy comes from

being in service, my passion comes from every breath reminding me how

absolutely magical and divine life is. It is really a dance of balance --

how to remain powerfully connected and at the exact same time be unattached.

Sounds funny or weird, but it is the lesson I learned so intensely while

living in Luna, going through the worst storms in recorded history,

witnessing the destruction of forests all around me, and having all kinds of

opinions and beliefs thrust on me from every direction. Whatever I feel, I

am powerfully related to it, but I let it flow through me. This includes the

beautiful and joyful things. If I am attached to these, then I lose my power

every time I feel sad or angry. Like a tree, I remain deeply rooted and

connected to my source, but I flow with the storms of life.

 

Finally, I realize that I am the creator of my feelings. We act as if life

and what happens in it is responsible for our feelings, but the truth is

life happens and then what we do with that is our responsibility. I do not

adhere to the belief that everything happens for a reason. I recognize that

everything happens, and the reason is what we make of it. With a commitment

to being the divinity within me, even though I do not always succeed, I

choose love, joy, peace, and integrity in the face of destruction, loss,

violence, grief, and frustration.

 

QUESTION: I see you are serious about saving the California redwoods from

the timber industry. Because America's population is exploding, there is

demand for more wood. How are we supposed to satisfy our demand for timber

without cutting down more forests? What actions are you taking to stop

growth and development? -- Daniel Barker, Lakeland, Fla.

 

ANSWER: We live in a disposable society. Especially in the U.S., we have one

of the smallest populations with the largest and most voracious consumption

appetite. We build in obsolescence; we emphasize cheap and fast instead of

quality, integrity, and sustainability. We need to really hold ourselves

accountable to the choices we make. The more privilege we have, the more

responsibility we have. Personally, I have chosen to have surgery to insure

that I never procreate. I feel we have not earned the right to give birth to

children, because we are not doing a good enough job taking care of the

children who are already here or the planet into which they are birthed. I

tell people that if they feel they absolutely have to give birth, then

choose to only give birth to one child and extend their love beyond their

own self-interests and include the planet and the children who are already

here. I look forward to the day I hear men having enough commitment,

courage, and power to take elective surgery to insure they are an active

part in reducing human demands on the planet and nurturing the divine beings

who are already here.

 

QUESTION: What advice would you give to parents today on talking to their

children about environmental problems? -- Tim Forker, Brooklyn, N.Y.

 

ANSWER: The best teacher is leading by example. Hold yourself more

accountable than you hold them on every level. Also, make it fun,

interesting, creative, and engaging, and really create the space for them to

do some deep questioning of themselves and even you, and show respect for

their process. The more we value young people's wisdom, thoughts, ideas, and

feelings, the more they will value ours. Create time and opportunities for

them to be in service to their community -- human, animals, and nature. We

have a nation of predominantly spoiled and ignorant children -- even the

poorest among us are some of the richest in the world. It is really powerful

for young people to see what life is like for others who do not have as much

access to privilege. Finally, go to the education section of our website --

there you will find the Kid's Zone

<http://www.circleoflife.org/education/kids/index.htm> and Solutions You Can

Use <http://www.circleoflife.org/education/sustainable/index.htm>.

 

QUESTION: How has the realization of the threat of global warming affected

you and your activities as a touring activist and speaker? What do you do --

and what would you suggest others do -- about your impact? -- Kaleb Hopper,

Albuquerque, N.M.

 

ANSWER: My office, tours, events, and life are carbon-neutral. Here are some

of the ways we accomplish that: light bulbs are energy efficient; heating

and cooling are kept to a minimum with an emphasis on adding or subtracting

layers of clothing; tours are done with a bus that runs on recycled

vegetable oil; all new appliances purchased meet the highest

energy-efficiency standards; we use 100 percent recycled paper and reuse

scrap paper from other offices for our in-house printing needs (a whole lot

of energy consumption happens in the manufacturing and distribution of

goods); we have a vegetarian -- predominantly vegan -- office (eating

animals for food in industrialized nations is a huge energy consumer as well

as a forest destroyer, and forests help store carbon); many of us (myself

included) are car-free in our daily lives, choosing instead to bike, walk,

skateboard, and use public transportation; and, finally, after focusing on

reducing our energy consumption, we partner with Native Energy to offset all

our carbon emissions.

 

QUESTION: Where do you see the planet in 50 years, both if the world follows

the destructive path it's on and if more people start being more

environmentally conscious? -- Mike Scott, Madison, Wis.

 

ANSWER: The future lives in the here and now through who we are being, the

choices we make, and the stands and risks we are willing to embrace. We live

our lives backward, saying that some day, if things are a certain way in our

lives, then we can be what we want and create what we want. The truth is

that who we are co-creates the world we are a part of. You want to know what

the future will look like? Look in your life and see where your life and

actions are in integrity, love, justice, peace, and commitment, and where

they are not -- that is what the future looks like. Our greatest power in

having a future that inspires us lies in living inspiring, connected, and

committed lives now.

 

QUESTION: I have seen those in the NGO world grasp their campaigns with such

fervor that they become hostile to anyone who does not agree with their

thinking. This leads to an overly simplistic "us vs. them" mentality.

Decisions then get made at an emotional level instead of at a rational

level, and constructive discussion turns into finger-pointing. How do you

avoid this? -- Jeffrey Clair, Chiang Rai, Thailand

 

ANSWER: There is no "us vs. them." That is part of how all of us have

inherited the disease of disconnected consciousness. We are connected to

everything that ever has been, everything that is, and everything that ever

will be -- positive and negative. And this is true whether you look through

a spiritual, philosophical, or scientific lens. Ultimately my greatest and

most authentic power lies in how I am connected, not in how I am

disconnected. The more I look for ways to be connected to others, the more

ways I find we are connected and the more success I have in campaigns.

 

QUESTION: I want to help with the environment as much as I can in my

lifetime. What kind of trees could I plant in my yard to make this world a

better place? I am nine and want to share this information with my class. --

Mitch Ashby, Antioch, Calif.

 

ANSWER: The best thing to do is find out what is native to your area and

plant that! Loss of native habitat is one of the leading threats to the

health of our planet and our lives. Often, native plants are considered

"weeds" so they are pulled out and destroyed, but native plants are

important to the health of the entire community of insects, animals, people,

and even other processes like water usage. Also, look into planting edible

plants and herbs. The more we can grow our own food, the more we are

connected to our place and our health.

 

QUESTION: I admire the way you live your life -- no apologies, no excuses,

no doubt. If the world were a perfect place, your picture would be on the

walls of little girls everywhere. What was the most profound thing the

redwood taught you? -- Amethyst Blade, Fort Worth, Texas

 

ANSWER: Living in Luna taught me so many profound things; I do not think I

could just pick one. It taught me that love and integrity in action are the

most powerful tools I have for making a difference and contributing to the

world. It taught me to remain rooted and connected, but also to bend and

flow and not be rigid, including in my beliefs. It taught me that a deep

listening with all of my senses is my access to wisdom, guidance, and

connection. It taught me that my greatest power is not in power over, but

rather in power with. And it taught me that we manifest what we focus on; if

we focus only on the problems, we will be sure to have more of them. If we

focus on and live solutions, we will have a more healthy and vibrant world.

 

QUESTION: What is the difference that you see between TV and movies? It's

the same medium; however, you said that TV kills your mind and your

creativity, yet you have a list of favorite movies. -- Courtney Ranstrom,

Salem, Ore.

 

ANSWER: The major difference is that with TV in a home, what I find to

almost always be the case is that the TV begins to guide the person -- as in

people spend way too much time staring at the screen instead of interacting

and connecting with their families and community. If it is an occasional

film or show, then it can actually be a tool that we use, but my experience

has shown me that for 99.9 percent of people who have a TV, people become a

tool of the TV instead of the other way around.

 

QUESTION: I know that you moved around a great deal as a child. How do you

create a sense of place for yourself in the new areas you have moved to? --

Elizabeth Mather, Columbus, Ohio

 

ANSWER: I am a highly adaptable person. I tend to flow with what is around

me, so I am usually pretty good at being able to feel connected to wherever

I am for however long I am there. I do feel, though, that part of the

challenge facing our human species is that many of us are now able to

migrate faster and farther than we as a species can keep up with while

remaining connected. We have no commitment to place. If we do not like it,

we move. We do not see the consequences of our choices, and we have less and

less commitment to seven generations ahead. As my commitment is to always

remain connected, I have created some rituals that help me remain so even

when traveling. I have objects that are sacred to me and related to people

and places that I bring with me everywhere I go. I also take time to search

out something to be connected to everywhere that I go; sometimes it is a

tree, a lake, or sometimes it might be a local restaurant or food co-op.

 

QUESTION: I am passionate about accelerating the transition to a more

sustainable society, and I am about to graduate from a dual-degree graduate

program in business and natural resources. Can you offer your thoughts on

how you see the role of business in the journey toward sustainability? --

Nathan Arbitman, Ann Arbor, Mich.

 

ANSWER: Economics and ecologics share the same root word, which means

"house" or "home." Economics in its literal translation is "stewardship of

one's place." Sadly, economics and capitalism are now talked about as if

they are the same thing, but they are not. Clif Bar, Ecological Panel,

Interface Carpet, Native Energy, and Patagonia are some of my favorite

leading companies who are doing well financially by doing good for the

planet and all its life, including humans. All money is green energy -- it

is a way we have of exchanging, investing, and valuing energy. With this

being the case, business has the potential to do incredible good. What we

need is to adjust our values so that economics are used to take care of our

place instead of exploiting our place, which is the idea on which capitalism

is based. I am excited to know that you are committed to using business as a

tool to serve our world!

 

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PREVIOUS NHNE NEWS LIST ARTICLES:

 

JULIA BUTTERFLY'S STORY HEADED FOR BIG SCREEN (10/7/2004):

nhnenews/message/8022

 

TREETOP BLOGGING PROTESTS LOGGING (12/13/2002):

nhnenews/message/4095

 

ECUADORIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEPORT JULIA BUTTERFLY (7/20/2002):

nhnenews/message/3445

 

JULIA BUTTERFLY HILL BRANCHES OUT (6/12/2000):

nhnenews/message/383

 

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