Green Gathering

In The Great Turning, author David Korten argues that to save the planet, the human species must come together in diverse communities and rise up to replace corporate empires. In Kansas City, Kansas, a multicultural environmental group called Building a Sustainable Earth Community has started trying to meet that difficult but inspiring challenge. This weekend marks the group’s second-annual Breaking the Silence Conference, aimed at bringing together progressive groups and communities of color to create sustainable solutions to our collective environmental crisis. In addition to David Korten, other speakers include David Cobb, the Green Party’s 2004 presidential candidate, who will offer his take on a sustainable future, and national experts who will discuss health, the environment and indigenous communities. Sessions at the Jack Reardon Civic Center (500 Minnesota Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas) start at 6 p.m. today and run through noon Sunday. Admission is $1 per day. For more information, see breakingthesilence.us.

Fri., Jan. 16; Sat., Jan. 17; Sun., Jan. 18, 2009