Ed Whitfield delivers a critique of capitalism by discussing the

connection between freedom and the economy, often using the example of slavery to emphasize this relationship. He proposes a new economic system focusing on community wealth rather than capital wealth, which he encapsulates in his own invented religion's doctrine, the “Heretical Church of the Latter Day Infidel.”

Winona LaDuke speaks of the time of the Seventh Fire, which she argues we are currently experiencing. We must choose between two paths, one path will be well worn, but scorched; the other path will not be well worn, it will be green.

Leah Penniman talks about her experience facilitating powerful food sovereignty programs – including farmer trainings for Black & Brown people, a subsidized farm food distribution program for people living under food apartheid, and domestic and international organizing toward equity in the food system.

Greg Watson's lecture focuses on R. Buckminster Fuller’s World GameTM and the Game’s potential to inform a fair allocation of Earth’s resources in a time of climate crisis.

Sallie Calhoun is the founder of the No Regrets Initiative, which seeks to use a wide variety of forms of capital—human, natural, investment, and philanthropic—to affect change in the agricultural system. In her Schumacher Lecture, she describes this #noregrets approach to decision-making in the face of climate change.

Majora Carter discusses Sustainable South Bronx, the organization she founded in 2001 to achieve environmental justice through economically sustainable projects informed by community needs. Her work now includes advising cities, foundations, universities, businesses, and communities around the world on how to unlock their green-collar economic potential to benefit everyone.

Gordon Thorne addressed the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires annual meeting with a talk on the concept of a “Community Arts Trust”. He describes his evolution as an artist, developer, and executive director of a non-profit as it relates to shaping and maintaining healthy and diverse communities. Thorne believes that arts spaces should be a part of the commons in perpetuity and that performing arts spaces be made accessible and affordable to artists in the community.

John Abrams addressed the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires annual meeting with a lecture on employee ownership. Through his experience as co-founder of the employee owned South Mountain Company and author of the book, The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community, and Place (2005), he speaks of the benefits of distributed power and ecological design in creating a more sustainable community.

Kevin Lyons’ story reveals his dogged determination, attention to small details, consensus-building with stakeholders, frustrations, humble courageousness, and willingness to be marginalized—all necessary to effect change. An unsung hero of our times, the head of the Procurement Team at Rutgers University describes what he has done to promote sustainability, and encourages us to join him in the fight for greener institutions.

David Orr offers a fresh perspective on the role of educational institutions in preparing students for ecologically integrated lives and livelihoods.