Tag: business

creativity

From Black Gold to Golden Opportunity: A Kentucky Coal Mine’s Bright New Future

Christa Avampato
Martin County Solar Project, Kentucky. https://www.martincountysolarproject.com/

One of my great joys is to uncover stories about abandoned places sustainably retrofitted to get a new lease on life. This transformation made my heart sing: a former coal mine in Kentucky, once a symbol of industrial might and negative environmental impacts, is now gleaming with thousands of solar panels, powering a cleaner tomorrow. It offers a powerful beacon of hope for a sustainable future.

For generations, communities in places like Martin County, Kentucky, built their lives around coal. It was the “black gold” that fueled homes and industries across the nation while also degrading the land and human health. As the energy landscape shifted, so did these communities, often leaving behind economic hardship and vast, altered landscapes stripped bare of the nature they once harbored. The Martiki coal mine, closed in the 1990s, stood as a stark reminder of this past complicated, painful past.

A Phoenix Rising: The Martin County Solar Project

Today, that same landscape is being reborn. The Martin County Solar Project (MCSP) is transforming 900 acres of reclaimed mine land into a massive 111-megawatt solar farm. Picture this: over 214,000 bifacial solar panels, designed to capture sunlight from both sides, now stretch across the terrain where heavy machinery once toiled.

The Martin County Solar Project’s website shares that it began commercial operation in December 2024. It will generate enough quiet, clean renewable energy each year to power approximately 18,529 Kentucky homes.

This isn’t just about replacing one energy source with another; it’s about intelligent, hopeful repurposing. The beauty of this project lies not only in its clean energy output but also in its clever use of existing infrastructure. The former mine site, already flattened and with clear access to sunlight, still retained its transmission lines and substations. This meant less new construction, lower costs, and a faster path to bringing clean energy onto the grid—a truly smart way to leverage the past for the future.

Beyond Energy: A Boost for the Community

The benefits extend far beyond power generation. This project is a successful example of how the transition to a green economy can revitalize communities. The MCSP created hundreds of good-paying construction jobs, bringing much-needed employment to a region that had experienced significant job losses as coal production declined. Looking ahead, the solar farm will provide ongoing maintenance jobs and generate stable tax revenue for Martin County, helping to diversify its economy and build a more resilient future.

Major corporations are taking notice, too. Toyota Motor North America, for instance, has committed to purchasing 100 MW of the solar energy generated through a long-term agreement. This partnership highlights how businesses are increasingly seeking out sustainable energy solutions, not just for environmental reasons, but for economic stability and to meet their own ambitious climate goals.

The Martin County Solar Project is more than just a power plant; it’s a testament to human ingenuity and our ability to adapt and innovate while reconciling with a difficult past. It’s a story of turning a painful environmental legacy into a vibrant, job-creating clean energy future. It shows us that even the most challenging landscapes can be repurposed for the good of both people and the planet. It’s an inspiring vision of what’s possible when we embrace sustainable solutions, proving that a green future is also a prosperous future.

creativity

Planet of the Grapes: The Future of Sustainable Materials is Found in a Vineyard

Christa Avampato
Planet of the Grapes clutch and the wine waste that made it. Image from https://planetofthegrapes.fr/.

In the sun-drenched vineyards of Provence, France, where winemaking is an age-old tradition, a new kind of harvest is taking place. Instead of producing bottles of Rosé, one innovative company is collecting the leftover grape skins, seeds, and stems — known as “grape marc” — to create a revolutionary biomaterial. This is the story of Planet of the Grapes, a company proving that the solution to fashion’s waste problem might just be found at the bottom of a wine barrel.

Founded by Samantha Mureau, a fashion industry veteran, Planet of the Grapes was born out of her desire to counteract the devastating environmental and social impacts of fast fashion. She found her inspiration close to home when she realized the abundant grape marc left over from winemaking could be given a second life. Instead of being discarded or composted, it could be transformed into a high-performance, eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather and textiles.

The process is as fascinating as it is sustainable. Planet of the Grapes sources its grape marc from local, organic vineyards in Provence, fostering a low-carbon, community-driven supply chain. The grape waste is then dried, ground into a powder, and mixed with other natural ingredients to create a paste. This paste is spread out to create a supple, leather-like material. The entire process is designed to be as animal-free and petroleum plastic-free as possible, adhering to strict EU regulations.

The resulting biomaterial is not just a sustainable substitute; it’s a new material with its own unique character. Designers who have worked with it say you can feel the subtle texture of the broken-down grape marc, a tangible reminder of its natural origin. This “grape leather” can be colored using a palette inspired by different wine shades, from a rich merlot to a crisp chardonnay, making it a beautiful and versatile material for fashion and lifestyle products.

Planet of the Grapes is a prime example of the growing “biomaterials” movement, where companies are finding creative ways to turn agricultural waste into valuable resources. By valorizing what was once considered waste, they are creating a more circular economy and reducing the fashion industry’s reliance on harmful materials. It shows how innovation can be a powerful force for change, proving that a more beautiful, responsible, and nature-friendly future is within reach.

Follow Planet of the Grapes on Instagram to see their behind-the-scenes process.

creativity

Copenhagen: From Concrete Jungle to Sponge City 🌊

Christa Avampato
Photo by Nick Karvounis on Unsplash

Copenhagen, the vibrant capital of Denmark, is renowned for its design, cycling culture, and high quality of life. But beneath the charming canals and green spaces, a pressing challenge looms: managing increasingly intense rainfall due to climate change. Rather than relying solely on traditional infrastructure like pipes and sewers, Copenhagen is embracing nature-based solutions, transforming itself into a “sponge city.”

The sponge city concept, originating in China, focuses on absorbing and retaining rainwater where it falls, mimicking how nature manages water. This involves integrating nature-based solutions into the urban landscape to capture, filter, and slowly release stormwater to mitigate flooding.

“If you want to survive, you have to be spongy,” says Yu Kongjian, dean of Peking University’s College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and founder of Turenscape, one of China’s largest landscape architecture firms. “Trying to protect cities with hard, gray infrastructure made of concrete is doomed to fail.”

Copenhagen is a frontrunner in the spongey revolution, and its journey offers valuable lessons for cities worldwide grappling with similar climate-related challenges. My dear archipelago home city of New York, I’m looking at you!

One of the key elements of Copenhagen’s sponge city transformation is the creation of what’s known as green infrastructure. Parks and green spaces are being redesigned to function as rainwater retention basins during heavy downpours. These areas, often featuring sunken lawns and permeable surfaces, can temporarily store significant volumes of water, reducing the strain on the city’s human-made drainage system and reducing the risk of flooding. For example, Enghaveparken has been renovated to include a large underground reservoir capable of holding approximately 22,700 cubic meters of water. This dual-purpose space serves as a recreational area for residents while providing crucial stormwater management capacity.

Beyond parks, Copenhagen is incorporating blue infrastructure into its urban fabric, giving water a place to flow. The city’s numerous canals and harbors are being leveraged to manage excess water. Innovative solutions like floating wetlands and constructed ponds not only enhance biodiversity but also help to filter and retain stormwater. Furthermore, permeable pavements are being increasingly adopted in streets and public squares, allowing rainwater to seep into the ground rather than running off into drains. This reduces surface runoff and helps to replenish groundwater levels.

The driving force behind Copenhagen’s commitment to becoming a sponge city is its ambitious Cloudburst Management Plan, developed after a severe storm in 2011 caused widespread flooding. This comprehensive plan outlines a series of long-term projects aimed at making the city more resilient to extreme weather events. It emphasizes a collaborative approach involving the municipality, utility companies, businesses, and citizens in implementing nature-based solutions across the urban landscape.

The benefits of Copenhagen’s sponge city approach are manifold. Beyond reducing flood risk and alleviating pressure on drainage systems, these green and blue infrastructure initiatives enhance the city’s livability. They create more green spaces for recreation, improve air quality, support biodiversity, and even help to cool urban heat islands during hot summer months.

Copenhagen’s journey to becoming a sponge city is not without its challenges. Retrofitting existing urban areas with green and blue infrastructure requires careful planning, investment, and community engagement. However, the city’s proactive and integrated approach serves as an inspiring model for how other cities can adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change by working with nature, rather than against it. As extreme weather events become more frequent, the lessons learned in Copenhagen offer valuable insights for building more resilient and sustainable cities for the future.

You can read more about Copenhagen’s plans to manage climate change at https://urbandevelopmentcph.kk.dk/climate.

creativity

How Fungi Are Illuminating a Sustainable Future

Christa Avampato
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

Imagine a future where the gentle, natural glow of wood guides you along a park path or illuminates your home, all without a single watt of electricity. This isn’t a scene from a fantasy movie; it’s a groundbreaking reality being forged by scientists who are harnessing the power of nature itself to create a sustainable alternative to traditional lighting. At the forefront of this innovation is Francis Schwarze, a fungal researcher at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), and his team, whose work on bioluminescent wood is nothing short of revolutionary..

In their research, Schwarze’s team demonstrated a remarkable example of biomimicry, the practice of drawing inspiration from nature to solve human design challenges. They looked to the forest floor and the eerie phenomenon of “foxfire,” the natural glow emitted by certain fungi in decaying wood. By isolating and studying the ringless honey fungus (Desarmillaria tabescens), they were able to understand and then replicate this process in a controlled laboratory setting. The team discovered that this particular fungus could be introduced into wood in a way that maintains the wood’s structural integrity while it is imbued with the fungus’s natural ability to glow.

The magic of the glow comes from a natural chemical reaction involving an enzyme called luciferase, the very same enzyme that makes fireflies light up the night. When the fungus-treated wood is exposed to air, the enzyme triggers a reaction that produces a soft, green light. The result is a completely self-sustaining, non-toxic, and non-electric light source that could one day transform our approach to lighting.

While the current glow is comparable to the light of a candle and lasts for about 10 days, the research represents a crucial proof of concept. The team, including researcher Giorgia Giovannini, is actively working on optimizing the process to increase the brightness and longevity of the luminescence.

The practical applications of this innovative material are as numerous as they are inspiring. Imagine urban spaces where bus shelters and street signs are naturally illuminated, reducing light pollution and energy consumption. Think of a park where benches and pathways glow gently, eliminating the need for harsh electric lamps. In homes, this biohybrid material could be used for designer furniture, artistic wall panels, or even subtle safety markers, all glowing without a power source. This innovation could also inspire a new class of biomimicry products, moving beyond wood and into other materials that could be made to self-illuminate or possess other natural properties.

Ultimately, this research highlights the immense potential of looking to nature for solutions. By collaborating with living organisms, scientists are not just creating a new product; they are pioneering a new field of sustainable materials science. The work of Schwarze and his team is a shining example of how understanding and working in harmony with the natural world can lead to a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. It reminds us that some of the most profound innovations aren’t about building something entirely new, but about learning from and enhancing what already exists.

creativity

Embracing stakeholder theory in Finland this summer

Christa Avampato
Photo from https://events.tuni.fi/stakeholdertheory/sustainability/

Finland, I can’t wait to meet you! I was accepted into the 2025 Summer Seminar in Stakeholder Theory at Tampere University with University of Virginia Darden School of Business (my alma mater), Darden-The Institute for Business in Society (IBIS), and RESPMAN Research Group. I’ll join an incredible global group of faculty, researchers, and PhD students to learn and share how to best integrate stakeholder theory into my work in sustainability and climate change mitigation. As part of the program, I’m revising and refining the work I started in my University of Cambridge / Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) dissertation on the role of storytelling to engage family offices in climate investments. I’ve spent the last 2 months editing (cutting it in half!) and am excited to get feedback on it. In addition to that paper, I’ll also work on 3 more research projects:

  • The Stories We Eat: Narratives to Shape Stakeholder Behavior and Policy for Sustainable Food Futures
  • Narrative Power: Using Digital Media to Convey the Voice of Future Generations and Nature in Sustainability Storytelling
  • From Self-Interest to Shared Benefit: How to Adapt Finland’s Exemplar of Public Trust Amidst Power Asymmetries in U.S. Businesses

I’m so grateful for this opportunity to learn and engage with these incredible people in one of the most sustainable communities in the world. I’m most looking forward to spending time with my professor, mentor, and dear friend R. Edward Freeman, who is one of my heroes and the founder of the seminar. As the originator of stakeholder theory that transformed business ethics, his work has fundamentally changed how businesses and business leaders around the world operate. He’s the reason I went to Darden and he changed how I see the world and my role in it. I’m honored to have had his support and encouragement for all these years.

It’s going to be an incredible summer of learning. I’m excited to experience all of it and to see where it leads! Nähdään pian, Finland!

creativity

Scoring Green Goals: Making the 2026 FIFA World Cup in NY/NJ a Model of Sustainability

Christa Avampato
Award-winning artist and NJ native Rich Tu designed the NY/NJ poster intended to “reflect the vibrancy and diversity that define this region.” Image from City of Jersey City Official Government Facebook Page.

The excitement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already building, and as New York and New Jersey prepare to host a significant portion of this global spectacle including the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026, there’s a powerful opportunity to set a new standard for environmentally sustainable mega-events. Large-scale sporting events inherently have a substantial environmental footprint, from carbon emissions due to travel and energy consumption to vast amounts of waste generated. However, by embracing innovative and comprehensive green strategies, the NY/NJ World Cup can truly “score green goals” and leave a lasting positive legacy for our planet.

FIFA has already outlined a sustainability and human rights strategy for the 2026 World Cup, focusing on sustainable infrastructure, mitigating climate impact, reducing air pollution, and promoting water efficiency. Building on this, here’s how New York and New Jersey can lead the way:

1. Transportation Transformation: Moving the Masses Sustainably

  • Prioritize Public Transit: This is perhaps the single most impactful area. With New York and New Jersey’s extensive public transportation networks, a concerted effort to heavily promote and incentivize their use for fans, staff, and athletes is crucial. This includes clear signage, dedicated routes, extended service hours, and potentially even event-specific transit passes.
  • Active Travel Promotion: Encourage walking and cycling to venues where feasible. This means creating safe and accessible pedestrian pathways and ample, secure bike parking facilities.
  • Low-Emission Fleets: For official tournament vehicles, prioritize electric or hybrid vehicles. This extends to shuttle services for teams and VIPs.
  • Efficient Air Travel: Work with airlines to encourage direct flights and optimize routes to reduce emissions from air travel, which is a major contributor to the event’s carbon footprint.

2. Venue Virtuosity: Sustainable Infrastructure and Operations

  • Energy Efficiency and Renewables: Leverage existing stadiums like MetLife Stadium and Red Bull Arena. Implement aggressive energy efficiency measures, such as LED lighting and smart HVAC systems. Explore opportunities for on-site renewable energy generation (solar panels) and ensure all electricity used for the tournament is sourced from renewable energy providers.
  • Waste Not, Want Not: Implement a robust, multi-stream waste management system across all venues and fan zones. This means clearly labeled bins for recycling, composting, and landfill. The goal should be to minimize waste to landfill, focusing on a circular economy approach where materials are reused or recycled. Eliminate Single-Use Plastics: Ban single-use plastic bottles and foodware, encouraging reusable alternatives or offering compostable options. Food Waste Reduction: Partner with local food banks to donate unconsumed food and implement composting programs for food scraps.
  • Water Conservation: Implement water-saving fixtures and practices at venues and associated facilities. Explore rainwater harvesting for irrigation and other non-potable uses.
  • Sustainable Procurement: Prioritize sourcing materials, merchandise, and food from local, ethical, and environmentally responsible suppliers. This reduces transportation emissions and supports the local economy. Consider sustainable building certifications for any necessary temporary structures.

3. Fan and Community Engagement: A Collective Effort

  • Educate and Empower: Use the World Cup platform to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainable practices among fans. This can be done through interactive displays, public service announcements, and engagement campaigns.
  • “Green Team” Volunteers: Recruit and train a dedicated “green team” of volunteers to assist with waste sorting, guide fans on sustainable transportation, and promote eco-friendly behaviors. If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer for the event in any capacity (green or otherwise!), you can sign up now at https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/volunteers
  • Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local environmental organizations, community groups, and businesses to implement sustainability initiatives and foster a lasting green legacy beyond the tournament.
  • Carbon Offsetting: While reduction is paramount, for unavoidable emissions, invest in high-quality, verifiable carbon offsetting projects that benefit local communities and ecosystems. However, transparency and accuracy in reporting are crucial to avoid “greenwashing.”

A Lasting Legacy

The 2026 FIFA World Cup offers more than just thrilling matches; it’s a chance for New York and New Jersey to demonstrate global leadership in sustainable event management. By meticulously planning and rigorously implementing these green initiatives, the tournament can inspire future large-scale events and leave a tangible, positive environmental legacy for generations to come. Let’s make the 2026 World Cup a true testament to the power of sport to drive positive change for our planet.

creativity

Nature is a packaging professor for product companies

Christa Avampato
Photo by Eiliv Aceron on Unsplash

“What are the characteristics of perfect product packaging?”

A business school professor teaching a product development class on packaging looked around at her students eagerly raising their hands.

“Inexpensive.”

“Perfectly fits the product without wasting space.”

“Lightweight.”

The professor opened her bag and took out a banana. She peeled it and began to eat it as students continued calling out answers.

“Biodegradable and non-toxic.”

“Eye-catching color.”

“Protects the product it holds.”

The professor nodded. These were all solid, practical answers. She finished the banana and held onto the peel.

“What about this?” she asked, holding up the banana peel. She could see the proverbial lightbulbs popping into her students’ minds. Inexpensive, perfectly fits product, lightweight, biodegradable, non-toxic, eye-catching color, and protects the product.

“Nature is a packaging genius,” she said with a smile.

From that classroom to major CPG companies, innovations in packaging are emulating nature’s packaging prowess while also tackling the massive waste conundrum that packaging has handsomely contributed to for decades.

Agricultural waste transformed into plastic alternatives

A packaging dream scenario is emerging: using agricultural waste to create alternative materials that replace fossil fuel-based packaging at similar costs and outperform them, all while being biodegradable and non-toxic. In 2024, Dr. Nasim Amiralian developed a process to turn sugarcane waste into packaging that also keeps food fresher longer. Sold by Australian company C4C Packaging, it’s used by Australian wineries and beverage companies. EverGrain, a subsidiary of AB InBev, upcycles grain waste from their beer production into packaging films. This is where circular economy principles meet economics meets business needs to protect the health of the planet. What a party!

Using clay to extend the life of fruits and vegetables

Like the business school professor above, I love bananas, but I don’t live anywhere near a climate grows them, so they are shipped, often in cardboard boxes. However, once picked, bananas (and many fruits and vegetables) ripen quickly due to the ethylene gas they emit. Prof. Kirtiraj K. Gaikwad and PhD Scholar Mr. Pradeep Kumar at the India Institute of Technology saw this challenge and developed a type of nontoxic, biodegradable clay that can be incorporated into the cardboard to capture and dissipate the ethylene gas, extending the life of fruits and vegetable by up to a week. In addition to being a sustainable packaging practice it also reduces food waste.

Changing the product to suit the packaging

While most companies think of packaging as subservient to the product, British cosmetics and personal care company Lush turned around that idea. Long a pioneer of “naked packaging”, meaning it reduces the packaging to as little possible to protect the environment, Lush’s shampoos, conditioners, body wash, and other products are made as solid bars, often wrapped in simple, post-consumer, recyclable paper. Its bold packaging and product form statement causes its loyal fans and customers to rethink sustainable practices in other areas of their life. I love to see a product company living and creating by their values and purpose.

What I love about all these examples is that they are working with nature to solve problems at a systems level, C4C Packaging, EverGrain, India Institute of Technology, and Lush all recognize that we all share this one planet not only with each other but all species. We can only get to the future together so the needs of others must be as important to us as our own needs. Empathy and ingenuity are a powerful combination, and nature is a brilliant guide and teacher.

creativity

Lavender — soothing for the mind and saving the clean energy revolution

Christa Avampato
Lavender field in Provence, France. Photo by Antony BEC on Unsplash.

Soon, lavender’s scent won’t be the only reason it causes you to take a deep inhale. In addition to soothing your mind, it’s about to revolutionize the way we store clean energy.

Lithium-ion batteries are often used to store clean energy and power electric vehicles because they are cost-efficient and have a large storage capacity. However, they require lithium and cobalt, two elements that lead to mining operations that can pollute land and water, and often utilize child labor. Additionally, they’re difficult to recycle, often leading to landfill waste, and they require significant amounts of energy to produce.

Sodium-sulfur batteries are an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Unlike lithium and cobalt, sodium and sulfur are abundant, easily obtained, and relatively easy to recycle. However, these batteries can’t store nearly as much energy as lithium-ion batteries, and their storage capacity is degraded even further after a few charging cycles. The challenge for scientists has been how to create a battery that has the benefits of lithium-ion batteries and sodium-sulfur batteries without the downsides of either. Lavender, or more specifically linalool, to the rescue!

Linalool is the compound responsible for lavender’s calming scent. (Linalool is also found in other plants such as basil, bay laurel, some cannabis strains, mint, cinnamon, citrus fruits, rosewood, guava, peach, plum, pineapple, and passionfruit.) A research team at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces led by Paolo Giusto found linalool interacts with sulfur to help sodium-sulfur batteries deliver more power and hold a better charge over hundreds of charging cycles.

“By taking a creative look at nature, we are finding solutions to many of the challenges posed by the energy transition, “ said Paolo Giusto.

Nature to the rescue, again. As a society, we need to recognize that nature is not something to by dominated by our egos, but rather a wider guide, teacher, and partner to help us improve the lives all beings while caring for the one planet we all share.

creativity

Imposter syndrome is the tool of the patriarchy

Christa Avampato
Created by Christa Avampato with Canva Pro

A friend asked me to edit a book chapter they wrote about the intersection of their personal and career paths. As I read through their beautiful story, I was surprised at how much my friend discounted their own experience, questioning whether they were good enough or had a right to do the wonderful work they do.

This friend is one of the most talented, intelligent, kind, compassionate, hardworking, generous people I know. I’ve learned so much from them over the many years we’ve known each other and it hurt my heart to see how much they questioned themselves. Being modest, recognizing and acknowledging those who’ve helped them along the way, and feeling fortunate are all wonderful virtues that my friend has in abundance. However, there’s a line between those virtues and the massive self-doubt that often holds people back from pursuing their dreams.

“Imposter syndrome” is a term I hear all the time, and I want to be very clear about something: Imposter syndrome is the tool of the patriarchy. (And by patriarchy, I mean anyone who attempts to puff themselves up by pushing down other people.) It’s projected onto people as a form of control. If you question your own abilities, it’s much easier for someone who only cares about their own well-being to zip by you. I want you to take the term “imposter syndrome” out of your vocabulary and out of your mind. I don’t want you to spend one more second of your life giving yourself that condition. Don’t take that on. It’s not yours to carry. 

You are capable, creative, and curious. What you don’t know, you can learn. What you learn, you can apply. The world has so many challenges right now. To get through and make this world better for all beings, we’re all going to have to be at our best, contributing what we have to the collective. And we all have something valuable to offer. 

Don’t discount yourself, and don’t allow anyone to discount you or your experience. Keep rising, and as you rise, extend your hand to lift others. We’re all in this together.

creativity

The Serviceberry: The world’s wisest economist

Christa Avampato
Serviceberry. Photo by Georg Eiermann on Unsplash.

Could prizing generosity as much as we covet wealth, celebrity, and power be what saves us?

I recently read the book, The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It explores ecological economics, a field that centers the relationship between the natural world and the human-made economy.

The words “ecology” and “economy” originate from the same Greek word “oikos”, meaning “home”. Ecology and economy both involve studying and managing the environment in which we live­ — ecology being a nature-made home and economy being a human-made home.

With that shared history between “ecology” and “economy”, Dr. Kimmerer asks how we might model nature’s generosity to transform our human-made capitalist economy that works best for the wealthy into one that is healthy, high-functioning, and inclusive so that everyone thrives.

How might we move from a paradigm of haves and have-nots to everyone-has-enough? Can our capitalist economy transform into one rooted in generosity? What would that look like? How would it function?

Nature shows us that the key to generosity is trust. A serviceberry plant freely offers its delicious berries to animals knowing those animals will disperse its seeds. It’s part of their ecological agreement — an equal give and take that benefits everyone. This same type of equitable reciprocity exists throughout natural ecosystems, each member giving its resources and taking what it needs in return. Nature doesn’t hoard abundance, nature shares.

In this new year, already fraught with difficulties and loss on a massive scale, we can emulate the generosity of the serviceberry plant. We all have an abundance of something — talents, abilities, training and education, time, resources, kindness, love. We also all have needs. Somebody somewhere needs what we have, and somebody somewhere has what we need.

That matchmaking, that trust that if a call goes out it will be answered, is what’s helped nature flourish for millennia. We’re a part of nature, and it’s no different for us. Offer what you have to someone who needs it. Trust that when you ask for help in some form, someone who has an abundance of what you need will step forward. Nature shows us that navigating through difficulty is easier when we travel together.

If we can begin to bake nature’s example of trust and generosity into our own lives and extend it into our workplaces, schools, communities, and governments, we can start that shift that Dr. Kimmerer and ecological economists envision for us. Like the serviceberry plant, we’ll find generosity is a gift that returns to us season after season, creating the virtuous loop that is nature’s foundation and can be the bedrock of our future economy and society if we choose for it.