The Walden Gathering is part of the social venture created by Nick Jekogian that invites individuals, groups and organizations to gather, learn and collaborate on how best to contribute and invest their time, talent and resources to recognize the healthy benefits of nature while creating solutions for the greater good.
Engagement. Not Expertise.
Impact Investing
What we invest in today will determine the world we will live in tomorrow
The Walden Gathering focused on Impact Investing, which is redefining the role of capital and channeling its full power to create a better world.
Walking Discussions
Topics and aspirations included:
A focus on completely eliminating plastics at home.
Creating a platform for scientists to better lead.
Spending more time in nature to bring balance to our minds, bodies and society.
Key Themes & Solutions
How Can We Draw Upon Our Natural Surroundings To Make Impact
Use satellites to look at cities and promote equitable access to open space
Provide more access to rural areas for lower income urban residents
Make urban parks and rural areas more safe
Create programs to give people better access to farms and better connect them with local food producers (i.e. Barn Raiser)
Bring more nature into video games and indoor spaces
Boy Scout camps throughout the country are vacant now. They could be a potential site for future Gatherings and nature-based communities.
Find solutions to make nature less scary for urban dwellers
How do we make nature more impactful?
We need to create more economically viable models of living in nature (i.e the small home movement and community gardens for food production.)
Drink more water
Better educate children about healthy food
Educate kids about nature in nature
How do we use our networks & our resources to impact the world?
Look to successful networks for inspiration (i.e Blue Ocean Harvest )
Support more women to find solutions ( i.e Wings World Quest)
Attend more conferences and promote follow-up
Pool our resources
Create more community around vulnerability to find deeper connections:
Find the courage to be vulnerable
Be open to curiosity
Engage in more listening
Share skills
Promote self awareness
Create a fund around these connections
Keys to building deeper relationships quicker
Learn people's passions rather than their job description
When you first meet someone, ask them, “What do you care about now?"
Use "Roses and Thorns" (Good and Bad) dinner time questions
Share your most challenging stories so others can learn and understand that it's not always easy
Be authentic
Be uncomfortable
Share your feelings like we share rooms on AirBnB
Be supportive in a way that helps the person succeed. We need each other to succeed
“What do you care about now?”
How do we create deeper long term bonds within community?
Find the common cause and run with it
Invite each other to events
Add a plus one invite to the next event
Keep the consistency of the event. (mark your calendars for June 21, 2019)
Harvest the conversation to create a ripple effect
Democratize investing with a focus on women run enterprises
Use business to transform the world and create tools for a better life balance everyday
Create a platform for ideas, solutions and results powered by small groups of hyperconnected people. (i.e Taking the Walden Gathering model outside of just meeting in Monterey and expanding the format to other venues in nature close to major population centers. )
Improve the focus on consciousness media/ways to promote more positive stories
Follow up & Recommended Reading
Positive News - Good News Network
David Brooks - Giving Away Your Billion