Donella (Dana) Meadows inspired countless individuals with her pioneering work in systems thinking, her strong voice in support of a just and sustainable world, and her undefeatable optimism. Her ideas and writing remain as influential today as ever. The Global Citizens blog is an ever-growing collection of reports, reflections, commentaries, thoughts, and stories by people striving to fulfill Dana's vision of a world that aligns environmental, social, and economic systems. Read on to learn more about this vision and what it means at all scales.

Donella Meadows, 1941-2001

Posted by Kindle Loomis, Published: February 20th, 2001

By Jim Schley ~This eulogy for Dana appeared in Northern Woodlands magazine.~ On February 20, Donella (“Dana”) Meadows died of bacterial meningitis. For almost thirty years, Dana had taught environmental studies at Dartmouth College. I met her in an undergraduate course on Ethics and Environmental Policy, a class that was one of the watershed experiences of my life. No individual had greater [...]

If we believe that it’s effectively over…

Posted by Kindle Loomis, Published: February 2nd, 2001

“If we believe that it’s effectively over, that we are fatally flawed, that the most greedy and short-sighted among us will always be permitted to rule, that we can never constrain our consumption and destruction, that each of us is too small and helpless to do anything, that we should just give up and enjoy our SUVs while they last, [...]

Every five years…

Posted by Kindle Loomis, Published: February 2nd, 2001

“Every five years the world’s climatologists assess current knowledge about global warming. Their latest report was just released. It erases any doubt about where this warming is coming from and warns that we ain’t seen nothing yet. If we keep spewing out greenhouse gases according to pattern, we will see three to ten times more warning over the 21st century [...]

Dear Folks…

Posted by Kindle Loomis, Published: January 27th, 2001

“Dear Folks, I’m starting this letter late Saturday afternoon, with the last, tragic act of Aida playing live from the Met on the radio… Teaching, institute, community, farm. That’s the order in which we shall proceed here. TEACHING. The course is environmental ethics… College students are so lively and curious, so cautiously idealistic, so ready to be ignited by any flame of truth. [...]

My writing is a search for Truth…

Posted by Kindle Loomis, Published: January 26th, 2001

“My writing is a search for Truth. It comes out of love. It empowers; it does not judge           or accuse or rob anyone of           dignity or respect. It is clear and precise. The passage of my words through           the minds of others leaves them           more open, more thoughtful,   [...]

About The Donella Meadows Project

The mission of the Donella Meadows Project is to preserve Donella (Dana) H. Meadows’s legacy as an inspiring leader, scholar, writer, and teacher; to manage the intellectual property rights related to Dana’s published work; to provide and maintain a comprehensive and easily accessible archive of her work online, including articles, columns, and letters; to develop new resources and programs that apply her ideas to current issues and make them available to an ever-larger network of students, practitioners, and leaders in social change.  Read More

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