By: John Hagan

 

We all work so hard to make the world a better place.  For at least some of us, the last few days have been difficult.  I don’t want to assume anything about your politics, but I do know you wouldn’t be a part of Manomet if you weren’t deeply dedicated to creating a sustainable world.  No political party has exclusive rights to that vision.

 

Regardless of your politics, it is disheartening to see such polarization in our society today.  It’s not just because it has led to an unattractive coarsening of our culture, but also because it is impeding us from solving the problems of our time.  We can’t help but struggle to sort out what this election means.  What does it mean for the things you care about; the things that Manomet cares about?

 

So like most everybody I’m still sorting it out too.  But here’s my perspective as I look to the future.  The method we’ve built together at Manomet for making the world a better place is fundamentally independent of social or cultural or political division. Our banding lab has exposed thousands of people—young and old, from diverse backgrounds and cultures—to conservation, the impacts of a changing climate and the beauty of nature. The politics of our clam harvesters don’t slow us down from restoring a marine ecosystem side by side with them. With good science, our Climate Smart Land Network members in red states (and blue states too) are making U.S. forests resilient to a changing climate.  While we’re not immune, Manomet’s progress is amazingly resilient to these societal divisions.  And that says a lot about our approach.

 

I see Manomet as an “antidote” to this polarization.  We are a small but significant force against this awful trend of division and polarization.  I believe Manomet will continue to gain ground on the things we care about—just the same as before the election—because of our approach.  I believe that  more people will start to see the value of our method, founded on the most basic principles of listening, understanding, and respecting each other.  It works.  We need things that work right now.

 

In Manomet we have a powerful “instrument” for making the world a better place.  My intention is to keep putting it to good use.  Manomet gives me hope.  You ALL give me hope.  Our entire staff at Manomet looks forward to working with you—and our many partners all over the globe—to enable our world to thrive and prosper tomorrow.

 

Want to get more involved?  Click here for ways that you can work with and support Manomet.