As most of you know, I’ve been much quieter this year as we approach Earth Day.

Manifesto and Identify have been taking up a lot of my time.

But the world moves on regardless.

The World People’s Climate Conference in Bolivia is turning out to be pretty amazing from the reports coming in. The people there are approaching the Conference as a starting point for some real discussions about the planet and the unsustainable economic systems which are fueling our decline. Sure, many of the world’s leaders are not present. The corporate mouthpieces are nowhere to be seen. And for the most part that’s a good thing. As long as we can make them listen.

They’re taking a different approach. This is a discussion amongst the people. People who have been disenfranchised in many ways. Bolivia is the home of the largest silver mine in the world, where serious environmental issues haunt the area, and the mine workers are currently on strike. The people of Bolivia have some major hurdles to cross.

The World People's Climate Conference in Bolivia

They believe that the earth has rights. That ecosystems have rights. Earth Rights. The Democracy School, an amazing organization that helps people take power back in local communities, prescribes this approach. If you can assign rights to an entity, you can legally protect it.

The people of Bolivia and many other cultures are celebrating Earth Day and establishing a starting point which is likely to lead them down the right path.

What are you doing for earth day? We want to know! Tell us on the Manifesto Facebook Page.