Web Note: Julia Butterfly Hill is a member of the Policy Advisory Board of
the Organic Consumers Association.

Madame Butterfly
Julia Butterfly Hill, activist and onetime tree-sitter, answers readers' questions
Grist Magazine, 27 Jan 2006
http://www.grist.org/comments/interactivist/2006/01/23/hill/index1.html?source=daily

Q: How do you feel about your experiences surrounding Luna being turned into a
film? What is your involvement with the project? -- Chris Schults,
Seattle, Wash.

A: Over the last seven years, various individuals, producers, and studios have
approached me, wanting to turn my story into a film. Even when there were
financially lucrative opportunities at the table, I ended up walking away
from all previous offers because there was a lack of integrity somewhere in
the process. I feel truly blessed to be working with Participant Productions
and Baldwin Entertainment on this project. I am working with people who have
such a commitment to making our world a better place, and one of the areas
they feel is a powerful place to do this is in the media and film industry.
And they are highly accomplished and talented in their respective fields.
Furthermore, this is going to be the first committed green set in Hollywood,
and we are already implementing this in areas like offsetting carbon
emissions for travel with wind credits purchased through Native Energy, a
majority Native-owned wind-energy company. I feel this film is an incredible
opportunity to get my message out in a really powerful way.

Q: When you ascended Luna you didn't set out to become a celebrity, but now
that you've attained that status, what do you think about its effects on
your life and activism? Do you find that you (however reluctantly) embrace
your status due to some of its obvious advantages, or is your notoriety
something you wish you could turn off despite its usefulness? -- Todd
Hymas, Olympia, Wash.

A: On a personal level, I have always struggled with the attention focused on
me. My ongoing commitment, though, has been to do everything in my power to
use this attention as a catalyst and opportunity for others to step into
their courage, power, divinity, passion, and purpose. I want to see a world
full of people finding their own version of their "tree," committing to
living their lives for something bigger than themselves, and creating lives
of meaning, joy, and connection.

Q: I know a couple of years ago you were refusing to pay income taxes in
protest of the ongoing Iraq war. How did this turn out? -- Bill Prescott,
Knoxville, Tenn.

A: I remain a war-tax resister. I choose to live below the poverty level so
that the government cannot use money I generate to perpetuate war against
the planet and its people. For information on what it means to be a war-tax
resister, its history, and the various ways to be a conscientious objector
around taxes check out the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating
Committee and our Activism Is Patriotism campaign for the many ways to use
your mind, money, voice, and vote to make a difference.

Q: How important is spirituality to your life and work? -- Adrian Harris,
London, U.K.

A: Spirituality is not just a part of my life; it is my life. My religion is
love and integrity. My life is my spiritual practice where I put love and
integrity into action. A deep sense of the Sacred is my moral compass that
guides my thoughts, words, and actions.

Q: I've been a big fan for years, but wonder if you have found yourself
appealing to, or connecting with, more "mainstream" folks? -- Anna
Swanson, Missoula, Mont.

A: A lot of my work and the work of my nonprofit Circle of Life has been about
creating powerful, fun, creative, and meaningful events and opportunities
that reach into the mainstream and create a space for anyone, anywhere, at
any stage in their life, to find steps toward contributing to our world and
making a difference. At just about every event I have ever done, there are
people who come just because they heard about me in the media and are
curious. I love having the opportunity to interact with them and prove that
we are all much more diverse and wonderful than stereotypes allow. Activism
is not about stereotypes, labels, or cliques. It is about caring about your
world and choosing to do something to contribute and make a difference.

Q: Your message is overwhelmingly positive and focuses on inspiring people.
However, as an ecologically sensitive being, you must experience pain often
when you witness degradation in its myriad forms. How do you deal with
sadness, anger, and hopelessness? -- Renee Lertzman, Cardiff, U.K.

A: In my commitment to be powerfully connected, I am connected both to the
inspiring beauty, wonder, and magic, and to the deep grief and sadness.
There is very rarely a day that goes by that I don't cry. As I write this,
my mind and heart reflect on our prisons overflowing with lives we are
throwing away, the ancient grove of Nanning Creek in Humboldt, Calif., that
has recently been devastated, the last wild buffalo who face slaughter every
time they leave the safety of Yellowstone, the starving and dying in Africa
and India, the toxic "recycling" dumps in China, the bombed-out homes and
lives in Iraq, Palestine, and Afghanistan, and the continuous cultural
genocide of Native people in the U.S. And as I reflect, the tears are
sliding down my cheeks.

I have found that my power is in my care and commitment, my joy comes from
being in service, my passion comes from every breath reminding me how
absolutely magical and divine life is. It is really a dance of balance --
how to remain powerfully connected and at the exact same time be unattached.
Sounds funny or weird, but it is the lesson I learned so intensely while
living in Luna, going through the worst storms in recorded history,
witnessing the destruction of forests all around me, and having all kinds of
opinions and beliefs thrust on me from every direction. Whatever I feel, I
am powerfully related to it, but I let it flow through me. This includes the
beautiful and joyful things. If I am attached to these, then I lose my power
every time I feel sad or angry. Like a tree, I remain deeply rooted and
connected to my source, but I flow with the storms of life.

Finally, I realize that I am the creator of my feelings. We act as if life
and what happens in it is responsible for our feelings, but the truth is
life happens and then what we do with that is our responsibility. I do not
adhere to the belief that everything happens for a reason. I recognize that
everything happens, and the reason is what we make of it. With a commitment
to being the divinity within me, even though I do not always succeed, I
choose love, joy, peace, and integrity in the face of destruction, loss,
violence, grief, and frustration.

Q: I see you are serious about saving the California redwoods from the timber
industry. Because America's population is exploding, there is demand for
more wood. How are we supposed to satisfy our demand for timber without
cutting down more forests? What actions are you taking to stop growth and
development? -- Daniel Barker, Lakeland, Fla.

A: We live in a disposable society. Especially in the U.S., we have one of the
smallest populations with the largest and most voracious consumption
appetite. We build in obsolescence; we emphasize cheap and fast instead of
quality, integrity, and sustainability. We need to really hold ourselves
accountable to the choices we make. The more privilege we have, the more
responsibility we have. Personally, I have chosen to have surgery to insure
that I never procreate. I feel we have not earned the right to give birth to
children, because we are not doing a good enough job taking care of the
children who are already here or the planet into which they are birthed. I
tell people that if they feel they absolutely have to give birth, then
choose to only give birth to one child and extend their love beyond their
own self-interests and include the planet and the children who are already
here. I look forward to the day I hear men having enough commitment,
courage, and power to take elective surgery to insure they are an active
part in reducing human demands on the planet and nurturing the divine beings
who are already here.

A: What advice would you give to parents today on talking to their children
about environmental problems? -- Tim Forker, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Q: The best teacher is leading by example. Hold yourself more accountable than
you hold them on every level. Also, make it fun, interesting, creative, and
engaging, and really create the space for them to do some deep questioning
of themselves and even you, and show respect for their process. The more we
value young people's wisdom, thoughts, ideas, and feelings, the more they
will value ours. Create time and opportunities for them to be in service to
their community -- human, animals, and nature. We have a nation of
predominantly spoiled and ignorant children -- even the poorest among us are
some of the richest in the world. It is really powerful for young people to
see what life is like for others who do not have as much access to
privilege. Finally, go to the education section of our website -- there you
will find the Kid's Zone and Solutions You Can Use.

A: How has the realization of the threat of global warming affected you and
your activities as a touring activist and speaker? What do you do -- and
what would you suggest others do -- about your impact? -- Kaleb Hopper,
Albuquerque, N.M.

Q: My office, tours, events, and life are carbon-neutral. Here are some of the
ways we accomplish that: light bulbs are energy efficient; heating and
cooling are kept to a minimum with an emphasis on adding or subtracting
layers of clothing; tours are done with a bus that runs on recycled
vegetable oil; all new appliances purchased meet the highest
energy-efficiency standards; we use 100 percent recycled paper and reuse
scrap paper from other offices for our in-house printing needs (a whole lot
of energy consumption happens in the manufacturing and distribution of
goods); we have a vegetarian -- predominantly vegan -- office (eating
animals for food in industrialized nations is a huge energy consumer as well
as a forest destroyer, and forests help store carbon); many of us (myself
included) are car-free in our daily lives, choosing instead to bike, walk,
skateboard, and use public transportation; and, finally, after focusing on
reducing our energy consumption, we partner with Native Energy to offset all
our carbon emissions.

Q: Where do you see the planet in 50 years, both if the world follows the
destructive path it's on and if more people start being more environmentally
conscious? -- Mike Scott, Madison, Wis.

A: The future lives in the here and now through who we are being, the choices
we make, and the stands and risks we are willing to embrace. We live our
lives backward, saying that some day, if things are a certain way in our
lives, then we can be what we want and create what we want. The truth is
that who we are co-creates the world we are a part of. You want to know what
the future will look like? Look in your life and see where your life and
actions are in integrity, love, justice, peace, and commitment, and where
they are not -- that is what the future looks like. Our greatest power in
having a future that inspires us lies in living inspiring, connected, and
committed lives now.

Q: I have seen those in the NGO world grasp their campaigns with such fervor
that they become hostile to anyone who does not agree with their thinking.
This leads to an overly simplistic "us vs. them" mentality. Decisions then
get made at an emotional level instead of at a rational level, and
constructive discussion turns into finger-pointing. How do you avoid
this? -- Jeffrey Clair, Chiang Rai, Thailand

A: There is no "us vs. them." That is part of how all of us have inherited the
disease of disconnected consciousness. We are connected to everything that
ever has been, everything that is, and everything that ever will be --
positive and negative. And this is true whether you look through a
spiritual, philosophical, or scientific lens. Ultimately my greatest and
most authentic power lies in how I am connected, not in how I am
disconnected. The more I look for ways to be connected to others, the more
ways I find we are connected and the more success I have in campaigns.

Q: I want to help with the environment as much as I can in my lifetime. What
kind of trees could I plant in my yard to make this world a better place? I
am nine and want to share this information with my class. -- Mitch Ashby,
Antioch, Calif.

A: The best thing to do is find out what is native to your area and plant that!
Loss of native habitat is one of the leading threats to the health of our
planet and our lives. Often, native plants are considered "weeds" so they
are pulled out and destroyed, but native plants are important to the health
of the entire community of insects, animals, people, and even other
processes like water usage. Also, look into planting edible plants and
herbs. The more we can grow our own food, the more we are connected to our
place and our health.

Q: I admire the way you live your life -- no apologies, no excuses, no doubt.
If the world were a perfect place, your picture would be on the walls of
little girls everywhere. What was the most profound thing the redwood taught
you? -- Amethyst Blade, Fort Worth, Texas

A: Living in Luna taught me so many profound things; I do not think I could
just pick one. It taught me that love and integrity in action are the most
powerful tools I have for making a difference and contributing to the world.
It taught me to remain rooted and connected, but also to bend and flow and
not be rigid, including in my beliefs. It taught me that a deep listening
with all of my senses is my access to wisdom, guidance, and connection. It
taught me that my greatest power is not in power over, but rather in power
with. And it taught me that we manifest what we focus on; if we focus only
on the problems, we will be sure to have more of them. If we focus on and
live solutions, we will have a more healthy and vibrant world.

Q: What is the difference that you see between TV and movies? It's the same
medium; however, you said that TV kills your mind and your creativity, yet
you have a list of favorite movies. -- Courtney Ranstrom, Salem, Ore.

A: The major difference is that with TV in a home, what I find to almost always
be the case is that the TV begins to guide the person -- as in people spend
way too much time staring at the screen instead of interacting and
connecting with their families and community. If it is an occasional film or
show, then it can actually be a tool that we use, but my experience has
shown me that for 99.9 percent of people who have a TV, people become a tool
of the TV instead of the other way around.

Q: I know that you moved around a great deal as a child. How do you create a
sense of place for yourself in the new areas you have moved to? --
Elizabeth Mather, Columbus, Ohio

A: I am a highly adaptable person. I tend to flow with what is around me, so I
am usually pretty good at being able to feel connected to wherever I am for
however long I am there. I do feel, though, that part of the challenge
facing our human species is that many of us are now able to migrate faster
and farther than we as a species can keep up with while remaining connected.
We have no commitment to place. If we do not like it, we move. We do not see
the consequences of our choices, and we have less and less commitment to
seven generations ahead. As my commitment is to always remain connected, I
have created some rituals that help me remain so even when traveling. I have
objects that are sacred to me and related to people and places that I bring
with me everywhere I go. I also take time to search out something to be
connected to everywhere that I go; sometimes it is a tree, a lake, or
sometimes it might be a local restaurant or food co-op.

Q: I am passionate about accelerating the transition to a more sustainable
society, and I am about to graduate from a dual-degree graduate program in
business and natural resources. Can you offer your thoughts on how you see
the role of business in the journey toward sustainability? -- Nathan
Arbitman, Ann Arbor, Mich.

A; Economics and ecologics share the same root word, which means "house" or
"home." Economics in its literal translation is "stewardship of one's
place." Sadly, economics and capitalism are now talked about as if they are
the same thing, but they are not. Clif Bar, Ecological Panel, Interface
Carpet, Native Energy, and Patagonia are some of my favorite leading
companies who are doing well financially by doing good for the planet and
all its life, including humans. All money is green energy -- it is a way we
have of exchanging, investing, and valuing energy. With this being the case,
business has the potential to do incredible good. What we need is to adjust
our values so that economics are used to take care of our place instead of
exploiting our place, which is the idea on which capitalism is based. I am
excited to know that you are committed to using business as a tool to serve
our world!