About Us
The Earth Institute of West Michigan is a volunteer organization. We are an Affiliate of the Northwest Earth Institute of Portland, Oregon. Courses promoted by EIWM were developed by NWEI. The courses are intended to promote dialogue, not consensus. With the aid of readings in the course books and the discussion format, participants learn from themselves and from each other.
In offering the courses, NWEI and EIWM have a singular purpose: Motivating people to accept greater responsibility for the earth and to act on that commitment. Because participants come into the course with diverse values, attitudes, and habits, accepting greater responsibility is an individual matter.
These courses are the result of work by a committee of volunteers. They surveyed the literature, selected readings, prepared the course books, and revised them based on participant evaluations.
In late 1993, NWEI founders Jeanne and Dick Roy began taking these courses into workplaces in and around Portland, Oregon. By word-of-mouth, the courses expanded into homes, centers of faith, and 60 Northwest communities. Soon requests began coming from other regions of the country by individuals and groups wishing to offer the courses. To respond to this increasing interest, in 1997 NWEI formed a National Network of Earth Institutes. The Earth Institute of West Michigan (with NWEI Affiliate status) began offering courses in West Michigan in 2001. As of April 2002, the discussion courses have been offered in 312 communities in 47 states with volunteers using only NWEI’s Local Organizer’s Guide.
Join Us!
The Earth Institute of West Michigan is a volunteer organization committed to its mission. If you would like to help grow our efforts by taking a course, by starting these courses within your organization, by participating in facilitation training, or by helping with promotions and marketing, please contact us.
The growth of the Earth Institute depends in part on our growing volunteer base who are eagerly taking these small group courses into the West Michigan community. We have courses being offered on a regular basis in area churches, colleges, libraries, homes, and on front lawns because of volunteers like you who took a course, got hooked, and decided to share the experience with others. As our program grows, so does our community.
If our mission inspires you and you would like to lead a discussion course in your workplace, faith center, neighborhood, or home we can help get you started. Once you’ve taken one of these courses you may see for yourself how infectious the experience can be.
Contacts:
Kathleen: katmrussell@gmail.com
Dolli: (616) 453-3539