Community vs. Oligarchy: Buffalo’s Cooperative Movement

The WNY Peace Center is proud to be a co-sponsor of Rights of Nature WNY’s ongoing community discussions!

Join us for a presentation and discussion with speakers from Cooperation Buffalo and Rights of Nature WNY. We’ll explore Buffalo’s Cooperative Movement, and how we can strengthen community economies and grassroots democracy to create alternatives to US oligarchy.

Rights of Nature is an international movement dedicated to a paradigm shift from our current system, which views nature as property or resources to be used for human consumption, to one deserving of respect and rights similar to those of humans (and, in the United States, corporations). This means a river, mountain range, forest, watersheds, or ocean could have the right to exist and flourish without human-caused disruption, granting them legal standing so people and communities could defend those rights in court on behalf of the ecosystem. It recognizes that earth systems and humans are interconnected and dependent on each other.

RON aims to shift culture and environmental governance from an exploitative, human-centered (anthropocentric) approach to an eco-centric one. Rights of Nature Western New York (RON WNY) is a group of people who are advocating for this shift in how we relate to our world through community rights, the responsibilities we have to our world and future generations, and practices that deepen our relationship with place. Most importantly, we advocate for a societal change from our current “business as usual” model to one that affirms ALL life. If you are interested in joining us, please email rightsofnaturewny@gmail.com.