"In my life’s work, my heart longs for and seeks those who are committed to living and leading by example -- from the ground up and the inside out. Common Fire is a shining and beautiful example of this.”
-- Julia Butterfly Hill,
Founder, Circle of Life Foundation;
Author, Legacy of Luna

The moral imperative has always existed for people to live in balance with the environment and in just relationships with each other and with the other creatures we share the planet with. But it has taken on an incredible urgency with the explosion in the human population and the dramatic technological advances that have increased many times over the impact we are having on the environment and on each other.

At Common Fire we believe the world needs a fundamental shift in how people see the world and how we live in the world. We strive to support people and places committed to taking a powerful stand for new ways of being in the world. We do this by working in three main areas:

• We support the creation of housing co-ops and similar living environments that bring together a diversity of people committed to making a difference in the world -- starting with themselves.
• We aim to create a retreat center based within an "intentional community". Our vision is that this community-institute will be a powerful reflection of the diversity, commitment, and vibrancy of the people and programs being hosted there, and of our collective vision for a more just and sustainable world.
• We will ourselves host a number of retreats for adults and we plan to launch a summer camp for youth and and retreats for young adults.

We aspire to do this work in ways that are consistent at their very core with our mission and our core principles. We believe we must build an organization -- and the people involved must do the work and build the relationships -- that reflect the kind of values and spirit we wish to nurture in the larger world.

Through 2006 our efforts were focused almost exclusively on our first major project, a housing co-op in New York's Hudson Valley. It has been a tremendous success, providing a powerful experience for the people living there and a source of inspiration for the broader community. The physical structure itself has drawn significant attention because in early 2007 the US Green Building Council certified it as the highest scoring green building in the Eastern United States, and the second highest scoring in the country.

In 2007 much of our effort is being focused inward, to develop the kind of infrastructure that can best sustain the tremendous growth we expect in 2008 and beyond, and to do so with great integrity. For example, we are convening a retreat of non-profit leaders representing organizations across the country to explore questions around what kind of leadership structures make the most sense for organizations committed to transcending traditional power dynamics and embracing diversity.

2007 will also see us involved in a number of partnerships with organizations whose work we greatly admire, including Be Present, the Center for Whole Communities, and the Nonviolent Youth Collective. Pilot ventures with each of these organizations will help form the underpinnings for more significant program launches and partnerships in 2008.