Mtn Bio is founded on the principles nature has used to grow and evolve for 3.8 billion years. The principles below come from interdisciplinary schools of ecology, biomimicry, and systems thinking that have explored what is universally true about life. We’re using these life principles to build our foundation and guide how we grow.

1. Life is self-organizing.

From single-celled organisms to collective systems like schooling fish, hives of bees, and healthy forests…. nature self-organizes. People, under optimal conditions, gravitate to situations where they can use their unique skills and interests toward a meaningful end. Mtn Bio empowers people to self-organize by creating a vibrant, climate-positive community where people get involved in ways that align their personal values, skills, social circles, and passions. Engagement is high because people contribute meaningful action to a shared sense of purpose and something greater than themselves.

2. Life is attuned to local context.

Our programs are designed to reinforce a sense of place - to deepen our connection to the land and water, the animals, the natural beauty, and the community that is the backbone of the Roaring Fork Valley. As a progressive mountain community surrounded by wilderness and inspiring global connections, Mtn Bio is uniquely positioned to implement programs that empower locals to drive change through an ecosystem of climate-focused organizations. We amplify solutions that work for our mountain community and channel our local leverage to have a broader impact.

3. Life is emergent.

Oxygen and hydrogen come together, and miraculously – we get water. There are moments in nature when suddenly everything, once recognizable, changes; something new emerges. Emergence happens in all natural systems, like when the snowpack finally succumbs to gravity and releases an avalanche or when beautiful flight patterns emerge among species, like murmurations of starlings or dancing fireflies. We are individually and collectively greater than the sum of our parts, and we never know what idea, action, or connection will spark when a room full of people engages in conversation. Mtn Bio events and networks increase the odds that new and improved ways of living will emerge.

4. Life creates conditions conducive to life.

Our favorite mountain keystone species is the beaver. When beavers move into a river valley, everyone gets excited because by slowing the flow of water, they create conditions for other plants and animals to thrive. Like a keystone species, Mtn Bio is dedicated to bringing more vibrancy to our valley’s sustainable living practices and climate solutions by doing what we do best: building community, amplifying climate solutions, sharing resources, and empowering action. We create opportunities that enable individual and collective action to take root, grow, and thrive toward climate-positive ends.

5. Life organizes itself in complex systems. 

We recognize that life is organized in complex, interconnected systems. While many human and natural systems are breaking down, we see countless opportunities for collective action to repair and regenerate our world. Like mycelium spread through soil connecting and nourishing plants, we understand that every action we take is part of a larger, interconnected web of relationships. We love illuminating sweet spots in complex systems, like regenerative agriculture, that impact multiple interconnected systems. With one fundamental change, we can improve soil conservation, biodiversity, our nation’s health, farmers’ financial well-being, and the amount of carbon sequestered in the land while reducing fossil fuel use and our dependency on oil, pesticides, and fertilizers.

6. Natural systems are nested and fractal.

Like a head of broccoli or the Colorado River watershed, our inner and outer worlds follow nested and fractal patterns. We can’t effectively transform systems if individuals remain stuck in habits and patterns that don’t evolve or get hijacked by emotions. This is why we align our work on the personal, local, state, and national levels. In isolation, personal growth and individual actions can be slow-moving or feel inconsequential, but when they are connected to healthy families, community leadership, city-wide ordinances, or state and national efforts, their collective impact is inspiring.

7. Life is intelligent.

From the marmots to the bull elks and the ponderosa pine to the ‘blue fairy’ aphids, from the Ute elders to the valley newcomers, if we slow down enough, we recognize that all life is inherently intelligent, evolving, and awe-inspiring. We honor the unique evolutionary intelligence of each species and individual as we navigate the ever-changing world. 

8. Ultimately, life is regenerative.

Nature operates in cycles as it renews and reuses everything. Regeneration renews and restores parts of ourselves along with entire ecosystems decimated by fire. As an organization, we recognize we work best when we care for our own restoration and renewal; it’s essential for being and creating the change we want to see in the world.