Photo by Scott Bradner

At BigHook, the enduring theme is how to leave the best network to our grandchildren. Let's explore some scenarios.

Many of us come to BigHook because we harbor a hope that the Internet we've created is so immediate (unmediated) that we humans can realize our common humanity, face our common problems, and begin thinking of ourselves as one species living in a common habitat. To make this a bit more concrete, today China is closer to the United States than Pennsylvania once was to Massachusetts; maybe today's technologies will put the idea of national interest into commensurate perspective.

However, speaking of stewardship, what if the habitat we assume our grandchildren will inherit is at risk? Unaided, 100% pure cyber-utopianism won't triumph. Global climate disruption, nuclear war and other dangers could render Earth uninhabitable. Not just less pleasant. Uninhabitable. Such crises could occur so suddenly that humanity won't have a viable escape that there won't be time to implement Plan B. Unless we start now.

Should we act?

If you're still skeptical (and why shoudn't you be?), watch this one too.

You could decide that the threat isn't real and the costs of acting are too high. And that the Internet is just another corporate tool for making money. But you didn't. You're a BigHook participant.

So the question is how do we, Internet experts all, in one way or another, act?

How do we become good stewards -- of the Internet and of the planet? For example:

• How do we make the Internet itself a greener place? The information technology sector is responsible for an estimated two percent of greenhouse gas emissions, about the same as air travel.
• Are there ways to use the Internet to ameliorate climate change, to prepare for its consequences, to address the threat of nuclear war, and to counteract other dangers?
• Are there entrepreneurial opportunities for innovators, engineers and investors in addressing these crises?
• How do we tell this story on the other side of the Isthmus of Juniper?

It promises to be a great three days!

[Still under construction, to be continued . . . ]

Wednesday, 9/3

Noon to 1:30 PM: Check in, lunch, swimming, meet fellow participants
1:30 to 3:30 PM: Session 1a: Introductions
3:30 to 4:00 PM: break
4:00 to 5:30 PM, Session 1b: Intros, cont'd, then
Does our Planet Need to be Saved? From What?
5:30 to 8:00 PM: Dinner, fishing
8:00 to 9:00 PM, Session 2: The Three Legs: Science, Economics, Civil Society
9:00 to whenever -- Five-minute talks on whatever people want to talk about . . .

Thursday, 9/4

7:00 to 8:30 AM: Breakfast, fishing
8:30 to 10:00 AM, Session 3a: Cleaning up our own back yard, making IT greener (Bill St. Arnaud, discussion starter)
10:00 to 10:30: break
10:30 AM to Noon, Session 3b: What can the Internet do in the real world? (Andrew Odlyzko, discussion starter)
Noon to 2:00 PM: Lunch, swimming
2:00 to 3:30 PM, Session 4a: Opportunities while Saving the World (Pip Coburn, discussion starter)
3:30 to 4:00 PM: break
4:00 to 5:30, Session 4b: (We'll think of something for this slot)
5:30 to 8:00 PM: Dinner, fishing
8:00 to 9:30 PM, Session 5: Spectacular Musical Event
plus A Completely Different Angle on Saving our Planet
9:30PM to whenever: BOF Sessions

Friday, 9/5

7:00 to 8:30 AM: Breakfast, fishing
8:30 to 10:00 AM, Session 6a: Telling the Story (Andy Revkin, discussion starter)
10:00 to 10:30 AM: break
10:30 AM to Noon, Session 6b:
Noon to 2:00 PM: Lunch, swimming
2:00 PM: Adjourn