The name “Vita Nuova” (“new life”) comes from the title of Italian medieval poet Dante Alighieri’s first book of poetry. For those who don’t know the story, Dante fell in love with a young Florentine girl named Beatrice upon the occasion of his first vision of her, and his recognition that he had embarked on an entirely new life. This book of poems was a result of that experience.

Realizing that his first attempt could not capture all he hoped to express, he vowed to someday write something that was worthy of her, and he later went on to write what is arguably the world’s greatest poem, the Divine Comedy. She becomes his guide in Paradise – ostensibly a vision of the afterlife, but in truth also a vision of a just world guided by love. Dante’s vision of love for Beatrice and for what his society could be was one of the foundation stones for the Renaissance of European culture.

The image, a peregrine falcon, the fastest bird of prey, bringing light to the darkness, is a visual depiction of the effect of Dante’s vision for a better world. The word “peregrine” comes from a root meaning pilgrim, a seeker after truth, and it was how Dante described himself. Vita Nuova is dedicated to creating a new vision for society in supporting efforts to help businesses, cities, government agencies, and non-profits work more effectively to create a sustainable society. The current adversarial approach to environmental protection, while having created some benefits, does not offer a vision of our future. Vita Nuova is dedicated to seeking ways that all parties may achieve their objectives in restoring our communities and the natural environments on which they depend.