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What we eat is a really big deal for the planet.
All of us are concerned about, aware of, or affected by extreme weather, fire, drought, heat waves, floods and hurricanes all over the world, but most of us don’t realize how much our diet affects the planetary crises we’re facing.
For example, did you know that raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined?
Action is needed to reverse global warming and effectively address climate change. I’ve compiled a short list of resources and facts that highlight how our diet impacts Earth’s health and ability to sustain us. They are sobering and important. You care about Earth otherwise you wouldn't be reading this, so I strongly encourage you to take a look and learn more about what a planet-friendly diet looks like.
Read "Talking Turkey, What's Our Beef?" and "At the Table of Change" in my June and July, 2018, Monthly Columns.
Bringing Food Home
Food has been a life-changer for me. The first big shift was not a result of eating a particular food, but from reading a book about food, namely Diet For a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappé. The second time when food sent me on a new course was gulping down two helpings of bland, pale scrambled eggs at my mother’s house, which mysteriously triggered a food addiction that lasted several years and launched me on a quest to free myself from addiction. That search became a journey to find my true self and God. (Read Bicycling Home, My Journey to Find God for the recounting of my quest and the happy ending.)
The topic of food seems to fall into three areas of exploration: the politics of food, food for the spirit and sensual food. Here is a brief look at each.
THE POLITICS OF FOOD
I read Diet For a Small Planet in 1975 when I was 26. The book shines light on all aspects of food, but what was a startling eye-opener was about how our food is produced. Lappé described and documented the enormous inefficiency, waste and ecological destruction of the meat-based Western diet, a diet that many other cultures now aspire to. The most striking of many facts is that it takes 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef. This diet is now untenable, unsustainable, and even bordering on criminal because of its waste of land, water and energy, destruction of natural habitat, and contribution to food scarcity, poverty and global warming. Climate change demands that we also look at where our food comes from: is it locally grown or has it been shipped thousands of miles from its source? I try to buy locally but I have to confess that one of my favorite of all foods is Atlantic Salmon—from Norway. I imagine nearby catfish and trout will be the future fish in my diet.
Lappé and Joseph Collins have just published a definitive work on world hunger entitled World Hunger: 10 Myths. For example, Myth #1 is “Too Little Food, Too Many People:” Myth #6, “The Free Market Can End Hunger.” These books, and many others, give us all we need to change to a more plant-based diet, and enjoy it too.
FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT
We feed our minds and spirits every bit as much as we feed our bodies. Are the thoughts, the information and images we take in all day long nourishing for us? Are they toxic or cause us indigestion? Apparently, neuroscience can now demonstrate the brain has a negative bias; it prefers to constellate around negative, fearful or problematic situations. I have to say that’s true for me, though I do my best to fill my mental plate with positive food. It’s almost impossible to watch network news without getting depressed. That’s why we need to get a balanced diet of information, and especially take in a generous helping of positive news, which is one reason I subscribe to The Optimist Daily and YES! magazine. I want to know what’s going on in the world but I want to give my energy to people who are upbeat and who are working on positive solutions rather than dwelling on bad news and what doesn’t work.
SENSUAL FOOD
Lent is now with us and people are encouraged to give up something for Lent to emulate the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and sparring with the Devil. I find it far easier to give up a particular food, like chocolate, than to give up a particular habit. For the record, this Lent I am giving up inner whining and complaining about what doesn’t suit or please me, or what’s inconvenient. But as I said, it’s easier to give up chocolate; I gave up the same complaining bit last year for Lent.
Now let’s get on to the topic of tasty, wonderful, savory food we love. I’ve had fun asking friends what they would order for a last meal. My farrier would have Elk Wellington (tenderloin of elk wrapped in puff pastry). One friend would have “tacos, tacos, tacos!” stuffed with black beans and veggies. Another would fast to keep his mind clear. Makes sense, but I would strive for a clear mind and also unquestionably order that favorite Norwegian Salmon and maybe Tiramisu for dessert. Or how about Cornish Game Hens with traditional stuffing followed by apple pie?
Whatever your favorite dish, I offer our favorite cookie recipe for dessert:
The 129-Calorie Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Please enjoy, and just think, two cookies are only 258 calories!
The topic of food seems to fall into three areas of exploration: the politics of food, food for the spirit and sensual food. Here is a brief look at each.
THE POLITICS OF FOOD
I read Diet For a Small Planet in 1975 when I was 26. The book shines light on all aspects of food, but what was a startling eye-opener was about how our food is produced. Lappé described and documented the enormous inefficiency, waste and ecological destruction of the meat-based Western diet, a diet that many other cultures now aspire to. The most striking of many facts is that it takes 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef. This diet is now untenable, unsustainable, and even bordering on criminal because of its waste of land, water and energy, destruction of natural habitat, and contribution to food scarcity, poverty and global warming. Climate change demands that we also look at where our food comes from: is it locally grown or has it been shipped thousands of miles from its source? I try to buy locally but I have to confess that one of my favorite of all foods is Atlantic Salmon—from Norway. I imagine nearby catfish and trout will be the future fish in my diet.
Lappé and Joseph Collins have just published a definitive work on world hunger entitled World Hunger: 10 Myths. For example, Myth #1 is “Too Little Food, Too Many People:” Myth #6, “The Free Market Can End Hunger.” These books, and many others, give us all we need to change to a more plant-based diet, and enjoy it too.
FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT
We feed our minds and spirits every bit as much as we feed our bodies. Are the thoughts, the information and images we take in all day long nourishing for us? Are they toxic or cause us indigestion? Apparently, neuroscience can now demonstrate the brain has a negative bias; it prefers to constellate around negative, fearful or problematic situations. I have to say that’s true for me, though I do my best to fill my mental plate with positive food. It’s almost impossible to watch network news without getting depressed. That’s why we need to get a balanced diet of information, and especially take in a generous helping of positive news, which is one reason I subscribe to The Optimist Daily and YES! magazine. I want to know what’s going on in the world but I want to give my energy to people who are upbeat and who are working on positive solutions rather than dwelling on bad news and what doesn’t work.
SENSUAL FOOD
Lent is now with us and people are encouraged to give up something for Lent to emulate the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and sparring with the Devil. I find it far easier to give up a particular food, like chocolate, than to give up a particular habit. For the record, this Lent I am giving up inner whining and complaining about what doesn’t suit or please me, or what’s inconvenient. But as I said, it’s easier to give up chocolate; I gave up the same complaining bit last year for Lent.
Now let’s get on to the topic of tasty, wonderful, savory food we love. I’ve had fun asking friends what they would order for a last meal. My farrier would have Elk Wellington (tenderloin of elk wrapped in puff pastry). One friend would have “tacos, tacos, tacos!” stuffed with black beans and veggies. Another would fast to keep his mind clear. Makes sense, but I would strive for a clear mind and also unquestionably order that favorite Norwegian Salmon and maybe Tiramisu for dessert. Or how about Cornish Game Hens with traditional stuffing followed by apple pie?
Whatever your favorite dish, I offer our favorite cookie recipe for dessert:
The 129-Calorie Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Please enjoy, and just think, two cookies are only 258 calories!
Fun and Change
In the summer of 1961 Dad took my older sister and me to the Tivoli Amusement Park in Copenhagen. As we screamed down a roller coaster mountain, Dad turned around and got this picture. We were having terrified fun! I doubt that our shrieking changed anything except to increase the amount of adrenalin in the world.
The photo is just about fun. In this Reflection I want us to consider if we can have fun, and be deadly serious about confronting the social, political, spiritual and environmental crises we face, and make necessary changes. Could it be that it would better serve our work for the planet and the greater good to have more fun?
Before we consider this question, let’s first dive into just plain old fun. How do we have fun in our lives? I’m talking about making our ordinary life situations more fun. I’m not talking about situations that are life-threatening, or tragic with great loss or harm or illness or injury where fun is not even a remote possibility. I’m also not talking about any kind of “fun” activity that would be at someone else’s expense or cause harm in any way.
The dictionary defines fun as “something that provides mirth or enjoyment.” I think having fun is often a matter of seeing things differently, or taking a situation or ourselves less seriously, or dropping expectations of how things should be. For me, a big part of having fun has to do with letting my inner child out to play. Even the usual chores can be more fun if we let ourselves play a little, which can happen anywhere, anytime. I can make a doodle on the envelope when I pay bills. I can whiz my cart down the (empty) grocery aisle at top speed. I can run the vacuum cleaner around the carpet to make curvy designs or do a little jig around the mop handle. If I listen to my inner child and see things through her eyes, (about age 4-10), the possibilities are endless. We overly serious and responsible types sometimes need to set aside our adult agenda, enjoy extra-curricular activities, and let our inner 5 year old take us out to play. One friend suggested “mandatory fun time.”
While we’re looking for more fun in our lives it’s helpful to look more deeply at the situations that cause us to feel frustrated or burdened to see if we might uncover thoughts and beliefs that are at the root of our difficulty. We could then put a more positive or at least neutral spin on the situation. Many of us have been raised to think that having fun is not responsible, and doesn’t serve the greater good. This belief definitely gets in the way of having fun and I’m seriously rethinking that unspoken commandment.
So now on to the question about having fun and making change. Several things inspire me to rethink the value of having fun while “saving the planet.” I think of the TPP protesters and climate change marchers who dressed up in costumes, and carried big colorful signs. They were clearly having a great time and having a big effect on changing policy.
Then there’s Jim Hightower. National radio commentator, public speaker, writer, journalist and popular progressive activist, Hightower is dedicated to change for the common good, and he has fun doing it. His writing is as witty and playful as it is powerfully truthful and informative. I love how he always calls Members of Congress “Congress Critters,” yet I’ve never known him to be disrespectful of anybody, He doesn’t hesitate to bring us the truth of how corrupt and unjust our political and economic systems are, but he always points to how and with whom we can join together for change. He does a regular newsletter called The Hightower Lowdown, which is informative and fun to read. As he says, “Joining with others for the great possibility of America is as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.”
As author, humorist, and “cosmic comic” Steve Bhaerman says, ”Particularly in these times of crisis and evolution (both personal and planetary), whole-hearted laughter and mind-expanding humor will help us heal ourselves and be of greater use to others.”
Caroline Casey, visionary activist and mythologist, prays that “the path will open before us that we may be of maximum good while having the most serious and dedicated fun.”
Last month I asked “What ‘s Heaven on Earth for you?” This month, I ask “What’s fun for you and how can you have fun making change?” The two go well together, for as Martin Rutte says (Project Heaven on Earth), “Let’s create Heaven on Earth for the fun of it.” Let’s make change for the fun of it!
I’m having fun thinking about all the things that would be fun for me. What about you? Look, here’s Hafiz to give us some ideas. And my February Reflection on Happiness gives more food for fun.
A Suspended Blue Ocean
The sky
Is a suspended blue ocean.
The stars are the fish that swim.
The planets are the white whales
I sometimes hitch a ride on,
And the sun and all light
Have forever fused themselves
Into my heart and upon my skin.
There is only one rule
On this Wild Playground,
For every sign Hafiz has ever seen
Reads the same.
They all say,
“Have fun, my dear; my dear, have fun,
In the Beloved’s Divine Game,
O, in the Beloved’s
Wonderful Game.”
—Hafiz
Resources for Fun and Happiness
“A Brief History of Happiness; How America Lost Track of the Good Life—and Where to Find It Now,”
"Making a Difference Makes You Happy"
"Finding Happiness; 11 Simple Ways to Get Your Smile Back
"The 7-Step Morning Ritual That Will Make You Happy All Day"
Breaking These 13 Habits Will Make You Happier
The photo is just about fun. In this Reflection I want us to consider if we can have fun, and be deadly serious about confronting the social, political, spiritual and environmental crises we face, and make necessary changes. Could it be that it would better serve our work for the planet and the greater good to have more fun?
Before we consider this question, let’s first dive into just plain old fun. How do we have fun in our lives? I’m talking about making our ordinary life situations more fun. I’m not talking about situations that are life-threatening, or tragic with great loss or harm or illness or injury where fun is not even a remote possibility. I’m also not talking about any kind of “fun” activity that would be at someone else’s expense or cause harm in any way.
The dictionary defines fun as “something that provides mirth or enjoyment.” I think having fun is often a matter of seeing things differently, or taking a situation or ourselves less seriously, or dropping expectations of how things should be. For me, a big part of having fun has to do with letting my inner child out to play. Even the usual chores can be more fun if we let ourselves play a little, which can happen anywhere, anytime. I can make a doodle on the envelope when I pay bills. I can whiz my cart down the (empty) grocery aisle at top speed. I can run the vacuum cleaner around the carpet to make curvy designs or do a little jig around the mop handle. If I listen to my inner child and see things through her eyes, (about age 4-10), the possibilities are endless. We overly serious and responsible types sometimes need to set aside our adult agenda, enjoy extra-curricular activities, and let our inner 5 year old take us out to play. One friend suggested “mandatory fun time.”
While we’re looking for more fun in our lives it’s helpful to look more deeply at the situations that cause us to feel frustrated or burdened to see if we might uncover thoughts and beliefs that are at the root of our difficulty. We could then put a more positive or at least neutral spin on the situation. Many of us have been raised to think that having fun is not responsible, and doesn’t serve the greater good. This belief definitely gets in the way of having fun and I’m seriously rethinking that unspoken commandment.
So now on to the question about having fun and making change. Several things inspire me to rethink the value of having fun while “saving the planet.” I think of the TPP protesters and climate change marchers who dressed up in costumes, and carried big colorful signs. They were clearly having a great time and having a big effect on changing policy.
Then there’s Jim Hightower. National radio commentator, public speaker, writer, journalist and popular progressive activist, Hightower is dedicated to change for the common good, and he has fun doing it. His writing is as witty and playful as it is powerfully truthful and informative. I love how he always calls Members of Congress “Congress Critters,” yet I’ve never known him to be disrespectful of anybody, He doesn’t hesitate to bring us the truth of how corrupt and unjust our political and economic systems are, but he always points to how and with whom we can join together for change. He does a regular newsletter called The Hightower Lowdown, which is informative and fun to read. As he says, “Joining with others for the great possibility of America is as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.”
As author, humorist, and “cosmic comic” Steve Bhaerman says, ”Particularly in these times of crisis and evolution (both personal and planetary), whole-hearted laughter and mind-expanding humor will help us heal ourselves and be of greater use to others.”
Caroline Casey, visionary activist and mythologist, prays that “the path will open before us that we may be of maximum good while having the most serious and dedicated fun.”
Last month I asked “What ‘s Heaven on Earth for you?” This month, I ask “What’s fun for you and how can you have fun making change?” The two go well together, for as Martin Rutte says (Project Heaven on Earth), “Let’s create Heaven on Earth for the fun of it.” Let’s make change for the fun of it!
I’m having fun thinking about all the things that would be fun for me. What about you? Look, here’s Hafiz to give us some ideas. And my February Reflection on Happiness gives more food for fun.
A Suspended Blue Ocean
The sky
Is a suspended blue ocean.
The stars are the fish that swim.
The planets are the white whales
I sometimes hitch a ride on,
And the sun and all light
Have forever fused themselves
Into my heart and upon my skin.
There is only one rule
On this Wild Playground,
For every sign Hafiz has ever seen
Reads the same.
They all say,
“Have fun, my dear; my dear, have fun,
In the Beloved’s Divine Game,
O, in the Beloved’s
Wonderful Game.”
—Hafiz
Resources for Fun and Happiness
“A Brief History of Happiness; How America Lost Track of the Good Life—and Where to Find It Now,”
"Making a Difference Makes You Happy"
"Finding Happiness; 11 Simple Ways to Get Your Smile Back
"The 7-Step Morning Ritual That Will Make You Happy All Day"
Breaking These 13 Habits Will Make You Happier
The Unifying Story: What Are We For?
What are the values, the ideas, the vision that unite us? What are those “bedrock commonalities” that we can rally around to create a world that works for all of us and the Earth? We are now over 7 billion people strong and if we don’t work together we will all sink in the same boat. Hear what Fr. Richard Rohr says to us:
"While I pray President Trump leads with wisdom, compassion, and justice, we cannot simply sit back and watch whatever unfolds. We the people have a tremendous responsibility to work together, to speak truth to power, to peacefully advocate for the rights of all beings and the earth. This requires maturity and contemplative consciousness, empathy for the “other,” and courage to stand with those who are suffering. It is not a popular or easy path. But as human beings, we are called to be active participants in our salvation and mutual survival."
Over 3 million people worldwide participated in the Women’s March on January 21. People rallied for peace, justice, a sustainable future, and against oppressive policies. The march brought many separate movements together, which is what our current situation calls for. But we must be mindful not to circle the wagons so tightly that this broader goal, this vision of America, will seem to exclude those we are not “on the left,” or “progressive.” The broader goal to revision and restructure our economic and political system must always in view. We need to focus on a unifying story that can appeal to and include everyone!
What are we for? Clean water and air. Safe and healthy food. Clean elections. Health care for all. Educational opportunities for all. Meaningful, supportive jobs. Economic and ecological sustainability. Peace. Security. Human rights for all. Happiness for all.
What do we need to do? Connect with people. Organize and join with others about issues you care about. Resist policies ad behavior that exclude, denigrate, oppress, destroy. Participate in ways you haven’t before. Write letters. Go to rallies and demonstrations. Elect people who support life-affirming values as opposed to moneyed interests. Campaign for people or issues you care about. Volunteer to do what turns you on. Make one call a day (or 2 a week, whatever you can do!) to a local, state or national lawmaker to express your opinion. Calls count. Emails & petitions not so much.
No one size shoe fits all. The only thing common to all shoes is that now’s the time to put them on. We don’t have time for waiting and watching to see what will happen in the next four years.
Words of wisdom for dangerous times
I could go on and on with quotes from wise, effective, powerful people. These are the ones that popped out at me these last few weeks.
“What can we do? We have a voice, and hands. We can be agents and actors rather than victims. Simone Weil, who thought long and hard about how France could recover from fascism, once said: ‘I can, therefore I am.’ . . . The biggest story and struggle of our time lies in the nexus of climate, energy, economics, and environment. These connected crises have converged. Greg Mello, Los Alamos Study Group.
“Tiny acts have huge repercussions.” Martin Rutte, Project Heaven on Earth
“While there’s no doubt that we’re living in rocky times, if we address the perils with gloom and seriousness, we’ve lost the game already. Crushing the human spirit is oppression’s best weapon.” Caroline Casey
For more ideas about how to make your voice count, see “What You Can Do” on this website, and read my July 2016 column about activism.
Lastly, this is from a t-shirt I saw recently:
KEEP CALM.
CHANGE ON
"While I pray President Trump leads with wisdom, compassion, and justice, we cannot simply sit back and watch whatever unfolds. We the people have a tremendous responsibility to work together, to speak truth to power, to peacefully advocate for the rights of all beings and the earth. This requires maturity and contemplative consciousness, empathy for the “other,” and courage to stand with those who are suffering. It is not a popular or easy path. But as human beings, we are called to be active participants in our salvation and mutual survival."
Over 3 million people worldwide participated in the Women’s March on January 21. People rallied for peace, justice, a sustainable future, and against oppressive policies. The march brought many separate movements together, which is what our current situation calls for. But we must be mindful not to circle the wagons so tightly that this broader goal, this vision of America, will seem to exclude those we are not “on the left,” or “progressive.” The broader goal to revision and restructure our economic and political system must always in view. We need to focus on a unifying story that can appeal to and include everyone!
What are we for? Clean water and air. Safe and healthy food. Clean elections. Health care for all. Educational opportunities for all. Meaningful, supportive jobs. Economic and ecological sustainability. Peace. Security. Human rights for all. Happiness for all.
What do we need to do? Connect with people. Organize and join with others about issues you care about. Resist policies ad behavior that exclude, denigrate, oppress, destroy. Participate in ways you haven’t before. Write letters. Go to rallies and demonstrations. Elect people who support life-affirming values as opposed to moneyed interests. Campaign for people or issues you care about. Volunteer to do what turns you on. Make one call a day (or 2 a week, whatever you can do!) to a local, state or national lawmaker to express your opinion. Calls count. Emails & petitions not so much.
No one size shoe fits all. The only thing common to all shoes is that now’s the time to put them on. We don’t have time for waiting and watching to see what will happen in the next four years.
Words of wisdom for dangerous times
I could go on and on with quotes from wise, effective, powerful people. These are the ones that popped out at me these last few weeks.
“What can we do? We have a voice, and hands. We can be agents and actors rather than victims. Simone Weil, who thought long and hard about how France could recover from fascism, once said: ‘I can, therefore I am.’ . . . The biggest story and struggle of our time lies in the nexus of climate, energy, economics, and environment. These connected crises have converged. Greg Mello, Los Alamos Study Group.
“Tiny acts have huge repercussions.” Martin Rutte, Project Heaven on Earth
“While there’s no doubt that we’re living in rocky times, if we address the perils with gloom and seriousness, we’ve lost the game already. Crushing the human spirit is oppression’s best weapon.” Caroline Casey
For more ideas about how to make your voice count, see “What You Can Do” on this website, and read my July 2016 column about activism.
Lastly, this is from a t-shirt I saw recently:
KEEP CALM.
CHANGE ON
Drawdown: Game Over or Game On?
What is Drawdown? “Drawdown is that point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere begins to decline on a year-to-year basis.” This is the point, the purpose, and the plan of Project Drawdown—the book, the website and the 100 solutions presented to us to reverse global warming by cutting CO2 emissions. The book, edited by Paul Hawken in collaboration with 70 professionals, researchers and scientists from 22 countries, describes in great but accessible detail 100 solutions to effectively address climate change. These are regenerative and substantive projects and ideas already underway
Referring to this graph of CO2 emissions, Hawken says, “No human has ever existed on Earth (primates included) when CO2 has been greater than 300 ppm. We are now at 402 ppm. We need to drawdown our CO2 emissions if we are to continue as a productive, creative civilization.”
Hawken considers language such as “mitigate,” “slow down” or “stabilize” climate change to be counterproductive because, as he says, “If you’re going over a cliff and you slow down, you’ll go over the cliff more slowly. If you’re going down the wrong road and you slow down, it’s still the wrong road.” He says that, “It’s really important to name the goal. If you don’t know the goal you’re not going to hit it.”
It is difficult to watch the accelerating breakdown of our environmental systems or witness the breakdown of civility into camps, ideologies, and wars. What stands before us, however, is not the choosing of sides but the gift of seeing who we are as stewards of the planet. We will either come together to address global warming or we will likely disappear as a civilization. —Paul Hawken
Do you believe in climate change? This is a complicated question because, as Hawken points out, science is not a belief system. But suppose you disagree with or dispute the science that documents our CO2 levels? It doesn’t really matter because I’m sure we can all agree that we want clean air, clean water, healthy food, a healthy biosphere, basic needs met for all. We can cooperate to solve problems such as conserving water to mitigate drought or reducing air pollution or reducing food waste whether or not we call it global warming or climate change.
Climate change refers to the many changes that will occur with increases in temperature and greenhouse gases. That is why the UN climate agency is called the International Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, and not the IPGW. It studies the comprehensive impacts of climate change on all living systems. What we measure and model in Drawdown is how to begin the reduction of greenhouse gases in order to reverse global warming. —Paul Hawken
Global warming and climate change are happening for us, not to us. . . Game over or game on? This is the challenge Hawken puts to us and how we can rethink our situation.
If we consider that global warming is happening for us instead of to us—that is, an atmospheric transformation that inspires us to change and reimagine everything we make and do, we begin to live in a different world. We take 100% responsibility and stop blaming others. We see global warming not as an inevitability but as an invitation to build, innovate, and effect change, a pathway that awakens creativity, compassion, and genius. This is not a liberal agenda, nor is it a conservative one. This is the human agenda.
If what we tell ourselves is that we’re screwed, it destroys our imagination, our creativity and innovation for solutions. We’re screwed if we believe there’s nothing we can do. —Paul Hawken
More excerpts from the book and talk by Paul Hawken
To be effective, we require and deserve a conversation that includes possibility and opportunity not repetitive emphasis on our undoing.
The profit that can be achieved by instituting regenerative solutions is greater than the monetary gains generated by causing the problem or conducting business-as-usual.
We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future rather than stealing it.
Movements are dreams with feet and hands, hearts and voices.
Resources
Drawdown.org
A video presentation of Project Drawdown by Paul Hawken
Pie chart showing how different solutions contribute to reducing CO2 emissions
Thanks to Paul for providing the graph and pie chart.
Referring to this graph of CO2 emissions, Hawken says, “No human has ever existed on Earth (primates included) when CO2 has been greater than 300 ppm. We are now at 402 ppm. We need to drawdown our CO2 emissions if we are to continue as a productive, creative civilization.”
Hawken considers language such as “mitigate,” “slow down” or “stabilize” climate change to be counterproductive because, as he says, “If you’re going over a cliff and you slow down, you’ll go over the cliff more slowly. If you’re going down the wrong road and you slow down, it’s still the wrong road.” He says that, “It’s really important to name the goal. If you don’t know the goal you’re not going to hit it.”
It is difficult to watch the accelerating breakdown of our environmental systems or witness the breakdown of civility into camps, ideologies, and wars. What stands before us, however, is not the choosing of sides but the gift of seeing who we are as stewards of the planet. We will either come together to address global warming or we will likely disappear as a civilization. —Paul Hawken
Do you believe in climate change? This is a complicated question because, as Hawken points out, science is not a belief system. But suppose you disagree with or dispute the science that documents our CO2 levels? It doesn’t really matter because I’m sure we can all agree that we want clean air, clean water, healthy food, a healthy biosphere, basic needs met for all. We can cooperate to solve problems such as conserving water to mitigate drought or reducing air pollution or reducing food waste whether or not we call it global warming or climate change.
Climate change refers to the many changes that will occur with increases in temperature and greenhouse gases. That is why the UN climate agency is called the International Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, and not the IPGW. It studies the comprehensive impacts of climate change on all living systems. What we measure and model in Drawdown is how to begin the reduction of greenhouse gases in order to reverse global warming. —Paul Hawken
Global warming and climate change are happening for us, not to us. . . Game over or game on? This is the challenge Hawken puts to us and how we can rethink our situation.
If we consider that global warming is happening for us instead of to us—that is, an atmospheric transformation that inspires us to change and reimagine everything we make and do, we begin to live in a different world. We take 100% responsibility and stop blaming others. We see global warming not as an inevitability but as an invitation to build, innovate, and effect change, a pathway that awakens creativity, compassion, and genius. This is not a liberal agenda, nor is it a conservative one. This is the human agenda.
If what we tell ourselves is that we’re screwed, it destroys our imagination, our creativity and innovation for solutions. We’re screwed if we believe there’s nothing we can do. —Paul Hawken
More excerpts from the book and talk by Paul Hawken
To be effective, we require and deserve a conversation that includes possibility and opportunity not repetitive emphasis on our undoing.
The profit that can be achieved by instituting regenerative solutions is greater than the monetary gains generated by causing the problem or conducting business-as-usual.
We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future rather than stealing it.
Movements are dreams with feet and hands, hearts and voices.
Resources
Drawdown.org
A video presentation of Project Drawdown by Paul Hawken
Pie chart showing how different solutions contribute to reducing CO2 emissions
Thanks to Paul for providing the graph and pie chart.
Talking Turkey: What's Our Beef?
Does our diet affect the health of our planet? Can we address climate change and global warming with our forks?
The answer to both questions is YES. Turns out that what we eat is a big deal when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. Raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, carbon dioxide emissions from raising farmed animals make up about 15 percent of global human-induced emissions, with beef and milk production as the leading culprits. See the Guide on my homepage for more facts on this topic.
Can we make the essential transition from a meat-based to a more plant-based diet? Yes, but it won’t be easy for many folks. Eating beef in the US is as American as apple pie. Eating meat, especially beef, brings to mind our heritage as pioneers and cowboys / cowgirls of the Wild West. Cattle drives and roundups made the West and the rugged, independent people we identify with. For many of us putting a steak on the table is a measure of our status. It makes us feel important and successful. Our sense of personal value is embedded in that sizzly piece of meat and serving it adds to our sense of well being.
We need to find other ways to feel important and valuable. We need to know our intrinsic self-worth, a place where we don’t need to prove ourselves by what we eat (or anything material for that matter).
We’ve also come to believe that meat is the primary way to get protein in our diet. This is just not so. Plant protein gives us more than an adequate supply of the body’s protein needs. There are many sources for that kind of nutrition information and in particular there’s Frances Moore Lappé’s classic work, Diet for a Small Planet. Her research and book dramatically show the negative impact on energy, food and water of a meat diet, and how to provide protein with nuts, legumes and grains.
Meat as a mainstay of our diet also has the attraction of being convenient and easy to serve. Going to a more plant-based diet will definitely mean more energy put into preparing our meals. When circumstances don't allow for time to cook, there are also a number of companies that are now creating meatless burgers and sausages which are being sold at stores nationwide with great success. Check out Beyond Meat. We just tried their Beyond Burger and it's a winner!
We’re going to have to make the change. The planet simply cannot support a meat-based diet. We need to learn “How to Eat as if the Planet Mattered.”
There is a great deal of help to support and encourage us along this path. The article above is a great guide to begin and the articles below are excellent.
RESOURCES FOR A PLANET-FRIENDLY DIET
Are Cows the Cause of Global Warming?
What if Everyone Stopped Eating Meat?
How Does Meat Consumption Affect the Health of the Planet?
Energy Use and Food Production
The Best Diet for the Planet
The answer to both questions is YES. Turns out that what we eat is a big deal when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. Raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, carbon dioxide emissions from raising farmed animals make up about 15 percent of global human-induced emissions, with beef and milk production as the leading culprits. See the Guide on my homepage for more facts on this topic.
Can we make the essential transition from a meat-based to a more plant-based diet? Yes, but it won’t be easy for many folks. Eating beef in the US is as American as apple pie. Eating meat, especially beef, brings to mind our heritage as pioneers and cowboys / cowgirls of the Wild West. Cattle drives and roundups made the West and the rugged, independent people we identify with. For many of us putting a steak on the table is a measure of our status. It makes us feel important and successful. Our sense of personal value is embedded in that sizzly piece of meat and serving it adds to our sense of well being.
We need to find other ways to feel important and valuable. We need to know our intrinsic self-worth, a place where we don’t need to prove ourselves by what we eat (or anything material for that matter).
We’ve also come to believe that meat is the primary way to get protein in our diet. This is just not so. Plant protein gives us more than an adequate supply of the body’s protein needs. There are many sources for that kind of nutrition information and in particular there’s Frances Moore Lappé’s classic work, Diet for a Small Planet. Her research and book dramatically show the negative impact on energy, food and water of a meat diet, and how to provide protein with nuts, legumes and grains.
Meat as a mainstay of our diet also has the attraction of being convenient and easy to serve. Going to a more plant-based diet will definitely mean more energy put into preparing our meals. When circumstances don't allow for time to cook, there are also a number of companies that are now creating meatless burgers and sausages which are being sold at stores nationwide with great success. Check out Beyond Meat. We just tried their Beyond Burger and it's a winner!
We’re going to have to make the change. The planet simply cannot support a meat-based diet. We need to learn “How to Eat as if the Planet Mattered.”
There is a great deal of help to support and encourage us along this path. The article above is a great guide to begin and the articles below are excellent.
RESOURCES FOR A PLANET-FRIENDLY DIET
Are Cows the Cause of Global Warming?
What if Everyone Stopped Eating Meat?
How Does Meat Consumption Affect the Health of the Planet?
Energy Use and Food Production
The Best Diet for the Planet
At the Table of Change
The first bit of good news is that we're becoming aware of and beginning to grasp the enormity of the negative environmental impact of our meat-based diet on the Earth. The second bit of good news is that there are many alternatives now coming online and into supermarkets and restaurants that satisfy our meat-loving taste buds and are more planet friendly.
Awareness starts here.
Researchers at the University of Oxford conclude that: “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car, as these only cut greenhouse gas emissions.
"Agriculture is a sector that spans all the multitude of environmental problems. Really it is animal products that are responsible for so much of this. Avoiding consumption of animal products delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy." (See Article #3 below.)
In their book Cowed: The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America’s Health, Economy, Politics, Culture, and Environment, the authors conclude that: “If we can pare American beef consumption down, and limit it to the healthiest, most sustainable beef, we can reduce pollution, global warming, medical costs, animal cruelty, loss of soil, loss of biodiversity, and germs resistant to antibiotics, while increasing the amount of land and water available for other uses." Read the book review by John Berger (Article #5 below)
Change starts here:
Clifford and I have been experimenting with different alternatives to meat and dairy products. So far we've been impressed. The plant-based burgers from Beyond Meat are tasty and "meaty." The sausages are likewise perky and satisfying—like sausages should be. We've found a totally fine substitute for butter, which I never would have thought possible because I LOVE butter.
We're also looking for non-dairy products so we can let cow products alone as much as possible. Our aim is to move lower down the food chain and have found goat and sheep cheese and yogurt to be a good alternative. These are not easy dietary changes to make so be patient. These kinds of changes take courage. We need to always remember that we're doing this for love of Earth, for love of ourselves and all Life.
ARTICLES WELL-WORTH DIGESTING
Food and Climate Change, An Interactive Guide: This is a fascinating website that puts it all together in a people-friendly presentation. If you look at only one of these links, let it be this one.
"How to Eat as if the Planet Mattered": You'll find terrific resources and tips for everyone's eco-friendly kitchen and grocery list.
"Cutting Out Meat and Dairy is Probably the Best Thing You Can Do for the Planet": Research from the University of Oxford makes a strong case for a vegan diet.
Impossible Foods: Why "Impossible"? Read the interview with the founder of Impossible Foods, Dr.Pat Brown.
A Cow's Life Isn't All Clover": A book review of Cowed: The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America’s Health, Economy, Politics, Culture, and Environment.
Beyond Meat: Here's the website for some great plant-based burgers and sausages.
Costco's New Best Seller: Supermarkets are getting with the program to bring more non-meat products to their shelves.
Awareness starts here.
Researchers at the University of Oxford conclude that: “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car, as these only cut greenhouse gas emissions.
"Agriculture is a sector that spans all the multitude of environmental problems. Really it is animal products that are responsible for so much of this. Avoiding consumption of animal products delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy." (See Article #3 below.)
In their book Cowed: The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America’s Health, Economy, Politics, Culture, and Environment, the authors conclude that: “If we can pare American beef consumption down, and limit it to the healthiest, most sustainable beef, we can reduce pollution, global warming, medical costs, animal cruelty, loss of soil, loss of biodiversity, and germs resistant to antibiotics, while increasing the amount of land and water available for other uses." Read the book review by John Berger (Article #5 below)
Change starts here:
Clifford and I have been experimenting with different alternatives to meat and dairy products. So far we've been impressed. The plant-based burgers from Beyond Meat are tasty and "meaty." The sausages are likewise perky and satisfying—like sausages should be. We've found a totally fine substitute for butter, which I never would have thought possible because I LOVE butter.
We're also looking for non-dairy products so we can let cow products alone as much as possible. Our aim is to move lower down the food chain and have found goat and sheep cheese and yogurt to be a good alternative. These are not easy dietary changes to make so be patient. These kinds of changes take courage. We need to always remember that we're doing this for love of Earth, for love of ourselves and all Life.
ARTICLES WELL-WORTH DIGESTING
Food and Climate Change, An Interactive Guide: This is a fascinating website that puts it all together in a people-friendly presentation. If you look at only one of these links, let it be this one.
"How to Eat as if the Planet Mattered": You'll find terrific resources and tips for everyone's eco-friendly kitchen and grocery list.
"Cutting Out Meat and Dairy is Probably the Best Thing You Can Do for the Planet": Research from the University of Oxford makes a strong case for a vegan diet.
Impossible Foods: Why "Impossible"? Read the interview with the founder of Impossible Foods, Dr.Pat Brown.
A Cow's Life Isn't All Clover": A book review of Cowed: The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America’s Health, Economy, Politics, Culture, and Environment.
Beyond Meat: Here's the website for some great plant-based burgers and sausages.
Costco's New Best Seller: Supermarkets are getting with the program to bring more non-meat products to their shelves.
FACTORY FOOD / FACTORY FARMING
Not everyone can drive an electric car, take public transportation, walk or bike to where they want to go, but all of us can affect the health of our planet with our diet. We’re now coming to terms with the huge and dire consequences of our meat and dairy diet on global warming and climate change. What we eat can be nourishing or harmful or neutral to our own health. Our diet has the same consequences for Earth. How is that?
Raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined. (Read below: "Are Cows the Cause of Global Warming?" A staggering reality. I’ve focused on factory farming and our meat and dairy-heavy diet these last two months. This month I want to look at another unhealthful aspect of our diet—processed food.
Most of our food is processed to some degree with the exception of fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Many food products have a low level of processing, like natural fruit juices, bread, tomato sauce, natural jams. Pretty hard not to have some processed foods in our kitchens. But then there’s a level of processing that takes food and turns it into non-food. I’m talking about made-up food, factory food, junk food.
Take an Apple Pop Tart for example. If there was once nutritional value in the apple it is mostly destroyed in the process of making up the Pop Tart. The process wastes the nutrients taken from the soil. On top of that cost, processing, packaging and shipping contribute to air and water pollution. This sort of “food” is made up of assorted chemicals and additives in order to give it texture and flavor and shelf life. This factory food is handy and convenient. It tickles our taste buds which have been trained to crave salt, fat and sugar. The only beneficiary is the food company.
To buy or not to buy? Imagine you’ve gone to the store and on your list is a favorite—natural corn chips. The label says there are no unhealthy ingredients so as a product it gets good marks. You reach for the package and then realize you won’t be able to recycle this. It doesn’t fall into any acceptable category at the recycling center. Do you buy it or not? Now you have to consider every item on your grocery list not only in terms of health value to you, but the environmental cost as well. Damn!
This same scrutiny must apply as well to some of the new products aimed to give us alternatives to meat and dairy products. Beyond Burgers from Beyond Meat comes to mind. So now you’re at the refrigerator case next to the meat department and you feel righteous and excited that you can avoid a meal of beef by buying a Beyond Burger which has no beef in it at all. But wait! Check out the label. It’s not unlike the Pop Tart in that it contains all kinds of ingredients that have been concocted in a lab. (See the “Health Detective” in Resources). And then there’s the packaging conundrum again! Disappointment and dismay replace your enthusiasm.
What about the affect of our food on our spiritual life? I believe that the further away we eat from the original source of the food the less connected we feel to the Earth which has provided the food. What’s the spiritual value of an apple versus the Apple Pop Tart?
Our diet is shaped by our family, our culture and by advertisers. Advertisers working for big food companies really want us to eat their processed food. They are not unlike the tobacco industry which is not at all concerned with human health. They had to be regulated. Ditto for big agriculture and fast food and processed food companies.
We have to ask ourselves important questions:
What is the level of processing of the product I want to buy?
What are the ingredients and how many have been concocted in a lab? How many are ok?
What’s the overall value of the food? What are the hidden costs?
Who benefits from my purchase?
Where is it coming from, how is it grown and by whom?
Will this food purchase enhance or harm me and the Earth?
We can change how we eat. We can change guidelines and regulations so that our food is healthful to people and the planet. We can steer clear of meat and dairy by cutting back on the meat in our diet, eating lower on the food chain, and if we do eat meat then let it be meat from animals who have lived a high quality life. We can shape our diet the way we want in keeping with our values and visions for a healthy world. Starting now.
RESOURCES
The Health Detective. Is Beyond Meat Burger Good for You?
"Are Cows the Cause of Global Warming?"
Raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined. (Read below: "Are Cows the Cause of Global Warming?" A staggering reality. I’ve focused on factory farming and our meat and dairy-heavy diet these last two months. This month I want to look at another unhealthful aspect of our diet—processed food.
Most of our food is processed to some degree with the exception of fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Many food products have a low level of processing, like natural fruit juices, bread, tomato sauce, natural jams. Pretty hard not to have some processed foods in our kitchens. But then there’s a level of processing that takes food and turns it into non-food. I’m talking about made-up food, factory food, junk food.
Take an Apple Pop Tart for example. If there was once nutritional value in the apple it is mostly destroyed in the process of making up the Pop Tart. The process wastes the nutrients taken from the soil. On top of that cost, processing, packaging and shipping contribute to air and water pollution. This sort of “food” is made up of assorted chemicals and additives in order to give it texture and flavor and shelf life. This factory food is handy and convenient. It tickles our taste buds which have been trained to crave salt, fat and sugar. The only beneficiary is the food company.
To buy or not to buy? Imagine you’ve gone to the store and on your list is a favorite—natural corn chips. The label says there are no unhealthy ingredients so as a product it gets good marks. You reach for the package and then realize you won’t be able to recycle this. It doesn’t fall into any acceptable category at the recycling center. Do you buy it or not? Now you have to consider every item on your grocery list not only in terms of health value to you, but the environmental cost as well. Damn!
This same scrutiny must apply as well to some of the new products aimed to give us alternatives to meat and dairy products. Beyond Burgers from Beyond Meat comes to mind. So now you’re at the refrigerator case next to the meat department and you feel righteous and excited that you can avoid a meal of beef by buying a Beyond Burger which has no beef in it at all. But wait! Check out the label. It’s not unlike the Pop Tart in that it contains all kinds of ingredients that have been concocted in a lab. (See the “Health Detective” in Resources). And then there’s the packaging conundrum again! Disappointment and dismay replace your enthusiasm.
What about the affect of our food on our spiritual life? I believe that the further away we eat from the original source of the food the less connected we feel to the Earth which has provided the food. What’s the spiritual value of an apple versus the Apple Pop Tart?
Our diet is shaped by our family, our culture and by advertisers. Advertisers working for big food companies really want us to eat their processed food. They are not unlike the tobacco industry which is not at all concerned with human health. They had to be regulated. Ditto for big agriculture and fast food and processed food companies.
We have to ask ourselves important questions:
What is the level of processing of the product I want to buy?
What are the ingredients and how many have been concocted in a lab? How many are ok?
What’s the overall value of the food? What are the hidden costs?
Who benefits from my purchase?
Where is it coming from, how is it grown and by whom?
Will this food purchase enhance or harm me and the Earth?
We can change how we eat. We can change guidelines and regulations so that our food is healthful to people and the planet. We can steer clear of meat and dairy by cutting back on the meat in our diet, eating lower on the food chain, and if we do eat meat then let it be meat from animals who have lived a high quality life. We can shape our diet the way we want in keeping with our values and visions for a healthy world. Starting now.
RESOURCES
The Health Detective. Is Beyond Meat Burger Good for You?
"Are Cows the Cause of Global Warming?"
What does a line in the sand mean? Why does the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describe our present Earth situation this way? On the one hand if we cross the line and continue as we are we will face irreversible and dire consequences because of increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Or, if we don’t cross the line and make addressing climate change and reversing global warming our top priority, we can minimize the already serious consequences of our excessive CO2 emissions.
First let’s look at some terms.
Climate change: This refers to the many changes that will occur with increases in temperature and greenhouse gases. That is why the UN climate agency is called the International Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, and not the IPGW. It studies the comprehensive impacts of climate change on all living systems. Paul Hawken, Drawdown.org
Drawdown: We hear more and more of this term that refers to that point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere begins to decline on a year-to-year basis. Project Drawdown is the book and website presenting the 100 solutions to reverse global warming by cutting CO2 emissions. The book, edited by Paul Hawken in collaboration with 70 professionals, researchers and scientists from 22 countries, describes in great but accessible detail 100 solutions to effectively address climate change. These are regenerative and substantive projects and ideas already underway.
Here’s an important question: Do you believe in climate change? This is a complicated question because, as Hawken points out, science is not a belief system. But suppose you disagree with or dispute the science that documents our CO2 levels? It doesn’t really matter because I’m sure we can all agree that we want clean air, clean water, healthy soil and food, a healthy biosphere, and basic needs met for all. We can cooperate to solve problems such as conserving water to mitigate drought or reducing air pollution or reducing food waste whether or not we call it global warming or climate change.
It is difficult to watch the accelerating breakdown of our environmental systems or witness the breakdown of civility into camps, ideologies, and wars. What stands before us, however, is not the choosing of sides but the gift of seeing who we are as stewards of the planet. We will either come together to address global warming or we will likely disappear as a civilization. —Paul Hawken
Global warming and climate change are happening for us, not to us.
If we consider that global warming is happening for us instead of to us—that is, an atmospheric transformation that inspires us to change and reimagine everything we make and do, we begin to live in a different world. We take 100% responsibility and stop blaming others. We see global warming not as an inevitability but as an invitation to build, innovate, and effect change, a pathway that awakens creativity, compassion, and genius. This is not a liberal agenda, nor is it a conservative one. This is the human agenda. If what we tell ourselves is that we’re screwed, it destroys our imagination, our creativity and innovation for solutions. We’re screwed if we believe there’s nothing we can do. —Paul Hawken
Our task: Because so many of our legislators are bought and paid for by the fossil fuel industry, big agribusiness, and other corporations who are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions, getting action from our current government will require massive public outcry and action. As Hawken says, We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future rather than stealing it.
We need to take steps in our personal lives to reduce our impact on the Earth, and we need to demand immediate action from government leaders, banks and corporations to support positive climate action.
The challenge that Hawken puts before us is “Game on or game over?”
RESOURCES AND EXCELLENT ARTICLES
Project Drawdown
Drawdown.org
A video presentation of Project Drawdown by Paul Hawken
Pie chart showing how different solutions contribute to reducing CO2 emissions
IPCC Summary Report
The Main Points to Take In
"The UN warns we have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe."
"Military experts say climate change poses significant risk to security."
"There's one key takeaway from the IPCC Report."
The Economy and Climate Change
"Hitting toughest climate target will save the world $30tn in damages."
"World economy can reap $226tn in a decade fighting climate change."
We the People and Climate Change
"What You Can Do About Clmate Change."
"3 Things You Can Do To Help Avoid Climate Disaster."
"How to Get Carbon-Free in 10 Years."
"What We Eat is Crucial to the Climate Change Question."
The Bigger Picture
"100 Companies Who Are Responsible for 71% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions."
A Big Picture of Movements and How They Relate to Clmate Change.
My Thoughts
My December Newsletter on Climate Change
Read "What You Can Do" in Inspired Action on this site.
First let’s look at some terms.
Climate change: This refers to the many changes that will occur with increases in temperature and greenhouse gases. That is why the UN climate agency is called the International Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, and not the IPGW. It studies the comprehensive impacts of climate change on all living systems. Paul Hawken, Drawdown.org
Drawdown: We hear more and more of this term that refers to that point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere begins to decline on a year-to-year basis. Project Drawdown is the book and website presenting the 100 solutions to reverse global warming by cutting CO2 emissions. The book, edited by Paul Hawken in collaboration with 70 professionals, researchers and scientists from 22 countries, describes in great but accessible detail 100 solutions to effectively address climate change. These are regenerative and substantive projects and ideas already underway.
Here’s an important question: Do you believe in climate change? This is a complicated question because, as Hawken points out, science is not a belief system. But suppose you disagree with or dispute the science that documents our CO2 levels? It doesn’t really matter because I’m sure we can all agree that we want clean air, clean water, healthy soil and food, a healthy biosphere, and basic needs met for all. We can cooperate to solve problems such as conserving water to mitigate drought or reducing air pollution or reducing food waste whether or not we call it global warming or climate change.
It is difficult to watch the accelerating breakdown of our environmental systems or witness the breakdown of civility into camps, ideologies, and wars. What stands before us, however, is not the choosing of sides but the gift of seeing who we are as stewards of the planet. We will either come together to address global warming or we will likely disappear as a civilization. —Paul Hawken
Global warming and climate change are happening for us, not to us.
If we consider that global warming is happening for us instead of to us—that is, an atmospheric transformation that inspires us to change and reimagine everything we make and do, we begin to live in a different world. We take 100% responsibility and stop blaming others. We see global warming not as an inevitability but as an invitation to build, innovate, and effect change, a pathway that awakens creativity, compassion, and genius. This is not a liberal agenda, nor is it a conservative one. This is the human agenda. If what we tell ourselves is that we’re screwed, it destroys our imagination, our creativity and innovation for solutions. We’re screwed if we believe there’s nothing we can do. —Paul Hawken
Our task: Because so many of our legislators are bought and paid for by the fossil fuel industry, big agribusiness, and other corporations who are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions, getting action from our current government will require massive public outcry and action. As Hawken says, We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future rather than stealing it.
We need to take steps in our personal lives to reduce our impact on the Earth, and we need to demand immediate action from government leaders, banks and corporations to support positive climate action.
The challenge that Hawken puts before us is “Game on or game over?”
RESOURCES AND EXCELLENT ARTICLES
Project Drawdown
Drawdown.org
A video presentation of Project Drawdown by Paul Hawken
Pie chart showing how different solutions contribute to reducing CO2 emissions
IPCC Summary Report
The Main Points to Take In
"The UN warns we have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe."
"Military experts say climate change poses significant risk to security."
"There's one key takeaway from the IPCC Report."
The Economy and Climate Change
"Hitting toughest climate target will save the world $30tn in damages."
"World economy can reap $226tn in a decade fighting climate change."
We the People and Climate Change
"What You Can Do About Clmate Change."
"3 Things You Can Do To Help Avoid Climate Disaster."
"How to Get Carbon-Free in 10 Years."
"What We Eat is Crucial to the Climate Change Question."
The Bigger Picture
"100 Companies Who Are Responsible for 71% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions."
A Big Picture of Movements and How They Relate to Clmate Change.
My Thoughts
My December Newsletter on Climate Change
Read "What You Can Do" in Inspired Action on this site.
Very few of us make changes easily. We like our routines. We find it easier to stay where we are even if it’s uncomfortable or self-destructive. It’s hard to get out of a rut, whether positive or negative.
Sometimes change is forced on us by circumstances beyond our control: illness, injury, death of a loved one, relationship breakup or environmental disaster,
Sometimes change can be triggered by something we are given: an object (we receive a watercolor set and get into painting); or a book (my sister gave me Frances Moore Lappe’s book, Diet for a Small Planet, when I was 24), and we find ourselves setting off on a new path.
Maybe we fall into change when we fall in love.
We might have to change by necessity: a personal health issue or a planetary health issue.
The latter—an environmental health issue is what I am most focused on now. The absolute, indisputable need for change in the way we do things: the way we think about ourselves, each other, and the Earth. We must change the way we eat, shop, get around. We must change how our economy and government are run. We must make these changes very quickly, within a number of years, if we are to have a healthy future for living beings and the Earth.
We naturally resist making change. But what if we envisioned a future that was good for all of us, not just for the very wealthy few? What if we envisioned a future where the values of generosity, mutual respect, care, justice, equal opportunities and the well-being of all prevailed? What if people, and all life, were more important than power and monetary gain? Wouldn’t we like to go there? Wouldn’t we like to make that happen?
Such a vision is now before us, and before our Congress, in the form of the Green New Deal. If you want our country to support well-paid jobs, investment in infrastructure and clean energy, healthy food and environment, equity and justice for all, a true democracy, then look at the Green New Deal. It’s a vision to get behind and demand that our politicians, our corporate leaders, our small businesses, our cities and communities enact policies and practices that advance the ideas in this vision. Yes, we would have to make big changes in our lives, but wouldn’t it be worth it to have a healthy and sustainable life now and in the future?
To learn more of this vision here are a number of links to inform—and inspire—you.
Summary Page for the Green New Deal
House Resolution
Financing the Green New Deal
The Green New Deal is Not a Choice, by Frances Moore Lappe´
The Green New Deal Opponents are Stuck in the Past, by David Korten
The Sunrise Movement
A Synopsis of the Green New Deal, by Clifford Burke
Sometimes change is forced on us by circumstances beyond our control: illness, injury, death of a loved one, relationship breakup or environmental disaster,
Sometimes change can be triggered by something we are given: an object (we receive a watercolor set and get into painting); or a book (my sister gave me Frances Moore Lappe’s book, Diet for a Small Planet, when I was 24), and we find ourselves setting off on a new path.
Maybe we fall into change when we fall in love.
We might have to change by necessity: a personal health issue or a planetary health issue.
The latter—an environmental health issue is what I am most focused on now. The absolute, indisputable need for change in the way we do things: the way we think about ourselves, each other, and the Earth. We must change the way we eat, shop, get around. We must change how our economy and government are run. We must make these changes very quickly, within a number of years, if we are to have a healthy future for living beings and the Earth.
We naturally resist making change. But what if we envisioned a future that was good for all of us, not just for the very wealthy few? What if we envisioned a future where the values of generosity, mutual respect, care, justice, equal opportunities and the well-being of all prevailed? What if people, and all life, were more important than power and monetary gain? Wouldn’t we like to go there? Wouldn’t we like to make that happen?
Such a vision is now before us, and before our Congress, in the form of the Green New Deal. If you want our country to support well-paid jobs, investment in infrastructure and clean energy, healthy food and environment, equity and justice for all, a true democracy, then look at the Green New Deal. It’s a vision to get behind and demand that our politicians, our corporate leaders, our small businesses, our cities and communities enact policies and practices that advance the ideas in this vision. Yes, we would have to make big changes in our lives, but wouldn’t it be worth it to have a healthy and sustainable life now and in the future?
To learn more of this vision here are a number of links to inform—and inspire—you.
Summary Page for the Green New Deal
House Resolution
Financing the Green New Deal
The Green New Deal is Not a Choice, by Frances Moore Lappe´
The Green New Deal Opponents are Stuck in the Past, by David Korten
The Sunrise Movement
A Synopsis of the Green New Deal, by Clifford Burke
WHAT WE CAN DO
We all need to come to grips with the climate crisis, and reckon with the reality that it is our growth-oriented, profit-driven economic system and consumer culture that has caused this and other crises we face today. We live on a finite planet with limited resources for nearly 8 billion people to share. We cannot expect this endless cornucopia of abundance to continue. If we carry on with business as usual it will cost us our lives, and the lives of millions of other species.
To avert the worst emergencies we need to come together. We need to simultaneously take serious, disciplined personal responsibility to shift our lifestyles in the right direction, and also to make strong efforts for our public policies to shift towards our long-term survival on the planet, which means engaging in politics with a new vision of our future.
SOME SPECIFIC THINGS WE CAN DO IN OUR PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE LIVES FOR POSITIVE CHANGE:
Eat less meat and junk food. If every American were to eat just ONE less hamburger a week, it would be the equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road each year. Be mindful of waste. Food waste accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Consume less and consume wisely. Buy local. Everything we buy requires carbon as it is created and then moved to your home or refrigerator. As best you can know how and where the item you buy is made. Buy from companies who have policies and practices that are socially and environmentally responsible. Buy things that are of good quality that will last and / or can be repaired.
Cut energy consumption at home.
See this homeowner’s guide to going solar.
Drive and fly less. Drive thoughtfully. Driving 60 mph instead of 80 mph uses 30% less fuel. Remember the days when President Nixon mandated the 55 mph speed limit?! Use public transportation where possible.
Support tree-planting and reforestation efforts. {See links below for recommended projects.)
Check out Project Drawdown, the book and the website to learn of the 100 solutions to reduce carbon emissions.
Electric cars? If you need a new car consider a used hybrid or an electric one, but keep in mind that the production of any new car requires natural resources and energy. It may be better from the planet’s point of view to preserve your old car.
Use our power. Support political leaders and candidates for elected offices who are actively engaged in dealing with environmental and social justice issues. Likewise, withhold support from those who are in climate denial. We need to think about the pressure we can exert on governments. All our politicians need to hear that we insist on effective and strong climate policies. And given the lack of progress to date, each of us has to be considering how and where to take to the streets. The Global Climate Strike September 20th is a start.
Support campaign finance reform: Most of our government leaders are bought and paid for by corporations and special interest groups. We must get MONEY OUT OF POLITICS.
Be kind to yourself. “Very few of us are squeaky clean in carbon terms. You don’t have to become so overnight but most of us do need to make serious changes over the next few years. It’s important to keep moving in the right direction and enjoy the process of cutting carbon out of our lives. Don’t beat yourself up, but don’t let yourself off the hook either.” This quote is from the article “What can I do to stop climate change?”
Doing nothing is no longer an option because there is no Planet B. We wouldn't stand around and watch as our house was burning. Let's not stand around now and pretend that everything is normal while our common home is burning.
Our time to effectively address our crises and build a new vision for our future starts . . . now. As Bill McKibben says, "We need to be honest about the scale and pace of the problems we face so that the scale and pace of our solutions have some hope of matching them." 350.org
We can do this.
RESOURCES AND GOOD READING
GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE
Find an event near you.
“What can I do to stop climate change?”
“How planting a trillion trees could stop climate change”
Tree Sisters
Stand For Trees
To avert the worst emergencies we need to come together. We need to simultaneously take serious, disciplined personal responsibility to shift our lifestyles in the right direction, and also to make strong efforts for our public policies to shift towards our long-term survival on the planet, which means engaging in politics with a new vision of our future.
SOME SPECIFIC THINGS WE CAN DO IN OUR PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE LIVES FOR POSITIVE CHANGE:
Eat less meat and junk food. If every American were to eat just ONE less hamburger a week, it would be the equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road each year. Be mindful of waste. Food waste accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Consume less and consume wisely. Buy local. Everything we buy requires carbon as it is created and then moved to your home or refrigerator. As best you can know how and where the item you buy is made. Buy from companies who have policies and practices that are socially and environmentally responsible. Buy things that are of good quality that will last and / or can be repaired.
Cut energy consumption at home.
See this homeowner’s guide to going solar.
Drive and fly less. Drive thoughtfully. Driving 60 mph instead of 80 mph uses 30% less fuel. Remember the days when President Nixon mandated the 55 mph speed limit?! Use public transportation where possible.
Support tree-planting and reforestation efforts. {See links below for recommended projects.)
Check out Project Drawdown, the book and the website to learn of the 100 solutions to reduce carbon emissions.
Electric cars? If you need a new car consider a used hybrid or an electric one, but keep in mind that the production of any new car requires natural resources and energy. It may be better from the planet’s point of view to preserve your old car.
Use our power. Support political leaders and candidates for elected offices who are actively engaged in dealing with environmental and social justice issues. Likewise, withhold support from those who are in climate denial. We need to think about the pressure we can exert on governments. All our politicians need to hear that we insist on effective and strong climate policies. And given the lack of progress to date, each of us has to be considering how and where to take to the streets. The Global Climate Strike September 20th is a start.
Support campaign finance reform: Most of our government leaders are bought and paid for by corporations and special interest groups. We must get MONEY OUT OF POLITICS.
Be kind to yourself. “Very few of us are squeaky clean in carbon terms. You don’t have to become so overnight but most of us do need to make serious changes over the next few years. It’s important to keep moving in the right direction and enjoy the process of cutting carbon out of our lives. Don’t beat yourself up, but don’t let yourself off the hook either.” This quote is from the article “What can I do to stop climate change?”
Doing nothing is no longer an option because there is no Planet B. We wouldn't stand around and watch as our house was burning. Let's not stand around now and pretend that everything is normal while our common home is burning.
Our time to effectively address our crises and build a new vision for our future starts . . . now. As Bill McKibben says, "We need to be honest about the scale and pace of the problems we face so that the scale and pace of our solutions have some hope of matching them." 350.org
We can do this.
RESOURCES AND GOOD READING
GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE
Find an event near you.
“What can I do to stop climate change?”
“How planting a trillion trees could stop climate change”
Tree Sisters
Stand For Trees
Stepping Out of the Consumer Culture
Why do we need to step out of the consumer culture when our whole system is designed for and sustained by consumerism. How do we change that?
This is indeed a daunting task and a tall order. We’ve all been raised on the “mother’s milk” of buying stuff to satisfy our every need—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. If we are to change our ways—personally and systemically—it helps to know why we need to do this.
Here’s our situation:
Every single good or service or form of transportation we humans use requires energy. World energy demand continues to rise, and development of renewables has not been fast enough to satisfy this increased demand.
The bottom line is that we’re using up our resources faster than the Earth can regenerate them.
The fact that has shocked me the most is the Overshoot Day: By July 29th, we used up all the regenerative resources of 2019. From July 30 we started to consume more resources than the planet can regenerate in a year. It's very serious. It's a global emergency. —Pope Frances, August 2019
So what do we do? For starters we need to imagine a different way of having comfortable and fulfilling lives, and to see real life examples of how people are creating alternative ways of living that do not compromise their own well-being or the health of the planet. Quite the opposite. These alternatives are contributing to restoring natural environments and building thriving local communities and citizens. View the excellent film "The Economics of Happiness. The abridged version is 20 minutes.
More food for your imagination: We invite you to a journey of departure from this consumer culture. We ask you to imagine an alternative set of economic beliefs that have the capacity to evoke a culture where poverty, violence, and shrinking well-being are not inevitable—a culture in which the social order produces enough for all. . . . This departure into another kingdom might be closer to the reality of our nature and what works best for our humanity. . . . Luckily, the exodus from a consumer, globalized culture into a neighborly, localized communal and cooperative culture has begun. We join the chorus of other agents of the alternative economy: food hubs, cooperative and social enterprises, the climate change activists, health activists, [etc.]. . . . (Adapted from Peter Block, Walter Brueggemann, John McKnight, An Other Kingdom: Departing the Consumer Culture.)
Want more good ideas? Here are links to excellent articles that speak to the path of building an economy based on the well-being of all people and Earth, rather than the maximization of profit for a wealthy few.
Fr. Richard Rohr (the Center for Action and Contemplation) featured Daily Meditations (11/24-30) on what he calls “The Economy: Old and New.” Some titles are as follows,
“The Gift of Sufficiency”
“Moral Capitalism”
“Departing the Consumer Culture”
“Making Do with More”
"The Economy Old and New," by Fr. Richard Rohr.
"A Vision of a New America," by Gus Speth.
IF YOU CAN DREAM IT YOU CAN DO IT.
—Walt Disney
Let's do it!
NO GOING BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE
It’s a no-brainer that we shouldn’t go back to the way things were. The pandemic has made it clear that it’s the whole system—economic, political and social—that is unhealthy and fails to provide for the common good and the health of the planet. Do we need any more evidence that the way we humans live is unsustainable?
A system that is based on extraction, exploitation and waste by advancing consumerism and growth on a finite planet is stupid. A system that only benefits a few cannot and should not last. Not long ago a correspondent said she wanted “evidence” that corporations were not sustainable. Don’t we all see that production of plastic packaging is filling and killing rivers and the ocean? Did I really need to describe how our current industrial agribusiness depletes and poisons our topsoil and pollutes waterways? Did I need to point out that industrial factory farming meat production likewise pollutes the water and adds methane to the atmosphere, which is worse than CO2, and raises animals in inhumane conditions? Doesn’t everyone know that companies destroy forests to raise more beef and to grow food for those cattle when that corn should be /could be feeding hungry people?
No human being should be hungry! On my weekly grocery shopping trip I pass a Lutheran Church in Santa Fe. At 8 in the morning cars are beginning to park along the side streets and by the time I head home an hour and a half later, those streets are full, lined with dozens of cars as they wait for the church to begin distribution of food boxes. This scene is playing out all over this country. It is an outrage that in the wealthiest country in the world people go hungry, not just because of COVID-19, but all the time. One thing that reveals our failed food system is that food has had to be thrown out right now because there is no way to distribute it to people who need it. Read the “Sickness of Our Food Supply.”
Added to the gross social injustice of food insecurity in the U.S. we should look at the extent of other social ills like extreme poverty, addiction, drug abuse, suicide, depression, racial and wealth inequality.
We must also look at life-destroying environmental injustice: climate change, deforestation, toxic pollution of land and waters, loss of topsoil, plastic pollution, excessive greenhouse gas emissions, destruction of species.
Let’s not overlook political injustice while we’re surveying what doesn’t work. There are way too many issues to deal with here but essentially it has to do with corporate and special interest money running our government. And most recently, in dealing with the pandemic, we see how leadership in this country is playing politics with public safety and human lives. It is unconscionable. This article explains.
So if we don’t want to go back to the way things were, where do we go? Here are a few ideas:
Measure economic progress not by GDP and growth, but by well-being, good and useful jobs, environmental sustainability, happiness, good health, inclusion of everyone. A "New Bottom Line" based on caring, generosity, cooperation and responsibility to the good of all and the Earth.
Build a circular economy and follow the Doughnut Model. Many companies are reinventing themselves in this light.
Improve energy efficiency and further develop renewable energy sources.
Practice conscious consumption: Reduce. Reuse. Repair. Recycle.
Reduce food waste and eat less meat.
Reduce our carbon footprint.
GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS
Adopt a Global Marshall Plan
CLEAN THE FISH TANK: This refers to the analogy of not just saving the sick fish in our fish tank as we are doing with COVID-19 patients, but let’s clean up our environment and how we practice our lives so that the fish don’t get sick in the first place. It’s like watching dead bodies coming down a river and not bothering to go back upstream to find out why they are dying.
I want to conclude this piece with a quote from Bruce Berlin in his blog “The Struggle for the Soul of America:
This time of reflection led me to ask: How are we doing as a society? Why have we gotten so divided? Why can’t we live together? Why are people so driven to get as much as they can for themselves with no or little concern for how the less fortunate among us who are hurting, hungry, some homeless, are getting by or not?
It’s time for us to take a long, hard look at ourselves and our country. How can we inspire our country to live up to its honored values and highest potential for all Americans? We are in the midst of a spiritual crisis, as well as a health crisis and an economic crisis. Our country is at a moral crossroads: Will we take the highway to a better life for all, or the low road where it’s each one out for one’s self? This is the question we will answer in the fall election. But we can’t wait. Now is the time we must pave the way for a brighter, more equitable society. Read "The Struggle for the Soul of America, Going Within," May 22.
MORE GOOD RESOURCES HERE
A New Bottom Line, by the Network of Spiritual Progressives
Global Marshall Plan, by the Network of Spiritual Progressives
"The Story of Stuff
The Story of Solutions
The Story of Change
A system that is based on extraction, exploitation and waste by advancing consumerism and growth on a finite planet is stupid. A system that only benefits a few cannot and should not last. Not long ago a correspondent said she wanted “evidence” that corporations were not sustainable. Don’t we all see that production of plastic packaging is filling and killing rivers and the ocean? Did I really need to describe how our current industrial agribusiness depletes and poisons our topsoil and pollutes waterways? Did I need to point out that industrial factory farming meat production likewise pollutes the water and adds methane to the atmosphere, which is worse than CO2, and raises animals in inhumane conditions? Doesn’t everyone know that companies destroy forests to raise more beef and to grow food for those cattle when that corn should be /could be feeding hungry people?
No human being should be hungry! On my weekly grocery shopping trip I pass a Lutheran Church in Santa Fe. At 8 in the morning cars are beginning to park along the side streets and by the time I head home an hour and a half later, those streets are full, lined with dozens of cars as they wait for the church to begin distribution of food boxes. This scene is playing out all over this country. It is an outrage that in the wealthiest country in the world people go hungry, not just because of COVID-19, but all the time. One thing that reveals our failed food system is that food has had to be thrown out right now because there is no way to distribute it to people who need it. Read the “Sickness of Our Food Supply.”
Added to the gross social injustice of food insecurity in the U.S. we should look at the extent of other social ills like extreme poverty, addiction, drug abuse, suicide, depression, racial and wealth inequality.
We must also look at life-destroying environmental injustice: climate change, deforestation, toxic pollution of land and waters, loss of topsoil, plastic pollution, excessive greenhouse gas emissions, destruction of species.
Let’s not overlook political injustice while we’re surveying what doesn’t work. There are way too many issues to deal with here but essentially it has to do with corporate and special interest money running our government. And most recently, in dealing with the pandemic, we see how leadership in this country is playing politics with public safety and human lives. It is unconscionable. This article explains.
So if we don’t want to go back to the way things were, where do we go? Here are a few ideas:
Measure economic progress not by GDP and growth, but by well-being, good and useful jobs, environmental sustainability, happiness, good health, inclusion of everyone. A "New Bottom Line" based on caring, generosity, cooperation and responsibility to the good of all and the Earth.
Build a circular economy and follow the Doughnut Model. Many companies are reinventing themselves in this light.
Improve energy efficiency and further develop renewable energy sources.
Practice conscious consumption: Reduce. Reuse. Repair. Recycle.
Reduce food waste and eat less meat.
Reduce our carbon footprint.
GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS
Adopt a Global Marshall Plan
CLEAN THE FISH TANK: This refers to the analogy of not just saving the sick fish in our fish tank as we are doing with COVID-19 patients, but let’s clean up our environment and how we practice our lives so that the fish don’t get sick in the first place. It’s like watching dead bodies coming down a river and not bothering to go back upstream to find out why they are dying.
I want to conclude this piece with a quote from Bruce Berlin in his blog “The Struggle for the Soul of America:
This time of reflection led me to ask: How are we doing as a society? Why have we gotten so divided? Why can’t we live together? Why are people so driven to get as much as they can for themselves with no or little concern for how the less fortunate among us who are hurting, hungry, some homeless, are getting by or not?
It’s time for us to take a long, hard look at ourselves and our country. How can we inspire our country to live up to its honored values and highest potential for all Americans? We are in the midst of a spiritual crisis, as well as a health crisis and an economic crisis. Our country is at a moral crossroads: Will we take the highway to a better life for all, or the low road where it’s each one out for one’s self? This is the question we will answer in the fall election. But we can’t wait. Now is the time we must pave the way for a brighter, more equitable society. Read "The Struggle for the Soul of America, Going Within," May 22.
MORE GOOD RESOURCES HERE
A New Bottom Line, by the Network of Spiritual Progressives
Global Marshall Plan, by the Network of Spiritual Progressives
"The Story of Stuff
The Story of Solutions
The Story of Change
NEVER DOUBT that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. I hold on to this proclamation by Margaret Meade like a banner before me urging me on.
If a small group can change the world, imagine what a large group can accomplish. That's what I see happening now as people from many different movements—Black Lives Matter, The Poor People's Campaign, the Democracy Movement, environmental and climate crisis movements, and other groups working for social, racial, economic, environmental and political justice—are seeing how all of these movements are interrelated. They are gathering together to demand the systemic changes needed to create a world that works for everyone.
More and more people want a new culture based on fairness, caring, diversity, inclusivity, equal opportunities, equal treatment, equal justice. We want a society with leaders and citizens who recognize and take care of each other and our common home, the Earth.
I want to speak particularly now about racial justice. I have to say that I have been woefully ignorant about American history as it relates to our treatment of Black people. I know I am not alone. Read "White People Say They Are Waking Up to Racism" I am doing my best to catch up and learn. I am listening to what Black people are saying to me and to all White people. One speaker talked about the emotional trauma caused by watching the video of Floyd George's murder. It was traumatic for me so I can't imagine how much more so for Black people who fear that it could, and does, happen to them. I am rapidly getting a sense of what it’s like to be Black in America. It's painful, scary and sad, and I will do what I can to change that. As Kimberly Jones said in a dramatic, hard-hitting and widely-circulated video, we (us White people of the established order) are lucky that Black people don't want revenge. They want equality. Watch ”Why Black people are demonstrating.”
It hurts to look at what we've done to Black people, but truth-telling is where we need to go first. We need to look squarely at our racist attitudes, beliefs and racial biases and do our level best to change them. Then I believe reparations are in order with a goal of reconciliation and changes in every arena of our society: health care, education, housing, food security, job opportunities. It’s got to be about treating all people as we wish to be treated ourselves. We are all human beings deserving dignity and respect. It's as simple as that.
If a small group can change the world, imagine what a large group can accomplish. That's what I see happening now as people from many different movements—Black Lives Matter, The Poor People's Campaign, the Democracy Movement, environmental and climate crisis movements, and other groups working for social, racial, economic, environmental and political justice—are seeing how all of these movements are interrelated. They are gathering together to demand the systemic changes needed to create a world that works for everyone.
More and more people want a new culture based on fairness, caring, diversity, inclusivity, equal opportunities, equal treatment, equal justice. We want a society with leaders and citizens who recognize and take care of each other and our common home, the Earth.
I want to speak particularly now about racial justice. I have to say that I have been woefully ignorant about American history as it relates to our treatment of Black people. I know I am not alone. Read "White People Say They Are Waking Up to Racism" I am doing my best to catch up and learn. I am listening to what Black people are saying to me and to all White people. One speaker talked about the emotional trauma caused by watching the video of Floyd George's murder. It was traumatic for me so I can't imagine how much more so for Black people who fear that it could, and does, happen to them. I am rapidly getting a sense of what it’s like to be Black in America. It's painful, scary and sad, and I will do what I can to change that. As Kimberly Jones said in a dramatic, hard-hitting and widely-circulated video, we (us White people of the established order) are lucky that Black people don't want revenge. They want equality. Watch ”Why Black people are demonstrating.”
It hurts to look at what we've done to Black people, but truth-telling is where we need to go first. We need to look squarely at our racist attitudes, beliefs and racial biases and do our level best to change them. Then I believe reparations are in order with a goal of reconciliation and changes in every arena of our society: health care, education, housing, food security, job opportunities. It’s got to be about treating all people as we wish to be treated ourselves. We are all human beings deserving dignity and respect. It's as simple as that.
WHAT DOES AN ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION LOOK LIKE?
What are the most needed changes we must make to create a world that ensures that basic needs are met and that people, and all life, thrive? For me one of the most critical needs is to change the way we think about our economy and our consumer habits. We are told that the only way to prosperity, security and happiness is to GROW the economy. But as economist David Korten says, ". . . children and adolescents grow. Adults mature. It is time to reframe the debate to recognize that we have pushed growth in material consumption beyond Earth’s environmental limits. We must now shift our economic priority from growth to maturity—meeting the needs of all within the limits of what Earth can provide." Read his article,"Why the Economy Should Stop Growing and Grow Up."
It is glaring omission that no matter how well-intended our leaders are to serve the common good, they rarely mention to necessity of NOT GROWING the economy because doing so has already gone beyond the capacity of the Earth to fulfill our continual and ever-growing material desires.
What can we do?
We can do the math and see that we've already bypassed our limits. You've probably heard of Earth Overshoot Day, the date that marks when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. It was August 22 in 2020. In 1990 it was October 11. In 1970 it was December 29. The math is clear.
The excerpt below is taken from The Guardian, an excellent article about building a circular economy and avoiding ecological disaster.
"We can starve the beast of consumerism, by buying less and reusing more of everything. We must change consumer habits and attitudes to consumption. . . It calls for a circular economy based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution by keeping products and materials in use.
"Can consumption ever be contained? Easily. Stuff can be designed better to last longer; food chains and toy makers don’t have to make poor quality goods; producers can use fewer virgin raw materials; waste can be made a resource; the circular economy can be developed. Tax can make corporations more responsible; excess can be discouraged in schools and homes; identities do not have to be based on how much we buy. We can shop hyper-locally, frequent secondhand shops, grow more food ourselves, become more self-sufficient. But above all, we can learn to just say no to buying ever more new stuff."
We can, as Korten points out, rebuild the strength and power of living communities. We can create a culture of mutual caring and responsibility. We can assure that the legal rights of people and communities take priority over those of government-created artificial persons called corporations, as well as require corporations to take environmental and social responsibility.
There are many areas of need we can, and must, engage in, like restoring our democracy, ending racism, stopping climate change, providing basic health care, education, housing and food for all. For me, respecting and living within the Earth's limits is perhaps top of the list.
Our time starts now.
Read "What Does an Ecological Civilization Look Like," from YES! magazine.
It is glaring omission that no matter how well-intended our leaders are to serve the common good, they rarely mention to necessity of NOT GROWING the economy because doing so has already gone beyond the capacity of the Earth to fulfill our continual and ever-growing material desires.
What can we do?
We can do the math and see that we've already bypassed our limits. You've probably heard of Earth Overshoot Day, the date that marks when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. It was August 22 in 2020. In 1990 it was October 11. In 1970 it was December 29. The math is clear.
The excerpt below is taken from The Guardian, an excellent article about building a circular economy and avoiding ecological disaster.
"We can starve the beast of consumerism, by buying less and reusing more of everything. We must change consumer habits and attitudes to consumption. . . It calls for a circular economy based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution by keeping products and materials in use.
"Can consumption ever be contained? Easily. Stuff can be designed better to last longer; food chains and toy makers don’t have to make poor quality goods; producers can use fewer virgin raw materials; waste can be made a resource; the circular economy can be developed. Tax can make corporations more responsible; excess can be discouraged in schools and homes; identities do not have to be based on how much we buy. We can shop hyper-locally, frequent secondhand shops, grow more food ourselves, become more self-sufficient. But above all, we can learn to just say no to buying ever more new stuff."
We can, as Korten points out, rebuild the strength and power of living communities. We can create a culture of mutual caring and responsibility. We can assure that the legal rights of people and communities take priority over those of government-created artificial persons called corporations, as well as require corporations to take environmental and social responsibility.
There are many areas of need we can, and must, engage in, like restoring our democracy, ending racism, stopping climate change, providing basic health care, education, housing and food for all. For me, respecting and living within the Earth's limits is perhaps top of the list.
Our time starts now.
Read "What Does an Ecological Civilization Look Like," from YES! magazine.
Climate Solutions
Suppose there wasn’t a climate problem at all? Despite the abundant evidence, there are many of us who consider climate change to be a hoax perpetrated by. . . . the Chinese, the Democrats, whomever. It doesn’t really matter.
You may not believe in climate change, but for the moment let’s put aside the reality that science is not a belief system. Let’s just say for the sake of argument that you don’t go along with the climate change crisis or global warming. But suppose you took a look at the Project Drawdown website and at the 100+ solutions (even though you don’t believe we have a problem). Is there any reason why you would not support the projects, innovations, changes and proposals that are presented there since they add jobs, help the economy, eliminate waste of all kinds, save money, and increase efficiency in various industries. What if these projects bring us clean water, clean air, healthy food and soil?
So if you like all the solutions to the problem—or non-problem—there are many ways we can bring about a healthier world for everyone and Nature. We can start anywhere. The most obvious place is right in front of us at every meal—the food we eat. We can buy organic, local food where possible. We can eat a more plant-based diet and waste as little food as possible. Beyond that, we can plant trees and protest deforestation. We can encourage legislative policy that develops more clean energy. If we have the means we can donate to organizations that work in all these areas. One of or favorites is Stand for Trees, a group that works to protect endangered forests all over the world.
Start anywhere. Just start. Depending on your view, we have nothing—and everything—to lose.
“To act, we humans don’t need certainty of success. What we do need is to see others like ourselves in action and to glimpse even a possibility that we can make a difference.” —Frances Moore Lappe´
You may not believe in climate change, but for the moment let’s put aside the reality that science is not a belief system. Let’s just say for the sake of argument that you don’t go along with the climate change crisis or global warming. But suppose you took a look at the Project Drawdown website and at the 100+ solutions (even though you don’t believe we have a problem). Is there any reason why you would not support the projects, innovations, changes and proposals that are presented there since they add jobs, help the economy, eliminate waste of all kinds, save money, and increase efficiency in various industries. What if these projects bring us clean water, clean air, healthy food and soil?
So if you like all the solutions to the problem—or non-problem—there are many ways we can bring about a healthier world for everyone and Nature. We can start anywhere. The most obvious place is right in front of us at every meal—the food we eat. We can buy organic, local food where possible. We can eat a more plant-based diet and waste as little food as possible. Beyond that, we can plant trees and protest deforestation. We can encourage legislative policy that develops more clean energy. If we have the means we can donate to organizations that work in all these areas. One of or favorites is Stand for Trees, a group that works to protect endangered forests all over the world.
Start anywhere. Just start. Depending on your view, we have nothing—and everything—to lose.
“To act, we humans don’t need certainty of success. What we do need is to see others like ourselves in action and to glimpse even a possibility that we can make a difference.” —Frances Moore Lappe´
Food and Climate Change
Can industrial agriculture provide food for our growing world population without grossly contributing to climate change? I believe the answer is no.
Current ways of producing food account for 24% of our CO2 emissions, which is equal to the amount coming from the generation of electricity. The main sources of greenhouse gas emissions related to agriculture are from deforestation (for animal use and animal food production and palm oil), methane emissions from cows, nitrous oxide released from fertilizer, transportation and food waste.
There are ways to draw down these emissions.
1) We can adopt regenerative farming practices to build soil health and sequester carbon. Industrial agriculture notoriously uses enormous amounts of energy and toxic chemicals that are degrading and depleting arable soul. It is estimated that we have 60 years of farmable soil left if this degradation continues.
2) We can eat a more plant-based diet, and eat less meat.
3) We can protect our ecosystems and stop burning our forests.
4) We can support local food growing operations.
5) We can rethink our global economy. Did you know that it is common practice for fish caught in Norway or Ireland to be shipped to China for deboning, and then shipped back to those countries for sale? This is “Insane Trade.” Read this Factsheet from Local Futures which describes this wasteful, insane practice.
Check out my September newsletter for descriptions of urban farms, food parks and community gardens that exist all over the world. The goal is common to all of them: to provide healthy food to local communities, foster environmental and economic resilience, be models for sustainable agriculture, and create natural spaces for urban dwellers.
For an excellent brief description of how our current food practices adversely impact our climate, look at Climate Solutions 101,Unit 3, Reducing Sources, starting at minute 8:10 through 13:06. The whole program is clear about the problems, and the solutions, but this portion applies specifically to food. It’s worth your time to watch the whole course.
Solutions abound. Let’s muster the will and courage to make change!
Current ways of producing food account for 24% of our CO2 emissions, which is equal to the amount coming from the generation of electricity. The main sources of greenhouse gas emissions related to agriculture are from deforestation (for animal use and animal food production and palm oil), methane emissions from cows, nitrous oxide released from fertilizer, transportation and food waste.
There are ways to draw down these emissions.
1) We can adopt regenerative farming practices to build soil health and sequester carbon. Industrial agriculture notoriously uses enormous amounts of energy and toxic chemicals that are degrading and depleting arable soul. It is estimated that we have 60 years of farmable soil left if this degradation continues.
2) We can eat a more plant-based diet, and eat less meat.
3) We can protect our ecosystems and stop burning our forests.
4) We can support local food growing operations.
5) We can rethink our global economy. Did you know that it is common practice for fish caught in Norway or Ireland to be shipped to China for deboning, and then shipped back to those countries for sale? This is “Insane Trade.” Read this Factsheet from Local Futures which describes this wasteful, insane practice.
Check out my September newsletter for descriptions of urban farms, food parks and community gardens that exist all over the world. The goal is common to all of them: to provide healthy food to local communities, foster environmental and economic resilience, be models for sustainable agriculture, and create natural spaces for urban dwellers.
For an excellent brief description of how our current food practices adversely impact our climate, look at Climate Solutions 101,Unit 3, Reducing Sources, starting at minute 8:10 through 13:06. The whole program is clear about the problems, and the solutions, but this portion applies specifically to food. It’s worth your time to watch the whole course.
Solutions abound. Let’s muster the will and courage to make change!
EVERYTHING YOU LOVE
"Climate change is not about climate. It's about everything you love." This is the concluding statement by Dr. Dan Dolderman in his TED Talk at the University of Toronto. He opens with a poignant story of how much his son loves certain sea creatures, species which may soon become extinct. If we think about everything we love we can all probably acknowledge that someone, or some thing, or some species, or some place is, has been, or will be adversely affected by climate change.
Instead of thinking about global warming, which can seem like a vague scientific observation, let's think instead in terms of cleaning up our air and water, and seriously addressing the causes of pollution.
Let's think instead about how to protect communities against the threats of oil leaks from pipelines that go under major waterways like the Missouri River, or the communities which are most harmed by environmental degradation.
Let's think instead about cleaning up the toxic waste produced by the practices of big agriculture which put tons of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on crops that poison the soil and pollute the groundwater.
Let's think in terms of cleaning up the tons of plastic in our oceans and landfills by regulating the plastic producers.
Let's think in terms of educational programs about reducing food waste, and waste in general, which are major sources of methane emissions.
Let's think in terms of restoring a true democracy so that corporations and billionaires are not calling the shots.
Let's think in terms of how we can consume less of the Earth's resources so that everyone will still have enough of what we need, and learn to be happy with less stuff. Remember Eleanor Roosevelt's famous motto: "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do. Do without."
If we think, and act, on these things, the climate will take care of itself, and the Earth will continue to take care of us.
Instead of thinking about global warming, which can seem like a vague scientific observation, let's think instead in terms of cleaning up our air and water, and seriously addressing the causes of pollution.
Let's think instead about how to protect communities against the threats of oil leaks from pipelines that go under major waterways like the Missouri River, or the communities which are most harmed by environmental degradation.
Let's think instead about cleaning up the toxic waste produced by the practices of big agriculture which put tons of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on crops that poison the soil and pollute the groundwater.
Let's think in terms of cleaning up the tons of plastic in our oceans and landfills by regulating the plastic producers.
Let's think in terms of educational programs about reducing food waste, and waste in general, which are major sources of methane emissions.
Let's think in terms of restoring a true democracy so that corporations and billionaires are not calling the shots.
Let's think in terms of how we can consume less of the Earth's resources so that everyone will still have enough of what we need, and learn to be happy with less stuff. Remember Eleanor Roosevelt's famous motto: "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do. Do without."
If we think, and act, on these things, the climate will take care of itself, and the Earth will continue to take care of us.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL. ACTION IS NEEDED NOW
Before I introduce you to one of the best Climate Action Projects I know of, let me say there is much more information and links about climate change in "Inspired Action—What You Can Do" in this website.
What is Project Drawdown? What does draw down mean? “Drawdown is that point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere begins to decline on a year-to-year basis.” Project Drawdown is a most impressive, inspiring and rewarding work. Edited by Paul Hawken in collaboration with over 70 professionals, researchers and scientists from 22 countries, the work outlines 100 solutions that we already employ to reverse global warming and address climate disruption. It's "a road map with a moral compass."
The website, drawdown.org is virtually an online version of the book and incredibly accessible. This video presentation of the project by Paul Hawken is well worth the hour. Hawken has a refreshing holistic approach to the issue of climate change. He addresses the science, our fears, our possibilities. In all realms of human activity--energy, food, women and girls, buildings, land use, transport, materials--Drawdown meticulously examines the things that are being done now and what can be done to draw down CO2 emissions and reverse global warming. Whatever piques your interest, it's all there. He puts the challenge before us: Game over or game on. View a larger image of this graph of CO2 levels and read more about Project Drawdown in my monthly column of September 2017 and December 2018
What is Project Drawdown? What does draw down mean? “Drawdown is that point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere begins to decline on a year-to-year basis.” Project Drawdown is a most impressive, inspiring and rewarding work. Edited by Paul Hawken in collaboration with over 70 professionals, researchers and scientists from 22 countries, the work outlines 100 solutions that we already employ to reverse global warming and address climate disruption. It's "a road map with a moral compass."
The website, drawdown.org is virtually an online version of the book and incredibly accessible. This video presentation of the project by Paul Hawken is well worth the hour. Hawken has a refreshing holistic approach to the issue of climate change. He addresses the science, our fears, our possibilities. In all realms of human activity--energy, food, women and girls, buildings, land use, transport, materials--Drawdown meticulously examines the things that are being done now and what can be done to draw down CO2 emissions and reverse global warming. Whatever piques your interest, it's all there. He puts the challenge before us: Game over or game on. View a larger image of this graph of CO2 levels and read more about Project Drawdown in my monthly column of September 2017 and December 2018