"What Can I Do About It?"
A couple days ago, I was telling a friend about the "Environmental Footprint" quiz I put in a recent post. (Find it by clicking "Archives" on the sidebar, scroll down to December 6th.) I told her I was startled by my personal score -- it would require 3.6 planets to support my lifestyle! My lifestyle is 50% lower, at 16 acres, than the U.S. average of 24, but it's still scandalous! There exists 4.5 biologically productive global acres per person (nowhere near 16!) and I'm hogging way more than my share.
My friend, who agreed with me about our level of consumption, asked: "But what can I do about it?" Good question. I'm going to suggest that we commit ourselves to becoming educated and urging others to do the same. That we commit to being politically active (translate: v-o-t-e) and urging others to do likewise.
From an article entitled "The Soul of Environmentalism" (Redefining Progress.org): "We must have the courage to name what is right and plot a course that connects to everyday lives and transforms them...
"Ideas and action must combine to build movements and then victories for environmentalism and beyond... The ideas that drive them must emerge from a deep encounter between our values, our experiences and the giant social challenges we face. We also argue for a focus on action: investing in ideas that foster deep change, and transforming our leadership and our politics to overcome threats...
"Our culture seems to have lost the ability to speak of shared wealth, community and the commons... The privatization movement is really an attack on the idea of the commons and community... American media and mainstream activists have a hard time with [the term sustainability] for two reasons: first, it implies inter-connectedness; and second, because it implicates us in the profligate use of resources."
Let's commit ourselves to becoming educated on the issues and urging others to do the same. The more we talk about the problems, the greater our collective awareness.
And let's be politically active -- translate: v-o-t-e. There really isn't a lot we individuals can do on these huge and challenging issues. They will require legislation, not mere recycling our bottles and cans. We, the beneficiaries of privilege in American society have a responsiblity to proactively enact sustainable living to secure the future well-being of the earth and the world's children and their children.
From the close of the same article: "...the question before us in this political night is not so different than the one posed by the Good Samaritan on the road to Jericho or by Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis in 1968, 'If I do not stop to help this cause, what will happen to it?' "
My friend, who agreed with me about our level of consumption, asked: "But what can I do about it?" Good question. I'm going to suggest that we commit ourselves to becoming educated and urging others to do the same. That we commit to being politically active (translate: v-o-t-e) and urging others to do likewise.
From an article entitled "The Soul of Environmentalism" (Redefining Progress.org): "We must have the courage to name what is right and plot a course that connects to everyday lives and transforms them...
"Ideas and action must combine to build movements and then victories for environmentalism and beyond... The ideas that drive them must emerge from a deep encounter between our values, our experiences and the giant social challenges we face. We also argue for a focus on action: investing in ideas that foster deep change, and transforming our leadership and our politics to overcome threats...
"Our culture seems to have lost the ability to speak of shared wealth, community and the commons... The privatization movement is really an attack on the idea of the commons and community... American media and mainstream activists have a hard time with [the term sustainability] for two reasons: first, it implies inter-connectedness; and second, because it implicates us in the profligate use of resources."
Let's commit ourselves to becoming educated on the issues and urging others to do the same. The more we talk about the problems, the greater our collective awareness.
And let's be politically active -- translate: v-o-t-e. There really isn't a lot we individuals can do on these huge and challenging issues. They will require legislation, not mere recycling our bottles and cans. We, the beneficiaries of privilege in American society have a responsiblity to proactively enact sustainable living to secure the future well-being of the earth and the world's children and their children.
From the close of the same article: "...the question before us in this political night is not so different than the one posed by the Good Samaritan on the road to Jericho or by Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis in 1968, 'If I do not stop to help this cause, what will happen to it?' "
posted by Linda at
3:02 PM
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