I love and value nature and wildlife and have felt this way since I was a child. I try to "be the change" as Ghandi said, so I do a lot of things that reflect this in my daily actions. I've been doing most of these things for about 20 years. I am willing to discuss and debate many environmental issues toe to toe with anyone from any political stripe, anytime. :) I don't care if you want to label me a socialist or a hippie... There are worse things to be.
I keep the heat down and bundle up in the winter, go without air conditioning until I can't stand it, using c.f. lightbulbs, recycling everything I can, walk or bike instead of drive. I drive the same little faithful Metro for 12 years now, I get 40 mpg. Still, I "plan" errands to save trips.
I'm on a vegetarian diet for 5 years now and we normally cook everything from scratch. We check in junk shops and thrift stores for things before buying anything new, and lots more...
I believe we have a duty, but that it comes from societal norms and the opportunities for education we are given. Problem is, now opportunities for education are de-valued, and societal norms have decayed into what TV shows we're following, what sports teams we follow, and political party we believe best represents "the best" values... I do not believe in "duty" imposed through laws upon people by their government AS INDIVIDUALS... I do NOT believe that corporations should be considered people, my friend... or "Individuals". in order to have us swallow a corporate poison-pill, the underlying profit driven agendas of our politicians are now hidden... wrapped up with guilt driven, zealous religious mandates, quite ready and willing to impose laws and limitations on rights to our personhood, both civil and individual.
I believe that intelligent, thoughtful people want to preserve the natural world, and care for the environment. Corporations have no such conscience. BY LAW corporations are created and they exist for the sole purpose of the pursuit of profits. Period. I think there could be a way to live in balance and stop the disruption ... but someone with an agenda will undermine it in the media, and people are way too far removed from the awareness, or consequences of their actions. There is a rift created through the media by corporations between Americans that really makes me sad, and it is distorting or drowning out the true voices of responsible, thinking, American people.
I have little faith in mankind to solve the problems we face. The modern industrial /technological civilization we have built is too pervasive. Too many people really seem to be headed toward the scenario presented in the movie "Idiocracy".
I don't have cable tv and I don't play video games, and I don't own a cell phone. I don't live in a cave, but I'm careful. I make an effort to deconstruct messages I do see and hear. I'm not good at distracting myself from reality. I prefer to trust the images I see in the clouds over what's on tv.
By spending time in a forest with trees and ferns, birds chirping, and katy-dids, I know what's right and what's wrong. Unless more people wake up to reality and start to take up alternative ways to live, and reject the profit agenda that is driving this economy and us right over a cliff, I have a pretty grim outlook for the next 50 years. Mother Nature will create a backlash and the human over-population problem will be resolved relatively quickly and without any interventions. Diseases, and possibly through trials presented now that we have reached the end of the era of "cheap oil" humans face some really tough times ahead.
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