These are not politically correct suggestions for greening your status quo.
They are the result of a hell-of-a-lot-of asking why little things like not using water bottles have taken over our imagination.
We need some big solutions for some really big problems.
We're using FOUR times the natural resources as other folks in the world. We would need TWO to FOUR planets to keep pace with our western "lifestyle" choices. Policymakers are looking at THIRTY YEAR PLANS to reduce our gluttony and waste.
So...we need at least FOUR-X the solutions! How about these as a starting point for discussion:
1. Green your job - be an inside champion to find solutions to green your decisions, purchases, facilities, and company policies. Business decisions have SO much more leverage than your decisions at home (but don't neglect home, either)
2. Cut the number of children you have to one or none. And encourage young family members to think before they cut the condom.
3. Cut down the amount you eat...and eat healthy foods only. Skinny people are healthier.
4. Get exercise by walking where you need to go. If it's too far to walk, use the phone or internet. At least most of the time. Reduce your mileage by 80%.
5. Reduce water consumption for bathing, irrigation and stupid drinks. Bird baths work fine on odd days and desk jockey, lazy days.
6. Use shared transportation as much as absolutely friggin' possible. You'll learn a lot about people! And we need some new and improved people skills!
7. Buy green, energy efficient products made as locally as possible. Transportation of all the parts and assembled sub parts and supplies and retail distribution and landfill graveyards add up to a huge number of miles. Just cut the krap.
8. Build mutually sustainable, positive or at least respectful relationships with everyone in your family, tribe and community. What we want and need and desire most is human friendship and companionship. So just go for it without all the faldaral. Shake. Cuddle. Smile. Be nice!
9. Abide by our cultural structure of laws. (Think "New Jersey" and you'll get my drift) Be a good citizen and allow others to live up to their potential as well. A nation of laws cannot survive is it's so corrupt that honest men and women can't make a living. Enuf said?
10. Enjoy laughter, joy, natural wonders, people, the arts, and simple pleasures - they pollute less, use less and produce more happiness than any manufactured gadgets!
When we get to this point, we'll all be so happy we won't need gadgets and renewable energy and electric cars and recyclable bottle caps. We won't even need irresponsible sex.
We'll be responsible about living and breathing and making a real home and a real community and a real world that can survive our onslaught. We'll actually be happy. Simply happy.
--- By Carolyn
(Just so you know, I don't live here anymore ;-) - )
They are the result of a hell-of-a-lot-of asking why little things like not using water bottles have taken over our imagination.
We need some big solutions for some really big problems.
We're using FOUR times the natural resources as other folks in the world. We would need TWO to FOUR planets to keep pace with our western "lifestyle" choices. Policymakers are looking at THIRTY YEAR PLANS to reduce our gluttony and waste.
So...we need at least FOUR-X the solutions! How about these as a starting point for discussion:
Top Ten Things YOU can do to reduce climate change, gluttony, lawlessness, violence, over population...etc. etc. etc.
1. Green your job - be an inside champion to find solutions to green your decisions, purchases, facilities, and company policies. Business decisions have SO much more leverage than your decisions at home (but don't neglect home, either)
2. Cut the number of children you have to one or none. And encourage young family members to think before they cut the condom.
3. Cut down the amount you eat...and eat healthy foods only. Skinny people are healthier.
4. Get exercise by walking where you need to go. If it's too far to walk, use the phone or internet. At least most of the time. Reduce your mileage by 80%.
5. Reduce water consumption for bathing, irrigation and stupid drinks. Bird baths work fine on odd days and desk jockey, lazy days.
6. Use shared transportation as much as absolutely friggin' possible. You'll learn a lot about people! And we need some new and improved people skills!
7. Buy green, energy efficient products made as locally as possible. Transportation of all the parts and assembled sub parts and supplies and retail distribution and landfill graveyards add up to a huge number of miles. Just cut the krap.
8. Build mutually sustainable, positive or at least respectful relationships with everyone in your family, tribe and community. What we want and need and desire most is human friendship and companionship. So just go for it without all the faldaral. Shake. Cuddle. Smile. Be nice!
9. Abide by our cultural structure of laws. (Think "New Jersey" and you'll get my drift) Be a good citizen and allow others to live up to their potential as well. A nation of laws cannot survive is it's so corrupt that honest men and women can't make a living. Enuf said?
10. Enjoy laughter, joy, natural wonders, people, the arts, and simple pleasures - they pollute less, use less and produce more happiness than any manufactured gadgets!
When we get to this point, we'll all be so happy we won't need gadgets and renewable energy and electric cars and recyclable bottle caps. We won't even need irresponsible sex.
We'll be responsible about living and breathing and making a real home and a real community and a real world that can survive our onslaught. We'll actually be happy. Simply happy.
--- By Carolyn
(Just so you know, I don't live here anymore ;-) - )