"Environmentalists aren't just white intellects who have solved all their other problems" Environmentalists are everyone

well well wellll. I am back on this blog grind once again.
Lots been happening, lots been stirring in the big cauldron, lots to say.... 


I've got a couple posts I want to write, but to start lets chat about  DOING THE RIGHT THING.  Yes it's big, it's scary, and it's worthy of caps lock.


To start, what makes me do anything?  The way I see it there are just two reasons-- I make myself do it or someone else makes me do it.  More to the point, I believe driving is bad and so I stop driving, or some snobby, intrusive environmentalist government tells me driving is harmful for the air and is a severe contributer to global warming, and therefore impounds my car and hands me a bike.  
I may feel slightly more ticked off at the latter situation; I might feel inclined to join the Tea Party, but  either one will make me  DO THE RIGHT THING. 


So one approach is systematic and imposing, while the other is individualistic and self-willed.  
My question is, which one is right? And how do the two best work together? 


I attended a lecture at Cornell by  Bill McKibben-- a world renowned writer on global warming, and environmental problems.  I will talk more about what he said another time, but I just want to mention a few points he brought up--Global Warming is the most severe problem we have ever faced. In 2010 alone we had the highest temperatures ever on record, there was such massive flooding  due to increased moisture in the air that 1/4 of Pakistan was inundated, Russian cereal grains were wiped out due to unprecedented temperatures, and a part of the arctic that less than 40 years before people thought would never ever be uncovered now was melted and open enough for a boat race. And the terrors go on-- wildfires, mosquitos, drought, acidified oceans, bleached coral reefs...
For 20 years we have pleaded to our congressman and woman. Using the analogy of trying to talk to a unwavering cashier on wanting to return a product--the time is now to go into the back-room and see who is paying the guy. 
The US Chamber of Commerce is the largest lobbying group in the US, and is conveniently located half-a-block away from the White House. The Chamber spent $33 million on the midterm election alone.  16 companies contribute 55% of all funding to the Chamber, which claims to speak for all businesses in the United States. I wonder if it speaks more for certain ones? The Chamber has long had a stance on environmental issues-- they are to be ignored. Recently they put out an enlightening statement on global warming-- “populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range  of behavioral, physiological, and technological adaptations.”  Physiological adaptions? I just get the sense that telling Pakistanis to grow gills or build submarines wouldn't go over to well. 


But back to this kid who wants to drive less. He lives in a country that contains 5% of the population and yet emits 25% of the pollution,  where the average individual uses the same amount of energy as 128 Bangladeshis, where he is sheltered from the problems of dengue fever in Bangladesh attributed to the burgeoning mosquito population that is due to the global warming that is caused by his country's relentless quest for a (comparatively) posh lifestyle. He bikes everyday, his house is lit only by the holiest of lights-- florescent, He eats grass fed beef because he heard that their being on the move, coupled with their diet mean less methane in the air. But the real problem is he's up against the richest companies in the history of money. And he is in a system that forces him to consume what he doesn't need. 


So the question is does an individual approach ever work?  
Should what he really be doing is taking his left foot and shoving it up the asdlfkj of a system that is an abomination to the rights of all life on earth. Should he concentrate all his efforts on fighting the big guys because they are the ones controlling the system? Ya, and he should probably get some more people to help him. the system can change the people, but the people can change the system.


Did you know the largest march, at the time (2006), on global warming was organized by seven writers in Vermont. It consisted of 1000 people, the largest march did. As Bill McKibben put it, "you have everything for a movement, absolute scientific backing, technological and engineering solutions, you have everything but the actually movement. You need the people!"