A new campaign: Cooler Planet by 20:50

[govegan]

So I decided this last weekend to begin a new campaign of awareness and action.

I want to tie in the silliness and fear mongering in mainstream thought to a legitimate effort to aid the planet's ecosystems through dynamic everyday action. We have been hearing repeatedly of plans to reduce carbon emissions to such and such a level by 2050, to save the planet by a required massive effort in infrastructure, transportation and energy generation/usage transformation.

The media and their lapdogs, some wittingly, some unwittingly, are harnessing the same fear mongering tactics used so successfully time and time again. I see works by Gore and DiCaprio that seem to languish in what Frances Moore Lappe has so eloquently described as the "spiral of powerlessness." The power and initiative of the individual is continually denigrated, the saving grace of capital and markets are heralded as the great deliverers.

POPPYCOCK!!!

In antithesis to the spiral of powerlessness is described the spiral of empowerment. I don't want to digress into a commentary on Frances' new book right now, but check out the website: www.gettingagrip.net Genius! I am willing to discuss with anyone, or start a new thread. I was fortunate to hear her speak on her new book tour, and I was inspired by her wit and the clarity of her thought. I love the book's subtitle: clarity, creativity and courage in a world gone mad.

So what I want to do is challenge individuals to understand how daily they can have major impact on the planet's health. Every child, woman and man can get a grip on this. By 8:50 PM everyday, one can reflect on the diet and lifestyle decisions that one has made. Any individual can realize what each one has done to injure or aid recovery of the planet's ecosystems.

Why are so many environmental groups and organizations completely obtuse when trying to recommend beneficial changes? I recently attended a "green expo" of sorts in Seattle. One group had a table, banners and a list of 14 things one can do to help stop global warming. No mention whatsoever of the dreaded V word. Astonishing.

We are supposed to feel guilty about that extra car trip across town to bring our ailing grandmother some medications. Our old, evil automobiles will be the death of us all, or some would have us believe.

The most inconvenient truth of all will not be spoken: In all of medical literature and science no one has ever identified even one single disease, malady, infirmity or degenerative condition that is related to not having animal products (including fish, fowl, etc.) in the diet. One whole day's typing would probably not be sufficient to catalog all of the health problems tied directly or indirectly to animal products in the diet.

How much easier to fill the belly with legumes, grains, nuts, fruits and veggies than to fill the car with biodiesel? Easier than installing solar panels on the roof. Easier than getting your local utility to supply you with green energy. Yet, all of these other efforts are admirable indeed.

So, food for thought. I don't even know what time or funds I can muster for this effort, but the time is now, of that much I am certain. I am just plain exasperated at the ignorance and fear mongering being propagated on a daily basis, often by those who should know better. The wealthy elite are masters at this. They will be able to avoid the beginnings of environmental collapse, as the chimp in chief avoided his military service, as the financial backers of the fascist regimes of the 20th century so often avoided the violence they cavalierly brought upon others.