Stepping back from the precipice

Over recent years, Climate Change (aka Global Warming or Anthropogenic Climate Change) has taken over as the driving influence of local, regional, state, national and international governments and social organizations.

We are constantly bombarded by dire warnings of imminent doom resulting from our profligate CO2 emissions causing increasing climate change and all of its alarming effects on human civilization and the natural world.

And yet, strangely, nothing changes. The number of cars on the streets and highways continues to increase. Highways are jammed. Garages remained stuffed to the ceilings with stuff, purchased in shopping sprees of lemmingly dimensions. Two and three cars wait patiently in the driveway and parked on streets for the daily trip to the 7-11. Electricity consumption increases at the demand of proliferating electronic devices and their ubiquitous charging stations. TeeVees must be bigger and bigger, demanding more and more energy 24 hours a day.

If climate change is such a big deal, why aren’t we drastically changing our societies to do something about it? Why are we increasing our impacts on our planet instead of reducing them?

For that matter, what specifically can those who are concerned about the impacts of human consumption and development do to drastically reduce or even stop them? How can we change human civilization, cultures and societies, such that humans live in balance with natural geophysical cycles?

These are deep, big picture questions that I’ve never seen fully addressed in any forum or by any agency. George Monbiot, in his continuing series on restoring democracy has come the closest to examining the deep societal, governmental and economic factors that contribute to the increasing impacts of human societies on the natural world.

Judging by today’s headlines, no one is paying attention.

There are ways forward, backward or maybe sideways that could forestall the inevitable outcome of the present course of human growth and development.

In future posts, I’ll explore this vexing conundrum of our present unsustainable civilization, and the necessary reforms, and revolutionary changes required to step back from the precipice, turn around and take a step forward.

This is the way we accommodate Reality

This beautiful essay Ash Cloud’s Silver Lining Is Leisure Time demonstrates how we (that is, ordinary people other than economists and oil company executives) accommodate day to day reality, and make the best of it.

Despite popular impressions, humans strive for stability, humanity, family and community. Ultra-consumers are highly visible and loudly touted in the media, because the media is supported by the capitalist status quo that thrives on continued economic growth fueled by hyper-consumerism.

Notice how 9/11 and the recent Icelandic volcanic ash cloud resulted in thousands of people released from obligations to rush about in mad consumption, gave them an excuse to relax, read a book, smell the flowers, interact with the neighborhood.

Deep down, we’re all family folks, communitarians, true socialists all.

I think it’s neckties that do it, choking off blood supplies to the heads of corporate executives and government lackies. Maybe a ban on neckties would release a flood of creative energy, revive our neighborhoods, clear the skies and, once and for all, drive a spike in the hearts of growth maniacs everywhere.