Questions for Earth Day

JanforGore,

Clearly, the things I am putting here are not going to answer your question. Which I again submit, is most relevant.

Organizations such as the one that Richard has been dedicating his time to over the last few years, have in my view opened up new possibilities to empower communities locally to fight the fight and make major differences.

As you say, there are many groups out there addressing similar issues, but we are basically all fragmented and left with little progress to show for all the work.

Is there a clearing house for all of these organizations? One place to go and find the information that is needed? I guess what I am thinking of is sort of what Obama wants to do with Medical Records, and put all of the information in a data bank?

I think there are folks fighting the good fight, but it is hard to find all of the local voices, who are working for justice,

http://www.uujec.org/

Sounds like my type of organization. I will definitely visit their site.Thanks for all of the information on this queenofit.

You're right, I did listen to it all, and Iiked what he had to say. Democracy is such a huge part of the enviromental movement and as he stated, in our communities we really don't have it based on current structures, and we then have to go beyond it. Satyagraha, so to speak. And I so agree with his first comments regarding us not really attaining the changes we should have and are actually still not much beyond twenty years ago... to me, mainly because we have allowed politicians to take this debate over and politicize it.

queenofit: It's so good to see you here! And yes indeed, Vandana Shiva is an environmental trailblazer as is Wangari Maathai. However, they are not Americans, but they surely are global environmental heroines and I love and respect them both. Al Gore did go up to Capitol Hill twice, but still we wait for action that is on the scale we need now. (I actually think at times he is too nice about this.) I just wish every environmental group could set aside one day when they ALL converge on President Obama's office and the Congress and all of their members absolutely flood the fax and phone lines for weeks until they shut down. I just don't know what it will take anymore, and considering where the world now stands in terms of time to now adapt to the effects of climate change in many areas of the world I too wonder to what end this all is for. And thanks for adding this to your Facebook page. I am touched ;-).

JanforGore, I just posted your video on my facebook page. I agree with you so much. However, I don't have an answer. One woman who comes to mind and you have quoted her [here on Current] many times, is Indian scientist and writer Vandana Shiva. I think what you say is so true however; that we have too many different organizations doing and saying the same thing. My own experience has seen that politics and fights over money get in the way of even the best causes.

Divide and Conquer (or Divide and Rule) always springs to my mind when I ponder this question. But to what end, I say?

You come to my mind also JanforGore. Stay strong, and you do!

Unity is a big point that I think Jan made. Ironic in this era of the web communication is great but there could be aggregating among earth charities. Environmental and animal rights seem to overlap conceptually. There should be investigative journalists like Woodward & Bernstein. Following up on issues. Eh.

As far as uniting all of the individual environmental groups, I don’t believe that they’re structured in such a way that would allow easy consolidation. Leadership may need to be a collection of head honchos sitting on a board & arriving at constructive agreements & policies that would not dilute the goals (and contributions) of their individual organizations. More realistically, it’s up to the individual to act locally while thinking globally as they take the necessary steps to make lifestyle adjustments that positively contribute to this wonderful cause.

Lately, Earth Day seems geared towards less environmentally informed people in order to increase social awareness & responsibility, ultimately getting more people working together to solve an array of interconnected ecological problems. Considering this celebration has been around since the early 70s, I’m amazed at how many un/misinformed people still sleepwalk through life until they become victims of climate change. Even a President who thinks coal is clean needs an urgent update - not the people that celebrate every day as Earth Day.

Maggie: Thanks for your comment. And yes, I absolutely can be a Rachel Carson (as I think we all can)though I never really thought of myself that way. And I truly want to believe that 'clean coal' is something Obama realizes is not viable, and he works to see our funds going to the true alternate energy sources that will infuse our economy and sustain our environment. I really want to believe that. Thanks again.

Great question Jan. Where are they? You are one of them., The clean coal issue is a real concern with the Pres. We may not have Rachel anymore, but here you are, able to access a forum like Current to express your very informed opinion. Why can't you be Rachel?

Organize!

So this was moved from number 16 to number 22,246? I just placed it here, and yet posts dated over a month are still on the front page? Don't tell me this wasn't moved deliberately. Why? We are asked to give questions and to participate and then when we do they are pushed back where no one can see them? Don't then wonder why you don't get responses.

Where is the cohesiveness of the environmental movement?

Why are we allowing politicians to control this agenda now?

Why can't we bail out the Earth like we bail out the banks?

Why is there not more outrage about the shape of this planet with all we now know?

All valid questions.

Well, woo hoo. Now this is at 22,160. Making progress ;-).