Comments on: War & Peace http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2009/04/war-peace/ Creative Ideas for a Greener Future Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:15:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alex Smith http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2009/04/war-peace/comment-page-1/#comment-215 Alex Smith Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:47:17 +0000 /conmag/?p=3943#comment-215 Contrast James Lovelock's attitude with those of Dr. James Hansen of NASA. He just got arrested in West Virginia protesting mountain top removal coal mining. This whole debate is in the latest one hour Radio Ecoshock show (June 26, 2009) called "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)" Free mp3, as broadcast on 16 stations in North America at: http://www.ecoshock.net/eshock09/ES_090626_Show_Lof_Fi.mp3 Includes comments by USA's John Holdren and Britain's Lord Chris Smith saying it's too late to stop climate change now. Alex Smith Contrast James Lovelock’s attitude with those of Dr. James Hansen of NASA. He just got arrested in West Virginia protesting mountain top removal coal mining.

This whole debate is in the latest one hour Radio Ecoshock show (June 26, 2009) called “Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)”

Free mp3, as broadcast on 16 stations in North America at:
http://www.ecoshock.net/eshock09/ES_090626_Show_Lof_Fi.mp3

Includes comments by USA’s John Holdren and Britain’s Lord Chris Smith saying it’s too late to stop climate change now.

Alex Smith

]]> By: Steven Earl Salmony http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2009/04/war-peace/comment-page-1/#comment-214 Steven Earl Salmony Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:41:53 +0000 /conmag/?p=3943#comment-214 How is the family of humanity to sensibly organize to respond ably to the human folly, avarice and stupidity that is now being consciously perpetrated by those few million greedy people who possess a lion’s share of the world’s wealth and the power it purchases? After all, a tiny minority is primarily responsible for the Earth being ravaged and threatened as a fit place for habitation by our children. When are the morally bankrupt, super-rich Masters of the Universe among us to be held to account for having disgracefully institutionalized the ‘goodness’ of their pathological arrogance, conspicuous consumption and excessive hoarding for the benefit of none others than themselves and minions? For many too many economic powerbrokers and their bought-and-paid-for politicians short-term financial gains, power accrual, economic expediency and political convenience have directed their thought and behavior. Perhaps it is time for many ordinary people not only to deploy these words from Mohandas Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”, but also to live out this great man’s example of principled, peaceful, refusal to submit to arrogant, dishonest, avaricious and dishonorable authority that is relentlessly degrading Earth’s frangible environment and recklessly dissipating Earth’s limited resources in our time. Perhaps honesty, more transparency, constructive personal action, accountability and necessary social change are in the offing. Scientists have a duty to warn and to inform; leaders of the family of humanity have a responsibility to act with moral courage and a willingness to do the right thing. At least some scientists appear to be doing their duty. Except for a precious few, great human beings like President Barack Obama, the human community appears to be virtually bereft of adequate leaders. How is the family of humanity to sensibly organize to respond ably to the human folly, avarice and stupidity that is now being consciously perpetrated by those few million greedy people who possess a lion’s share of the world’s wealth and the power it purchases? After all, a tiny minority is primarily responsible for the Earth being ravaged and threatened as a fit place for habitation by our children.

When are the morally bankrupt, super-rich Masters of the Universe among us to be held to account for having disgracefully institutionalized the ‘goodness’ of their pathological arrogance, conspicuous consumption and excessive hoarding for the benefit of none others than themselves and minions? For many too many economic powerbrokers and their bought-and-paid-for politicians
short-term financial gains, power accrual, economic expediency and political convenience have directed their thought and behavior.

Perhaps it is time for many ordinary people not only to deploy these words from Mohandas Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”, but also to live out this great man’s example of principled, peaceful, refusal to submit to arrogant, dishonest, avaricious and dishonorable authority that is relentlessly degrading Earth’s frangible environment and recklessly dissipating Earth’s limited resources in our time.

Perhaps honesty, more transparency, constructive personal action, accountability and necessary social change are in the offing.

Scientists have a duty to warn and to inform; leaders of the family of humanity have a responsibility to act with moral courage and a willingness to do the right thing. At least some scientists appear to be doing their duty. Except for a precious few, great human beings like President Barack Obama, the human community appears to be virtually bereft of adequate leaders.

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