Reality Check for Us Environmentalists

Greg Wendt
chrysalis.jpg

Okay Kids. Let's get real for a moment.

According two recent articles published by respected online publications, Orion Magazine and Worldchanging.com, it appears that the 'plan A' of the environmental movement's roughly four-decade effort to meaningfully engage the "mainstream" to drive an "ecological u-turn" isn't really succeeding. Consider how and why the combined membership of the major environmental groups comprises no more than 1-3% of the US population.

Meanwhile, since we as a civilization are consuming far beyond the carrying capacity of the planet – then have we really done anything different than we did 50 years ago? Other than to be aware of how much more stuff we are consuming, and how much worse off Nature is?

I am reminded of what Bill McKibben recently said in a local talk at the regal Downtown Los Angeles public library. He shared with us a research study that although our GDP (gross domestic product), and our associated collective environmental footprint, has tripled in the last 50 years, it does not appear that we human beings are any happier as a result.

Although there is good news – the "the mainstream" has begun to become aware of the environmental crisis on the planet, and the role that we humans have played in creating this crisis. Even so, we still need something of a "reality check" about the consequences our consumer-focused culture. Consider this: according the nonprofit Redefining Progress, which conducted an "Ecological Foot Print Test," if every person on the planet consumed as much stuff as we in America do right now, our species' collective "gaping-mouth" would need 4-5 planets of stuff to keep the ponzi scheme going.

Meanwhile, there are environmental fire alarms every day in the news – what are you going to do?

First thing I suggest is to breathe, and relax. And enjoy reading these interesting, articles: From the Orion, "The Idols of Environmentalism: Do environmentalists conspire against their own interests? First in a two-part series." And this excellent WorldChanging.com article: "Make This Earth Day Your Last!" posted by Worldchanging.com Founder Alex Steffen and Managing Editor Sarah Rich.

Thought provoking, indeed!

Comments

roll up your sleeves, your hands are gonna get dirty

Submitted by Morgan Maher on Sat, 05/19/2007 - 10:30.

good point.

The other day myself and a friend were staring down a pile of trash and garbage, left behind by who knows who. In fact, we'd been staring this pile down for some time, daunted by a mass of broken things, broken glass, scrap wood, useless bits.

But we simply had a cup of tea, rolled up our sleeves and got dirty. Before we knew it the mess was cleared and ready to go into appropriate recycling. What emerged in its place was the beginning of a little garden; seeds and seedlings, plants and flowers now happy and planted.

I suspect we're in a similar collective situation. Shall we stop procrastinating? Shall we stop being so daunted by this mess (one that turns out to be easily cleaned and cleared..)

Although there is good news – "the mainstream" has begun to become aware..

I'm beginning to wonder about this collective obsession with a mainstream. Who or what is the mainstream? Are 'we' waiting for a 'mainstream' of TVwatchers and Gas-guzzlers to wake up?

Either the 'mainstream' is dried up...

or

'We' are the mainstream.

Waking up

Submitted by Jennifer Flynn on Thu, 05/24/2007 - 16:44.
Well, now 'green' is the new black. In the last few months have y'all noticed the marketing trend of greening? Everyone wants to be green because it's hip, because now that climate change is mainstream, there are that many more consumers out there looking to go green. I was really saddened to see that the Pew Charitable Trust actually turned out a report for greening consumer patterns. I'm not knocking this attitudinal shift, but it's just not enough. Our consumption, need to fill the emptiness, is the problem. Those TV watchers and Gas-guzzlers will continue until they can't anymore. And god knows they won't proprioceptively connect with the planet, but maybe they can watch a good reality show about it. Anyone want to pitch an idea to NBC? Call it Shaman.

Curtis White's Idols

Submitted by Daniel Pinchbeck on Sat, 05/19/2007 - 10:40.

Hi Greg,

 

I read that Curtis White article when it came out, and thought it was excellent - similar to much of what I was trying to say in "2012". You can't confront the problems of this system within the rational framing, or logos, that supports the system. You actually need to shift your consciousness into a different relationship to reality before any productive pathways can be found.  The current green movement, in business and politics, is still stuck in the framing of seeing "nature" as a resource that needs to be conserved or "saved." However, this neglects the possibility that our species' drive toward half-conscious self-extinction may be as much part of nature as a rainforest. 

 

We have to go back to the framing of Native Americans, proprioceptively aware of the earth's body as an extension of our selves.  

 

 

"Will the transformation."-Rilke

We are the ones

Submitted by The Hermit on Mon, 05/21/2007 - 14:04.
Greg - Thanks for sharing those articles. They made for interesting reading. After many years of first hand experience with many major enviro groups that has included interactions with players that include, but are not limited to, the World Bank and IMF, I could write more than you'd care to read about the political and economical games at work. I agree with the points made by Daniel and Morgan. There is no point to looking outside ourselves for the solutions, whether it's treating the system as a separate entity in need of change, or waiting around for the loosely defined mainstream to wake up and get with the program. On that note it's simply worth repeating what the Hopi have been saying all along: "We are the ones we have been waiting for".