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    Doing Your Bit To Save Our World

    By Mark Schauss | October 22, 2008

    In the most recent New Scientist magazine (October 18-24, 2008), its special topic was “The Folly of Growth: How to stop the economy killing the planet” The issue focuses on how our constant need to have things and push constant economic growth is killing our world. In one article, Susan George talks about we can “transform our shattered exonomics and halt runaway climate change” by thinking big.

    But what struck me was a column within the article was quotes from a number of people on how we can take action and do our parts. Here they are:

    “Buy less stuff. And join and support Friends of the Earth.” – Herman Daly, ecological economist, University of Maryland.

    “Vote. Or better yet, get involved in politics at any level and advocate green economics.” – Julia Marton-Lefevre, director general of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

    “In a speech in April 1967, Martin Luther King called on the US to shift from a ‘thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society’. It is a message that resonates with today’s challenges.” – John Beddington, chief scientific adviser to the UK government.

    “Go outside much more and connect with the environment, and cut your personal consumption of meat in half.” – Gus Speth, dean of the school of forestry and environmental studies at Yale University.

    “Pick an aspect of the crisis you are interested in, join an organization that tries to do something about it and build alliances with others.” – Susan George, chair of the board, Transnational Institute.

    “Buy strategically: products that not only do their job more sustainably, but send market signals back through the economy.” – Alex Steffen, executive director, Worldchanging.com

    “Sign up to take monthy actions at onehundredmonths.org, do a simple survey at happyplanetindex.org and join a Transitition Town Initiative.” – Andrew Simms, policy director, New Economics Foundation.

    What we have to do is something. We need to begin slowly or all in, but we need to get going. The citizens of this world cannot continue to consume at the present level. The question each of us has to ask of ourselves, what are you willing to do to save our world? Whatever it is, start right now.

    Topics: Environment, Global Warming, Life, Opinion, Our World | No Comments »

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