LIMITED PROGRESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP!
SCIENCE HAS BEEN ALERTING US TO THE ADVERSE IMPACTS MANKIND HAS BEEN HAVING ON THE NATURAL WORLD FOR THE PAST 250 YEARS, YET LIMITED PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT PROTECT NATURE. THERE IS CERTAINLY VOLUMES INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE DAMAGE THAT HAS RESULTED! I AM AWARE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS TO PROTECT VAST AREAS OF PUBLIC FOREST LANDS BY LEGALLY DESIGNATING THESE AREAS AS “WILDERNESS”. MANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, LOBBIED HARD TO ENCOURAGE OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES TO COMPLETE THIS DESIGNATION PROCESS DURING THE 1960’S AND 70’S. I BELIEVE WILDERNESS IS A NATURAL RESOURCE, OFFERING A RELAXING, FULFILLING EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE CAPABLE OF A PRIMITIVE EXPERIENCE, BUT THE NATURAL WORLD HAS BEEN SO DEVASTATED BY MANKIND IT NEEDS HELP IN RECOVERING. CONSEQUENTLY, I DO NOT SUPPORT FURTHER EXPANSION OF OUR WILDERNESS ACREAGE. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT GOALS FOR OUR REMAINING FOREST COVERED LANDS! MANAGING FOREST ECOSYSTEMS FOR HEALTH AND DIVERSITY IS WHAT I CALL, “NATURE’S WAY”. THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN SEARCHING FOR NEW ENERGY SOURCES TO SUBSTITUTE FOR FOSSIL FUELS, BUT SLOWING CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE GAS INCREASES IN OUR ATMOSPHERE HAS EXPERIENCED LIMITED RESULTS.
THERE STILL REMAINS LITTLE INTEREST BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY URBAN DWELLERS, TO MAKE MAJOR INVESTMENTS AND LIFE STYLE CHANGES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. I KNOW THAT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS HAVE CHANGED LIFE STYLES SIGNIFICANTLY IN AMERICA OVER THE PAST 75 YEARS. FEW ARE WILLING OR INTERESTED IN RETURNING TO THE “GOOD OLE YEARS”. TODAY IT IS ALL ABOUT CONNIVANCE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TODAY IS PICKUP YOUR SMART PHONE, DIAL THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE, AND DRIVE TO THE PARKING LOT WHERE YOUR ORDER IS LOADED INTO YOUR CAR. NO LONGER DO WE PLANT AND CARE FOR A GARDEN AND THEN HARVEST THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES NEEDED FOR THE WINTER. OUR HOURS ARE COMPLETELY FILLED WITH CARING FOR THE FAMILY AND HOME WHILE HOLDING DOWN A JOB OR CAREER. WHERE DO WE FIND TIME TO FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP? FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF PROGRESS THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THEIR FUTURE. THE QUESTION REMAINS, WHY ARE WE NOT DOING MORE TO PROLONG LIFE ON EARTH?
ONE PROBLEM IS SCIENTISTS TEND TO USE SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE AND PUBLISH THEIR FINDINGS IN SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS. UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENTIFIC JARGON AND HAVING ACCESS TO JOURNALS IS USUALLY NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERYDAY PEOPLE AND DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. WITH ALL THE MODERN-DAY COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, SCIENTISTS NEED TO FOCUS ON MASS COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC RATHER THAN JUST THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. RESOLUTION IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN TENURE.
THE PROBLEM IS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS WHICH ARE LABELED AS CLIMATE CHANGE DENIERS. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS, OCCUPY INFLUENTIAL POSITIONS AND HAVE ACCESS TO MICROPHONES TO SPREAD MISINFORMATION THAT HINDERS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS. CLIMATE CHANGE DENIERS STRONGLY OPPOSE THE OVERWHELMING SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, AND SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTED BY HUMANITY. SEVERAL PEOPLE AND COMPANIES ON THE LIST OF CLIMATE DENIERS, HAVE PROMINENT POSITIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO INFLUENCE A BROAD AUDIENCE WITH DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION. THE KOCH BROTHERS, FOR EXAMPLE, SPENT $127 MILLION DOLLARS FUNDING GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING AWARENESS. SEVERAL INFLUENTIALS POLITICIANS, INCLUDING A FORMER PRESIDENT, HAVE MADE MAJOR EFFORTS TO RELEASE MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. THEIR POSITIONS ON CLIMATE CHANGE CAN BE TRACED TO THEIR CLOSE TIES TO THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY. THE HEARTLAND INSTITUTE, A CONSERVATIVE THINK TANK, HAS BEEN A MAJOR OPPONENT OF CLIMATE SCIENCE FOR YEARS, AND DISTRIBUTED MISLEADING REPORTS AND INFORMATION TO DISTORT PUBLIC OPINION AND SKEPTICISM. EVEN THE NATIONAL MEDIA HAS FAILED TO ADEQUATELY REPORT THE DISINFORMATION BEING COMMUNICATED BY PROMINENT CLIMATE DENIERS.
ANOTHER PROBLEM, IS THE FACT THAT MANY OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TAKEN EXTREME POSITIONS ON PRESERVATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD. LOCKING UP NATURE TO ELIMINATE MANKIND’S ADVERSE IMPACT, IS NOT THE WAY! WHAT MANKIND HAS DONE, MANKIND MUST HELP REPAIR, CARE FOR AND NURTURE. NATURE CANNOT RESTORE ECOSYSTEM BALANCE AND FUNCTION WITHOUT HELP.
MANY PEOPLE ON THE LOWER ECONOMIC SCALE ARE ALREADY SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THEY KNOW IT IS REAL AND ARE SUFFERING DAILY WITH FOOD SHORTAGES, LACK OF PURE WATER, SOIL EROSION, RISING WATER LEVELS, DROUGHT AND THE LIST CONTINUES. IT WILL NOT BE PLEASANT WHEN THE REST OF US EXPERIENCE THESE SAME AFFLICTIONS, AND IF WE WAIT TO LONG IT MAY BE TO LATE. SCIENCE IS TELLING US THAT THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND ARE DESTINE TO GET WORSE IN THE FUTURE. SPREADING MISINFORMATION IN FAVOR OF PROFITEERING AND INDIVIDUALISM CANNOT BE TOLERATED! SEARCH OUT THE TRUTH, OBSERVE WHAT IS OCCURRING AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE NATURAL WORLD IS VITAL TO OUR FUTURE! EVEN THE BIBLE COMMANDS US TO CARE FOR AND NURTURE, NOT DOMINATE AND DESTROY! THE LIMITS OF EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY IS WITHIN SIGHT! THE TIME IS NOW!
SCIENCE HAS BEEN ALERTING US TO THE ADVERSE IMPACTS MANKIND HAS BEEN HAVING ON THE NATURAL WORLD FOR THE PAST 250 YEARS, YET LIMITED PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT PROTECT NATURE. THERE IS CERTAINLY VOLUMES INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE DAMAGE THAT HAS RESULTED! I AM AWARE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS TO PROTECT VAST AREAS OF PUBLIC FOREST LANDS BY LEGALLY DESIGNATING THESE AREAS AS “WILDERNESS”. MANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, LOBBIED HARD TO ENCOURAGE OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES TO COMPLETE THIS DESIGNATION PROCESS DURING THE 1960’S AND 70’S. I BELIEVE WILDERNESS IS A NATURAL RESOURCE, OFFERING A RELAXING, FULFILLING EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE CAPABLE OF A PRIMITIVE EXPERIENCE, BUT THE NATURAL WORLD HAS BEEN SO DEVASTATED BY MANKIND IT NEEDS HELP IN RECOVERING. CONSEQUENTLY, I DO NOT SUPPORT FURTHER EXPANSION OF OUR WILDERNESS ACREAGE. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT GOALS FOR OUR REMAINING FOREST COVERED LANDS! MANAGING FOREST ECOSYSTEMS FOR HEALTH AND DIVERSITY IS WHAT I CALL, “NATURE’S WAY”. THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN SEARCHING FOR NEW ENERGY SOURCES TO SUBSTITUTE FOR FOSSIL FUELS, BUT SLOWING CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE GAS INCREASES IN OUR ATMOSPHERE HAS EXPERIENCED LIMITED RESULTS.
THERE STILL REMAINS LITTLE INTEREST BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY URBAN DWELLERS, TO MAKE MAJOR INVESTMENTS AND LIFE STYLE CHANGES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. I KNOW THAT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS HAVE CHANGED LIFE STYLES SIGNIFICANTLY IN AMERICA OVER THE PAST 75 YEARS. FEW ARE WILLING OR INTERESTED IN RETURNING TO THE “GOOD OLE YEARS”. TODAY IT IS ALL ABOUT CONNIVANCE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TODAY IS PICKUP YOUR SMART PHONE, DIAL THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE, AND DRIVE TO THE PARKING LOT WHERE YOUR ORDER IS LOADED INTO YOUR CAR. NO LONGER DO WE PLANT AND CARE FOR A GARDEN AND THEN HARVEST THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES NEEDED FOR THE WINTER. OUR HOURS ARE COMPLETELY FILLED WITH CARING FOR THE FAMILY AND HOME WHILE HOLDING DOWN A JOB OR CAREER. WHERE DO WE FIND TIME TO FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP? FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF PROGRESS THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THEIR FUTURE. THE QUESTION REMAINS, WHY ARE WE NOT DOING MORE TO PROLONG LIFE ON EARTH?
ONE PROBLEM IS SCIENTISTS TEND TO USE SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE AND PUBLISH THEIR FINDINGS IN SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS. UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENTIFIC JARGON AND HAVING ACCESS TO JOURNALS IS USUALLY NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERYDAY PEOPLE AND DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. WITH ALL THE MODERN-DAY COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, SCIENTISTS NEED TO FOCUS ON MASS COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC RATHER THAN JUST THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. RESOLUTION IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN TENURE.
THE PROBLEM IS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS WHICH ARE LABELED AS CLIMATE CHANGE DENIERS. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS, OCCUPY INFLUENTIAL POSITIONS AND HAVE ACCESS TO MICROPHONES TO SPREAD MISINFORMATION THAT HINDERS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS. CLIMATE CHANGE DENIERS STRONGLY OPPOSE THE OVERWHELMING SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, AND SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTED BY HUMANITY. SEVERAL PEOPLE AND COMPANIES ON THE LIST OF CLIMATE DENIERS, HAVE PROMINENT POSITIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO INFLUENCE A BROAD AUDIENCE WITH DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION. THE KOCH BROTHERS, FOR EXAMPLE, SPENT $127 MILLION DOLLARS FUNDING GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING AWARENESS. SEVERAL INFLUENTIALS POLITICIANS, INCLUDING A FORMER PRESIDENT, HAVE MADE MAJOR EFFORTS TO RELEASE MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. THEIR POSITIONS ON CLIMATE CHANGE CAN BE TRACED TO THEIR CLOSE TIES TO THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY. THE HEARTLAND INSTITUTE, A CONSERVATIVE THINK TANK, HAS BEEN A MAJOR OPPONENT OF CLIMATE SCIENCE FOR YEARS, AND DISTRIBUTED MISLEADING REPORTS AND INFORMATION TO DISTORT PUBLIC OPINION AND SKEPTICISM. EVEN THE NATIONAL MEDIA HAS FAILED TO ADEQUATELY REPORT THE DISINFORMATION BEING COMMUNICATED BY PROMINENT CLIMATE DENIERS.
ANOTHER PROBLEM, IS THE FACT THAT MANY OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TAKEN EXTREME POSITIONS ON PRESERVATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD. LOCKING UP NATURE TO ELIMINATE MANKIND’S ADVERSE IMPACT, IS NOT THE WAY! WHAT MANKIND HAS DONE, MANKIND MUST HELP REPAIR, CARE FOR AND NURTURE. NATURE CANNOT RESTORE ECOSYSTEM BALANCE AND FUNCTION WITHOUT HELP.
MANY PEOPLE ON THE LOWER ECONOMIC SCALE ARE ALREADY SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THEY KNOW IT IS REAL AND ARE SUFFERING DAILY WITH FOOD SHORTAGES, LACK OF PURE WATER, SOIL EROSION, RISING WATER LEVELS, DROUGHT AND THE LIST CONTINUES. IT WILL NOT BE PLEASANT WHEN THE REST OF US EXPERIENCE THESE SAME AFFLICTIONS, AND IF WE WAIT TO LONG IT MAY BE TO LATE. SCIENCE IS TELLING US THAT THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND ARE DESTINE TO GET WORSE IN THE FUTURE. SPREADING MISINFORMATION IN FAVOR OF PROFITEERING AND INDIVIDUALISM CANNOT BE TOLERATED! SEARCH OUT THE TRUTH, OBSERVE WHAT IS OCCURRING AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE NATURAL WORLD IS VITAL TO OUR FUTURE! EVEN THE BIBLE COMMANDS US TO CARE FOR AND NURTURE, NOT DOMINATE AND DESTROY! THE LIMITS OF EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY IS WITHIN SIGHT! THE TIME IS NOW!
