Humanity itself at serious risk

[Martin]

ask yourself "who actually rules us" - forget politicians - it's the multinationals - think global US corporations particularly - it is plainly NOT in their interests for any brakes to be applied at all, hence they won't let us.........
meanwhile parts of India flood, Australia votes in a labour government in reaction to the fact they're already in deep doodoo from climate warming.....

[QuakerBear]

Here's a new article from the Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... matechange

[john]

24-12-2007

Hi ALL. A THOUGHT FORM ME JRP, before the start of our new year 2008.
WHY? do we humans have WARS, apart from it being a legallizing way of thinning out the populations of our world, we all live in?
I SAY this because, IF GLOBLE WARming is caused by us humans, then this IS THE ONLY ANSWER, we must have A MAJOR WAR SOON TO SAVE OUR PLANET.
OR IS IT a case of every one talking A LOT OF HOT AIR.
I SAY THE WORLD HAS SIMPLY SHIFTED OFF ITS AXIS making the POLES NEARER TO THE SUN, which EFFECTS EVERYTHING, THERE CAN BE NO OTHER ANSWER?
SO It's MAKE YOUR MIND UP TIME, even though no human lives for ever, which is why we must sort it out NOW, if I say WHAT IS TRUE, simply done by CHANGING THE WAY WE LIVE, ofcause PEOPLE WILL SAY IT'S MORE EASYER TO SAY, THAN DO. BUT WHY? when the forces of WAR, and all what's involved can be used NOT TO KILL, BUT TO SAVE LIVES, AND OUR PLANET, SIMPLY DONE BY US ALL WORKING TOGETHER, especially as we were all bourn UNDER THE SAME SUN AND MOON, which effects every thing in some way, which WE CALL LIFE, which I know is running out for me, but we must do something now for our FUTURE GENERATIONS.
May we all live long and happy in this crazy world, we all live in, where other life such as animals have no say in their future, but we do. Thank you for reading my thoughts. John.J.R.P.

[getting there]

My sister gave me "A life stripped bare" by Leo Hickman as an early christmas present and now my mum (in her 50's) has asked to read it. I think and hope and pray that it will open her eyes and mind to ethical living. This past year I have lead her by example, she now buys some things from trade aid, she has started using more eco friendly products and started using ecobulbs among other things. She is considering organic foods (but $9 for 400g of tomatoes and $8 for a kilo of potatoes is a bit of a put off).

My point is that if I, a recent eco ethical newbie who is still learning the ropes, can change the habits of a life time of one person and influence the habits of my daughter, imagine what we as a whole are having on the world around us, the ripple effect we are each sending out, each of us showing others there is a better way, a viable way that is possible for all of us.

We are placing a demand for change. If there is demand and profit then it is provided. Look at organic food for example.

Organic products still have only a tiny slice, about 2.5 percent, of the nation's food market. But the slice is expanding at a feverish pace.

Growth in sales of organic food has been 15 percent to 21 percent each year, compared with 2 percent to 4 percent for total food sales. (From http://hartlandag.blogspot.com/2007/01/ ... riter.html)

Sainsbury's plans to launch what it claims is the UK's first ever 100 per cent organic supermarket box scheme.

Clearly looking to tap the continuing demand in growth for organic food - AC Nielsen Data shows sales for Sainsbury's organic range up 18.4 per cent year on year Sainsbury's is confident that the scheme will widen consumer opportunity to buy into seasonal UK grown produce.
If successful, the strategy could also help consolidate consumer trust in organic food - one of the sector's major selling points. (from http://www.meatprocess.com/news/ng.asp? ... organic-gm)

Meanwhile, the demand for organic products continues to boom. In contrast to annual growth of 2-3% in total food sales, global organic sales are increasing by double digits. Awareness of the benefits that the organic label brings is also increasingly persuading consumers from across the economic spectrum, with both supermarket chain T***o and the UK Soil Association noting that growth in organic purchases is increasing fastest amongst those less affluent.

Two thirds of all British consumers now intentionally purchase organic food, and more than 17% of adults in the USA bought organic products within the last month. The AC Nielsen survey found that 58% of those buying organic products believed they have health benefits, and nearly half think them better for the environment.

In the Asia Pacific region, almost half the people surveyed reported regularly buying organic vegetables, while 43% chose organic fruit and 41% organic eggs (well above the global average). Showing the potential for even more growth, nearly one in five people who don’t buy organic gave the main reason as a lack of organic products where they shop. As organic options continue to make their way onto supermarket shelves and into local markets, these people will have the ability to choose - and will increasingly choose products which are fresh, healthy and sustainably produced. (From http://www.prismwebcastnews.com/pwn/?p=1759)

The findings of the 1997 survey suggested that Dunedin people were
buying $350-380,000 worth of organic food (retail value). We repeated the survey in
January 2000, and the results suggest that people in Dunedin spent just over $1 million on
organic food over the previous year. Thus the market has more than doubled in three
years. (From http://www.organicsnewzealand.org.nz/se ... rg2020.pdf)

And it's not just organic foods we are placing a demand for; we are placing demands for local goods, fairly traded goods, better conditions for sweatshop workers and other bottom of the heap workers. We are placing demands for more eco friendly energy sources, travel and holidays. We are placing demands for natural and alternative medicines, toiletries and cleaning products. Virtually every choice we make has a knock on effect. We are placing an ever increasing demand for change and it is beginning to be answered. We are effectively changing the world.

So don't feel guilty, feel empowered because you are part of the change, you have chosen to say that current world trends and practices are not ok, you have chosen to go against the norm, you have chosen to be a positive force, and bit by bit, person by person, others will follow you and your examples and embrace better choices.