Bending Over

For the Earth of Course (and possibly the children)

I’m not a “climate change” “expert” or a “professional” environmentalist, though I can say I’ve lived a long life on the earth so far and have seen a lot of change during my lifetime.  Politically, societally, culturally and, of course, environmentally (as it pertains to the state of the earth, climate, etc.)

I remember flying across the United States at night as a child and riding for hours at a time without seeing a light or anything on the land below. Now, flying across the United States at night I don’t see a spot anywhere that doesn’t seem to have lights.  In other words, the population has increased dramatically.  I remember flying into Orlando Florida from West to East (at night) in 1987 and only seeing a sparkle here and there between Tampa and Daytona.  Now, there’s nothing but millions of lights everywhere.  The orange groves, swamps, flora and fauna are gone.  Destroyed.  To make “space” for people.  

Before I go on, I must say, I am not posting here to take any kind of “side” in the debate about environmentalism or population control.  I do have to say though, that I think it’s sad to have witnessed the destruction of so much just so humans can have a bunch of unnecessary giant houses, cars, and “stuff”.  Could we have done it better?  Could we have thrived without destroying so much just so we can be decadent and materialistic?  We will probably never know.  There’s plenty of blame to go around about the entire “climate change” topic.

Lately I’ve been thinking about the things I’ve witnessed in my lifetime as it comes to the “environment”.  I remember as a child seeing crying Native American Indians in ads telling us not to throw our garbage out the window of our cars.  I remember being terrified in the 1970’s when we were told in school that a great ice age was coming (and man did we have some harsh winters in my native land of Montana for a few of those years).  I remember being told that there were too many people on earth and we were all going to suffer because of it.   I remember…

I think there have been some amazing things done over the years to help protect our planet.  I think it was a good idea to teach people not to throw giant bags of garbage out of their windows while careening down the highway at 80 miles per hour.  I think it was great to teach the public that leaving garbage on the beach and in the woods is probably not a good idea.  There’s lots of things that have been emphasized over the years that have cleaned up so much of what was quickly being destroyed.  America was on the verge of turning into a giant landfill in many areas.  So… I get it.  I’m glad we learned how to change and do some things differently.  Most of the changes that were implemented were done by gentle nudges, Public Service Announcements, and education.   The proper way to get people to change.

What didn’t change is the corporations, governments and militaries all over the world.  The rules for them are all different.  Corporations can just pay someone off and keep doing whatever they want and possibly pay a fine once in a while for the permission to keep destroying everything.  Governments and their militaries just do whatever the hell they want, while telling the population they have to do something different. There is definitely no “lead by example” in either of those entities. 

The people have been screwed over the last 30 years.  Hoodwinked into believing that our activity is destroying the planet.  All while Fukishima burns with a fervent heat, spewing radiation into the ocean.  We were told that our toilets, light-bulbs, gasoline, fluorocarbons, BBQ grills, Fireplaces, Gas Stoves, Washing Machines, Shower Heads and cars are going to destroy the earth while in the same breath told to wear and throw away multiple billions of filthy face diapers (masks) that are now floating as islands of debris in the ocean, leaching plastics and gawd-knows-what into the sea.  We’ve been told we have to have less of everything while absolute monsters lusting for power and control fly on private jets and attend giant meetings where they and their ilk dine on delicacies from pristine places on the planet while the general public sidles up to their trough of bugs  and sewage.  All for the earth.  For the Climate.  For World Peace.  For… whatever “they” say it’s for.  

And all of us (you and I) have done what “they’ve” told us to do with the baited promise that if we will just “do what we are told” the climate will stabilize, the birds and insects will come back, the clouds will be fluffier and life will be grand.  We’ve been told this while the very ones telling us to do all of these things “for the earth” burn train cars full of chemicals that kill untold thousands of fish, birds and other animals.  We do what we are told while these monsters tell us we may need to start choosing suicide if we are sick. 

I don’t want this post to be too long. I hope you get my point.  While we have been doing everything we’ve been told to do “for the earth”… the climate continues to change.  What improvements have we seen?  Where is this tropical paradise we’ve been promised if we would just give all of these corporations and governments the power?  If we would just do one more thing the way “they” tell us to? 

Yet, the ignorant masses continue to fall for this ruse again and again and again. 

If we will just recycle one more thing.  If we would just do without one more thing.  If we would just take one more shot.  If we will just wear one more mask.  If we will just stay home.  If we will just cancel our vacation.  If we will just stop visiting family and friends.  If we would just give up our bodily autonomy.  If we would just sell everything and move to a smart city.  If we would just agree to get rid of cash and let banks and governments determine what kind of money we have and where we can spend it.  If we would just DIE to get our carbon footprint to ZERO, paradise lost will be paradise gained.  If we would just do all of this for less than 1000 people on this planet who are telling is “if we would just”…

How much more are we willing to change “for the climate/planet?”  Where is our line in the sand?  When are we going to say, “enough is enough” and *demand* that the ones who are actually causing the destruction of this planet be the ones who give up something and change their behavior?  The way I see it, it’s all backwards.  Until the very ones who are demanding we change while they do whatever they want are forced to change themselves, nothing is going to change. 

Oh, and by the way… the climate is going to change anyway.