When all the trees have been cut down,
when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted,
when all the air is unsafe to breathe,
only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
- Cree Prophecy
"I die a little inside everytime I read something new about the spill." It's a sentiment I suspect is shared among millions. We are responsible and we have made a terrible mistake. Pacha Mama's veins bleed unfettered into the Gulf of Mexico to poison the life that nourishes half of the United States. There are already hundreds of people lining up to clean the Gulf. How can I help?
What a divine, sobering opportunity to do the right thing. With 3,858 oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico drawing oil at less than efficient rates, could this be time to change? Bill McKibben thinks so.
He and the group 350.org have an invigorating "Get to Work" pledge to shift the energy paradigm in America and around the world. Again, how can I help?
McKibben says we need to buy local and support our local economies.
Great, I feel like I'm already doing something positive. I'm buying more foods from farmer's market a few blocks from my house. I try my darndest to boycott things that aren't made in the U.S. Though I purchased a new spool of DVDs tonight, my computer is rebuilt from used parts and I'm going on year three of my iPhone. I participate in this petroleum-fueled economy with cautious steps and I'm learning more each day.
Thought it's impossible, I try to eliminate waste in my life. This means I've found ways to take responsibility for my waste -- this has had a profound effect on my eating habits. I'm eating things that come inside their own packaging such as apples, bananas and carrots. It's as if there's a direct correlation between the health of the earth, Pacha Mama, and myself. It seems to me that lives are more healthy when they close the "cycle of life" with nature. When we are connected with the source of our foods and goods, everyone gains. Yet, I digress.
Where to start? I've found The Transition Handbook, which promises upbeat and encouraging ways to wean ourselves off of oil. I like the way this sounds:
"These changes can lead to the rebirth of local communities that will grow more of their own food, generate their own power, and build their own houses using local materials. They can also encourage the development of local currencies to keep money in the local area."If you don't have time to read the book, I offer this TED talk with Transition Handbook author Rob Hopkins. It opens the dialogue on peak oil and what's next-- descent plans, transition plans and emerging movements that foster hopeful ingenuity among strong community relationships. Sounds like a good start to me.
