Everybody knows that we humans are making a mess of our Earth. Our economic system gives the wrong signals. Our Nation States finance war. Our corporations pursue “profit” whatever the cost. Our money systems just help the rich. Our governments are crippled by a sham we call “democracy”. Industrial farming destroys the soil. Burning fossil fuels changes our climate. Deep sea fishing destroys fish stocks. Religious bigotry fuels war and terror. Mass adverts make us addicts to consumerism. Education and debt leave most of us trapped as “wage slaves”. We produce millions of tons of what we call “waste” which we either burn or dump in holes in the ground. Most of us live in cities which are simply unsustainable.
The list could go on. None of this is new.
What started 50 years ago with “Silent Spring” went on to become “Limits to Growth”, Planet under Pressure”, “The Rio Earth Summit”, “Life on Earth” - etc. etc. Public concerns spawned numerous pressure groups and “green” political parties. The world has now had many years exposure to the stark future which lies ahead if we cannot change course.
Millions if not billions of Earth's people have wondered (and probably wept) as they watched and listened to David Attenborough's soft spoken warnings. Perhaps one day the “penny will drop” and we will realise that “we are the problem and we are the solution”.
We don't need to wait for the great and the good to tell us what to do – there are many things we can do NOW to make a difference. And once we begin to do them we will find we can do much much more. Let's lift the paralysis and make a start........
You can choose any six on the list below – or find your own ways to change. It's easy to learn how to do these things but you will find it all MUCH easier if you find 4 (or more) other friends to do it with.
1. Make Bread – Bread is the daily stuff of life. Making your own by hand will give you great satisfaction and IT TASTES GOOD!
2. Compost Waste – Find out how to build a proper pair of composting bins for all your organic household waste and we will no longer have to dump 10 million tons into landfill every year.
3. Brew Beer and Wine – Like bread your beer and wine can all be made easily at home. With a little practice it's great fun and you save £ hundreds in taxation.
4. Become “Plastic Free” - Leave all your plastic packaging in the supermarket. The law says its their responsibility to dispose of it. Never have plastic on your dining table. Grow Food – Put your name down for an allotment if you don't already have one. Find someone with experience to help you get started.
5. Minimise “Waste” - Weigh the “waste” you put into bins for landfill each week – try to cut the weight down by half each year.
6. Learn to play music/write poetry/sing songs – Spend 10 minutes each day developing these skills and learn to make your own entertainment.
7. Boycott Facebook – Don't be suckered into playing Zuckerbrat's addictive game. He's using your data to make himself rich and fuel the evils of the corporate world.
8. Buy a Bike and use it Close your Bank Account – Our banks act as evil handmaidens of corporate and state power. Put your money into a Credit Union or use cash and/or crypto.
9. Refuse to Register to Vote – What we call “democracy” is a smokescreen hiding the true power of corporations and banks. When you vote you simply support the status quo. Governments demand you join the electoral register not because they want you to vote but because they want to keep track of everybody - “big brother” is alive and well. Refusing to join the Register is the simplest statement of non-violent opposition to the establishment.
10. Persuade 4 other “Friends” to do the same – Working together brings strength and reinforces commitment as well as “spreading the word”.
11. Wear beautiful brown clothes – Brown is the colour of beautiful soil and compost. Cheap and shabby clothes send the wrong signals about the pride and joy we have in what we are doing.