The old saying, “when it rains it pours,” seems ever more appropriate now than ever. Several years ago, I read a book by Christian Parenti, Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence (2011), which pointed out the growing range of crises around the world that appeared to be converging in a … More Look Up! Converging Crises Confront Us All
In these times of chaos and confusion, it is important to know who has your back. However, it is not always so easy to know. Everyone from corporate executives to politicians, to social media ‘influencers,’ claims to have your interests at heart. High sounding ‘mission and goals’ statements belie various special interests in so many … More Who’s Got Your Back? Not the Usual Suspects
I just read an article in Illumen.com by Julia Steinberger, titled “Individuals and social pressure: how to change the world.” Dr. Steinberger is Professor of Ecological Economics at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. At first, I thought that I was going to disagree with her because I felt that what we really need is social … More How to Make Big Change: Our Primary Predicament
Sustainability is a complicated matter. It is also a very popular idea among those who want to contribute to a stable future for humanity. The first question that always comes to my mind is, “Sustain what?” People toss the term around as if everyone knows what it means. Well, for most it means to make … More The Sustainability Trap: Shifting Targets, No Goal
Yes, Vladimir Putin is universally despised as a ruthless war criminal, too well trained by the KGB, a narcissistic sociopath far more skilled than Trump in the dark arts of genocide and general destruction. Yet, there is so much more to the story. During his reign over the ‘new’ Russia, the West’s strategy of containment … More The War on Ukraine is a War on Planet Earth
Henrik Nordborg, who is Programme Director: Renewable Energy and Environmental Technology at OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, Rapperswil, St Gallen, Switzerland, has kindly agreed to allow me to re-post his recent article from Substack.com. It is an excellent assessment of where we stand in relation to our home, the Earth System, and the hubris of human … More NATURE CANNOT BE FOOLED
More and more people are moving closer to an “climate action now” mode today. They realize that the climate crisis really is an emergency. That, after all, is what emergencies are all about—action that people must take now or all is lost. Recognition is the important first step, but it is only the beginning. Many … More What does “Climate Action Now” require of us? Much more than you think.
Kenyan climate activist, Elizabeth Wathuti, presented the moral case for global action to reduce the suffering and chaos that have already taken many lives and visited starvation on millions. The government and corporate delegates to COP26 listened respectfully, and they did nothing.
If you knew all the details you might say that we had the road trip from hell over the holidays. Many things happened that were not part of the plan. Never mind the dampening effect of the near-constant rain once we entered California. Never mind the “collateral damage” due to the drunken rage of a … More Hilton Hell and Marriott Madness: Money Trumps Life
Searching for Certainty in a Complex World People often get caught up in the ideas that have come to define their identity, especially when they have little else to guide them. That is when they begin to lose their balance. We live in a complex world, much more complex and ever changing than before the … More Going the Wrong Way on a Two-Way Street
Robert MacNeil Christie, Author 