Reality Check for the Environmental Movement - Make this Earthday YOUR LAST!

Okay Kids.

Let's get real for a moment.

According two recent articles published by respectable online publications, Orion Magazine and Worldchanging.com, it appears that the 'plan A' of the environmental movement's roughly four-decade effort to meaningfully engage the "mainstream" to drive an "ecological u-turn" isn't really succeeding. Consider how and why the combined membership of most major environmental groups comprises something like 1-3% of the US population.

Meanwhile, since we as a civilization are consuming far beyond the carrying capacity of the planet - then have we really done anything different than we did 50 years ago? Other than to be aware of how much more stuff we are consuming, and how much worse off Nature is?

I am reminded of what Bill McKibben recently said in a local talk at the regal Downtown Los Angeles public library. He shared with us a research study that although our GDP (gross domestic product), and our associated collective environmental footprint, has tripled in the last 50 years, it does not appear that we human beings are any happier as a result.

Although, there is good news - the "the mainstream" has begun to become aware of the environmental crisis on the planet,and the role that we humans have played in creating this crisis. Even so, we still need somewhat of a "reality check" about the consequences our consumer-focused culture. Consider, according the non-profit Redefining Progress "Ecological Foot Print Test" - if every person on the planet consumed as much stuff as we in America do right-now, our species' collective "gaping-mouth" would need 4-5 planets of stuff to keep the ponzi scheme going.

Meanwhile, there are environmental fire alarms every day in the news - what are you going to do?

First thing I suggest, is to breathe, and relax. And enjoy reading these interesting, articles:

Orion Magazine April/March 2007 "The Idols of Environmentalism --- Do environmentalists conspire against their own interests? First in a two-part series."

And...

This excellent WorldChanging.com article: "Make This Earth Day Your Last!" posted today at exactly at 11:11 AM by Worldchanging.com Founder Alex Steffen and Managing Editor Sarah Rich.

Very, very thought provoking, indeed!

( for some good news, see my previous entries!)