CAN WE CREATE A SUSTAINABLE PLANET?

There is no denying that climate change is a reality and is happening now.  What is uncertain is the impact and devastation that climate change will have on the planet.  We have witnessed ‘super storms’ that have wreaked havoc in places all around the world.  These storms cause and continue to cause tremendous amount of pressure on world economies which are already fragile, not to mention the destruction, animal and human displacement and continue pressure on the environment. What do we do?  Are there viable solutions?  Yes, I believe there are some excellent solutions on how we can ease these pressures and Jacque Fresco is at the helm of a very viable and sustainable solution.

Here is a video that explains his ideas, we must plead with our governments to ensure that these ideas become realization.  We must mobilize and demand better from our governments, corporations and each other to ensure we have a habitable planet in 20 years.  Enjoy the video:

For more information about Jacque Fresco, his organization and The Venus Project, please visit their official website at:  http://www.thevenusproject.com/

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

 

 

DOCUMENTARIES THAT INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE

How many times have you heard the following statements:

• “One person can’t make a difference”
• “What we don’t know won’t hurt us”
• “Ignorance is bliss”
• “They (politicians/companies) won’t do anything, so why bother”
• “I’m not voting – it’s not going to make a difference anyway”
• “That’s (insert subject matter here) not true, I don’t believe it”

We all have a responsibility to educate ourselves and to seek the truth.  If we continue to walk around with our ‘blinders’ on, we remain ignorant to the events that are happening around us.  Ignorance is not bliss, it is just plain ignorant.

I have compiled a list of documentaries that explore different political and social issues that have allowed me to become more informed and educated on the certain specific topics of what the films are based on.  I hope that you allow yourself to ‘remove the blinders’ and become more aware of what things are happening throughout the world, who the players are and become inspired to act for the greater good of the planet, your health and for the wellness of all of humanity.  Here is my list:

Forks Over Knives (2011)

Directed by Lee Fulkerson

This movie examines the benefits of a low-fat whole foods, plant-based diet as a means of combating a number of diseases.  It also provides an overview of a 20-year China-Cornell-Oxford Project that led to Professor T. Colin Campbell’s findings, outlined in his book, The China Study (2005) in which he suggests that coronary disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer can be linked to the Western diet of processed and animal-based foods (including dairy products).

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

Directed by Davis Guggenheim

Al Gore’s film about the current and potential future effects of global warming or climate change.

Zeitgeist:  The Movie (2007)

Directed by Peter Joseph

Presents a number of conspiracy theories based on religion, the financial crisis and the September 11, 2001 attacks.  This movie has companion pieces in the form of Zeitgeist:  Addendum and Zeitgeist:  Moving Forward.

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

Directed by Michael Moore

A look at the Bush administration and the events that took place prior, during and post the 9/11 attacks.  This documentary is currently the highest grossing documentary of all-time (preceded by Madonna’s Truth or Dare, which held that title for 11 years).

I Am (2011)

Directed by Tom Shadyac

Narrated by Tom Shadyac – this movie follows Tom’s personal journey to seek the answers of the nature of humanity and materialism after a near-fatal bicycle accident in 2007. 

The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

Directed by Robert Epstein

Looks back at the rise, death and legacy of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to get elected into public office in the United States.

Blue Gold:  World Water Wars (2008)

Directed by Sam Bozzo

This movie looks at the world water crisis and examines the impacts (both environmental and political) on the planet’s decreasing water supply

Who Killed The Electric Car? (2006)

Directed by Chris Paine

Narrated by Martin Sheen, this movie explores the creation of the electric car and the bureaucracy/politics as to why they were not made widely available.  A great companion piece to this documentary is the 2011 documentary (also directed by Chris Paine) entitled:  Revenge of the Electric Car.

March of The Penguins (2005)

Directed by Luc Jacquet

A look at the lives of a group of emperor penguins in the Antarctica and the hardships they face.  This Oscar-winning documentary is narrated by Morgan Freeman, Sotie Grabol, Marek Kondrat, Gosta Ekman, Amitabh Bachchan and Fiorello.

Sicko (2007)

Directed by Michael Moore

Investigates the state of the health care system in the United States and compares it to other health care systems around the world.

Vegucated (2011)

Directed by Marissa Miller Wolfson

Explores the challenges faced by those who have chosen a vegan diet.

Bowling For Columbine (2002)

Directed by Michael Moore

This film takes an in-depth look at the causes of gun violence in America after two students went on a shooting rampage in a Columbine High School.

Inside Job (2010)

Directed by Charles Ferguson

Who helped create the 2008 financial crisis that crippled world economies?  This film helps us answer this question.

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (2006)

Directed by Rick Ray

This movie follows the filmmakers attempts to seek the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) in hopes of asking His Holiness questions such as:  “Why are the poor traditionally so much happier than the wealthy?” and “Is it necessary for a society to abandon its centuries old traditions to move into the future?” – just to name a few.  The move also delves into the history of various cultures despite the threat of the political dangers.

Grey Gardens (1975)

Directed by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer

This documentary looks into the everyday lives of a reclusive mother (Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale – Big Edie) and daughter (Edith Bouvier Beale – Little Edie) who both live in a run-down, rodent infested home.  Both reminisce about the past and their socialite past.  A HBO film called ‘Grey Gardens‘ starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore was aired on HBO in April 2009.  The film won six Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes.

Super Size Me (2004)

Directed by Morgan Spurlock

Morgan documents himself as he eats nothing but McDonald’s – the results are not very surprising but never-the-less interesting.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

TOO HOT TOO HANDLE!

There has been much controversy surrounding ‘global warming’ or ‘climate change’.  Many skeptics believe that evidence does not support claims that the planet is warming – so why bother worrying about the ‘what if’s’.  What is the extent of the scientific consensus of global warming?  It is 95% – could 95% of the scientific community be wrong?  I would rather take my chances in believing the scientists and work towards solutions to combat this problem.  

Many people figure that there is no big deal if the planet warms by a few degrees – they should.  In 1995, Chicago experienced the worst heat wave in decades.  Temperatures approached 106 degrees for more than 6 consecutive days, killing 800 people.  In Europe in 2003 a heat wave killed 6,000 people in Germany, 14,000 in France and 19,000 in Italy.  Why was this not given more media attention?  Is it because we are to pre-occupied with materialism and things that will continue to contribute to the global warming epidemic.  Heat wave deaths are predicted to double by 2020 if global warming is not curbed.

Global warming is caused when heat is trapped on earth’s surface.  Sunlight comes through our atmosphere and gets absorbed by the surface of the earth.  The surface heats up but the heat doesn’t escape into space because it is blocked by greenhouse gases (water vapour and carbon dioxide).  The concern is not with the natural greenhouse effect but that mankind is changing it with our dependency on burning coal, oil and gas.  Scientists are sure that we are changing the climate in the forseeable future, what they are not sure of is if we can live with those changes.  Currently, global warming is responsible for the following:

• Oceans becoming warmer (this increases evaporation causing more rain).
• Less moderate rainfalls in the U.S.A. and more increased heavy rainfalls.
• Decrease/depletion of drinking water due to lack of snowpacks (since 1950, spring snowpack has declined by as much as 60%).
• Weather extremes (more hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, forest fires)

If we do not do anything to curb/stop global warming, we will lose much more of our coral reefs, species will become extinct, there will be no glaciers left and see levels will rise above 150 feet – causing major devastation to many of the major populated areas around the coastline.

Many think that it is too expensive to do anything about global warming – so they do nothing which will transfer the cost to future generations.  Are our world governments doing all they can to help our planet in the fight against global warming? NO, THE ARE NOT!!!!  Governments cater to the big oil conglomerates and the auto industry the reap the benefits of pushing oil.  We must demand action from our government to stop our dependency on oil and other corporations that have no interest in our environment.  We need to ensure our governments work towards building a future that relies on sustainable energy, like solar and wind.  We need to ask  the automobile industry to create more affordable hybrid and electric vehicles.  Going green will save the economy – by creating more ‘greener’ jobs and initiatives that will help our planet. 

It is imperative that we stand up and fight for this planet – it should be our governments top priority (not spending billions of dollars on starting/fighting wars).  We need a healthy and vibrant world – we need to be able to continue to breathe fresh air and have clean water to drink.  A more sustainable planet is not only the responsibility of our governments and big corporations, it is also up to us!  We must stop the demand of BIGGER televisions, BIGGER cars, BIGGER trucks etc.  We must stop using chemicals that pollute our waterways, rivers, lakes and oceans – the better substitutes are available.  We have to stop becoming a ‘throw away’ society and focus on creating products that will not harm the planet further.

There are many things you can do to help in the fight against global warming – such as the things I have mentioned above like;  buying more fuel-efficient cars (hybrid/electric), stop buying household cleaners that pollute our waters and use greener solutions and recycle.  But the most important thing you can do is let you Member of Parliament know that you will not vote for them if their top priority isn’t making our planet the top priority.

The following documentaries are great movies to help you understand the topic of global warming (please watch and share them):

• An Inconvenient Truth
• The Age of Stupid
• Carbon Nation
• Global Warming:  The Signs of the Science
• Five Ways to Save the World

Be on the lookout for Chasing Ice – a new documentary following National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers and their effects on the planet.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

COMING OUT OF THE DARKNESS

Have you ever thought about what motivates you on a daily basis?  Do you get up shower, eat breakfast and then go to work because that is what we are taught or supposed to do?  Do you go through your daily routine because you have to – after all, we do have to pay bills and feed ourselves, right?  Have you really thought about why you are going through the daily motions and the state of mind you are in when you do them?  Take a long hard look at what you are doing and then ask yourself why you are doing it.

I always acted on what I was supposed to do and not what I really wanted to do.  My parents always said “get an education, finish school because that is the only way you will end up with a decent job”.  They never encouraged me to follow my dreams and what I was passionate about.  It was much more important to get a pay cheque than to be happy.  I really can’t pinpoint the pivotal moment in my life when I started to think differently.  I have always known that I was passionate about animals, human rights and our environment but I never really had the support from my parents to act out on my passion.  I also lacked the self-confidence to tell myself that it was okay to be passionate in helping someone other than myself.  The support system that was in place for me, really emphasized my need to do what everyone else was doing – go to work and get a pay cheque – the more money I made the happier I would be.  I am so glad that I have grown and have become so comfortable in my own skin not to believe the ridiculous statement of ‘the more money I make, the happier I will be’.

I don’t have any regrets about not having the realization to act out of passion much sooner than I had because, I wouldn’t have learned the lessons that I was supposed to learn to become the person I am today.  I have made it my mission and purpose in life to ensure that I accomplish the thinks I want to do because I am passionate about them and not because of what I can get out of accomplishing those goals.

I was thrilled when I came out of the darkness – it was a process that took over 25 years and that continues today.  Whether you know it or not – we are constantly being told what to think, what to eat, which pill to take, what exercises to do, what to watch, where to shop, what to buy etc….In order to ‘wake-up’ – we must first silence all of the static around us.  That static only instills fear and confusion into us so that we don’t act in an authentic way.  In order to silence the static – we need to stop listening to all the negative news stories that the media constantly bombards us with – instead of political scandals, why not take the time to learn what the candidates state for and make your voting decision based on what you think is important for your town/city/province/state/country or world?  If you are not happy with the stance your political leaders have on the issues – demand better of them, it is our duty and our right to do so.  Other ways of removing the static from our lives is to meditate, exercise and proper nutrition.  If you do these thing you will not need the mind-numbing drugs that are consistently being subscribed to us, whether they are for physical ailments or mental anguish – all prescription drugs do is numb our bodies, our minds and our souls.

Coming out of the darkness – has allowed me to think clearer.  It has allowed me to make my own decisions about religion, politics and social issues.  I have learned that many of the lessons that were taught to me were lessons other people believed to be true.  For example;  I was always led to believe that eating meat was essential to our survival until I found the truth to be something different.  Every time I met a vegetarian/vegan – I would pass judgement on them for my lack of understanding.  My decision to stop eating animals was a more ethical one but educating myself on how we obtain pork/chicken/beef and the environmental implications alone was what made my decision much easier.  We need to ask ourselves – Why do we never see PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals) statistics or advertisements?  Why is it okay to be told that we must drink milk or over-stuff ourselves with this beef burger or that chicken/fish sandwich?

Coming out of the darkness, has also allowed me to awaken my passion for our environment.  I was always in awe of nature’s beauty.  Any of my friends can tell you, that I was always happiest when I was with nature and appreciating its beauty.  I was always outraged whenever I witnessed mass man-made devastation on our planets parks, forests, lakes, rivers and oceans but I never acted on that passion because I was always told that there was nothing that we could do to prevent that devastation.  How much more of a difference could I have made had I listened to that voice inside of me?  That doesn’t matter because I am doing what I can now.

I am creating awareness about the plight of our environment via this blog.  I use social networking to ensure that the messages that need to be heard about the unethical treatment of animals and our environment is getting out there.  The truth needs to be told and I am doing my part.  The issues that matter most to me – I believe, are issues that should matter to all of us – cleaner air, sustainable energy, electric cars, greener homes, organic farming (not genetically modified foods).  If we all made an effort – we would definitely begin to see positive outcomes for our way of life, for our planet and most of all – for our future.

Here are some great resources to ensure you receive the correct information about our environment, climate change, nutrition and becoming a vegetarian/vegan.  Arming yourself with the facts is a start to taking the proper course of action:

PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals)

wwf.panda.org

www.algore.com

www.greenpeace.org

www.pluginamerica.org

www.davidsuzuki.org

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Together, we can make the world a more positive one.