Rape. Pillage, Desecration

Great Sky

view larger
Tuesday 29 June 2010, Wyoming—There is little, if any, of the American landscape that has been left untouched by industrialization. Utility poles, mining operations, electrical generating facilities, roadways, settlements, smoke from industry: these aspects can be witnessed almost everywhere across the entire landscape.

p.s. Please come to the Cascadia Freedom Caravan Olympia report-back on the US Social Forum this Sunday the 29th, 7pm at Fertile Ground Guesthouse. more information: http://olyblog.net/cascadia-freedom-caravan-report-back-us-social-forum

Ship in Port, with Ideas about Success, Materialism, Society, and Health

July 10, 2010
view original size

A ship carrying logs is seen at the Port of Olympia, in the City of Olympia, Thurston County, Washington State. The ship is the STX Pioneer, of Panamanian registry.

Despite the many faceted objections of environmentalists, the Weyerhauser company has teamed up with the public sector and is operating a log export operation at the Port of Olympia.

Many people who understand and care about the environment object to the activities of the Weyerhauser company. The lists of reasons is long. The objections stem at least in part because of the fact that the logging operation is harmful to ecosystems. The logging and shipping imperil the delicate biodiversity that is at the heart of ecosystem health. This goes along with a number of other reasons to object to the log export operations, including but not limited to the environmental effects from the transport of such a heavy commodity over long distances.

Should companies be allowed to engage in activities that harm the environment?

Who does the environment belong to? Or rather, who ought the environment belong to? (To some and not others? To all? To none?)

When there are harmful industrial activities, does it make more sense that some few should benefit disproportionately more than others, or does it make more sense to distribute the wealth in a way so that everyone would benefit equally?

Does the focus on a definition of success that leans on the metrics of materialism (v. spirit, or community, for example) promote a fundamentally harmful, abusive, violent relationship with the material of existence, the substance of the planet?

Is it possible that there other ways of defining success that would be more favorable toward a vision of economic stability and justice, and toward an end to what many believe is the criminal behavior of big companies?

In of the current system societies are engaged in competition to exert control over resources. Instead of this scenario, think about societies moving toward a culture of cooperation and stewardship and mutual prosperity. Think about society moving away from a culture of war, conquest and dominance.

Instead of measuring success based solely on personal material riches, perhaps success could be defined along the lines of a healthy community, on the ability to take care of each other, and to be truly aware and awake, conscious (and conscientious) in our daily lives, so that we are careful to the greatest extent possible to NOT do harm...

Perhaps success could be defined along the lines of efforts to strengthen the fabric of society, to work toward an end to all violence, and an end to all unnecessary suffering - an end to poverty, starvation, illiteracy, homophobia, sexism, ageism, racism, nationalism.

Perhaps success could be defined along the lines of contribution to the mutual health and well-being—the mutual happiness and prosperity—of all people.

Berd

Congressional Caving to Nuclear Industry?

From the text of the flyer:

A $54.5 billion "Permanent Financing Platform" for nukes: A crushing burden on us all.

The nuclear power lobby is demanding more than $50 billion in taxpayer bailouts, loans, and loan guarantees.

"You put up the money," they say. "You take the risks. And We Will keep the profits."

Why does nuclear power need this huge handout? Because it can't compete with renewable energy in a free and open market.

If you thought that rescuing giant bankrupt banks was a bad idea, wait until we face a financial meltdown in the industry that invented meltdowns.

Don't let Congress cave. Tell your Senators and Congressperson: No Taxpayer Bailouts for Nukes!

www.BeyondNuclear.org

Oil Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico

The oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is very bad. BP (British Petroleum) estimates 5,000 barrels a day. Independent analysts estimate that the number could be ten times that much, or more.

At 5,000 barrels a day, the amount of oil would already be 4 times as much as the Exxon Valdez disaster (which happened over 20 years ago off the coast of Alaska.)

This is not to mention the possible effects of chemical dispersants, which have been used in the recent disaster to accelerate the decay of the swirling crude.

Most of the oil that is spewing from a pressurized oil deposit deep under the surface of the water (5,000 feet deep) is not reaching the surface, due to underwater currents. No one knows what the real consequences of this disaster (consequences for ecosystems and all the life in and around the waters of the gulf, and to human lives,) will be.

One thing is for sure though. This is a big deal.

This is not to mention that according to current regulatory policies BP's liability for the disaster is capped at $75 million. The total cost of the disaster could very well exceed the $1 billion mark. I am not sure if the $1 billion estimate includes the placement of monetary value on the potential loss of life (which is extreme.)

Technology, Industrialization, and a Patterns of Harmful Human Behavior

I think we can have a lot of dreams, and make the world a better place, without space exploration.

I really appreciate, and like, some technologies. But I think we have to start questioning and increase our awareness of the effects of these technologies. I think we have to question whether many of these technologies are really making our lives better, and whether there are any harmful side-effects, and whether the side-effects are "worth it."

Instant communications for example. What exactly is the benefit of being able to communicate instantly? There are obvious implications in the financial sector, and in terms of efforts toward economic domination. But economic domination is wrong. It is bad.

Look at the effect of industrialization on the environment. Hundreds of thousands of species driven to extinction by human activities. Climate change, climate disruption, global warming, ocean acidification. You name it. The list is long.

The problem is that human beings have been doing harm for a long time. I believe it is wrong for human beings to hurt each other. I believe it is wrong for human beings to hurt the environment. When we hurt the environment we hurt each other.

When we add industrialization and technology into the mix of harmful/abusive/violent patterns of human behavior, then we get a dangerous and highly undesirable mix.

Does technology really make life better for all of us? Or does it only seem to make life better? Are there harmful consequences that we are unaware of?

Does technology make life considerably worse for some of us? Consider the effect of gun technology. Consider the effect of extractive technologies on miners around the world - and on the environment.

I think there is a very strong argument that technology actually has made life worse for all, or at least many, of us, in many ways!

I prefer a cooperative, caring, kind and compassionate social ethic, rather than one rooted in dominance and oppression, violence, cruelty, hate and fear.

Love and Harmony!

Cheers,
Berd

Industrial Zone

This is the industrial mouth of the Puyallup River, at the Port of Tacoma tideflats.

Global Carbon Emissions

I found this interesting and informative tool on Google:

Here is more about carbon emissions, with information broken down in a list of countries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions#List_of_countries_by_2006_emissions

War Only Benefits Capitalism

A Social Transformation Toward Sustainability and Justice Would Benefit Everyone

the words of Mahatma (Mohandas K.) Gandhi

This quote needs to be framed in reference to the struggle by people native to the Indian Subcontinent against what was the tyrannous and incredibly violent and harmful colonialism that was waged under the auspices of the British Empire.

I also like the idea of altering the quote slightly so that it ends with "everyone wins" - because real social transformation toward justice and sustainability would benefit everyone. Real social transformation, justice and sustainability would prove to be a winner for everyone...

Wow!!! Humanity has done such a huge damage to itself and to the living systems of the Earth in such a short time since the advent of fossil fueled industrialization!

The following are thoughts which are cross-posted at OlyBlog, link below:

I would really like to see people from the various social and environmental justice movements working along more of a unified front.

The root causes of environmental degradation and ecological unsustainability; imperialism and wars of aggression; exploitative labor practices; societal oppression; and poverty and any other social injustice are the same.

I would like to see a broad based, inclusive and supportive social movement - a movement that is accessible to everyone regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, ability, creed, and/or any other distinguishing feature - in order to effectively and successfully challenge the status quo: a status quo which is currently doing so much harm to all people.

Please imagine a movement to challenge the current establishment's enablement of a degrading and dehumanizing status quo of economic instability, ecological unsustainability, and social injustice...

Further thoughts and avenues for consideration on this topic include, but are not limited to, potential solutions and responses such as 1) permaculture: a resilient, sustainable and independent local/regional economic infrastructure, 2) socio-economic egalitarianism, 3) making health care a central and foundational economic feature ...and etc....

larger image olyblog.net/working-union

Weyerhauser Log Lifters at the Port of Olympia

Question: does clear cut logging and overseas log export fit in with a future of ecological sustainability and social justice?

More: Weyerhauser Log Lifters at the Port of Olympia

May We Examine Our Possessions to Try Whether They Contain the Seeds of War

John Woolman quote

In the Absence of the Sacred: The Failure of Technology and the Survival of Indian Nations, by Jerry Mander

I am plugging this book because it is important, and it has significantly influenced my view of the world. In the book the author, Jerry Mander, delivers a skillful critique of technological culture and industrialized society. The basic thesis is that society lacks the philosophical underpinnings to be appropriately skeptical of the effects of technology - and therefore also lacks the perspective to be appropriately protective of itself (and of individuals) against the harmful effects of technology (and industrialization.) Modern industrialized society has taken the sacredness out of our social and individual relationships with the Earth. This has been detrimental to ourselves, to our societies, and to the Earth...

It doesn't have to be like this. Another way is possible. Check it out!

In the Absence of the Sacred: The Failure of Technology and the Survival of Indian Nations, by Jerry Mander.

Here's a link to an interview that appeared in a 1991 issue of The Sun Magazine: "The Sun" interview with Jerry Mander, author of In the Absence of the Sacred

That's all for now.