We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Mounting Evidence of Man's Destruction of Nature?

by Ron Horn. 

While checking out Al Jazeera's website this morning, I was struck by the number of articles possibly related to man's impact on the environment and the adverse effects. As you may know if you follow my blog, I see an ominous future ahead as the capitalist system drives humanity into ever greater conflict with the ecological limits of the earth.  Because I always try to be on guard regarding any of my prejudices influencing my perceptions, I am wary of concluding that the numerous articles provide evidence to support my viewpoint.

Informing my perceptions are the high incidence again this summer of wildfires in my State of Washington and all up and down the west coast of the US, high temperatures in many parts of the country, and the seemingly high incidence of severe rainstorms causing flash floods in the eastern areas of the US.


Anyway, check out all of these links from this single website that disturbed me and see what you think:

Heatwave sweeps the globe [9 slides]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/08/20108113833370619.html 
The floods came after what meteorologists described as an "unprecedented" 30 centimetres of rain fell in just 36 hours. Experts believe the worst of the rainfall is now over, but the extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Niger fights prolonged drought [2:46m video] 

Vietnam farmers turn to prawns
Farmers across southeast Asia have been forced to change centuries-old traditions, as changing weather patterns damage once-fertile lands in the region.
For years, Vietnam's Mekong Delta was the country's rice bowl but rising sea levels are now pushing salt waters ever further inland.
Fires extend grip in western Russia
   
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