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

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Environmentalist stares at photo of young self as he approves of Dubai Rainforest

Click here to access article from The Pan-Arabia Enquirer.
The giant rainforest, which will require 20,000 gallons of desalinated water each week, and will house imported animals from Africa, is to be built near the club house at the new Donald Trump Golf Course in the gated Damac Properties’ Akoya Oxygen development.
 As [Environmental Officer] Hasslett signed off on his environmental impact report, which described the project as “excellence in sustainability solutions”....