Happy Earth Day 2013…keep Protecting the Planet Together!

 Earth Day Network

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Earth Day Proclamation

Earth Day 2013

 

WHEREAS the global community now faces extraordinary challenges,

such as global health issues, food and water shortages, and economic struggles; and

WHEREAS all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral

right to a healthy, sustainable environment with economic growth; and

WHEREAS it is understood that the citizens of the global community must step forward

and take action to create a green economy to combat the aforementioned global

challenges; and

WHEREAS a green economy can be achieved on the individual level through educational efforts,

public policy, and consumer activism campaigns; and

WHEREAS it is necessary to broaden and diversify this global movement to achieve

maximum success;

&

FURTHERMORE, let it be known that the

Bwana Doc

hereby encourages earth’s residents,

businesses and institutions to use EARTH DAY to celebrate the Earth

and commit to

building a sustainable and green economy;

      NOW THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED,

hereby pledges this Earth Day,

April 22, 2013,

to support green economy

initiatives

around the world

and to encourage others to undertake similar actions

At year’s end, it’s normal to assess where we are and how we as a species are in relationship to our environment.  As usual it’s a mixed bag.  First and foremost, we’re breeding ourselves into extinction at a pace that cannot be sustained.   Equally as usual, we rationalize our reproductive rate as a species mostly by ignoring it or by displacing it.  “If everyone would go vegan—our population would be so much more sustainable” is the cry.  Ignoring the fact that even if the entire world was vegan, we would continue to breed until even the cultivation of the gentle wheat and sensitive spinach would outstrip our gaping, hungry mouth’s demands.

Since our destruction is inevitable, one could say that there aren’t any bright spots in the environment. But that’s not quite so.  Given the fact that we as a species are probably doomed, our actions can still preserve some fellow travelers on this planet until we’re gone and they can continue on their evolutionary paths.

The pressure on Japanese whaling continues.   Demand for Japanese whale meat in Japan is on decline and everyone is optimistic the day will come when the Japanese will give up on Antarctic whaling.  Whether this will translate into stopping whaling in the Sea of Japan—who knows? The killing of dolphins in Tajii and the slaughter of pilot whales in the Faeroes (the grindadráp) continues unabated despite continuing protests.

Likewise, the war against shark finning is making progress.  Several of the states of the U.S. have banned shark fin soup and protests are now even occurring in China—the largest consumer of shark fin soup.  The European Union is moving to ban various loop holes in shark finning harvest bans.   Concrete results in actually reducing the killing remain unknown but at least awareness has been heightened and some effective laws have been passed.

In general, I have to be pessimistic.  The worldwide economic recession has put environmental issues largely on the back burner in national agendas.  There are bright spots—Germany and other middle European countries are massively expanding solar power.  Carbon dioxide emissions are down in Germany and the United States—in the latter mostly through the use of natural gas produced by environmentally safe hydraulic fracturing technologies.  Sadly, too many non-critical thinkers in the environmental movement believe the lies that “fracking” is polluting the environment while ignoring the very real pollution from coal use that is being displaced by cleaner natural gas.  People have to learn how to make hard choices if we’re going to clean up and save our environment.  I’m not optimistic that they will.

Dennis Ray Schneider, Ph.D.

Speaking for “Bwana Doc”