SOS: PREVENT NEEDLESS DEATHS BY STEMMING CLIMATE CHANGE

grain.org

Why hasn't the world heard this? According to Vandana Shiva, activist, ". . .more than a  quarter of a million farmers have committed suicide. . ," in India as an indirect result of climate change. Ms.Shiva, a passionate crusader for environmental sustainability, land protection and social issues has the credentials to support her bold statement. Trained as a physicist, Ms. Shiva serves as Director, Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in Delhi (a.k.a. New Delhi, India).

Not an overestimation, the figure Ms. Shiva elicits tells us 250,000 farmers, whose only source of income is the land, have lost hope.Their connection to the land is like a fisherman's to the water or a painter's to her palette. When land is misused, corrupted or removed to serve artificial,oligarhical interests, the disconnect between man and nature grows wider. Vandana Shiva avers that farmland in India has been confiscated due to GMO (genetically modified organism) crop propagation. That is, the average cotton farmer in India cannot compete economically with larger, corporate subsidized landowners/farmers who grow genetically modified crops.Those who try to upgrade their farms become indebted to creditors that make money through their larger suppliers, and when unable to settle their debt. . .

Ms. Shiva adds that "Extreme weather is the norm," in India, making life for farmers beyond challenging. I know climate change followers and news-watchers wouldn't dispute this statement when describing the rest of the world, too. (The Progressive, June 2014, Interview with Vandana Shiva, David Barsamian)

Like other indigenous people, the traditional Indian farmer considers the land sacred. Native Americans know this struggle well. Casinos may provide income to a percentage, and yet there are those who resist any monetary incentives because their families revere the land of their ancestors. Take the Grand Canyon, for example, the Navajo have declined an offer from developers who want to build an Escalade, with a gondola ride into the Canyon, along the eastern perimeter. The resistant Navajo are the true keepers of their environmental heritage. More so, indigenous nations have foreseen what would become of the Earth long before most scientists. But few experts listened.

Psychologists can tell you anxiety/depression issues often center around the escalating violence in the world and climate change. Most people need consistency, stability in their lives. From our local communities to federal government. From job security to daily routines. I'll use a seemingly benign illustration. I'd be safe in arguing that if polled, many people would cite "the weather" as their favorite opening to a conversation. Comfort, reliability underscore a typical discussion: "Great day, isn't it?" "Oh, yeah, beautiful." Expectations seeped in accepted patterns: "It's so hot today," a complaint you'd hear in Florida during mid-summer, would be a recognized discourse.

Ironic, as the climate parameters that we've become accustomed to have begun to change--depending on where you live--daily, weekly, monthly and so on. Today, a pall exists when weather pattern divergence or climate shift is discussed. Whether you believe or not, the word "climate" and the phrase "climate change" have brought understandable reservation; fear to average Americans, though they might be hard-pressed to admit it.

On Cape Cod, with a blip here and there, we're used to moderate winters that often extend into spring, warm summers that rarely drop below the 70s or go above the 80s/low 90s, and a temperate fall. Still, our weather broadcasters beat their heads trying to give accurate forecasts because of  the unpredictable weather. However, Cape Codders and "wash ashores" alike would agree these patterns have changed significantly over the last ten years. Warmer ocean temps have brought an abundance of seals, and with them great white sharks. August feels like September and July like August. Lobster catches have dropped. The worst hit has been the commercial fishing industry that has been netting decreasing numbers of mainstay fish, especially cod.

I'll let others, experts, provide the countless examples of climate change around the world. Each and every person has been directly or indirectly affected by global warming. Those who live among the mainstream cannot shun the human toll brought about by land-grabbing and feigned ignorance of industrial pollution. Indeed, as mentioned above, Ms. Vandana Shiva challenges all to rethink how we look at nature. And, she speaks for the many who have so little.

Media posts and broadcasts continue to emphasize all that is lost. Let's remind ourselves, however, that with every terrible story we read, see or hear about climate change there have been some positive, environmental developments. Humpback whales have returned to New York's harbor. The Hudson River has never been cleaner. The Piping Plover continues to win its battle for existence here on the Cape.

To end, like a coral polyp in the Great Barrier Reef, these positive signs represent only a minute fraction regarding what needs to be done. Our fragile planet is in peril. All of us could lose, as in India, everything, in the blink of an eye. We, the luckier ones who do survive and thrive, must join the fight to preserve the Earth for all mankind. Remember this! Making a small gesture to help moves oneself away from despair and into the living world.

As with my previous blogs this month, I'd like to remind readers about the PEOPLE'S CLIMATE MARCH, Sunday, September 21 in NYC and other cities around the world.  Please go to: http://peoplesclimate.org/march/ for more information.

BI-PARTISANSHIP & THE ENVIRONMENT: Protests Aren't Enough In Today's Economic Climate

Nauset Beach (All Rights Reserved 2013)

I'll freely admit to my Progressive followers that my father favored what was then called: "Rockefeller Republicans." Dad worked, under Governor Nelson Rockefeller, as Director of Public Relations for the Department of Labor. Governor Rockefeller, along with others among his family, staunchly supported environmental causes, even to the point where "he," Nelson Rockefeller, (I don't know if he used a ghost writer) wrote a book on the subject. Rockefeller, the family's foundation/charities, spurred would-be volunteers like my father to participate in community non-profits, especially those that supported conservation.

Often forgotten in our now divided "United" States, during the late sixties, and seventies, Republicans had a moderate-to-liberal faction with a strong voice. They believed in working with the Democrats to find solutions to the multiple pollution problems that plagued our country. In fact, the once famous ad of Iron Eyes Cody (1971(with a tear running down his face) was a PSA or Public Service Announcement. How many "Keep America Beautiful" ads do we see today?. We still see Smokey the Bear. Whatever happened to PSAs for environmental conservation? Even in my "blue" state of Massachusetts, promotions are rarely aired on commercial television to raise public awareness. No wonder a recent survey showed a large percentage of Americans were unaware of man's contribution to greenhouse gases and global warming. And, there are those who refuse to see it or argue that climate change, and I've heard this on Cape Cod, ". . . is another one of those liberal causes."

You see as Cape Cod's population has grown, among year-long and second-home residents, more newcomers with money have moved to the Cape. Great for the economy, charities and tourism, not as much for conservation. The split, politically, is almost down the middle. Discussions about providing running water, keeping lakes and estuaries clean, air pollution (believe it or not we have more than our fair share) have become more adversarial. Proponents of environmental conservation, limited growth have had, at times, their voices stilled by wealthy property owners who threaten to take their business elsewhere. And that's the rub. Across the country, certain people who invest large amounts of money in communities believe they should have the final say; of course, those who do are often politicians or powerful business persons. My argument here is that times really haven't changed in the private sector. As in stories of old, the few often do continue to feel entitled over the many in small towns across the country.

Don't get me wrong. For there exists altruistic, charitable and generous donors who give without expecting subservient passiveness. Spirited yet respected, constructive discussion does happen, on Cape Cod and elsewhere. But it's not enough. To stall climate change, the movement must be grassroots, consistent, and provide sound alternatives. Programs need to be inclusive, e.g. from the small business owner to the construction worker to the banker.Third World countries where positive economic development has made an impact on conservation, i.e. convincing locals that tourism or communal farming are a better use of resources, have had success in limiting over-hunting or killing wildlife that threaten stock albeit in some countries.

I agree that this initiative should have been implemented years ago, when we had a less divisive populous and more consensus in Congress. Nonetheless, we should not stop trying to convince voters across the U.S. and conservative politicians about stemming years of neglect. Those of us who support global awareness of climate change must also provide short-term and long-term productive plans that will catch the attention of the opposition: the people who have the power and the money.

In essence, the much-lamented lack of bi-partisanship that once flourished in the U.S. Congress, and in countries abroad, has declined. Money rules the roost. During the Great Recession, most of us had to use whatever energy we had to survive. Thankfully, we're on the upswing. Our stock market is soaring, and other industrial countries are beginning to recover. Even China has begun reducing pollutants.

Here, in the U.S, and around the world, however, to get "head in the sand," politicians' attention, we who feel passionate about the impact of climate change can't only protest or raise our voices. We need to be organized, boycott when possible, encourage networking throughout the world, bring the smallest communities into the discussion and provide a workable blueprint for the future. Only then will we be heard. Only then will real change happen.

Afterthought: For the curious and local readers, I have limited means and am very grateful to the charities that have helped me through difficult challenges, mainly medical. I recognize those on Cape Cod and Massachusetts who have given so much, expected so little. However, we all have a right to a voice, no matter what our circumstances.

DON'T FORGET the People's Climate March, worldwide, and at the United Nations, Sunday, September 21, 2014. For more info, please go to: http://peoplesclimate.org Thank you!

MAKE BELIEVE!

Creative genius among performers takes audiences away from their mundane routine, helps them either forget the real world or understand it better. In books and films, intellectual down-siders favor film noir or dark realism. Whereas, teenagers prefer gadgets and/or bawdy comedies. Choices are fewer for adults today who like uplifting, well-written romantic comedies or captivating fiction, but all who enjoy a book or film share a common thread: entering the world of make-believe, where we can leave ourselves and become invisible flies on the proverbial wall.

Robin Williams loved to pretend. Through his antics on and off screen, he embodied a celebrity who drew us in, made us think and feel as an actor and a human being. With Williams's passing, the raw pain of his loss new and ever-present, we have lost an icon whose motivation in entertainment and in life was to bring happiness to audiences and to whomever he met. When I watched coverage of William's touching, funny PSA's for the St. Jude Hospital, or his zany, uplifting routines for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, his immediate connection with them mesmerized. He genuinely made these people believe for a moment in pure joy. From a hair-less child receiving radiation treatments for cancer to a regular soldier, he gave them a moment of escape, of make-believe, though neither the girl or the man would ever know from day-to-day whether they'd survive. Robin Williams genuinely loved people.

How is it, then, that many performers who capture our hearts or funny bones can't spur public action for their favorite causes? Because without a script, some actors are out of their element; they don't have the ability to make many believe in their platforms.

Of course alternative "methods" to persuade the public have been used by narrow-minded politicians and social defeatists: brain-washing, bullying, limiting a child or adult's exposure to other points of view, and of course money, all of which produce negative consequences. On Twitter, for example, Tweeters may communicate by screaming and shouting their position repeatedly,but rarely does their ranting persuade. Passion that translates as articulate, intelligent arguments or humorous satire, can make readers or viewers stop and pay attention. Creativity enhances passion. Imagination gets us away from what hurts us to what can heal us while encouraging proactive behavior when there has only been reactive, destructive backlashing.

True, cases exist of well-known artists/performers also resort to figurative head-bashing. However, most have the smarts to use their talent and words wisely. And there are those people who resent celebrities sharing their causes, especially supporting fund raisers that are politically-driven. My response to such critics is: Poppycock! Renowned actors, singers, artists can and should use their skills to reach broader audiences. More so, creative people have the means, if they go off script and are themselves, to persuade those on the fence to believe in the performer's position or charity. My caveat when reading about or watching artists' opinions is that they be well-informed.

Robin Williams knew his "stuff." He was a genius before being an established comic. He absorbed knowledge like a child. Maybe that explains Robin William's great success on and off the screen. He had curiosity, a value that should never end no matter what your age. I believe once you give up learning, being open-minded, finding joy in the new, your mind fossilizes.

Genius, the real thing, is an anomaly. And, we can't depend on celebrity performers, writers or artists to change the world for us. However, if creative talent can grab our attention and hold it long enough to make us "believe," then chances are real change will happen. Do you believe in "make-believe?" Dig down inside. I'd bet you do. Then, use that child-like wonder to make others believe in what matters most: helping others and healing our planet.

Thank you, Robin Williams, for exposing your private self to reach others who suffer from mental illness, and for actively supporting other causes that have helped our global community. Also I'd like to recognize those, public and private, persons who work tirelessly to make our world a better place.

Readers please don't forget the People's Climate March, Sept. 21 in NYC, and other cities, communities around the world. Check the site for more details: http://peoplesclimate.org/march/

ACTION/ADVENTURE MOVIES: Looking for the Hero in Ourselves

Buckle your seatbelts! Love the visual arts, performing arts, literature, most music, peaceful sojourns to the beach, nature in its pristine majesty, indie/art films, dramas, comedies, and forgive me film snobs, action. I draw the line on war movies, horror, and am discerning about which stories I'll tolerate. Anything with a semblance of intelligent humor, Guardians of the Galaxy, a good story, The Avengers, great characters, The Hunger Games, and classics, e.g. I will sit through countless re-runs (w/o commercials) of Star Wars, LOTR, and movies about car racing.

No surprise that my father loved them. He never got enough of now politically incorrect movies such as The Four Feathers (original), anything with John Wayne, car chase scenes or racing, e.g. Grand Prix, submarine dramas, Das Boot and yet he loved Cinema Paradiso and Local Hero, go figure! He would often remember going to double features for twenty-five cents, including transportation, admission and a milk shake afterwards. You see, he'd joined the Navy too late to see the real thing, although as a Pharmacist's Mate he remembered his share of grisly wounds, and I believe he felt survivors guilt as buddies he'd gone to school with had been killed during World War II (My father's brother came back from the war, went to Harvard where he had a psychotic episode and never recovered).

Sharing movies with my Dad and Mom bonded us. We never tired of watching favorite genres. Mom and I loved romantic comedies, which my father also enjoyed. But in the end, though my parents died several years ago, the thrill of seeing a new adventure, preferably in a movie theater, has never palled.

Why do so many people see action movies, these days? Frustrated by helplessness, and hopelessness, the public, as I see it, wants to participate in a quest, journey, battle, or to go along for the ride. I'm not referring to amusement park rides, those metaphors have been used tediously. No, I'm alluding to either pretending to be in the driver's seat or to be like a front seat passenger transposing our thoughts telepathically to the protagonist on the screen. We want to beat back those who repress, stomp, remove our ability to react; to take a stand as we watch the action vicariously in the darkened cinema at the edge of our seats.

In an earlier blog, I mentioned why people with little money attend these and more violent movies, and not to judge. Here, I have a larger method to my nerdy madness. Hemmed in by various medical challenges and financial challenges, I often wish I had the endless energy and means to fight the dragon that is our political system: the narrow-minded politicians and power-mongers who only care about their own agendas. Yes, a plethora of social media exists to express one's opinions. However, who is really listening? To face bullies we must, as Gandhi and Martin Luther King imparted, stand tall, resist, boycott, march, just as the employees of Market Basket stores are doing and the Cape Down Winders are doing on Cape Cod to protest the Pilgrim Nuclear Plant (erected by the same "builders" who opened a plant in Vermont, since closed due to dangerous conditions) in Plymouth, Massachusetts. On a large scale, as participants in the People's Climate March will do in New York and across the globe.

I have done in the past and plan to do in the future at the above march, my part. Even if it means looking ridiculous walking, better yet rolling, down the streets of Manhattan with a rotator walker. To feel I'm holding my own against the world leaders at the United Nations who deny or lessen the impact of climate change. To be empowered to make a difference, in a small way--signing petitions, calling or e-mailing, Instagramming, Tweeting your Congressperson, or volunteering in your community will also have an impact. For me, that belief that I'm tapping my "heroic" side keeps me going when there have been times when I only wanted to survive.

Like Groot, the touching character in Guardians of the Galaxy, who says so much with his eyes and his seemingly benign actions (it can only say, "I am Groot") until pushed to shove, we may not look like an action hero but we have inside us the courage to at least dig our feet, or roots, into the ground and fight for our convictions.

LIGHTNING STRIKES: A STORY IN A SINGLE BOLT

From Accuweather.com

One night on a flight south, we flew by a cloud several thousand feet below--a charcoal gray cumulonimbus, intermixed with purple wisps; a massive mushroom containing numerous giant lightning bugs dancing in patterns amidst the water vapor. The scene has remained in tact years later, and it left me thinking why lightning exists--not how it works--and what can we learn, traditionally and philosophically, from such an ominous weather phenomenon?

In the seconds it took for me to write these words, lightning has struck over 100 times. In an effort to answer one of my above questions, I scoured Internet websites for the benefits of lightening, other than what we hear or read about clearing dead wood forests or providing aesthetically pleasing light shows. One accepted fact involves how lightning oxidizes nitrogen which via rain encourages plant growth. A functional reason, but there is more to explore.

Lightning jumps out at anyone interested in our solar system when we see how it occurs on other planets, e.g. Jupiter and Saturn. Jovian storms, sometimes as big as our moon in diameter or bigger, often appear in science news. Many of us are drawn into otherworldly majesty when watching such displays. Still, scientists continue searching for the unexplained, unknown truth: why lightning exists. The answers are few but the the legends, the theories abound.

More than any other reason, in my mind why we have lightning is that it has inspired civilizations since the beginning of man, isn't that enough of a reason? Mythological figures such as Zeus, the Greek god ruler of the gods and the Sky. Thor, the now omnipresent Norse god of Thunder who can contain the mighty energy of storms. Other legends include the Thunderbird (Native American legend among many tribes) or the Wari, the indigenous people of Venezuela who stated that fireflies gathered to pay homage to the Cataumbo Lightning storms, the most active in the world.

From legends to portrayals, centuries later Henri Rousseau painted Tiger in a Tropical Storm, illustrating that even the fiercest of predators in the wild could be startled by a lightning strike. A healthy respect for the power of nature. Rousseau knew of what he painted:

But these representations keep us at a comfortable distance. Let's get more "grounded" and examine lightning's real fury. Immerse yourself in a photographic essay, a picture showing the tendrilled power of a lightning strike:

Here a brilliant bolt off the Bahamas, via National Geographic, intensifies the electrical "magic" hitting the Caribbean with fury. According to Ocean Today, through NOAA: ". . .each spark can span five miles. . .it spreads out over the water, which acts as a conductor. It can hit boats. . .and electrocute fish that are near the surface of the water." Hence the warnings to not swim during a thunderstorm in any body of water. Though dangerous, the above photograph elicits a myriad of emotions when I examine it. I can see why earlier cultures saw lightning as a weapon sent down from the heavens.

I have also seen a bolt up close and too personal. In 1982, my friend and I on a trip around Europe stayed at a family friends' home in Saint-Cloud, France, outside Paris (the irony of the town's name tickles me). One night, we closed the sea green metal shutters, linked by a clasp, in our room while keeping the window, like a small version of French doors, open. Each of us were in our individual twin beds when during a sudden storm, a bolt hit the clasp, throwing open the shutters and for a split second appearing as if the bolt shot into our room. An experience great for writing fodder, as I see it today, but a major cause of insomnia for both my friend and I that night. Some would see the occurrence as a sign, an omen of pending doom. I hate to disappoint aspiring soothsayers, but nothing ominous happened to us during the remainder of the trip.

What does lightning mean to me years later? The nanoseconds flash before me as I grow older. When I hear the crack or see nature's exclamation point out my window, I remember the fear I had as a child which has morphed into awe.We could assign value to a lightning strike, as an arbiter of all that's dreadful: a casualty of war, the loss of a child, the eradication of a species. Or as a more direct symbol, the monstrous bolt may represent the crack created by an earthquake, the snap of a whip as it hit the bare skin of past slaves, or the scars left behind on children and women by ignorant men.

Conversely, a lightning strike can also portend every time an action is taken to help mankind, to save our natural world and bring healing where this is pain: an incision to correct a cleft lip, an illumination of natural and man-made wonders, a reminder that in an instant we, humankind, have untold reserves of power to change the course of our world's future, including stemming climate change. What a wonderful exclamation point that would be!

Tap your own power, leave your mark and participate in any way you can in the People's Climate March, Sunday, September 21 in NYC, or other cities across the country and around the world. For more information go to: People's Climate March