Thursday, August 7, 2008

Walking Your Talk

We're back from Sirius Rising at Brushwood. Some 1,200 or so assorted pagans, Wiccans, new-agers, had a wonderful time. The weather cooperated, mostly; and the Saturday-night bonfire, where we burned the Thunderbird of Communication, was as enormous as usual.
The idea of the daily community meeting ("village meeting") is to pool ideas for making things even better. There was much discussion on our joint carbon footprint and what attendees could do to "green" Brushwood. The final conclusion was that each person should bring such things as solar-powered path lights and solar panels for any electronic requirement at their own campsite.
The wood burned in the bonfire is generally scrapwood and offcuts from sawmills; still it makes a significant addition to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The unspoken mantra is, "My bonfire is bigger this year than yours was last year, so ha ha!" We've heard the concept verbalized as a dick-waving contest.
If you didn't see the PBS special last week on global dimming, you should endeavor to see a rerun of it; or go to the PBS website and see what you can call up. Anyway, the gist of it is this: Throughout the world significantly less radiation from the sun is reaching the earth's surface than reached it even ten years ago. In Israel, for example, monitoring instruments show that over the last 12 years radiation has diminished by 30 percent. Why should you care? Sunlight is the only source of photosynthesis for all the crops of the world, and the pattern extends worldwide. Experts estimate that we would be experiencing something like 2 degrees more global warming than is currently happening if the dimming weren't going on.
The principal sources of dimming are jet contrails, vehicle exhaust, and smoke. The question is, What can you do?
One morning at Brushwood as we walked away from the community meeting, we had to step over a pile of discarded soda cans thrown into the grass with a sprinkling of butts. This from professed earth-loving pagans.
Okay. You know what would make us happy--or happier? Congress, you pass a law (and occupant of the White House, sign it!) stipulating the following:
1. If you want to buy 20 cigarettes, you bring in 20 filters.
2. Any filters found abandoned on the face of the earth must be (a) recyclable or (b) compostable
Prove to me that I'm wrong, or offer a better choice of dispositions, and I'll withdraw my suggestion. Meantime, I for one am heartily sick of what smokers do to themselves, to me and my descendants, and to the face of the Mother. I am heartily sick as well at the thought that my tax dollars may be going to repair the ravaged bodies of individuals who have knowingly addicted themselves and now expect me to pay for their rehab.
And how about a federal law (not piecemeal state by state) mandating, say a refundable deposit of $1--that's not a misprint--on every aluminum can and every plastic bottle that passes by a merchant's cash register?
Who else feels the same way?
Sure, in some states you already get money back for the cans anyway--but people still can't be bothered to pick them up.
Ah well. We're just a couple of cynical old grouches after all. In another few years it won't matter to us. But if you have (or expect to have) descendants, don't forget. It could conceivably matter to them. Let us know.
Blessed be those who walk respectfully on the earth. Gavin and Yvonne

8 comments:

Shadowhawk said...

Thats true.. Fortunately for me.. 1,, i quit smoking after 25 years, have been smoke free 7 years, and 2 i pick up cans.. .. i wonder if plastics or alloys used in liquid containg.. could be developed that degrade. Its said that glass degades but takes a thousand years. And the outer plastic cover on baby diapers will never degrade. I wonder if the dimming could signal the precursing of another ice age.. Weve only had 18 in the last 1 million years..
Blessed Be Gavin and Yvonne

Shadowhawk

SecondComingOfBast said...

I wish I could quit, but it's nerve wracking. Anytime something really bugs me I reach for one without even thinking about it. Also, I honestly enjoy it. I think it would be all right if you could limit yourself to half a pack a day or less. It might even be good for you if you could maintain that level.

Anonymous said...

My brothers and I learned to camp in BSA(our dad was an Eagle Scout and the best Scout Master) who enfluenced hundreds of young men to improve life circumstances by doing your part, daily. When we broke camp, trash pickup, firepit secured, to pass inspection it had to look better than when we arrived. It worked!

Good laugh about "bring me twenty butts" or you don't get your fix. Simple, effective and helps the individual get an education. Suggest they have an orgasm, instead of nicotine. Endorphines help lift mood and reduce pain. Works for this fifty-four year old ex-work-a-holic.

Is the "cloud seeding, and other" weather manipulation by China and other nations, causing severe damage to Our Mother's Natural heating and cooling circulation?

One solution to reducing litter is security cameras, like the "auto fine for running red light" that are in use, even in Mississippi. Hail Orwell!

SecondComingOfBast said...

Kentucky is a great place to come to if you want to attune with mother nature at its finest. You can go to one of our many rivers or creeks, and if you decide you want to go wading out in one, and you start to get a little tired, it won't be long before you can find a nice tire to sit down on and take a rest.

na said...

I’m a very conscientious smoker; always pocket my butts for later disposal in the trash. Learned how to smoke in the Army, they use to give us a small four pack of cigarettes in every box of C-Rations. They also taught us to pocket our butts (lol).

Now on the issue of tax money for smoker health care, let’s follow Mexico’s example and cut taxes drastically then end all forms of social aid. I’m tired of people growing old then my tax dollars going to feed them and house them, or women having children just to gain more social aid for themselves. Let families pull together and take care of their elderly, sick, and fatherless children.

Kiernos said...

I live in Montgomery WV and was really interested in your Church. Is there any way I can get in direct contact with you? I've been searching for my spirit. And when I heard about you, I felt something within myself that told me to seek you out.

Kiernos said...

I tried to find an e-mail to contact you, but I could not find one. So I posted here. Sorry for
cluttering up the comments.

amy said...

I am new to all this and I just had to say that I agree completely. I quit smoking on my own-no extra drugs used to help, I find I appreciate the hard work it was more-6 1/2 yrs ago. I realized it wasn't helping anyone-doing more damage than good-and I wanted my life to mean something for myself and for my children. It makes me sick to hear about the people who sue for millions in compensation for something that they made a choice to do! What ever happened to accountability. Now I am not even 30 yrs old, and yes I am opinionated, but people have to start being accountable for their actions and stop blaming everyone else. I am in a business where I am required to sell tobacco products...but I also have an entire line of quit smoking products, literature, and the benefit of personal experience. I always try to talk a young person out of it, or someone who indicates that they would quit if they could, I continually talk to them and try to be supportive. I try to remember that some people just really weren't taught any better. Some people were never taught to respect themselves or the earth. I always heard growing up 'you can't fix stupid'...and oh are there ever days that I agree! However I try to remember that I am not perfect, but if I can atleast help one person better themselves than it was worth it. I also understand, unlike some people I know, that I can only help someone if they are willing to listen, craming my opinions and beliefs that are clearly not theirs down their throat is just wasting my time. I can tell you this, from having to deal with tobacco vendors, sales reps, etc...There will be no legislation to help in this sickening matter. As long as greed and power exists. There is too much money in taxes at stake for the government to crack down. And as long as people allow themselves to be held captive by their addiction, they will pay the money. I have seen people choose between food and cigarettes! And they don't make the correct choice in my book. I think people who spend their money on liquor and tobacco should not be able to be provided for by welfare! I have seen people pull assistance money out of an ATM and come to the counter to buy cigarettes. And if I am at the register I usually have a comment. The money is supposed to be to help get on your feet and take care of a child, not kill the only one who is responsible of taking care of said child! Well thanks for the rant! ha ha! You folks have had very interesting opinions, many of which I share, atleast I know I am not insane!

amy