this is your blind spot, blind spot it should be obvious, but it’s not - radiohead
According to the 2009 Documentary, Blind Spot, we’re toast. Well, that’s not exactly what they say, but if you do a bit of between-the-lines listening to their experts and especially the sociologists it’s pretty clear. The world uses too much energy, the US more than anyone. Our consumer based economy relies on cheap energy. An economy based on consumerism is not sustainable. The world population is out-of-hand. Oil, coal, natural gas exist in a finite supply. Neither government, corporations, nor consumers have the ability to think beyond the end of cheap energy. We simply will not do enough to prevent or prepare for a nightmare correction. That’s well, very nearly a fact. I say “very nearly” only because we’d all rather dangle from the trapeze of hope than face the very real possibility of falling. Of course, that’s exactly the issue.
Now here’s the second thought I had while watching this movie. I thought, “I know all this.” Well, most of it anyway. Then I thought, “I bet nearly everyone else who has watched this movie knows this stuff as well.” Let me be clear, I love the movie. It’s one of my new favorite environmental documentaries. (You can watch it on NetFlix btw.) I’m just asking what value is there if my uncle wouldn’t “waste his time” on some “tree-hugging propaganda”. I wonder if Avatar isn’t more useful tool in the long run..
In thinking about this I was reminded of one of my Twitter streams. In it I follow a whole bunch of great outdoor folks. But over time I’ve noticed that all day long I’m watching blurbs about all the ways we’re f’ing up the planet. Mixed in are the occasional entreaties to “join” this or “Fight” that. I read how congress is attacking the EPA or this law or that law is going down the drain. I’m asked to send emails to some representative to say “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” (Another good movie by the way!) Oh and occasionally something good happens… Thing is, this ME you’re talking too. I’m on your side. I get it. In fact EVERYONE on your Twitter account is most likely on your side. We all agree with you and we all feel strongly about the environment. Thing is I’m not sure any of this is helping. Preaching to the choir obviously won’t help. Yes, we might read a good article and go home and tweak up our own lives a bit and while that’s good in-of-itself, we’re not critical mass. Complaining among ourselves won’t help. Even the reading about the little victories or new inventions that will never get the public’s attention or support won’t help. None of the facts and figures get us anywhere if Joe A., the non-environmentalist won’t take it seriously. And ol’e Joe doesn’t much care for politics. I mean, it’s not like he doesn’t care, but he’s got a busy life and a family to raise. If you asked him, he’d probably tell you that someone will work it out, eventually. One thing is sure, he’s rarely on the bike trails and he’s certainly isn’t on Twitter. Joe, is who we need to be talking to.
You know, I’m not putting anybody down here. We’re all doing our best. We’re writing, posting & Tweeting about the environment because we have to. We feel the problems and we feel the need to scream out about them. I’m right with you there. It’s just that I’m becoming very aware that we don’t need any more news, or science or environmental activists telling us where we’re headed. We know. What we need now are sociologists to find a way to make the rest of humanity to care enough to actually do something about it. Cuz right now, nothing’s working.
Sorry if this post isn’t about kayaking.. but you have to admit it’s certainly quixotic.
A Little More Video From AL Barlett – Professor Emeritus in Nuclear Physics at University of Colorado at Boulder.
it should be obvious, but it’s not
- radiohead
Now here’s the second thought I had while watching this movie. I thought, “I know all this.” Well, most of it anyway. Then I thought, “I bet nearly everyone else who has watched this movie knows this stuff as well.” Let me be clear, I love the movie. It’s one of my new favorite environmental documentaries. (You can watch it on NetFlix btw.) I’m just asking what value is there if my uncle wouldn’t “waste his time” on some “tree-hugging propaganda”. I wonder if Avatar isn’t more useful tool in the long run..
In thinking about this I was reminded of one of my Twitter streams. In it I follow a whole bunch of great outdoor folks. But over time I’ve noticed that all day long I’m watching blurbs about all the ways we’re f’ing up the planet. Mixed in are the occasional entreaties to “join” this or “Fight” that. I read how congress is attacking the EPA or this law or that law is going down the drain. I’m asked to send emails to some representative to say “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” (Another good movie by the way!) Oh and occasionally something good happens… Thing is, this ME you’re talking too. I’m on your side. I get it. In fact EVERYONE on your Twitter account is most likely on your side. We all agree with you and we all feel strongly about the environment. Thing is I’m not sure any of this is helping. Preaching to the choir obviously won’t help. Yes, we might read a good article and go home and tweak up our own lives a bit and while that’s good in-of-itself, we’re not critical mass. Complaining among ourselves won’t help. Even the reading about the little victories or new inventions that will never get the public’s attention or support won’t help. None of the facts and figures get us anywhere if Joe A., the non-environmentalist won’t take it seriously. And ol’e Joe doesn’t much care for politics. I mean, it’s not like he doesn’t care, but he’s got a busy life and a family to raise. If you asked him, he’d probably tell you that someone will work it out, eventually. One thing is sure, he’s rarely on the bike trails and he’s certainly isn’t on Twitter. Joe, is who we need to be talking to.
You know, I’m not putting anybody down here. We’re all doing our best. We’re writing, posting & Tweeting about the environment because we have to. We feel the problems and we feel the need to scream out about them. I’m right with you there. It’s just that I’m becoming very aware that we don’t need any more news, or science or environmental activists telling us where we’re headed. We know. What we need now are sociologists to find a way to make the rest of humanity to care enough to actually do something about it. Cuz right now, nothing’s working.
Sorry if this post isn’t about kayaking.. but you have to admit it’s certainly quixotic.
A Little More Video From AL Barlett – Professor Emeritus in Nuclear Physics at University of Colorado at Boulder.
If you are interested in the full series, part 1 starts here Arithmatic, Population & Energy.
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