Monday, February 17, 2014

Kerry's Almost Right: Today it Is Bigger: John Kerry: Climate change as big a threat as terrorism, poverty, WMDs

Happy Olympics. Loving the events! The US is doing pretty well. And vs. Russia in the medal count too. Remember what a big deal that was growing up in the Cold War? Makes me nostalgic (loved the Soviet/US astronaut friendship feature), thinking how some big things have changed. Now bigger threats, rather than worrying about Soviet nukes, are terrorism and climate change. The second is positioned to be the worst by far. Quiet and insidious, one of the problems with climate change is that it's an adversary that is tough to envision (big hint: oil, coal, individual apathy and the power of greed). We as a great country rally. Bode Miller got bronze. If we as a nation get this on the podium, we will win.

Us/you. Do our part. Next car HAS TO BE an electric car. Turn off lights not used in your house. Let a reputable company -- at $0 to you -- put solar panels on your roof and sell you the sun's clean energy. Lower your bill. solarcity.com sungevity.com They'll give free quotes. Be mindful and ACT, help, send letters, call your politicians, at least sign big petitions. Take your kids to the first leg of the historic cross-country Climate March that starts in LA March 1st. http://climatemarch.org/

Them: Urge politicians to pass a carbon cap, and carbon tax in the U.S.http://citizensclimatelobby.org/options-for-action/current-actions/ Tell them the EPA must close down coal plants today until they can come online without spewing such pollution. We need to get to 350 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere. This needs to start today.

(CNN) -- Saying that climate change ranks among the world's most serious problems -- such as disease outbreaks, poverty, terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on all nations to respond to "the greatest challenge of our generation."

Kerry said he and Obama had no time for what he called the "Flat Earth Society." It will soon be too late for action to prevent the immense costs of doing nothing. People who refuse to look at the evidence and agree on change are "burying their heads" in the sand, he said.

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Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012

Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012
I've been thinking some about the Winter Solstice, the Mayan end of the 30,000-year-cycle on 12/21/12.

What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.

Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?

Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.

Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)

Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.

But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)

Still we are finite on this ride.

It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.

For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.

Antidotes to Violence, a.k.a., Take Charge of Where Your Head's At - here

Tell Congress to Strengthen Gun Control Laws NOW - here

Good News & Brain Food News -
Christians & Muslims Gather, for Peace here
Good News - Top RIO+20 Summit Posts here
The 'Busy' Trap - NYTimes.com
here