{"id":6212,"date":"2017-07-13T08:10:01","date_gmt":"2017-07-13T06:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marjoleininhetklein.com\/?p=6212\/"},"modified":"2017-08-01T08:10:20","modified_gmt":"2017-08-01T06:10:20","slug":"is-there-any-hope-for-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marjoleininhetklein.com\/en\/2017\/07\/13\/is-there-any-hope-for-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Is there any hope for us?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week I saw a few messages on my Facebook timeline that left me angry, down, and made me feel like there is only a small group of people calling for help while the big masses keep on living like there\u2019s no tomorrow. All the while, the people who can actually make a difference in this world \u2013 our political leaders and the multinationals that basically run the show \u2013 continue to make economic growth their top priority.<\/em><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

I read several articles on biologist Paul Ehrlich, posting a red alert on global mass extinction. All kinds of animal species are quickly losing their habitat because of human overpopulation and mass consumption. You can read more about it in this article<\/a> in the Dutch daily newspaper Volkskrant.<\/p>\n

Then I ran into this article<\/a>\u00a0from New York Magazine, showing us a devastating prospect on climate change. It\u2019s a long article, but I recommend you read it anyway. You can think what you want, but let\u2019s not beat around the bush here: climate change had been proven beyond doubt and its warp-speed downwards spiral is due to human actions.<\/p>\n

How come we aren\u2019t busting our asses to change the system? A little hipster green doesn\u2019t even come close to what we need in order to turn this downwards spiral around. And yet our politicians are fighting over the few drops in the ocean that they want to make. They KNOW that our species can only survive if we stop putting humans first and all other lifeforms second. And if they don\u2019t, they need to read Kate Raworth. Her book \u2018doughnut economics\u2019 explains plainly and simply why and how things need to be changed, using terms such as \u2018ecological ceiling\u2019 and \u2018social threshold\u2019 (read more in this article<\/a> of De Groene Amsterdammer).<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

In the meantime, while hoping that the shocking state of our planet will shake them up and force them into action \u2013 not least because their precious economic growth will stall if severe drought makes it impossible to grow enough food to feed 7.5 billion mouths \u2013 there\u2019s also plenty more we can do ourselves. It\u2019s possible that the people who haven\u2019t even started to think about this will also have stopped reading at this point because they don\u2019t care. Tough, but there\u2019s not much I can do about that.<\/p>\n

I truly believe that we need to help each other make steps towards the society we really want to create. Stop pointing fingers and start a conversation. What\u2019s difficult for you to change, knowing you should change it to create a better planet? Are there resources? Is there knowledge we can share? Can we do things together? For example, you may know that I\u2019ve been trying to cut down on meat and eventually want to stop eating meat altogether. And if I really want to make an effort, I might as well go vegan. Because animals in the dairy and egg industry are no better off than the animals in the meat industry. But I lead a busy life, I\u2019m not much of a cook and I don\u2019t have the time to think about what I should eat and where I have to buy the ingredients \u2013 and with as little packaging as possible. So last week I ordered a vegan organic meal box and I\u2019m really excited! It\u2019s home delivered, it looks good, the meals are each packed in a paper bag with almost everything you need, including the recipe. Thirty minutes in in the kitchen and I\u2019m ready to eat! That\u2019s my kind of vegan cooking! I\u2019m even enjoying it, it\u2019s 100% organic and\u2026and\u2026. So there are ways to make going green a little more comfortable. But it takes you and me to help and encourage each other.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

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I regularly share alarming messages on my private Facebook page and I know some of my friends find it annoying. They don\u2019t want to see those messages because it confronts them with what they already know deep down inside. We all need to change and we all have a responsibility. But acknowledging that means having to give up some comfort, and that\u2019s hard. Yesterday I got so angry by the article on mass-extinction that I shared it with the following message:<\/p>\n

I know that some of my FB-friends find some of my messages annoying \u2013 the messages that challenge them to think about what we\u2019re doing to our earth. Well to hell with that, unfriend me if you have to. Because what the hell are we doing?? What does it take for us to get our heads out of our asses and stop making ease and comfort our priority at the expense of all other living beings on the planet? We simply don\u2019t have the right!<\/em><\/p>\n

We. Need. To. Change. Big. Time. And .We. Are. All. Responsible.<\/em><\/p>\n

And no, I\u2019m not perfect and I also have a lot to improve. Can we help each other do that?<\/em><\/p>\n

But, this morning I realized that a message like that is not effective. Only sharing doom messages will not lead to behavioral change, but to feelings of gloom, annoyance and passiveness. We need to stimulate each other, help each other, talk to each other and give good examples. Don\u2019t judge, but help: suggest solutions and applause when we see progress. We can make a snowball effect happen: a snowball effect of awareness and better living.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

We also need to keep asking our government for change, but I\u2019m not sure how we should do that. Wouldn\u2019t it be nice if there were a transparent and honest organization that could help identify the proper subjects and information, and could help us get in touch with the most influential people. Does anyone have a suggestion? Is there an organization like that?<\/p>\n

So, now a good look at myself. I\u2019m doing really well on my energy and water usage and consumption pattern. Also I\u2019ve been eating less and less meat and I\u2019ve started incorporating vegan cooking into my life. And: no kids, so that\u2019s extra credit (just kidding ;) ). I also recycle paper and glass.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s room for improvement when it comes to waste. My energy drink addiction leads to a lot of sheet metal waste, but I just can\u2019t stop right now. The same goes for smoking, for that matter. Those two things are REALLY hard to give up for me. I also use my car often, because taking the train is expensive and I don\u2019t like it very much. Add to that my vacation to the USA by plane, I think that\u2019s another 3 square feet of Arctic ice\u2026. I could start buying my clothes second hand, or from sustainable brands if second hand isn\u2019t an option (like underwear). Changes in clothing is a doable option for me, as is going vegan. Those other points\u2026I don\u2019t know just yet.
\nHow about you? Is there anything you could change fairly easily today? And what is really hard for you to change? Maybe we can all figure something out that makes changing fun, like the vegan meal box?<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n