Dear Friends,
I have just returned from a week in Copenhagen as a Jewish representative to a gathering of spiritual practitioners from around the world. We prayed together, shared together, learnt together and went out to several sites around the city to preach together. The overall reason for our coming together was very sad – the health of the earth is tragic – but we were filled with joy at the amazing opportunity to feel aligned in Oneness at our mutual and sincere commitment to protect the planet from the ravages of humans. Some of our adventures you’ve seen here on Climate of Change, others can be seen on http://www.odysseynetworks.org/ (I am mistakenly referred to as a ‘Rabbi’ which I am not. Reb Zalman ordained me as a Reverend.)
The practitioners from the Eastern religions spoke most about the need to realign the inner ecology of the sentient mind. Those from the West (Christians) spoke about outer action. The Jews took a middle stand. Shabbat was talked about a lot as a source of inspiration for an alternative social and economical model.
The entire city of Copenhagen was dedicated to the struggle for awareness with spectacular sculptures and posters at every corner. Protest meetings were held at the large sports complex as well as in the ‘hippy’ commune of Christiania. And a large, mainly peaceful, demonstration took place on Shabbat.
In recent article in the New York Times by Stewart Brand (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/opinion/15brand.html?_r=2&ref=opinion) refers to four categories of people: denier, skeptic, warner, calamatist. I only met the latter two. However I came to the conclusion that it might be a good idea to temporarily put aside the issue of climate change and instead become aware that the world is in great danger of dying anyway. The oceans are at a critical point of no return, the top soil in many parts of the world is exhausted, pollutants are increasing, etc. All these factors are being exasperated by the increase in global temperatures.
I want to bring to your attention two magnificent and deeply troubling TED talks that illustrate these two factors:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sylvia_earle_s_ted_prize_wish_to_protect_our_oceans.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/james_balog_time_lapse_proof_of_extreme_ice_loss.html
Let us pray that the actions of a small group will motivate the many, the more enlightened will uplift the less, the sanctifiers of the earth will dissuade the desecrators, that much less energy will illuminate much more, and that the holy Earth will remain a resting place for the Shechinah.
Happy Hanukah
Michael, Jerusalem
Www.JewishClimateInitiative.org
Global Warming-IS- Human / Industrial Pollution
As you know, scientist and science itself has been slandered with misinformation and ridiculed in advance of the talks. (A favored, repeated, and effective, right wing tactic).
Is Global Warming related to human/ industrial pollution? The atmosphere seems to be an arbitrary subject right now because of the propaganda effort to confuse the linkage between burning of fossil fuels and its effect on the atmosphere.
The real question is- are we going to put pandering ahead of science in addressing and acting upon human/industrial pollution now and in the future?
The best indisputable SCIENCE example that should be a test model and the #1 item on the Copenhagen Agenda would be the toxic plastic waste dump, the size of Texas, 900 miles off of the United States and Canadian West Coast.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GreatPacificGarbatchageP
That is a Big SCIENCE problem with no dedicated U.S SCIENCE and INNOVATION DEPARTMENT to address the issue. The U.S (or Canada) has not even sent out a SCIENCE research vessel to evaluate this ecological disaster; neither country wants to take the responsibility for the industrial/human pollution or even acknowledge its existence.
No Profit-No Action!-No SCIENCE! Will the World Trade Organization and the New Industrial World Order address the issue? Where is their World SCIENCE Department? Advancement in SCIENCE would outmode the use of fossil fuels but the U.S has not funded innovative SCIENCE since 2001.
http://www.eere.energy.gov/inventions
Can the problem be solved with SCIENCE? Probably so, Americans are very ingenious primarily because we were raised with the compliments of Freedom and Democracy and are free thinking individuals. We could probably figure a way to clean up the mess and possibly make a profit doing so.
We can do nothing until we have a funded DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE that is free to address SCIENCE and to develop the advancement of SCIENCE. (Yes, for the sake of humanity; SCIENCE FIRST-PANDERING SECOND.)
Their is lot more to make action as sugggested by Dr. Kagan.The COP brings together all 192 countries that have signed the United Nations Convention Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). … Acne Treatment
I came to the conclusion that it might be a good idea to temporarily put aside the issue of climate change.
There is a lot of arguments here but it seems like more pros. Amazing article.
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