The many categorical ways of approaching climate change is currently a never-ending roll down a metaphorical mountain. A mountain that outlooks an even worse horizon, like the panning of the screen of Frodo in Lord of the Rings as he comes closer to Mount Mordor. Laughably, this planet goes through wave after wave of activism on top of differentiating theories that explain how we got to this point in our worlds ecological demise. Generations following past presence of habit formed a horrible idea in which the results have ended up pushing the human touch on nature to a boiling point, literally. So many problems have risen due to the ignorance of not facing an ecological disaster such as global warming, ice caps melting, etc. What we need isn't another policy on oil or natural gas consumption, alternative energy devotion, or the likes of anything revolving around this tight circle of movement, rather we must all come to the same conclusion on sacrificing short term goals for long-term. It's not the selfish devotion to drilling for that sweet black liquid offshore, causing catastrophic malfunctions of brittle ecosystems, it's not embarking on straining, costly campaigns to end pipeline creation, it's the fact we all must get the same idea as those ecosystems of community like that of trees, those that span lifetimes of age, with interconnected webs of networks larger than states, wide. A change, mattering not to how or what, but when. Our time on this planet has been running on E for a while now, so what will it take to compromise that short for long, that comeuppance of integrity from not just a few but from all. This outlook spans many alleys and endless discussion, those who agree or disagree with the fact that this planets changing for the worse, and has been, shouldn't be a political debate or something simple to agree you with your relatives at the dinner table. We must understand all that is available to be understood so that someday, whether it happens in 5 or 50 years, will better our decisions on understanding that we aren't a part of this planet just because we can be, but that we can leave it for later generations. Because of this overabundance of information on this topic, we look at 'Oil and Honey' by Bill McKibben, as well as selections from Naomi Klein's 'This Changes Everything'. From communal living to activism both domestic and abroad, we are going to understand the broader picture that is environmental ethics, concern, and rehabilitation, or at least a small glimpse of it to better our individual associations with the planet that houses us graciously.
Our first look into one of the many outlets of idealism towards a better, much more cleaner tomorrow is illustrated in Bill McKibbens 'Oil and Honey'. In it he details things like bee farming, silent calls of despair from mountain tops and tree removal, even the eventual uprising of an organization he founded (350.org), who is on the forefront of one the latest disasters facing not only this planet, but the United States. That disaster is the XL Keystone Pipeline, which, if approved, would go from the tar sands of Alberta, all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. The reason being that not only would wildlife be affected all through the projected pipeline area but as well as human beings that are in the pipelines path. But XL isn't the only thing 350 is pushing its focus on, the organization has spread its wings all over the planet. Bill didn't know the break-though his organization would make early in its life and through the 2000's and on. He seemed scared of what would become of him; being a writer, a good one at that, first, then an activist second, was his main idea, but because of how important people saw this organizations outlook on how government needed to re-regulate what had been broken not so long ago, McKibben was outright intimidated by himself. Not in it that made us think that he couldn't or wouldn't handle his circumstance, but that there was definitely an outlet needed. On top of visiting his peaceful places up in the mountains in the Northwest, he befriended a beekeeper from Vermont. Bill paid for this plot of land to loan to the beekeeper on an attempt to start something small, eventually a self regulating piece of property that this man was caretaker for. Bill came around every once in a while if stressing about getting all these people out a jail after protests in D.C. to stop XL from being signed in the White House to bigger picture ideas outside the country as well. The reason I feel that the whole idea of keeping to a small piece of land and starting a bee farm on it showed that this idea of communal living was a possibility to start a new wave of activism from spending so much on things wanted and going back to creating your own needs. The books title was just a commitment to deriving ideas from not only protesting big oil but even relating comparing a bee colony to capitalism itself. Bill used the efficiency of these bee's do what they did, day in day out, creating a whole organized community, taking care of their queen, and surviving long plights of cold through the Northern winters. What he was saying was that because the bees did their jobs so great and efficient, he saw people in big corporations were doing the same thing. Creating a product so efficient that it got in the way of the long term picture. Big Oil in comparison shows a never-ending (or so it seems), churning cycle of making as much as money as long as possible without any consequence. But what was awesome about the bee's after many generations of colonies adapting to their specified conditions, the beekeeper started seeing something quite interesting. The bee's started surviving over those intense winters. He started selling these specialized queens of these current generations for profit; this was the first time a northern beekeeper was able to see the outcome that had eventually brought itself to fruition. I find that it’s a pretty good prediction of what one way we, as humans, will be able to do for ourselves. To better our current situation by creating a self sustainable ideal of community. Less pollution, less waste, less worry for the future. As we discussed in our meeting, an idea must be all together had and acquired throughout all not just a few, like those 4-5 who started 350.org not knowing what the future would even hold for them. Again, only a small idea of current waste management, the idea is still there to understand that this enlightenment must be had, not by the political elite, those in extreme wealth too uninterested of the average person, but the general population. Because global warming is too touchy of an issue in politics that our leaders are obviously not interested in the rights and freedoms of those who they supposedly lead, we must all let it be heard, that the future of ourselves and our, hopeful, later generations have been in danger for far too long. McKibben showed us the comparisons and contrasts of that of bee's and oil corporations on top of knowing an idea bigger than just a few must acquire in themselves, but his role in activism obviously was given to those who were better equipped. His colleagues knew he did a beautiful job in starting a new environmental movement that has starting chugging along at slow, but steady, speed. His book was not a slap in the face but definitely a step toward the path that Naomi Klein in 'This Changes Everything', was wanting to push us, forcefully, down to show us that we can no longer just sit and twiddle our thumbs over what could have, and will be.
Nice beginning, Josh. Speaking of metaphor...
ReplyDelete"That disaster is the XL Keystone Pipeline, which, if approved, would go from the tar sands of Alberta, all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. The reason being that not only would wildlife be affected all through the projected pipeline area but as well as human beings that are in the pipelines path. But XL isn't the only thing 350 is pushing its focus on..."
Indeed, Keystone is as much a metaphor (for self- and species-indulgent non-sustainability) as beekeeping (for living simply and sustainably, like a beekeeper of modest means and aspiration).
McKibben recently stepped down from the top spot of executive leadership at 350.org (see below) but he's not about to quit the fight, nor does he want us all to head to the Vermont hills (etc.) to live the good and simple life. “Very few people on earth ever get to say: 'I am doing, right now, the most important thing I could possibly be doing.' If you'll join this fight that's what you'll get to say.”
In many ways, though, "Oil & Honey" is in fact a vision of post-activism. (In other ways, of course, it's an activist's memoir aimed at inspiring the next generation and the next wave of successful activism.) Naomi Klein's book, you'll show us, is all about getting the troops in line for battle. But the two of them, McKibben and Klein, have become co-rock stars of the present environmental movement. Here's what she said about "Oil & Honey":
""In this elegant and deeply inspiring book, Bill McKibben has given us something remarkable: a front row seat in the global battle against the fossil companies that are wrecking the planet, and an intimate glimpse into the intensely local life and landscape for which McKibben himself is fighting. This is the balance--between big and small, between rage and love, between resistance and alternatives--that we all must find if we are to transform in time to prevent catastrophe. A gift."
Looking forward to Part 2!
(And later, when the dust settles and you get a chance to catch your breath at semester's end in the days or weeks ahead, maybe you can return to this post and clean up a few stylistic and grammatical infelicities. Drop in a few more paragraph breaks. Etc. But first bring Klein into the conversation.)