I don't know what is happening in your part of the country. The NW is having an absolutely beautiful fall. But we are reading about droughts in the South and terrible fires in the West. Newspaper articles are reporting on the beginning of major water shortages in these two parts of the country as well as in places like China. The future will be about WATER, FOOD and OIL. We talk so much about the ice caps melting that we forget how precious water is to our everyday life. The title of this newsletter comes from a editorial in the Economist that talks about why Al Gore won't run. The article says that the number of Americans who believe that Climate Change is a major issue has grown to 42 percent, which is a major increase. The only problem is that only 2 percent list it as a major reason to choose a President. This is why none of the major candidates are talking about the issue. How many environmental calamities are going to have to happen before people get it?
In order to help understand this a little, I am working on four questions for an Awakening the Dreamer Symposium this week in Bellingham that I would love to get some feedback on. Please feel to respond to my blog at www.forthegrandchildren.org. It will only take you a minute to register at the site. I promise you.
1. Do you believe that you are using more than your share of the earth's productive capacity?
2. Do you believe you could easily reduce your consumption without substantial degradation to your current lifestyle?
3. If necessary would you be willing to substantially reduce your consumption even if it meant your lifestyle would be affected?
4. Can you imagine that you could do the above and improve your lifestyle? How?
A note from Neva about HOPE from last weeks responses:
When I went to the Peace Alliance Conference last February I took my 15-year old granddaughter. As we lobbied our various Congress individuals, my granddaughter asked each one, "How can we justify spending so much on war? What about the children? Children are suffering in American and all over the world." Only Jim McDermott took the time to aswer that question and thanked her for her concern. My granddaughter joined the Student Peace Alliance and came home and started a chapter at her High School. She also plans to attend their conference at Brandeis University this fall. I think she and those like her are our hope for the future.
UPCOMING EVENTS: See the Events Calendar on our website at www.forthegrandchildren.org for more information.
This Friday and Saturday--CASCADIA CONVERGENCE with Dr. David Suzuki and much more.
Also this weekend. AWAKENING THE DREAMER--BELLINGHAM--4TGC will be part of the facilitator team in Bellingham this Saturday.
November 2-3 Skills Building Workshop with Margo Adair and Company
November 9-11 Practical Spirituality Intensive with Rabbi Ted Falcon
ForTheGrandchildren Editor: Victor Bremson
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