I posted the last couple of days about the occupation of the Capital Power Plant, spearheaded by Bill McKibben and Wendell Berry. Why were there so few comments? How come, when we talk about how to compost, we get a huge discussion, but when we mention civil disobedience, there is quiet? Do we all agree […]
No Impact Man
Why civil disobedience may be necessary on climate change
A couple of days ago, I posted an invitation from environmental activists Bill McKibben and Wendell Berry to participate in the occupation of the Capital Power Plant in March. Some commenters on this blog responded favorably. Some were concerned. Susan Och wrote: Civil disobedience is supposed to be a last resort, after you have exhausted […]
Green the city, get healthier kids
Sometimes when I give a talk, I’ll say that if there is some Grand Designer or some Great Intelligence that creates the Universe, chances are that He, She or It did not create a system in which what was good for the planet would be bad for the people (unless that He, She or It […]
An invitation to illegally occupy a coal power plant from Bill McKibben and Wendell Berry
Bill McKibben sent me this note over the weekend and asked me to share it with you. Thoughts? Plans to attend? Dear Friends, There are moments in a nation’s—and a planet’s—history when it may be necessary for some to break the law in order to bear witness to an evil, bring it to wider attention, […]
Save a chimp as a sustainable Christmas gift
First off, Annie Leonard of Story of Stuff and I will be doing a live radio interview on KPFA’s environmental radio show Terra Verde today (Friday). You can listen at 4:00 PM EST by clicking here (I’ll post the link to the recording later). Onwards… As long as we’ve been talking a little about a […]
Individual action and the number of children we have
Somebody emailed me an article by Joanna Benn on the BBC’s website: “Baby Decisions–Adding the World’s Woes?” Click through to read the whole article if you want, but basically, Benn poses the two sides of the argument like this: When I see babies, not only do I see the beauty, joy and miracle of life, I […]
Could global warming wake us up to a better life?
First off, after my recent post about Christmas with no presents, somebody sent me a link to a great site that helps facilitate giving gifts to charity as Christmas presents. You might find it helpful: Redefine Christmas. Onwards… Here is a little bit from the epilogue of my book. Just thought you might enjoy a […]
Take out tubs, individual action and changing minds
Yesterday I posted about the trash I’d generated through eating takeout when I got too busy to cook for myself. Someone commented that eating takeout–in itself–is no problem. Cooking at scale may save energy. The problem is the plastic or cardboard containers that get generated. Commenters left two suggestions behind for ways to get take-out […]