On the Contrary

I got this interesting comment on one of my blogs the other day from Mr. Phil Henshaw:

“I kept my faith till today.   I think the “tea leaves” have just turned over to spell a clear sign that Barack’s “pragmatism” is growth “boosterism” and a dark omen…   Barack’s assertion that “there is no contradiction between the environment and growth” shows rather clearly that he’s decided to fake it, and go with the money.  He’ll never admit to a connection between multiplying money and the multiplying trade and consumption of resources it unavoidably produces. Collapsing ecologies will just have to be tolerated. Hell we don’t KNOW they won’t bounce back do we??”

Mr. Henshaw raises the most elementary and worrying element of capitalist growth:  We are using up the resources of the earth and as more and more nations strive for the “American way of life”, the growth required is not sustainable.  Here are a few facts to consider:

• Scientists think the ocean fisheries will totally collapse by mid century.  We have seen the collapse of salmon in California and the recently projected collapse of the Tuna industry from over fishing
• We are losing species at an alarming and increasing rate while we make the world uninhabitable for creatures that have shared the world with us for thousands of years
• Resources, and the big one water, are becoming more and more scare to be shared with fewer and fewer people.  Many have written that the conflicts of the future won’t be from Muslim nut cases, but from nations vying for ever decreasing resources
• Global Warming is here and will continue to increase its havoc on established weather patterns.  I don’t think there is any slow it down anymore

So the question becomes, if we can restore our economic house, are we not doing it at the ever increasing pace of destroying the world around us?  This is the question Mr. Henshaw raises and is really the ultimate challenge that we face.  Well that is not quite true.  The majority of us don’t even think about it.  Conservatives don’t care.  Business, in their mind, is the engine of life.  Everything must take a secondary role to a vibrant economy.  That is why they want economic considerations to outweigh environmental considerations in almost every political decision.  But what about the rest of us?  Have we really faced the reality of the impact of our lifestyle and that it is ultimately unsustainable?  I think when most of us are faced with the reality of limiting our consumption to solve the problem, we look the other way.

Probably the most important issue of our future, this issue is not being discussed at all.  What we have is population growth, consumption, and expanding economies that fuel consumption as the way forward.  We look with disdain at China and their attempts at population control, but we fail to see the connection between exponentially expanding population and our exponentially growing depletion of natural resources.  In this country we still think having a big family is somehow a good thing, and yet sneer at third world countries who do the same.  We know oil is going to run out and it is the canary in the mine for other resources.  So what should an economy look like that allows us a good standard of living and yet sustains our environment?

I don’t know the answer to that.  I do know that population growth has to be curbed.  I do know that those other creatures that are being crushed in our consumerism have the same gift of life as we do, and even more important, I don’t think we are sustainable without them.  I know that when I am in nature, I revel in it, and I know somehow we are all connected to it.  I know that we have to have this conversation, but I don’t think we are anywhere near ready to accept the reality of the sacrifices all of us are going to have to make.  Maybe in 2050 when the fisheries do collapse and there are real water shortages we will face this most difficult issue.  Right now all we can focus on is getting our piece of the American dream.  But the American dream is not sustainable for the whole world and sooner or later we have to face up to that reality.  Hope I am wrong, but if we continue on our present path, we are heading for a collapse of the ecosphere.  Thanks Mr. Henshaw.  Hope more think about this.