A call to action - the environment

joseph dawton

Some people might say this post belongs in the Green Issues or Politics but I think it's totally relevant to Paganism.

Who hasn't noticed how fast everything is changing? Green fields become estates with fancy names like 'Willow Park' with not a tree in sight. Roads everywhere, dumped rubbish, shopping centres etc.

As pagans I think we owe it to the Earth (Gaia, the Goddess or whatever term you like) to make a stand against this avalanche of short-term, short-sighted greed. So many of the pagans I know are 'armchair pagans' - I love the Goddess! they profess on their way into McDonalds or as they drop another cigarette packet into the gutter.

This kind of convenience paganism is just as hypocritical as the mass goer who bitches about the neighbours the moment they leave the church door. I know I'm always stirring things up and provoking (annoying says you) people but time is passing - the earth is getting sicker, Ireland is getting sicker, if you have not got out of your chair yet then now's the time!

I urge anyone who is serious about their beliefs to follow through with real actions in the physical realm in their local community and not just actions in the mental or astral realm - and what that really means is applying some elbow grease!

Nevyn

What you anoying ? never.
Provoking maybe

So you want people up of thier arses and applying elbow grease.
How and to what ?
How do you do this in your own life ?

joseph dawton

Well there's lots that people can do...

Planting trees, clearing up litter, putting eco friendly bulbs in all your lights, not leaving the tap running, collecting water in a rain butt, switching to organic food and even better growing your own. Protesting against those who abuse the environment, donating money to Greenpeace/Friends of the Earth, spreading info about what is happening, join a local conservation group, switching to alternative energy suppliers or providing your own with solar panels/wind power, buying a diesel car and converting it to rapeoleum.

There's a million little things we can do - most of which are not much effort or money. I think the key is carrying through the sentiment of caring for the Earth from thought into practical actions.

As for myself I grow my own food, I recycle everything I can, I buy as little 'stuff' as possible. I've planted 250 trees in the last year, I buy organic food as much as I can afford, I'm changing my home to become eco-friendly. There's more besides but I'm not going to go on - the point is as the hippies used to say 'if you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem'.

skateing dragon

Im a pretty eco friendly person. I donate money often, Clean the streets, recycle, garden, dont leave the tap running, have as few baths as possible(have showers to save water), use eco friendly bulbs and plant trees and flowers etc but its just the Organic Food part that kinda raised my brow.

Can you be a bit more specific. What does not eating Organic Food do to the enviorment?

Tabnabs

joseph dawton wrote:

Well there's lots that people can do...

Interesting reply. Many luadible efforts. However, the first problem you brought up "Green fields become estates". How do you "apply elbow grease" to this one?

joseph dawton

green fields... well you can object to new developments and also where they are in progress check the plans and make sure that any environmental stipulations are adhered to - there is a planning enforcement officer in every local council.

Re: organic food - in the old days all food was organic, it's sad that we have to invent a term for food that isn't messed with. The more people buy it the cheaper it gets and so more people can buy it. Most people (according to surveys) would prefer organic food especially for their kids, it is the cost that prevents them.

Anyway specifics is not what I meant to go on about - really it's just common sense, if it's part of your way of thinking you'll know what is the right thing to do - my problem is with people who are all talk and no trousers (or elbow grease!). It's the same thing as being a spiritual/nice person - easy to say nice things but harder to do nice things that demand something of us.

Of course we can't all be perfect but I think trying to follow through on our good intentions is as important as the thought if not more so.