Earth Day 1998 Church Speech

Earth Day, 1998 State of the Bioregion Report Forum at Universalist Unitarian Church, Knoxville, TN (Knoxville Interfaith Ecology Group) My and mike’s taks is to give to you some answers to “What Can We Do?” I will start of, Mike will follow. Is it possible to tell people what to do in 7,5 minutes? Maybe so. I will give it a shot here..... • ask yourself who you are • ask yourself what you are doing • look at who you are • look at what you are doing • are you happy with yourself? • realize that you were born from you mother • realize you have never been alone • look at the other as part of yourself • look at yourself as part of the other • look at yourself as part of your friends • look at your friends as part of yourself • look at your enemies as part of yourself • look at yourself as part of your enemies • accept that people think different from you • try to understand not to react • reaction leads to competition • understanding leads to cooperation • be patient with people • diversity is the basis of sustainability • in nature and in culture • other opinions are there to learn from, not to challenge • they supplement, not regress • look around you • look at the trees • look at the birds • smell the flowers • feel the wind • look at the insects • see how they work • cherish • look at meaning • develop your heart • it is the only way to detach yourself from the stream of consumer life. • Consciously re-establish your relationship with nature. • hike • bike • canoe • garden • paint • meditate • Be there. Feel it. • establish the ritual • create sustainable habits • once is not enough. • learn to recognize the cycle of nature • learn about the cycles of nature • live the seasons, the system and the patterns. • read a book about animals • or ecology • or even what have we done! • garden • grow your own vegetables • don’t use pesticides • put back what you take out • become a critical consumer • realize that what you buy is what you support • pa \y more for quality • buy less of what you don’t realy need • don’t get your gaz at Shell, • Shell pollutes, and oppresses communities • in the name of oil • get a bike • it will give you exercise • get a helmet • and wave gently when someone honks at you angry • they will get used to it • and one day their kids will do it themselves • become an urban environmentalist • explores by feet • walking around you see more • teach people about the value of nature by being outside • urban nature is nature too • don’t buy products that are excessively packaged • look for products packaged in recycable materials • cardboard, aluminium, glass • look for products in reusable containers • or for which concentrated refills may be purchased • buy products with the highest content possible of recucled materials • ask the store manager if they carry recycled pape ?r everytime you get there • choose simple products with the least amount of bleaches, dyes and fragnances • look beyond the products to the companies who made them • Support those with good environmental records • go to the organic food store, such as the coop • you are safer their • they need your support • don’t confuze green with healthy • green marketing is a scam...sometimes • remeber there are few perfect green products • keep in mind that doing somthing is better than doing nothing • bring your own shopping bag to the Kroger • make sure you explain why to the cashier • support organic farming • participate in community agriculture • support local environmental and social groups ä• don not assume others will take care of it • insulate your house • insulate your water heater • reduce your energy consumption • turn of the light • turn of the fossit when you brush your teeth saves 9 gallons of water every time • don’t take 30 minute showers • snip the circles of your six-pack beerholder • or better don’t buy your beer in cans, use glas • use less detergent, manufacturers recommmend more than necessary • use phosphate-free detergent, or substitute with soap power • use unbleached coffee filters • keep rags in the kitchen, instead of paper towels • get a low-flow showerhead • recycle your paper • carpool with your friend to work • use latex instead of oil based paint • buy the longest-lasting most fuel efficient tires possible, ask about rolling resistance • make sure your tires are properly inflated and rotated • support efforts to recycle tires • open your windows • µturn on your vans • wash only when you have a full load. • get your fridge to be 38-42 degrees • your freezer 0-5 • be active • make others active • it will make you feel les powerless • you can meet wonderful people • write a letter to your representatives • they want to hear form you • march for political reform • democracy starts with fair representation • do not asume things will change when not voting • or when voting democrat • vote for those other parties • they need to be heard to • be creative • be positve • tell your story to others • explain why you are doing what you are doing • don’t be shy • but be consistent • be a rolemodel • it will give meaning to your life. • use yourself as the reference point • if you grow , learn, feel • this can also happen to others • anything you love can be sowed HERE’S MY POINT: BE CREATIVE. WITH THE RIGHT HEART, YOU WILL COME UP WITH THE RIGHT ANSWER. IT IS THE ART OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Danny de Vries
Foundation for Global Sustainability