SUSTAINABILITY ON MOTHER EARTH

PROTECT THE PLANET, SUSTAIN THE PLANET = SUSTAIN HUMAN LIFE

"A planet of 7 billion people, a number that is growing every minute,

is likely to face increased conflicts over scarce resources. 

So unless we begin to use our resources efficiently, we are likely to

reach tipping points that will not only harm our own well-being, but 

also that of our future generations."                  Jeffery Sachs

The decisions we make today will define our tomorrow.

"I come as an elder without an agenda," was David Suzuki's opening words at PowerShift BC 2013 in Victoria, Coast Salish Territories, B.C. Canada. In this passionate speech, he closes acknowledging that the indigenous people have what we need now. 

PowerShift BC is a gathering in Victoria, B.C., Coast Salish Territories, October 4-7, 2013 for youth that focuses on climate justice. Hundreds of youth from diverse backgrounds have come to learn, develop their skills and build the movement for climate, environmental and social justice. 

 

There are some people, professors, students, scientists, activists, citizens, and participants in an effort to move toward sustaining the planet - THANK YOU FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS! At least SOMEONE is TRYING to protect the planet and its resources  In my research on this subject and trying to find any effort worth blogging about, I ran onto the Earth Institute and their efforts. I could write about their actions and spirit, but I decided just to present them to my readers from their own perspectives. I could not say it or present it any better. So I give you THESE SOLUTIONS from THEM with hopes that you can understand the logic behind these life and death issues of our time, the reason for sustainability measures. It is necessary for each person to be engaged beyond our current engagement as individuals. We can do something. We can make a difference. We can stand for something. Whether it is via blogs or Facebook or other social media, the public has a say and if that say grows big enough, it will soon become a popular political agenda rather than a too-controversial political agenda. We must STOP the forces that are ONLY concerned about their profits.

"ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY".
John F. Kennedy

THE EARTH INSTITUTE

LIST of Earth Institute Videos

The Earth Institute brings together the people and tools needed to address some of the world's most difficult problems, from climate change and environmental degradation, to poverty, disease and the sustainable use of resources.

Facing the Global Challenge

Much of humankind is vulnerable to natural disasters, extreme poverty, infectious disease and a host of other challenges. One in six people on the planet subsists on less than $1 a day. The world's population is expected to increase to nine billion by 2050. Human activity is straining the planet's resources, threatening the health of our environment and ability to thrive.

By blending scientific research, education and practical solutions, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, is working to help guide the world onto a path toward sustainability.

The Institute, under the direction of Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, comprises more than 30 research centers and some 850 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, staff and students. Working across many disciplines, we study and create solutions for problems in public health, poverty, energy, ecosystems, climate, natural hazards and urbanization.

At our largest research unit, the renowned Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, some of the world's leading scientists study geology, oceans, freshwater systems, climate and atmosphere. Our scientists map the ocean floor and measure the movements of ice sheets; they bore into ancient trees and pull cores of mud from the sea bottom to uncover secrets of past climate; they chart the flow of ocean and the swirl of atmosphere around the planet. Millimeter by millimeter, they measure the movements of the earth's crust as it thrusts up from far below or dives down into subduction zones. This fundamental knowledge about the dynamics of the earth is key to addressing our biggest challenges.

Earth Institute experts work hand-in-hand with academia, corporations, government agencies, nonprofits and individuals. They advise national governments and the United Nations on issues related to sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals. They are educating the next generation of leaders in basic sciences and sustainable development.

We focus on the protection of earth's environment and the spread of social and economic opportunities for all people. We believe that dealing with issues such as extreme poverty must involve tackling issues such as environmental degradation, and lack of access to health care and education. Our work reflects the fundamental belief that the world possesses the tools needed to effectively mitigate climate change, poverty and other critical issues.MORE from Earth Institute at Columbia

Examples of Earth Institute Initiatives

		Water
		Climate and Society
		Energy
		Urbanization
		Hazards
		Global Health
		Poverty
		Food, Ecology and Nutrition
		Ecosystems Health and Monitoring

Published on Feb 2, 2013

Keynote Address by Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute & Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, during the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2013.

Prof. Jeffrey Sachs started the session with a comparison between a frog and the human race. Quoting studies, he said that a frog was likely to jump out of the water if heated fast enough. However, through gradual increase in the temperature of water, it was possible to kill the frog. His question was whether humans will jump out of the mess fast enough to save themselves? This analogy formed the basis of his session. Using the example of the USA, he pointed to the weather extremities and natural disasters experienced in just the last year. However, the politicians have been slow to respond. He pointed out that the three landmark treaties addressing climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, while brilliantly crafted have failed in being implemented.

Highlighting the paradox of technological innovations, Prof. Sachs mentioned that the problem contains within itself the solutions to those problems. Risks are the counterparts of technological know-how. Using the example of MDGs, he emphasized on the need for clear plans of action and defined goals to address the problem of climate change with the active participation of civil society

A planet of 7 billion people, a number that is growing every minute, is likely to face increased conflicts over scarce resources. So unless we begin to use our resources efficiently, we are likely to reach tipping points that will not only harm our own well-being, but also that of our future generations. The decisions we make today will define our tomorrow. MORE from Earth Institute at Columbia

It is in this context that DSDS 2013 deliberated upon 'The Global Challenge of Resource Efficient Growth and Development'. For more information, visit 2014 summit site

INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

At the Institute for Sustainable Communities, we give passionate, committed people the tools and skills they need to inspire active citizenship, protect the environment, and take on climate change. website  We believe in the power of communities—and their ability to help themselves grow stronger, healthier, more stable, more prosperous and more peaceful. We know that every community has within it the ability to find creative solutions to complex problems, and we help people realize this potential. We build capacity and infrastructure from the top-down and the bottom-up leaving a legacy of leadership as well as enduring results. MORE

THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

— Wendell Berry

Wikipedia Commons

Earth Law Center Advancing Rights for Waterways

Advancing Rights for Rivers to Oceans 

Our environmental laws are premised on the fundamental assumption that the natural world – including waterways and fish – is essentially property that is ours to use to advance our desires. We can choose a better alternative: to recognize the inherent rights of waterways and fish populations to exist, thrive, and evolve, and to establish a water governance system that guides our behavior in acknowledgment of those rights. 

This governance model is not new. Indigenous peoples have long understood their environment as having an intrinsic value of its own, and acted accordingly. Water was essential to life, a sacred and respected partner, and it could not be bartered or sold. Indeed, indigenous groups today still describe salmon as “relatives” who are “necessary for the continuation of life.” MORE

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

PLEASE POST SUGGESTIONS, LINKS, IDEAS ON SUSTAINING THE PLANET!

CONSTRUCTIVE, RESPECTABLE COMMENTS WELCOME!