“Environmental
pollution is an incurable disease. It can only be prevented.”
Barry
Commoner
Leonard Cohen said:
“Raise a million filters and the rain will not be clean, until the longing
for it be refined in deep confession”. Nonetheless, we still hear: “If
only this nation had a soul,” or, “Let us change the way we trade,”
or, “Let us be proud of our region.” When will the majority of earthlings
realize that they are inhabiting an unreplaceable planet, one that gives us
sustenance, but also one that we pollute to levels of extremity? It just
doesn’t make sense why people are still so ignorant and still deny the
realities of our planetary situation. This is mainly because so few people
truly care about their actions here and now. Who, in his/her right mind, will
bulldoze his/her own home? Well, the answer is that humanity is insane enough
to do that. Hubert H. Humphrey was right when he noted how unfortunate it is
that our affluent society is also an effluent society. “I waste, therefore I
am”, would be an excellent slogan for the people in the world, for many seems
not to realize the impact of their deeds. I am a strong proponent of Deep
Ecology, an ecosophy (ecological philosophy) that fosters intrinsic worth
towards all things in existence. As soon as we learn to foster intrinsic worth
and biocentric egalitarianism, we will come to realize that whatever we do to
our environment, we ultimately do to ourselves. The evidence of our destructive
behaviour is clear, it can be seen everywhere around us. Learn to preserve what
has been given to you, for its sake, not yours.
Pollution,
whatever form it may take,
affects
each and every one of us here on Earth.
I
wonder if people truly grasp what is at stake,
maybe
they will once their mind-sets undergo a rebirth!
-------------------------------------
∞ -------------------------------------
“Omgewings
besoedeling is ‘n ongeneeslike siekte. Dit kan slegs voorkom word.”
Barry
Commoner
Leonard Cohen het
gesê: “Raise a million filters and the rain will not be clean, until the
longing for it be refined in deep confession”. Ongeag sulke uitlatings, hoor
ons steeds: “As hierdie nasie maar net ‘n
siel gehad het,” of, “Laat ons die manier hoe ons handel dryf, verander,”
of, “Laat ons trots wees op on kontrei.” Ons hou aan met praat en praat
en praat… maar wanneer gaan die groter meerderheid van die aardbewoners begin
besef dat hulle ‘n onvervangbare planeet bewoon, een wat hulle al die lewensmiddele
verskaf wat hulle nodig het, en een wat hulle tot vernietiging toe besoedel. Dit
maak net nie sin waarom mense steeds so verby die werklike stand van sake kan
kyk nie – hulle is soos volstruise met hul koppe in gate. Wie, in sy/haar gesonde
verstand, sal sy/haar eie huis met ‘n stootskraper omstoot? Wel, die antwoord
is eenvoudig: miljoene doen dit daagliks. Hubert H. Humphrey was reg toe hy sê
dat dit so ongelukkig is dat ons welaf gemeenskap ook ‘n uitvloei gemeenskap is
– menende, dat die rykes ‘n groot bydra maak tot die oormatige verbruikers kultuur,
en as sulks, tot besoedeling. “Ek mors en
besoedel, daarom bestaan ek”, sal ‘n gepaste slagspreuk wees vir die mense
op hierdie planeet, want min besef die werklike impak van hul dade. Ek is ‘n
sterk proponent (voorstander) van Deep Ecology, ‘n ekosofie (ekologiese
filosofie) wat intrinsieke waardes beoefen jeens alles wat bestaan. So gou as wat
ons leer om intrinsieke waardes en biosentriese egalitarisme na te streef, so
gou sal ons begin besef dat wat ons ookal aan ons omgewing doen, ons ook aan
onsself doen. Die bewyse van ons vernietigende gedrag en lewensstyle is
duidelik, dit kan oral om ons gesien en ervaar word. Leer om te beskerm en te
bewaar dit wat aan jou geleen is in jou leeftyd, nie vir jou eie onthalwe nie
maar ter wille van die planeet s’n.
Besoedeling,
in watter vorm dit ookal mag manifesteer,
raak elkeen
van ons op hierdie planeet.
Deep
Ecology kan jou ‘n beter lewensstyl leer,
want
biosentriese egalitarisme is ons kreet!
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