My name is Leonard Poole. I live in Ottawa, Canada. I want to tell you about...
My Vision of a Greening World, where every person..
Understands the consequences of their consumption and is actively engaged in reducing its effect.
Commits to the goal of consuming no more than his or her fair share.
Knows that to do otherwise will lead to tragic consequences for life as we know it.
Seeks to appreciate the quality of the life they are given more than the quantity of what they have and experience.
As an inhabitant of the developed world I consume far in excess of my fair share of the world's resources. I accept that the level of consumption in our society is not only unsustainable, but is leading to tragic consequences for those in the remainder of the world who have access to less than their fair share.
"In 1950, there were about two poor people for every rich person on Earth; today there are about four; in 2025, there will be nearly six."(Homer-Dixon)
Who do we think we are?
Through this website I want to develop my vision of the type of world I believe we need to move towards. I want to connect not just with my friends and neighbours, but with the skeptics amongst you to encourage discussion and activity on this issue. I want to challenge us all to understand that, for our children, and all future generations, we must begin to re-orient our lifestyles in radical and substantive ways. I urge us to consider voluntary simplicity as an important step in this evaluation process. Failure to act is not an option.
I believe it essential that we come to accept that we cannot grow our way out of this problem. I also believe that we need to move toward a SteadyState economy that is based on and promotes quality of life, not ever increasing quantity of consumption. To continue to build and believe in a society that encourages us to have and consume more in the face of dwindling resources is the greatest problem we are creating for future generations. It is a most shameful legacy.
I am seeking ways that I can be a part of re-directing society. For me, it is not enough that I may be able to proclaim how I have reduced my consumption. I need to be part of the movement that is convincing others that this issue must be confronted. If anything that I create here persuades one person to reduce the size of their footprint on this planet, or participate in the discussion, then I have succeeded. My hope, of course, is for far more.
It is essential to hear from the skeptics. I want to engage with those who do not believe that climate change is a result of human activity. I want to debate with those who believe that we can continue to consume at our current rates. I seek to understand the reasoning of those who argue that the best way to deal with the deleterious effects of continual economic growth is to continue to invest in growth for growth's sake. We need to talk. To those of you who share my perspective, we also need to talk. We need to find ways to work together to further our understanding of where civilization is headed and how we can be a part of the solution to the greatest threat facing humanity. We need to find ways to engage with those who do not share our perspective.
The earth is not a bottomless pit of endless resources.
When we consume more than we replenish, we steal from future generations.
Agree? Disagree?
We need to talk about how we can be part of the solution!