Don't Be A Nothingness

As a citizen of the Earth, each of us has four basic responsibilities. For those of us in the developed world we have the added responsibility of helping our brothers and sisters in the developing world.

The four basic responsibilities include:

1) Do Not Over-Reproduce. If your family size is more than two, you are taking resources from other people and the natural world. You are simply feeding a voracious and destructive economic machine with cheap labor. You are putting more drivers on our congested highways. You are encouraging the destruction of more rain forests, which must be destroyed to expand agriculture. You are doing nothing to help the long-term sustainability of your Planet.

2) Adopt a Simple Lifestyle. Buying a house or car that's larger than you need, and buying a lot of junk, is really selfish and indulgent. It's okay to be comfortable, but to waste resources and live excessively is an abomination. Even if you are wealthy, you can still live sensibly and invest in eco-friendly technologies.

3) Give Elbow Grease For Change. Everyone has a responsibility to help make the world better. Religious proselytizing doesn't count, and accomplishes nothing. What this does mean is working for environmental and social causes that will help achieve long-term sustainability. You can do this either as a volunteer, employee, or entrepreneur. Whether it's working at a homeless shelter or participating in a stream cleanup, EVERYONE has a responsibility to do SOMETHING.

4) Become An Advocate For Change. This is similar to #3, except that you are gently pushing an institution to do the right thing, such as a government or corporation. This is done by writing letters, attending public hearings, participating in demonstrations, etc. What you are doing is pushing for policies that will make the world BETTER. If we all do nothing, the usual special interest groups that only care about immediate profit will continue to have their way. What we must work for is social justice, animal rights, environmental stewardship, and other just causes.

If you do no none of the items above, then you are just nothingness. You are just one of millions of humans that simply consume resources and make no contribution to the betterment of the Earth and humankind. You are either a neutral element, like nitrogen, or you are a detriment. If you are hedonistic and only get your pleasure from self gratification, well, enjoy it while you can.

And to simplify all of the above, remember the famous Boy Scout rule: "Leave your campsite in as good or in better condition than how you found it." If we can apply this rule to the Earth, and if everyone followed it, we would achieve long-term sustainability.

The Goose