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From 'The Better World Handbook" (Jones, Haenfler and Johnson)
How to break out of the cycle of cynicism (and apathy)
1. Take personal responsibility for being a good person
2. Create a vision of a better world based on your values
3. seek out quality infomation about the world's problems
4. Discover practical options for action
5. Act in line with your values
6. Recognise that you can't do everything.
Repeat until a better world results.

I read this today and liked it because of it's construct… Continue

for the past week I have been participating a little in a conversation on this site discussing the impact of population and the wastefulness of our culture. This conversation has served to remind me how important it is not only to 'talk the talk',but also to 'walk the walk'. I recently used a carbon footprint calculator and found that if everyone was to live my lifestyle, we would need 2.1 earths. I was stunned. Shocked. Dismayed. Especially since I thought that I was doing 'alright' at minimisi… Continue

I am deeply concerned about climate change. I see the unfairness structured into our economic and social systems. And I feel powerless to do anything about it - like many, many people, I am sure. I also often feel that my voice, lacking any 'expert knowledge' adds so little to the debate that it is almost pointless saying anything - in this esteemed forum, anyway. My experience of Copenhagen was VASTLY disappointing. It demonstrated to me how little the world's governments value the opinions of… Continue

Like all readers of The Leader, I always read the letters. They express valid concerns and comments by the people in my community. However, I have yet to see any concerning climate change and our elected representatives’ plans to combat it. Climate change is no myth. Of this the scientific community, world governments and general population are in agreement - apart from a few kooks and ostriches. Indeed, some of our neighbours in the Pacific are already living its reality as they are forced to r… Continue

At the end of the tunnel, that is. My husband and I went to see " The Age of Stupid" last night. His comment at the end was that it was a very sad movie because after watching it, he does not think that we, the human race, are going to make it. Principally because we humans are unable to see beyond the short term. And climate change is a generational problem. Its full effects will not be felt by any of those making the decisions now, which makes it easy for them to make light of it. In order to… Continue