Let's pass on a clean and hopeful world to our children
On the front page of the Sunday, Oct. 22 edition of The Press was a report, by Steve Cameron, titled “Clergy and Climate.” It provided much-needed insight into a dire situation which, if not addressed “now,” will leave the children of humankind a divided world without hope.
The report begins with a noble goal by the Kootenai Environmental Alliance. Their goal was to find some type of consensus on climate change, and what sort of response is needed. Next the report tells how the panel managed to find agreement on just two “notions;” The world “appears” to be getting warmer, and “commonsense” in everyday life “suggests” that recycling and other “green” habits are good for everyone.
The panel decided it was appropriate for a representative of the Catholic Church to take the lead off in the panel discussion as they determined the Catholic Church has become the spiritual voice on climate change under Pope Francis. Then the Pope is reported as saying the Earth’s very existence is being threatened and he is quoted as saying; “all humanity is responsible for the well-being of the planet.” Those two well-stated “commonsense” facts cover the big-picture and the bottom-line regarding the destruction of a miracle called Planet Earth. Elaborations are not necessary.
Steve Cameron ended his report with a vital question regarding the future that belongs to the next generations. He asked, So Now What? Then the report ended with the conclusion that “no one” on the panel could offer a “magic” solution to reverse climate change, yet all five religious men seemed to share an optimism about the future.
A “billion” children on Planet Earth, suffering life and dying young without hope, are not optimistic about the future. Debating climate change is important but it doesn’t deal with the underlying factors crippling the dreams, goals and hopes of humankind. “Commonsense” is the key to uniting humankind in a realistic quest to rise to the rescue of their children’s common future “now.”
“Commonsense” tells humankind our Mother Earth can support a limited human population in a free, clean and hopeful manner. “Commonsense” tells humankind the planet is overpopulated, polluted and wars between people are not getting the job done regarding creating and passing on a united, free, clean and hopeful world. “Commonsense” tells humankind to error on the side of “caution” when dealing with climate change “Commonsense” tells humankind people are a beautiful spirit waiting for “commonsense” goals of passing on a free, clean and hopeful world to unite with; humankind’s most valuable asset.
There is a universal peoples formula that, given a chance, will create a united, free, clean and hopeful world. That formula is this; Love and imagination, combined with reason and commonsense, produces solutions and goals that unite people with respect, love and hope and a positive attitude. When that happens the awesome force of freedom is liberated from the chains of apathy and people and peace are truly given a chance.
The internet has made it a new ball game. Combined with increasingly safe and effective contraception “now” is the time, as never before, to step out of the dark-ages of overpopulation, ignorance, fear and apathy. When the wondrous and beautiful alternatives to the entwined people crippling factors of overpopulation, ignorance, fear and apathy become the topic for the day, and the fuel for the dreams of humankind, a united, free, clean and hopeful world will be in sight for all the children of humankind. “Now” is time to imagine, then realize a world with a stable population; a world united, without wars between people, with trillions to invest in a global quest of living in tune with nature and passing on a united, free, clean and hopeful world.
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Mike Joyce is a Coeur d’Alene resident.