Tuesday, July 15, 2008

BIG OIL, personal responsibility, call for change

To all world citizens' of the Auburn and USA,
What are we thinking? We are a good hearted people. How have we been labeled so greedy by the world? I am a reader and I am pissed. Even though I do not like the politics of BIG OIL I still supported them with my life style. I live in a beautiful town (Auburn, CA) where for most of my time there I have always driven 60 miles/per day for work. I am guilty of excess. And what did that excess buy me. I am responsible for BIG OIL and not holding them responsible. I know I am not alone. There are hundreds if not millions of people who are guilty just like me. I am responsible for the plastic garbage patch in the ocean that is a big as the United States1, I am responsible for Exxon (now part of Chevron) not being held accountable for the Alaskan Oil spill-and all the oil spills that happen all over the world costing uncounted environmental damage,. I am responsible for the drilling that is happening off the Gulf Coast of Louisiana by Chevron which has done nothing to help the victims of Katernia, I am responsible for the citizens of Nigeria Delta for their suffering because of my need to have oil and not know that their government was not even providing basic health care and education instead receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from BIG OIL without out benefiting the people. 2 I am responsible for Canada’s increase in green house gases at the rate of 30% a year so they can extract oil from the sands in Alberta3. Yes, I am guilty as is every red and blue blooded American. And I am MAD. I don’t know about you but this world and it’s people and the environment are too precious to lose to BIG OIL. So I am asking you to join me in getting off my addiction. I am asking you to hold BIG OIL and governments accountable. I am asking you to become responsible to the earth and her inhabitants so that life maybe sustained in a healthy and life affirming manner for all by all. What am I doing:
1) I have changed all my light-bulbs to CLF. In Australian the government supported this action and made it a goal to have all Australians be using CLF .
2) I have all but eliminated plastic bags from my life. (China’s government4 dictated this to the people saving over a billion gallons of oil a year-Oakland CA tried to do this and is being sued by the manufacture)
3) I am walking or using an electric powered bicycle for most of my short errands in and around Auburn. ( Average (car) MPG is 22.9 MPG. Carbon emissions are 19.2 pounds per gallon) 5
4) I have taken course work in nonviolent communication and have taught myself that being hostile and negative does not pay but being angry, thus energized, and positive brings much greater results.
5) I am starting my own campaign to save the world. One person at a time. Please join me and together we can do so much.

Kathleen Hering
Lay Community Minister for Peace
cm4peace@gmail.com

1 http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/great_pacific_garbage_patch.php
2 See http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/14/10341/
3 http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/16/7101/ http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/12/10318/
4 http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/china_plastic_bag_ban.php
5 http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/climate_change.cfm#cc19