From November 3 through December 9, 2023, people around the world are stepping out and getting together to share 350’s optimism that we can power up a renewable, peaceful and equitable future for all. You might be able to join a Global Power Up event near you. There is still time to organize a power up event before December 9th. Financial donations are also needed, as always.
See my report for details from my solo St Louis action. Nobody joined me and my only conversation was with a trumpass. So, it went as expected. A simple message was placed in front of a few and I felt better about getting out.
It was not easy. Working for change can be quite demoralizing. Having comrades and learning from others helps. Comrades at the Anti-Capitalist Meetup provide support and knowledge. Small things, such as commenters referencing The Revolutionary Collective by Paul Le Blanc, are extremely useful to those trying to survive rebellious acts of defying conventional market wisdom.
This is my first action with 350.org. I am not one of their organizers, nor do I represent their stances. I speak for myself and am grateful for their platform to coordinate actions.
This month of actions is meant to highlight real hope for civilization surviving upcoming challenges. Much hope is based on advances in technology. Meteor Blades shares regular updates on industry developments, such as the ups and downs of wind power in Earth Matters today. There are many promising developments.
Technology itself can only save a few, if any, in a system where environments, lower classes, other ethnicities or future generations pay for enriching elites. Political actions and involvement are necessary for survival of the less well off and as much equity as we can get.
In the United States, Govtrack.us lists 22 climate acts passed, with 180 D and 62 R sponsors/cosponsors. Most are part of appropriations and defense authorization acts. It is clear which party acts for a livable environment, no knowledge of the scheme by Republicans to sell off our government to a tiny number of favored rich elites is necessary. Widespread and long held denial of climate science and importance of dealing with climate change continues with Republicans through the 117th and 118th Congress. The Democratic party acts for solutions for climate as much as any party in the US. We need to keep electing Democrats and applying pressure for them to do more.
Here at the ACM, we also call for economic changes. Perhaps as we develop cleaner technology, we can stimulate economic growth by incentivizing introduction of this technology. We can create jobs and make a new circular economy with production and waste accounted for. Risks lie in relying on technological fixes that might never come and in stimulating consumption to the point that all gains are lost in induced demand.
Technological development combined with a green new deal are necessary, but may not be sufficient for avoiding major losses to climate change. Technological and political development must be tempered with changing economic considerations on growth.
there is room for synthesizing Green New Deal and degrowth-minded approaches into a ‘Green New Deal without growth’
Practical degrowth, permaculture and other actions have been discussed at the ACM and across Daily Kos. One way to look at it is as a question of living more simply, which in itself will require a complex transition.
The aim of this study is to show that normal outer city suburbs could be restructured along the lines required to cut global impacts by the necessary amount, while improving the quality of life. Data on typical Australian consumption rates, food production yields, suburban geographies, etc. is used to estimate the achievable reductions. The theoretical conclusion that such reductions could be made aligns with a study of the Dancing Rabbit Eco-village in northeast Missouri. Heavy cuts in resource consumption cannot be made without extreme change in economic, political, settlement and cultural systems.
Ted Trainer, the author of the above, suggests the following for achieving a simpler life and society.
We cannot achieve a sustainable and just society unless we change to
- Simpler lifestyles, much less production and consumption, much less concern with luxury, affluence, possessions and wealth.
- Small, highly self-sufficient local economies, largely independent of the global economy.
- More cooperative and participatory ways, enabling people in small communities to take control of their own development.
- A new economy, one that has no growth, is not driven by profit or market forces, produces much less than the present economy, and is provides sufficient for satisfactory lifestyles for all.
- Some very different values, especially frugality, self-sufficiency, giving, sharing and cooperating, and the rejection of acquisitiveness and competition.
As often occurs, Ecoshock led me to this discussion of greening and degrowth in their recent podcast on the subject. Let’s finish with a couple from their green music festival.