by Whitt Birnie
Today is one of those special moments in time when we pause in our hurried lives to reflect on the beauty and sustainability of our planet.
Very well-informed and respected persons at the summits of their research professions have repeatedly met to present findings on the urgency of modifying our behavior and economic model, so that life as we know it will survive. Those who deny the conclusions that climate-change must be addressed immediately are ignoring the facts — the future health of our lives on this beautiful earth should not be decided by those who have fallen victim to disinformation, lobbies and vested interest groups.
Mankind needs to accept that the ‘common good’ trumps ‘individual desire’ when it comes to matters such as human destiny. Sacrifices are never pleasant, especially when they are voluntary and without immediate results, but the cards are on the table. We must change our behavior or climate-change will change us for the worse, relatively and absolutely. It will increasingly treat us with such fury that the environmental disasters we occasionally suffer from today will become commonplace.
We have risen to all sorts of challenges before, but this one is threatening our world, our children’s health and happiness and their grand-children’s very survival. Don’t be blind, accept the obvious. Support your organizations, contact your representatives, consider alternate green solutions, convince the clueless, act intelligently – we are approaching the point of no return. Honestly, are you willing to be remembered as the generation at the helm when the pilot just abandoned the controls?
Earth Day 2014. Nasty weather was brewing offshore, but for a moment the sun shone thru, celebrating Earth Day’s anniversary. I chose a similar image for the photo challenge “My Beautiful Planet,” sponsored by TIME and Google+.
The weather began to clear, the lagoon took on a familiar complexion, the agitated trades returned, but the problem remained.
Heavy clouds carrying gusty squalls pile into the northeast coast of Moorea, kicking up spume on the outlying coral reefs.
Reassuring in its warmth, the setting sun sends us warning signals about climate-change. We are at a tipping point today. It’s become our turn to change our foolish ways. “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.”
Happy Earth Day Whitt. Great photos, your photography may yet get me to visit Tahiti.
Not wishing to sound as old as I am, I remember the first Earth Day. I joined a group of people picking up litter in a local park. Even years later, I seemed to gravitate to litter removal every Earth Day. One year we took a canoe down the Battenkill River in Vermont, as part of an organized effort, to clean up the river bank. Amazing what people do to Mother Earth.
Your comments about the trade winds and how they have changed were fascinating. Our best to you. Bob
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Hi Bob. You’re not old yet, and it’s just a calendar anyway. My growing up surrounded by Indian (Native American) tribal names like Saugatuck, Pequod, Mamaroneck, Chappaqua, Aquidnick and even Manhattan always kept me thinking about what the world was like before we westerners came along. In one generation here, the Tahitians have gone from a uniquely isolated outrigger-canoe and lantern-based society to one of up-to-date modern connections. Development is concentrated around Papeete; the Tahitian outskirts and outer islands still retain their attractive, long-held traditions and are slower at change. It continues to be a land of discovery. Thanks for navigating here and leaving a comment.
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