Earth thought 88 of 365: What can one sacrifice to help leave the world undisrupted by our collective myopia? Of course, goods. Yet more importantly, what time? Ethicists talk about redistribution and frugality. They'd do better to discuss vocation.
Earth thought 89 of 365: And now the U.S. is about to have health care. It is about time! But will the U.S. also have environmental health? Not so long as the human world entire can spew more than 8 gigatonnes of C02 into the atmosphere yearly. Health care is a great victory. But the future health of hundreds of millions depends on climate legislation.
Earth thought 90 of 365: You say you have to think of your children, but you ignore your children by thinking they do not want a dad who has his heart on the Good.
Earth thought 91 of 365: So, is vice symmetry? (cf. 61) Is it holding others to what I should demand only of myself? True, it is my fault if I'm not conserving life. But without law, environmental problems won't be solved. The evolutionary record is clear -humans have a tendency to wipe out species around them and to overuse resources for present interests. Laws correct this tendency and introduce foresight. So, vice is a kind of asymmetry. It's a world where people can exploit the present to the detriment of species and the future.
Earth thought 92 of 365: "Law", however, needn't be what the State calls law. The ancient Greeks had a category called "nomos" -it included city law and also custom. And before nations arose, societies all around the world regulated their shared environment through customs. Eleanor Ostrom won the Noble Prize studying modern and local versions of customs used in some places long ago.
Earth thought 93 of 365: For at least ten thousand years -some say fifty- we have been eradicating species with our technology. _Homo sapiens_ thinks time and again for present gain, whatever our race, culture or civilization. Technology + population = dead species.
Earth thought 94 of 365: There is nothing misanthropic in telling it like it is. Any value judgment or hatred implies a second argument beyond the facts. Besides, it's misanthropic to deceive ourselves about ourselves. Love of humans depends on being truthful about ourselves. Such love is humble, and starts from where we really are.
Earth thought 95 of 365: The simplest way to not see change is to sit inside yourself and worry. The simplest way to see change is to start talking to friends, family and neighbors to find practical ideas that are such low-hanging fruit, you'd be silly not to pluck them. So, talk!
