Skip Kadish is a Facebook Friend I have never actually met in person (though I am reliably informed that it is Skip who is pictured on the left in the photo above). Skip lives on the Monterey Peninsula, and tells me that he is a frequent listener to my Land Use Report, which is presented each weekday morning on KUSP - Central Coast Public Radio. That Land Use Report is available live online, and in the form of a downloadable podcast, and you can get a written transcript, too.
Prompted, I think, by one of my Land Use Reports, Skip recently sent me the essay reproduced below, Less Is More, and gave me permission to pass it on to those who read this Two Worlds blog.
Skip's take on the relationship between our human world and the World of Nature parallels my own. Less is More. Small is Beautiful.
What most caught my attention, however, comes near the end of Skip's brief essay. Our right relationship with Nature can be stated, and understood, in an intellectual way, but that may be the easy part. Actually to achieve a right relationship with Nature (as we in fact must do) "understanding" how that right relationship should be structured will never be enough. More than having an intellectual understanding, we must "trust, believe, and worship" Nature, upon which our human world is ultimately dependent.
Take it from Ishi. Take it from Skip Kadish:
Less Is More
We live in a finite world. Only so much land; only so much water. Human beings are very adaptable creatures. We find ingenious ways to stretch the limits of land and water but the question is: Are we living within our means? There is a point of diminishing returns. It’s a choice between quantity of life versus quality of life. The more we increase human activity, the more we diminish the quality of life for us all.
Building on more land reduces nature, fewer plants and animals. It also increases usage and stress on the infrastructure such as vehicle traffic and noise pollution. With less open space for humans to enjoy nature and more stress upon our fragile lives, the quality of our existence becomes degraded immensely.Where do we draw the line? Should new projects be allowed for the sake of new jobs? Los Angeles has allowed this to the point of insanity. Why not preserve our existing undeveloped spaces to be natural rather than cash cows? Better yet remove blight so that the currently abandoned sites can be allowed to revert back to nature.
We have already abused our sources for water. Making fresh water from salt water is no solution. It only creates more expensive pollution problems. We cannot continue to “rob Peter to pay Paul”. That’s like burying our heads in the sand. It will catch up to us eventually. The ocean is not limitless.
We have problems with pollution in our environment. We have problems with diminishing food supplies and water supplies. We have problems with global warming. Our species is overpopulating and destroying our connection with nature. Life has become a world of fear and stress. The fun is gone.
Nature has been evolving for billions of years. The system works. A balance has been achieved. Plants and animals have coexisted in a Balance of Nature through many trials and errors. When resources are depleted, life slows down and occasionally becomes extinct. Some thrive upon abundance but eventually the pace reverts to a comfortable level. Humanity must learn from these lessons. Trust Nature, Believe in Nature, Worship Nature. It is our only salvation. This is a tiny miraculous planet. It is our home and sanctuary. If we do not cherish and support our humble existence in the world of Nature then we will become extinct. We are stewards of the land, we do not own it. Nature owns it.
Everyone everywhere must live within our means and simplify our lives. Less is more. The less we complicate things the more we will appreciate our beautiful and fun lives. Have compassion for one another, selfishness is another form of pollution. Walking in the footsteps of nature and embracing the togetherness of humanity will bring us Peace.
Skip Kadish October 23, 2012
Image Credit:
Skip Kadish - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153192937309386&set=t.100002571590137&type=3&theater
Appeal to nature fallacy.
ReplyDelete