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Loading...Four Rules to Save the Planet: Can We Stop Peeing Where We Sleep?
A dog knows by nature not to pee where she sleeps, but humans are not as smart when it comes to taking care of the place where we rest. In our headlong rush to industrial civilization, we have lost many of the natural instincts that kept our species a balanced part of the ecosystem. As we approach the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day, confusion, arguments, and the comfort of the status quo prevent us from acting together more boldly. By showing the path to sustainability, can four little rules save the planet–and humanity?
This two-minute video explains four principles that could help shift thinking from ‘people vs. planet’ to ‘planet plus people’:
The video’s content is based on The Natural Step, a sustainability framework and organization first developed 20 years ago by Karl-Henrik Robèrt. Dr. Robèrt, a Swedish doctor and cancer scientist, was treating a lot of children with cancer. He couldn’t help but notice how families, care providers and the community came together quickly, efficiently, and with compassion to coordinate resources to make a difference for sick kids. This was in stark contrast to the emerging confusion and debate over the health of the planet. Sound familiar?
The principles in the video are at the heart of The Natural Step’s work with communities, businesses and governments all over the world. The four rules may be be simple, but they are not easy:
1. Reduce our dependence on fossil fuel and heavy metals.
Whether or not you believe in human-caused global warming, our use of fossil fuels takes a huge toll on the health of living things. Can we learn to look at the use of fuel and heavy metals through a lens that recognizes both the finality of the resource and the consequences of their extraction, transport, and incineration?
2. Reduce our dependence on synthetic chemicals that persist in nature.
Chemicals such as dioxins, PCBs and the insecticide DDT do not break down easily or harmlessly once discarded; rather they contaminate soil, water, and air. Can we adopt the precautionary principle, and require companies to prove that a product is safe before it is brought to market?
3. Reduce our destruction of nature.
From overfishing to deforestation to destroying wildlife habitat, human actions are interfering with the balance of nature. Biodiversity is key to our flourishing; by contributing to the destruction of species we might as well be gnawing off our own legs.
4. Ensure that we are not stopping people globally from meeting their needs.
This principle applies not only to ensuring that people have the capacity to feed and shelter themselves, but that they can do so in safe working conditions and receive a living wage for their work. This fourth rule clarifies the absolute link between environmental justice and social justice, and that our tribe is only as healthy as the weakest among us.
Can we learn to nurture the planet as we would a family member who needs our help? Can we recognize that healing the planet is the same as healing ourselves? Can we make every day Earth Day?
**More Care2 Earth Day Coverage**
ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING EARTH DAY:
- Come Celebrate Earth Day with Care2! – Nicole Nuss
TAKE ACTION
- Seven Ways to Get Involved for Earth Day – Beth Buczynski
- Get Out! For a Free Book Giveaway! – Judy Molland
- Now is the Time – Angel Flinn
- Don’t Toss that Plastic Bottle – Jennifer Mueller
- White House Initiative – Dave Rochlin
HOW ARE ANIMALS AFFECTED?
- Top Ten Endangered Species – Sharon Seltzer
- A Review of Disneynature’s Oceans – Beth Buczynski
- Eating as if the Earth Matters – Heather Moore
THINGS TO PONDER
- Four Rules To Save The Planet – Nancy Roberts
- Earth…Gay? Coming Out for Sustainability – Steve Williams
- Family Planning and Earth Day – JamieAlexis Fowler
- All My Sisters: Avoiding Breast Cancer – Angel Flinn
- Humans are the Earth’s Problem AND its Solution – Beth Buczynski
- Earth Day at 40: The Politics Erupt – Gillian Caldwell
- Gambling with Global Warming – Beth Buczynski
THOSE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
- 2010 Goldman Environmental Awards – Nancy Roberts
- Climate Champion Dr. James Hansen – Nicole Nuss
- Boyd Cohen’s Quest to Offset Carbon – Suzi Parrasch
- 350.org’s Bill McKibben – Nicole Nuss
- Reverb’s Adam Gardner – Nicole Nuss
Read more: biodiversity, conservation, earth day, environment & wildlife, pollution, sustainability, the natural step, waste
Photo: Still from video on sustainability written by Real Eyes in Dublin, developed by Igloo Animations.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
Recent Comments from Causes
Ah, it's Jeffrey, the token Republican Troglodyte. The only one being dishonest here is *YOU*, you ignorant…
If I may say I would be glad there was some Declaration comprising all animals!!!
Arguing that vasectomy is acceptable while abortion is not is neither hypocrisy nor discriminatory. …
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noted
Thank you for your article. Its very interesting. I wish more "superpowers" would take note.
noted
That is so true. It is also very surprising that people don't realize how much we take and how little we give back to keep the balance.
Thanks for posting.
Lionel, I realize that at 82 you are only a few years younger than I am at 110, LOL, but in all honesty you are in denial. Take a look around. The loss of wildlife habitat, rainforests and the now scientifically acknowledged fact that we are deep into the 6th or 7th (depending on how you count) great mass extinction, this one caused exclusively by humanity. While greed and so on are the what has driven much of this, the fact is that the planet cannot support both 7 billion and growing fast, human beings AND the rest of the life of this planet. On the other hand, if we kill the rest of the life, we don't get to love anyway. So population, along with a lack of vision (understanding our true place in the natural world), are the most significant issues we must face and address.
Overpopulation is emphatically not a cause of every problem of our planet. Used wisely, equitably, its resources would support many more than its current populace. For instance every day enough food to save those who elsewhere die of starvation is thrown away by affluent nations. Evil voracious commercial greed, "developed" nations prodigally plundering the earth and ruthlessly exploiting the less fortunate, is wreaking great damage worldwide. The irresponsible great consortiums need to be reined in - reined in very promptly, but also every person who lives wastefully needs to recognise his/her contribution to the problem and to rectify his/her deleterious life-style.
Human overpopulation is the root cause of every problem on the planet. We WILL eventually find ourselves limiting the number of children born, in the way of the Chinese.
Unpleasant, perhaps, but necessary.
When inconvenience or sacrifice is involved, we will not try to do better until it is too late.
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