REDWOOD NEEDLES
REDWOOD NEEDLES
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I recently saw an interesting new video, made by Sierra Club member Sheila A. Laffey, and shown at the Sierra Club California Conservation Committee (CCC) in San Luis Obispo during the Sept. gathering there. The video, Hawaii in Transition: Vision for a Sustainable Future, introduced a new concept (to me), describing our civilization as going through a paradigm shift comparable to that such as occurred at the time of the Industrial Revolution. The nature of this shift in perception, conception, visualization and reaction is that we are now aware that life as we know it is ending, and we can foresee, even predict the timing of the end of all species -- of all life on this planet. That we have the ability to perceive this transition period must be warning enough to drive us to act on these predictions immediately, and without reserve if we are to sustain this present lifeform. The paradigm shift is in changing the way we perceive use of our natural resources.
We must begin to live sustainably on this planet.
I am deeply worried. By way of the Internet, I have discovered a high school classmate who worked with Gallo at Harvard on the HIV/AIDS virus discovery and isolation. This man now owns a gene-splicing BUSINESS! The idea that we humans have the privilege, much less the ability, to permanently alter the course of natural evolution according to someone's intellectualized whims, is so outrageous to me that I am having difficulty formulating an email to this person, expressing my challenge to his reasoning and justification for the direction in which he is propelling "us" (humanity and the survival of naturally biodiverse sets of species).
What is it that I can do to counter the efforts of even this one person? I must assume I am doing it now through my involvement with the Sierra Club. I believe in the slogan: "Think globally, plan regionally, act locally." Every member of the Club is adding their weight to counterbalance what I view as the misguided efforts such as taken by my friend described above. Whatever more can be done is left to every individual to contribute.
This is a rather lame transition, but I am sincerely grateful for all those who contributed money in response to the Annual Appeal request sent in April. Money is such a necessary evil, and this Chapter cannot do without your support in this respect. I am constantly amazed by the generosity and energy donated in various ways to the Club's conservation efforts. This is my 2nd and last year as Chair of the Chapter--it was hard work but I received so much in return...like revelations about how we separate humans can work together as one unit, one team, to accomplish so much. And I am encouraged by this new perception of the effectiveness of the true grassroots nature of the Sierra Club. I'm glad I belong and I'm glad you belong. Serving on the Executive Committee is sometimes hard work, but worth it. Please consider offering your name in nomination for the upcoming election. We need a few more good people--more than a few, actually.
Long live all species, peacefully, and in perfect balance. Perhaps a silly dream, but more beneficial than my usual pessimism.
-Arlie Haig, Chair
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