I am a caring human being, hear me ROAR!
where to start... where to start...
Fuck all those people who think that they can just sit back and let the world fly by without giving a shit about anybody else. Fuck all the people who throw money at problems without learning about what is going on in the world. Fuck all the people that sit in thier comfy houses and tell me that what I am doing will not make a difference. Fuck all the people that go to church and say that God is taking care of everything and we shouldn't worry. Fuck the woman who wrote me the nasty letter that I received in my mailbox this week.
I had decided by the end of the day of my last entry that I wouldn't write her back. I was convinced by a friend that you can't change people-like-that's minds and you are better not to waste your energy on them. Fuck that. I just read the comment posted by mindst0rm on my last entry and he's right. Most importantly, spread the word. Make people aware. Even if you have to scream it at them. I need to reply to this woman. I need to ask her to open her eyes and her heart and at least tell her that it is people like her who are the problem, and if enough people would just care enough to do something, even if it is just to speak up, write a letter to the government, educate yourself on global issues, our world could change. And I am willing to be one of those people. There is a point where you learn so much that you cannot turn back. With the knowledge I currently have, there is no way I can continue on the life path I was on in 2004. Well, to some degree anyway. Ignorance can be bliss, but knowledge is enlightening and empowering if you are willing to do something. If you just sit back and say "the world has gone to shit" and keep watching, you are only perpetuating the problem. And none of us will ever be perfect, but we can all make small changes as we go to make a difference.
I challenge all of you to the following:
- eat organic, you can start a little at a time, I plead that you at least start with bananas. Go to your community health store to buy them. Some major food chains sell them, which is great, but if you can, you're sending your money to a better place if you shop locally. The higher cost is so minimal you won't notice, but I will guarantee you will notice the difference in flavour and when you have researched why you are eating organic bananas you will give yourself a big hug (and I'll give you one too)!
- shop locally, and try to buy foods that are in season in your part of the world, believe it or not it makes an impact on world poverty and the environment.
- don't eat meat or dairy at least once a week, even David Suzuki says this. The cattle industry puts so much strain on our environment which in turn puts strain on the world. Here are some quotes on this from one of my favourite books (here's where I get "preachy"):
- The livestock population of the United States today daily consumes enough grain and soybeans to feed more than five times the entire human population of the country.
- if Americans reduced thier meat consumption by 10 percent, enough grain would be saved to feed sixty million people.
- never before in human history has such a large percent of our species-nearly 25 percent- been malnourished.
- to feed one meat-eater for a year requires three-and-a-quarter acres of land. To feed one vegetarian for a year requires one half acre of land. In other words, a given amount of land can feed more than six times as many people eating a vegetarian diet than those eating a meat-based diet.
- It takes sixteen pounds of grain to produce a pound of feedlot beef. It takes only one pound of grain to produce a pound of bread.
- We get back only one pound of beef for every 16 pounds of grain we invest.
- The book, if you are interested, is called Diet For a New World by John Robbins... its old, 1992, but still worth the read. I'm not asking you to become a vegetarian, although I wouldn't oppose it, I am just asking you make a small change to make a difference.
- If you haven't seen The Corporation yet, go to your video store and rent it, it's an eye opener!
- If you haven't been to mindst0rm's site then either visit it or just read this, which I copied and pasted from his site: While perusing their website I came across this, and I urge you to read it.
www.nologo.org
click on the fences/windows link and read the article. Yes, read the whole thing. -
And please, if you have time, go visit our website www.gonetoafrica.tk to see what we are doing in Africa and spend some time looking at the organization www.edzimkulu.org they are really making a difference in so many lives including yours and mine!
My husband talked to the volunteer coordinator from Edzimlulu last night and she shared a few things, some comforting to us, some made us think, but certainly not change our minds.
She told him that Edzimkulu, after 2 years, has done more to help the community than most of the organizations that have been down there much longer, and on less cash.
She told him that they do need volunteers. My husband's boss had the argument that if you can raise all this money, why not just send it down there, it will do much more. The coordinator said $8000 will last about 6 weeks, which is how long we'll be there, and we can do so much more than the money alone can.
She told him that we have to "volunteer" to get AIDS tested while there to set a good example to the community.
She told him that there is a funeral every Saturday.
She told him that there is a group of people that have returned from volunteering in Ndawana that have formed an "alumni" support group to help you return home because it is very difficult to come back.
She told him people have gone down there with the intent of having a "vacation" and weren't impressed that they had to get up at 5 and go work all day on thier "vacation".
And my husband said to me that he has never felt more right about anything and that the fact that we raised enough money to pay our flights in time means something.
We're going to Africa. We are going to Africa. This is real.