To the editor:

The times we are living in call upon all of us to make a Great Change. The global climate crisis continues to worsen as we humans fail to accomplish a reduction of fossil fuel consumption. There are additional crisis level problems facing humankind: habitat destruction crisis, cancer crisis, endocrine disruption crisis and species extinction crisis. These numerous crises taken together constitute a matter of grave concern. Prevention of worsening of the total crisis picture calls for immediate and far-reaching action.

Every human being now has the question to answer: Will I do my part to prevent worsening of the “Life on Earth Crisis?” Each and every one of us can start changing on the path that goes from high-negative impact to living with only minimal-negative impacts.

We can choose to begin doing without some of the unnecessary consumer products. The goal should be rapid reduction of most of our unnecessary consumption. Environmental activism directed at changing corporations and governments is another important part of bringing the Great Change of all humankind living lightly on the Earth. Let’s work hard transforming ourselves, corporations and governments.

Are you willing to try doing without most of the unnecessary things? What will you give up? There are so many unnecessary things: long distance travel, new clothes, appliances, electronics, second homes, eating out in restaurants, attending distant concerts and sporting events … Far better that we do without unnecessary things than fall short in preventing worsening of the “Life on Earth Crisis.”

A homesteader friend recently suggested that we should all go back to living as people did in the 1800s. The present day Amish show us an example of living on the 1800s level of consumption. I responded to his truly most reasonable Earth protection idea by saying that it would be hard to live that way. I do not want to start using a horse and wagon for transportation. I do not want to start producing nearly all of my own food. These things would be hard to do for a 69-year-old. Nevertheless, I like the idea of living as close to the 1800s/Amish way of living as we can.

Certainly, there are many, many things that we can do without with no difficulty at all. We may not go as far as replacing cars with horses, but we can do without most of the unnecessary things.

For living lightly on Earth,

Donald L. Hassig

Colton