Evo Morales is trying to implement this in Ecuador right now: Go man GO!

"First, if we want to save the planet earth to save life and humanity, we are obliged to end the capitalist system. The grave effects of climate change, of the energy, food and financial crises, are not a product of human beings in general, but rather of the capitalist system at it is, inhuman, with its idea of unlimited industrial development.

Second, to renounce war, because the people do not win in war, but only the imperial powers; the nations to not win, but rather the transnational corporations. Wars benefit a small group of families and not the people. The trillions of millions used for war should be directed to repair and cure Mother Earth wounded by climate change.

Third proposal for debate: a world without imperialism nor colonialism, our relationships should be oriented to the principle of complementarity, and to take into account the profound asymmetries that exist family to family, country to country, and continent to continent.

And the fourth point is oriented to the issue of water, which ought to be guaranteed as a human right to avoid its privatization into few hands, given that water is life.

As the fifth point, I would like to say that we need to end the energy debacle. In 100 years we are using up fossil energies created during millions of years. As some presidents are setting aside lands for luxury automobiles and not for human beings, we need to implement policies to impede the use of agro-fuels and in this way to avoid the hunger and misery for our peoples.

As a sixth point: in relationship to the Mother Earth. The capitalist system treats the Mother Earth as a raw material, but the earth cannot be understood as a commodity; who could privatize, rent or lease their own mother? I propose that we organize an international movement in defense of Mother Nature, in order to recover the health of Mother Earth and re-establish a harmonious and responsible life with her.

A central theme as the seventh point for debate is that basic services, whether they be water, electricity, education, or health, need to be taken into account as human rights.

As the eighth point, to consume what is needed, prioritize what we produce and consume locally, end consumerism, decadence and luxury. We need to prioritize local production for local consumption, stimulating self-reliance and the sovereignty of the communities within the limits that the health and remaining resources the planet permits.

As the next to last point, to promote the diversity of cultures and economies. To live in unity respecting our differences, no only physical, but also economic, through economies managed by the communities and their associations.

Sisters and brothers, as the tenth point, we propose to Live Well, not live better at the expense of another, a Live Well based on the lifestyle of our peoples, the riches of our communities, fertile lands, water and clean air. Socialism is talked about a lot, but we need to improve this socialism, improve the proposals for socialism in the XXI century, building a communitarian socialism, or simply a Live Well, in harmony with Mother Earth, respecting the shared life ways of the community."

"Respect and care for the community of life." "Ecological integrity." "Social and economic justice." "Democracy, non-violence, and peace." Can anyone see that these are perhaps contradictory goals? Overpopulation in India, and in other nations, has denied farmers who want to live close to the land the opportunity to do that. People in India other countries recognize this land crisis; you cannot live close to the land if there is no land left to live close to. Habitat loss for wild species is also the result of needing to farm marginal areas to feed growing populations of humans. Controlling human population growth is central to any plan for environmental sustainability, peace, or justice, and those who would control human population growth have not won yet.
It is quite possible that economic justice, democracy, and peace are not achievable in the context of an ever growing human population. China, India,and the United States are the world's biggest polluters and have the largest populations, respectively.

Toad Goddess for President!(I like your ideas)...It is fitting this is published during the time of 'Columbus Day'...It would be nice if the Dems would change that to 'Indigenous Peoples Day' as a National Holiday...
http://www.circlestheplanet.blogspot.com
(check out Sept 4 posting)

I am not seeing big changes yet, but a lot of my friends are doing their bit for living in harmony with nature and ourselves. Just as described above. We are not doing everything, because it is not yet quite possible, but we are converting to sensible and sustainable living gradually.
I don't like to over-analyze situations, I'm much more into doing something to rectify wrongs. As described above, I'm trying...
However, a lot of people do need the analysis. Do need to be told, when and what have they screwed up. And why. But the last is probably for the individual to decide.
No, I haven't derided the ways of tribal cultures, I can see our Aborigines have lived in harmony with the land and some still do. The natural cycles or draughts and floods did occur back in the old days too and there must have been extinctions as well. But not on a scale of today, of course. But really, is today's spoilt population, especially our young, prepared to go back and live in the way our ancestors lived? (well, not mine, because my ancestors are Europeans, or Ashkenazi...)
Just think about it: how can you justify asking a yound person not to have a big 4WD, seeing that you had one? How can you tell them not to fly that often, having seen you travelling frequently? How can you ask them not to have more than one TV when they saw TVs in all your rooms, even the kitchen and the loo?
I see there are two solutions to this: either decreeing officially my suggestions or educating people. From our collective history and experience: what would you say will work better?

We can wax lyrical about days and tribal situations gone by. It is just that: gone by.
We are faced with problems that need drastic solutions, or else. My suggestions are the following:
* one child policy strictly enforced all over the world - no exceptions anywhere, for no-one;
* penalty for owning more than one dwelling (this would also reduce greenhouse emssions);
* penalty for owning more than one car (ditto like above);
* penalty for using air-transport more than once a year;
* incentives for installing solar panels, driving eco-friendly vehicles (cars, boats, etc.);
* free bicycles for every person;
* free public transport;
* subsidies for organic farmers;
* rollerblades, bicycles, horses or sturdy shoes for our police, instead of cars and helicopters!! and
* incentives for living close to one's work.

On a personal level I'd suggest the following:
* eat everything in moderation: even meat and fish;
* cycle or walk anywhere possible;
* try to rely less and less on conventional energy; and
* try to grow your own veggies and have your own chooks for eggs.

I am not a hypocrite: We only have one child, we have a small acreage behind our house and a budding organic veggie garden and a small orchard, a small pack of chooks for eggs, considering to get a cow for milk. We also have two horses (for hobby only, no transport -yet!), a small billabong with yabbies (crabs). We are retired, yet very active: we even rollerblade! We try to eat organic, even drink organic wine and beer. We have a hybrid car - one only! Yet, we do travel by plane quite often, but this can be changed!! We have solar panels for the house and pool. We barely ever watch TV. We are trying to do our best for the planet! We'd consider owning native animals (we live in Australia), instead of the two German Shepherds we have, but it is quite a convoluted process to get the permits.
Ah yes... we have denounced being god's chosen children a long time ago and we are avowed atheists. It does help with our lifestyle choices and political and ethical standing a lot. Also, we are not biased in any way

Humanity is failing to deal with a population and technology explosion that is overburdening the carrying capacity of the earth. Underlying this failure is the inability of the nation state system to shake the ancient curse of us-vs-them thinking.

The antidote to the top-down nation states is a bottom up human unity, not as a replacement for the nations, but as a balance to them. The diversity of the nations will be a big plus if it is balanced by an equal devotion to our common humanity. It is us-vs-them VS unity-and-diversity, two great self-fulfilling approaches to our global destiny.

In this paradoxical struggle, we the people of the earth have necessity (and the internet) on our side, so don't sell us short. "Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life." Indeed, we can make it so.

-- Roger Eaton
http://globalassembly.net

Yep, my Native ancestors lived simply & wisely with the earth & simply & wisely with each other as a Tribe. There were great systems of what was really free trade between tribes that would stretch over an area of what would be mulitiple States now. They lived without a money money money system of greed where about everywhere you is nothing more than stepping onto a used car lot.

The water was pure, the earth was green & the people were lean. The animals ran free & while one had to hunt & fish there wasn't any cost for food that was plentiful. Even in what would be the cold States now they had things down for winter & even extreme winters. Now everything is just about manipulations for money.

In Tribal life the parents taught their children. They did not send them off to some school to be taught by strangers. Women played a major part in the decisions of a Tribe. In Tribes with the vote the woman had the vote, too, long before the Europeans arrived.

Some Tribes did have prophecies of the coming of the Europeans & what they would to the Tribes. Some Tribes had prophecies of all the races of the earth before any other races of people even knew we were here. I do not know how much the destruction of the earth plays into the end of this age at this time as the Hopi prophecies state this land will pretty much be burned off the face of the earth by man made fire that they of course now to be the modern day weapons of unreality brought into reality.

That prophecy matches up pretty well with the prophecy of Mystery Babylon where God/Creator/Grandfather put's it into the minds of men to burn the Great City of Mystery Babylon in one hour indicating the use of modern day weapons.

There are stories of the one called Jesus living within Tribes long ago & teaching them. Since he was born of the Tribe of Judah this would not surprise me as he told his disciples after his resurection he had to leave them to go feed sheep in other lands before he ascended back into the Kingdom of God where God dwells. There isn't any telling where all Jesus went to feed other sheep, or when, but he said he was going to do these things.

The Native Tribes always knew there was a God/Creator. Often the name for God was Grandfather. Grandfather was looked on as a Good God who loved his children upon the earth. Many Tribes believed a major part of our being was to take care of God's creation the earth. Tribes did not have Organized Religion like the Israelites did, and the Europeans would come to have as the Europeans merely took Jesus's name & began murdering, torturing, & thieving in his name instead of Caesar's name. Strange people if they thought that was what God intentions?

Wovoca stated Jesus visited him from God's realm into this realm. Native Tribes have always known there are Spiritual Realms as well as this realm or universe that is merely a dimension. No, I know not every Native person who walked the earth was perfect, but the true research of historians have shown them we weren't anything like we were portrayed in books, in movies, & on tv.

The odds & probablities of human beings saving the earth now from their wanton destruction is slim & none if that were how things were to end. There have been ice ages, and warming ages even with a minimal amount of people upon the earth, and even without all the pollution.

Aho

"The Earth Charter - a declaration of interdependence - articulates the shared responsibility we have to one another and to the planet itself. It is an expression of hope and a call to help create a global partnership at a critical juncture in history."

Yah, like the Native American world view that Euro/Americans smashed over the last five hundred years. It took the death of 112,000,000 Indigenous Americans
and a continuing cultural genocide to quiet it. Now the invader's see the light. Hubris!

Contrast this with the Pollan article where he says we need to have small farm exploitation and hunting(!) as a way to counter the ecological destruction caused by current agriculture.

You cant have respect for the community of life if you raised millions of non human beings as slaves that exist only to be slaughtered to fuel an unnecessary(and unhealthy) dietary choice.

Be wary of the small farm lobby and the people running egg and veal farms who are trying to take the animal rights label. Its incredible given all the destruction(loss of amazon rain forest for cattle grazing and soya to feed european livestock) that people are still clinging to a human stewardship myth.
Worms are stewards of the earth, humans are the opposite.