7th Gen Blog

Sir Nicholas Stern, the U.K. government’s advisor on economics and climate change has delivered a 600-page report that outlines a simple fact: the cost to stop global warming is a fraction of what it will cost if we allow climate change to occur.

But even with the efforts underway, we’re not doing nearly enough. Recently, George Monbiot, author of the new book
Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning laid out a plan to dramatically accelerate our progress in reducing CO2 emissions. It’s creative, daring, and just the kind of out of the box thinking we desperately need. His thoughts
appeared in the Guardian, UK’s famously progressive paper. Check it out! With the Democrats now controlling the House and the Senate, let’s hope these ideas and others like them get the attention they deserve and that our nation begins to take the lead on most important issue of this or any other age.

I’m freshly returned from the holiday break and find a lot of stuff waiting in my in-box. First up: a post from our latest inspiring guest blogger, Dharma Dog, a.k.a. Bruce Weaver. Bruce is a cinematic nomad traveling the world in search of wisdom wherever it’s found and capturing his discoveries on film. Currently in production of an independent feature documentary, Dance with Destiny, he’s a kindred spirit in every sense of every of those words. Here’s what he has to say today…

The wind whipped through both my microphone and bone marrow at something like 50 miles-an-hour north of Taos, New Mexico. July in the Southwest is better known for melanoma-causing sunshine, not bone-chilling wind. Naturally I packed light that time of year, but not without my Panasonic DVX100 which I wear like an appendage, nor the one-pointed focus of a bloodhound for which I am guilty, intent on capturing footage from the permaculture gathering held at the Lama Foundation, former home of Ram Das and birthplace of “Be Here Now,” the gig hosted by its land manager, Rico Zook.

Clearly unequipped for the windy conditions that weekend, as my footage would later reveal, yet despite the wind, the footage would remain faithful to the heart of both the message, and messenger. Rico proved to be a focal point of the story that weekend. A man of rare humility, straight-up earth steward, and indeed kin to my own heart: earth-conscious, and practicing the dharma of voluntarily living simply, while cultivating a recognition of his own intrinsic dignity and the dignity of all others.

Okay, all's quiet on the Inspired front so I'll slip this in since it's Friday and we could all use a little fun at week's end...

I stumbled across this utterly totally fascinating captivating web site the other day in my travels through the digital ether. Behold, my friends, the African savannah! Yes, that's real live video from a water hole somewhere deep in the heart of the South African Wilderness. Watch wildebeast frolic. Monkeys play. Birds gather. Gazelles graze. Yesterday, I caught a pack of hyenas romping in the grass. The other night, a wicked thunderstorm. It's raw, uncut, unfiltered and completely live as it happens. The audio alone is worth the price of admission. (What in the wide wonderful world was that weird scary howling sound?) You never know what you'll see (or hear), but you're watching water in a place where there's precious little so whatever wildlife is around will eventually wander into view. It's a slice of life on Planet Earth beamed half around the globe in what can only be called a feat of sheer magic. Just amazing to sit in the Vermont woods and be able to see Africa from here.

Disclaimer: The Africam is highly addictive. The Inspired Protagonist is not responsible for losses in productivity you and your loved ones may experience as a result of explosure to its signal.

Hey all... GlobalGiving's John Heckinger dropped the Inspired Protagonist a line this morning to let us know who won his organization's GlobalGiving Olympics. John writes:

Thanks again for the guest blog spot. India took the gold in a landslide, and all the results are on our home page. The "100 Slum Children of Sex Workers" were the big winners. During the competition, we had a visit from a legend, Inderjit Khurana, featured in the New Heroes Documentary, and her amazingly motivated son, Anoop. Inderjit's project came in second, but Anoop used the occasion to mobilize the extensive Indian diaspora community in California.

Our next big thing will be gift certificates. Just in time for the holidays! They're a great viral tool for folks who want to spread the good around.

Thanks to all who voted, all who helped, and all who are keeping Earth's needful many in their hearts and at the center of their deeds this holiday season. You're making the world spin in a good direction.