All the things on your list + environmental toxins. Just started getting allergies as an adult (spring, summer, winter and fall) and truly believing it's the things inside our homes that are causing them.

1. Climate change aka global warming The global warming hoax, follow the money trail, for every scientist (and idiot like Al Gore) that believes it there is another that says it just ain't so. Every time somebody says that this is the hottest (or coldest, or most severe, or etc) since 1949 they never explain how it happened in 49 when the things they blame the "global warming" on weren't factors back in 49. But Brother Al, flying all over the world in his private jets wants you to put your family of 5 in an electric subcompact with a 60 mile range. 2. Peak oil and energy issues We don't have an oil and energy issue, we have a congressional issue. Idiot congressmen and senators, mostly democrats but enough of the R's to help keep it screwed up, won't allow up to drill for our own oil, Clinton vetoed drilling in Anwar around 1996 and the idiots upheld the veto, so now we are paying $4.00+/- for our fuel and it's going higher. They have not allowed any new refineries to be built in about 30 years (do we have a few more folks here 30 years later that need gas, heat, and elictricity?), and prevented more nuclear power plants from being built. The Dems say they are for the poor common man but leading Dems want to raise your taxes, raise fuel taxes, take every cent you earn. I've heard some say that it dosen't affect the poor because they don't make enough to have to pay income taxes. The government (federal, state, local combined) makes about 3 to 3.5 times more on a gallon of fuel than Exxon, Conoco, etc. The poor mans groceries, clothing, and utilities are much higher because when the price of fuel rises, the cost of everything we use rises. But keep voting for them even tho they've got the rope around your windpipe and you are gasping for air, cause even tho they're bleeding you to death, they really love you and are their for you! Just like a wife beater is there for his woman! 4. Overpopulation Many years ago, prolly in the 1960's or early 70's I read a book by Paul Erlich called "The Population Bomb". According to that book, their would be famin and we would all be dead by now, the world could not, would not, sustain the amount of people if we kept on having children and didn't take steps to cut birth in third world countries. Impressed me at the time, I was young and stupid. We're doing fine and there is much room for many more folks to enjoy this wonderful world. And yes, Big Brother Al, we will still have glaciers, polar bears, seals, rodents and idiots. 6. A new attitude toward life, in harmony with each other and the planet ("permaculture") That's a feely, touchy, aren't I wonderful to accept my fellow man kind of statement. We don't need wars, we just need to sit down with the people that want to kill us and I'm sure we can work things out. I know personally I can hardly wait to change my life to what they want me to do, wear what they want me to wear, and then still have them kill us. Imagine the thrill of putting your little Jimmy on the school bus and seeing him roll away on the way to school, the excitement of having the bus blow up just 2 blocks from home because Herbies dad put a bomb in his backpack with his geography book! Wake up folks! This country was founded by peaceful folks who when pushed would fight for their rights and defend their country. And they created a country that is first on the scene when disaster strikes, even helping our enemies in time of need, we have nothing to be ashamed of.

I am thinking that we need Plan C. I heard Patrick Murphy over the weekend (the author). He is trying to integrate conservation and new technologies, but most of all he is emphasizing a change in values or "culture" to community and local action. The idea is that is where we will need to head anyway as oil and gas run out, at least until some future date when renewable infrastructure is built up (must read the book!)

I guess it is an interesting challenge for me to see how one person can make a difference. With the resources that I have at hand WHAT can I do. I've always believed in the symbionic relationship that we have with the planet and each other. Mother Earth is a battered woman.

Interesting analogy that I have not heard stated: "Mother Earth is a battered woman." Did you make that up?

Your concept ties in with a male-stereotype dominated society using aggression instead of cooperation, with women becoming passive-aggressive. It also seems to relate with Daniel Quinn's view of farming as an attack on the planet so humanity could "grow" continuously, leading to the dilemmas of the 21st century.

Yes that the planet is female and abused is my own thinking on the subject. I was very thrilled to read the article about Joseph Longo's work with gasification of anything and everything from agent orange leftovers in Viet Nam to regular household waste. There are some who think the process has a little farther to go. But it gave me so much hope about being a step in a revolutionary direction as far as reducing the amount of waste on the planet and better yet converting it into energy.

David covered most of the issues that concern me, the exception being how to effect changes, especially in the major industries that generate the most damage. There are so many environmental concerns that I feel we are at times too splintered to put the kind of pressure on these companies that is needed.