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Simpler OneEarth Living Podcast*
SHOW NOTES
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Bill Ryerson of Population Institute and Population Media Center
In two podcast episodes with Bill Ryerson, we delve into the population explosion—a topic that continues to be largely avoided even though it is core to the civilizational and ecological disasters unfolding.
Crises Caused by Exploding Human Population
COMING NEXT: Reducing Human Population through Methods That Work
At the very time when species extinctions are happening faster than at any moment since 65 million year ago when dinosaur populations collapsed, one species, Homo sapiens, is in a burst of exponential growth. Now numbering 7.6 billion, our rise to become the overwhelmingly dominant species on the planet carries with it the harbinger of catastrophic decline. Because Nature’s ecosystems seek balance, no species has ever remained overwhelmingly dominant for long. Theoretically, it is possible that Homo sapiens, having evolved a high level of intelligence, will choose actions that cooperate with Nature in re-establishing a balance among species. But current trends indicate that our species will need to be brought back into balance through disaster, disease, and death, just as happens with other species when they have risen to dominate the resources of a region and destroyed the balance of the planet. The MultiEarth worldview is proving to be especially ineffective in dealing with population growth, ….[but] “Why?” (quote from _Blinded by Progress_ by co-host Lee Van Ham)
So, as we start this two-part series on human population, I am one who says, “There really isn’t anyway that we can be stewards of this planet with the top predator continuing to expand numbers, and doing so explosively.”
Again, quoting from the chapter on population in my book, Blinded by Progress: “Our growth rate exceeds our consciousness to even calculate its impact, and all of us, scientists included, are scrambling to come up with the framework in which to discuss this rapid takeover of our planet by our own species. E. O. Wilson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist retired from Harvard, has described this unusually rapid numerical growth by a species of primates (Homo sapiens) as ‘more bacterial than primate.’ He calculates that ‘human biomass is already a hundred times larger than that of any other large animal species that has ever walked the Earth.’ All species, including our own, are reeling from our heavy footprint upon our planet.”
NOTE–Study: Human 0.01% of World’s Biomass, Cause 83% of Extinctions–Real New Network.com, 6/6/18, 9 min.
JERRY: I wrote an essay recently called Options to Curb the Two Primary Drivers of the Climate Crisis: OverPopulation and OverConsumption. I’ve worked on the issue of overconsumption for some 25 years. Since circulating the essay for response I’ve learned that few people want to touch overpopulation, not in the progressive church, not among non-profits, not liberal politicians. I’ve vowed to carry on this conversation, which began with my interview of John Seager, head of the Population Connection, formerly Zero Population Growth. PART 1 // PART 2
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*Simpler Formats for 2018–SLW! Weekly Digest has been discontinued and the SLW! Podcast will be reduced to one episode per month, issued on the 15th. The complete SLW! Monthly Digest on the SLW! site will continue to feature the latest posts from colleague organizations and will be updated weekly. Simpler Living Weekly Nudge will feature offerings from SLW! It comes as your free subscription to SLW! Blog. The Daily Nudge comes by email (send NUDGE to SimpleLivingworks@yahoo.com) or by Twitter @GeraldIversen. Choose the options that work for you.
Subscribers to Simple Living Works! (SLW!) Podcast now receive The Common Good Podcast (TCGP)–which I produce and co-host–on the 1st of the month. Likewise, subscribers to TCGP receive SLW! Podcast on the 15th as a BONUS. So, SLW! Podcast subscribers will continue to receive two episodes per month. This makes good sense since the missions of both SLW! and Jubilee OneEarth Economics are so complementary and the two work together closely. Your comments on these changes are welcome.
Previous Episodes
Early June Bonus–Bonnie Tarwater of Church for Our Common Home Shifting Spiritual Practices and Congregations to More Earth-Based Ways
In the New Story of OneEarth living, religion and science are in a new relationship pursuing a mutual goal. That goal? Living with all beings in interdependent relationship that sustains life, reverses climate change, and breaks through to new social and economic systems. Now, how is this affecting houses of worship? Faith communities of all stripes? It’s the pursuit of this new interconnection between spirituality and science that led to the interview of this podcast. Glad you’re listening.
For everyone intent on living within the capacities of Earth, our common planetary home, Earth Day is a highly important day. Our podcast today is a fitting sequel to Earth Day 2018 which was this past April 22. It was a special weekend for Lee and Juanita, Lee’s spouse. On Saturday, Juanita and Lee heard two renowned people, a climate scientist and a theologian. They shared the same platform. They described how science and religion were joining together in a whole New Story for OneEarth living. The scientist was Veerabhadran Ramanathan, a distinguished professor at Scripps Institute of Oceanography at University of California San Diego and UNESCO Professor of Climate and Policy TERI University, New Delhi, India. In 1975, Ramanathan discovered the greenhouse effect of halocarbons.
The theologian was John Cobb, a scholar in the field of process philosophy and process theology. He is the author of more than 50 books and is described as one of the most significant theologians of the past century. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been a major influence in the ecologic movement in China. In 2015 at age 90, he was the architect of a major world conference with Claremont School of Theology, “Seizing an Alternative: Toward an Ecologic Civilization.”
The architect of this Earth Day event was Bonnie Tarwater, the innovative pastor of the Church for Our Common Home. On Sunday morning Juanita and Lee went to this house church congregation, formed in the last couple years. John Cobb gave a fascinating homily in the backyard on “God’s Call to Earthism.” A provocative conclusion to what I consider to be a great Earth Day weekend—an inclusive weekend that included Buddhists, Christians, and Sikhs among various religious traditions.
That story is the background for this episode. The Church for Our Common Home takes its name from Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si’,” which has the ecological subtitle “On Care for Our Common Home.” A lot of the rest of the story comes out in the interview-conversation Lee recently had with Bonnie.
Lee’s background blog: Climate Scientist and Theologian Tell How Ecological Crisis Requires New Cooperation between Science and Religion
A 3-part series:
** SLW! episode 111 for mid-April, 2018, of SLW! features part 1 of our conversation with Susan Taylor of Just Money Advisors about her book “What About Our Money: A Faith Response” — Wrestling with Systems Where Money Is Boss
** In early May, TCGP #95 features Susan part 2 on Matters of the Heart.
** In mid-May, SLW! #112 features Susan part 3 on Giving and Investing.
In part 1 with Susan, we gave an extensive bio of her many achievements and involvements. Please check that episode or see her bio on the Natural Investments website. Read her bio in back of her book, p.107.
Also hear our earlier conversation with Susan on TCGP Episode 78 : Susan Taylor of Just Money Advisors on Relating to Money in a Toxic Culture and Parenting Children about Money.
If you haven’t yet ordered your copy of Susan’s book, do it. The United Methodist Women commissioned Susan to write “What About Our Money? A Faith Response,” so order it from them. https://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/mission-u/money.
Secondly, if you haven’t yet become acquainted with Faith and Money Network, make a point to visit their website, faithandmoney.org.
LEE RESPONSE:
Choosing a bank is a spiritual practice
Taxes as redistribution and as investments
Redistribution is a practice of jubilee – Jubilee engages in redistribution
Women empowered through money and faith – Jubilee Circles involved in women’s empowerment—not just a mother’s day but ongoing revolutionary effort to change minds of women and men to live in a different relationship of sharing and cooperation instead of domination.
Artesanas Shalom
Women’s Collectiva
Women’s legal rights
Sewing machine – indigenous artists
Communitarian Feminism
Early April Bonus: HealthCare for All–Time for Healthcare for All—the Majority Want It and California’s Nearly There. Listen to this high energy, informative conversation with Julie Trager & Ava Torres-Bueno, two advocates for single payer healthcare. Their backgrounds in healthcare bring deep knowledge to their convictions. They tell how all of us can be served better and cheaper through California’s single payer plans.
Listen to this high energy, informative conversation with Julie Trager & Ava Torres-Bueno, two advocates for single payer healthcare. Their backgrounds in healthcare bring deep knowledge to their convictions. They tell how all of us can be served better and cheaper through California’s single payer plans.
Julie and Ava answer the objections to single payer that we often hear and explain how those objections come from the money-interests (insurance, pharma) who want to keep the status quo … and protect their profits. After this podcast you’ll be smarter about why and how single payer will serve us far better than the costly, confusing system we have now. You’ll know how you can help make it real asap.
We urge you to visit the website of California Health Care for All http://www.healthcareforall.org for helpful information and how you can help build momentum for this change in your area.
Also, on a related healthcare issue, Ava has written a well-informed, sensitive book, Peace beyond Abortion. It gets beyond the tragic frameworks used in much of the pro-choice vs pro-life debate which cannot be helpful to thousands of women (and men) caught in the excruciatingly difficult decision regarding a pregnancy. Ava’s book will help.
Also Mentioned: OpenSecrets.org
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Themes/Seasons: Alternatives’ Collections Index: Other Seasons
The Simpler Living Daily NUDGE
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- 2018
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In addition to this podcast and its show notes, we post a weekly SLW! blog. We hope you’ll read and subscribe. The BLOG is the companion to our podcast. The content is different, though the subject is the same. Click on blog at the top of the show notes of any episode. Blog INDEX
Recent Responses to All SLW! Media
Welcome to the other podcast I co-host/produce, The Common Good Podcast.
SLW! Recommends Literacy Service–This service contains books (paper, eBooks, audio), video (DVD, internet), audio (CD, MP3), blogs, podcasts, sites. These are somewhat current resources. For classic resources, visit Study/Activity/Action Guides. For more ideas, go to Getting Started. Also see Champions of Simple Living and other worthwhile Links.
Simple Living blog/podcast/site preview service
Treasury of Celebrations: Create Celebrations That Reflect Your Values and Don’t Cost the Earth, the last edition of the classic series Alternate Celebrations Catalogs.
Simple Living 101: Tools for Activists (shy or bold) | Share the Joy of a Simpler Lifestyle Through Speeches, Workshops, Events, Study/Action Groups, Simplicity Circles and Social Media + BONUS: Social Media Supplement // Self-Starters Needed! // Free coaching for groups on the internet
Themes/Seasons: Alternatives’ Collections Index: Advent/Christmas/Epiphany | Lent/Easter | Other Seasons | Anytime/Non-Seasonal | Music | Art | Audio | Video | Spanish | Living More with Less
Spirit of Simplicity: Quotes and Art for Simpler Living and Global Justice (Foreword by Cecile Andrews) | Introduction | How to Use This Collection | QUOTES | ART | En Español (all)
10 Tips for a Simpler, More Meaningful Celebrations | SPANISH: 10 puntas
Jubilee Economics / The OneEarth Project colleague Lee Van Ham’s books Blinded by Progress: Breaking Out of the Illusion That Holds Us and From Ego to Eden: Our Heroic Journey to Keep Earth Livable, both part of The OneEarth Project. Also, hear The Common Good Podcast, which I co-host and produce. || NEW three minute film: Ecology and Economics—Colleagues, Not Rivals || Conversation about The OneEarth Project and the book, Blinded by Progress: Breaking Out of the Illusion That Holds Us, by Lee Van Ham, including TheCommonGoodPodcast.com, episode 42 || Lee’s Slide Show || Lee’s new blog series Jubilee Is Bigger Than We’d Thought: Permeates Scripture, Addresses Today’s Crises
Share your thoughts on this podcast and this episode. Email SimpleLivingWorks@yahoo.com, leave a message on our Facebook page or on the SLW! blog.
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Peace, Gerald “Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist
To learn more about SLW! – our MISSION, for example — listen to episodes #1 and 2. We produce a half-hour podcast twice a month, to educate and inspire you, your family and your congregation or group. We blog weekly.
For hard copies of Alternatives’ resources at nominal cost, contact ELCA Archives, 321 Bonnie Lane, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 * (847) 690-9410 * archives@elca.org
Click ABOUT for Music and Cover Art Credits.
We do not solicit or accept donations, nor do we sell anything. All our resources and services are free of charge. We’re an all-volunteer organization. Instead, we urge Alternative Giving. Give away 25% of what you spent last year on all celebrations – Christmas, birthdays, etc. — to local, national and international causes.
Copyright: Creative Commons non-commercial attribution share-alike license.
*Treasury of Celebrations: published by Northstone, a division of Wood Lake Publications, BC, Canada, best known for its Seasons of the Spirit curriculum.