This just in - the latest from the preachy blog (12/29/11):
"This month: birds, again" - This month just some random links and even more random comments about birds, on the occasion that about two weeks ... [more]
The preachy site with the bulky name - V1.0 1)
Welcome to our old fashioned website. You do not need to sign up, do not need to leave your email address or credit card number, do not need to tie and confirm contacts, do not need to upload anything.
All activity we do request demand 2) is in the listing below.
Also, this site is not about the en vogue topic global warming - not only.
Climate change seems to be just one more indicator that we stretch our environment to the limits, i.e. actually live beyond our means 3).
Number of humans currently living on this planet:![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Acres of rainforest lost since creation of ysmad (4/25/2008):![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
- STOP IT!
Animal and plant species being wiped out, since site creation:![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Trees converted into chopsticks (China), since site creation (see blog entry 5/8/08):![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Birds killed "inadvertently" (US), since site creation (see blog entry 7/18/08):![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Tons of seafood harvested (rather: "mined"), since site creation:![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
(More statistics on ysmad's statistics page)
This site is meant to raise awareness for the need of environmental conservation. See the bottom of the page for some additional comments. Here some initial ideas on how to make a difference:
Buy less (new) stuff
Keep your lawn cut a bit higher
Be gentle on your heating and cooling system
Avoid one-time plastic articles like plastic bags and plastic dishes
Boycott restaurants which crank up the AC to the max
Put an energy-saving bulb in your frontyard's lamp
Don't participate in frequent traveler "mileage runs"
Remind your hotel to not change bed linens and towels
Meet virtually instead of physically
Install a thermostat
Buy local wine and beer
Repair instead of replace
Buy her more flowers for Valentines than ever!
Donate for rainforest protection
Send back unsolicited mail
Sell stuff you no longer use (or about to throw away) on ebay
Plan your refrigerator turnover
Watch your seafood
Don't use hotel soap, shampoo and lotions
Minimize water softener runs
Let common sense rule!
Pay your bills online
... [show all, ysmad green tips page]
Some comments as mentioned on top of this page.
Here is how we see it: Either
- We change our way of living towards sustainable lifestyles
[ysmad's "green tips" more than likely don't go far enough to meet "sustainability", but it's a start ...]
or - We reduce the planet's human population
[a subset of the first; see the VHEMT initiative
for a quite radical, or "Population Connection"
for a more moderate approach - though VHEMT is the more entertaining site to browse :)]
or - Human environmental impact will further decrease the planet's diversity and ability to sustain life - including our own species
[i.e., the continued destruction of the very environment we liveinfrom :( This includes biodiversity as well as livable local and global climate]
What's the problem?
Apart from our "statistics page", see the article compilation "Mass extinction underway" on well.com as a starting point:
"Human beings are currently causing the greatest mass extinction of species since the extinction of the dinosaurs (...), as a result of habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, and climate change." ![]()
Why should we care?
Here is a nice summary from the "Convention on Biological Diversity":
"It is reckless if not downright dangerous to keep chipping away at our life support system. It is unethical to drive other forms of life to extinction, and thereby deprive present and future generations of options for their survival and development." ![]()
So - to close this page real' preachy:
Be part of a change which needs to happen now and where your share makes a difference! ;)
Warning!
The following quotes may contain 'inconvenient truths' :) Please stay some klicks and read some articles, e.g. in our blog.
"The greatest challenge of the twenty-first century is to settle humanity down and accommodate 8 to 10 billion people with a decent standard of living before they wreck the planet. (...) Humanity's responsibility to the rest of life and to future generations is clear: bring with us as much of the environment and biodiversity through the bottleneck [of peak-population] as possible."
(Edward O. Wilson in a foreword to "The Diversity of Life")
"It's not just global warming, it's not just a loss of biodiversity, it's not just the pollution of our oceans and the clearing of our rainforests, [it's about] personal transformation and environmental consciousness that we need to have in this generation to implement a lot of these changes that need to occur."
(Leonardo diCaprio about his movie "The 11th Hour")
"We need a top-down approach and we need a grass-roots effort if we are going to reverse environmental damage and preserve our planet for future generations -- for all of you."
(Ban Ki-moon about climate change)
"And that is what is at stake, our ability to live on planet Earth, to have a future as a civilization."
(Al Gore in "An Inconvenient Truth")
Nooo, these quotes are not only to decorate our website with celebrity names!
1 Announcement ...
It's official - the preachy site with the bulky name is online in "version 1.0" since 9/1/2008. Green tips, nature pictures and a preachy blog - any comments?!
2 A tiny tribute ...
... to Derrick Jensen's compelling point that "lovingkindness" will not work. See "endgame, Volume 2", page 570.
3 Regarding "living beyond our means":
See e.g. WWF "Living Planet Report" 2008 - "Humanity's demands exceed our planet's capacity to sustain us"

![[click to enlarge] lichen on tree, south carolina](http://ysmad.com/pics/DSCF0053-lichen-on-tree-tn.jpg)
![[click to enlarge] large grasshopper, indiana](http://ysmad.com/pics/DSCF2409-big-green-grasshopper-tn.jpg)
![[click to enlarge] hoverfly on red daisy mum](http://ysmad.com/pics/DSCF2720-hoverfly-detail-tn.jpg)
![[click to enlarge] little blue heron, everglades](http://ysmad.com/pics/DSCF2969-small-blue-heron-tn.jpg)