Do We Give up or Forge on?

Since our last newsletter in April, we have published a number of your interesting contributions, so above all, thank you! Vicent Boix, from Spain, has offered us a close look at how the notorious agrochemicals manufacturer, Monsanto, has developed a business plan aimed at increasing its profits through tactics that could be easily applied by the international drug cartel.

Do you sometimes feel that those who are most responsible for humankind’s current predicament seem to be pretending to be just discovering “the environmental issue”? When serious warnings have been issued for decades, such as the Club of Rome’s publication of The Limits to Growth as far back as 1972 and others even earlier? That the meek policies finally being considered are “too little and too late”? That the countless viable proposals to “save our souls,” such as the many provided in the Alliance’s Proposal Papers, published in 2001 and still timely, are simply being disregarded? Then you will most certainly understand this outcry from a longstanding Ally from France!

"Doing our bit" at whatever our level

One of the most violent symptoms of humankind’s self-destructive inclinations is, of course, war, with its more recent “on civilian populations” version. Remember Rwanda, 15 years ago? Alliance 21, back in 1997, held a multi-continent interconnected assembly, and one of the groups met in Kigali, where it drafted a Platform for Peace. A young volunteer in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo has sent us a first-hand report to remind us that those responsible for the 1994 massacres are still dealing their deadly hand in this border country, with little international attention.

But, hey, there is no reason to give up. There are countless ways for each of us to “do our bit,” at whatever our level. We may still reach the critical mass needed to make a sharp turn in the direction of a human species living in harmony with its source of sustenance, the biosphere. John Anugraha, from India, reports on just one of the ways in which the young people of today can be committed to making that difference.

Tell us what needs to be regulated globally

Change is needed at every level. It seems pretty clear that global problems also need global solutions, and one of our partner workgroups, the Forum for a new World Governance, is busy working out viable solutions at that scale. This kind of thinking can only benefit from your input, whoever you are, so do not hesitate to enter into the debate and spread the word!

What else is new? Ah, yes, we have published another Desirable News item. Read the latest on the responsibility of scientists and you may also agree that such projections are not so far-fetched.

Get involved!

Check out the Events column on the right, showing a minuscule selection of the actions that we hope are adding up to our better future. If you would like to have access to the Alliance directory to build your contacts, sign up here.

Don’t forget you can also use this Web site to pick up news from other, related Web sites either at the Workgroups section and each of its subsections, or at the bottom of the Interesting Web sites section.

As we write, statistics show that there has been a nearly 48% month-to-month increase in visits to this Web site, which is here for you to use. Send us information on your future events, and read here to find out what other kinds of article you can contribute.