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The Tribeless Shall Come Together
for Success
The
challenge before us all is to survive an ecological correction un-precedented
for our species. This correction will likely include an economic collapse and
a conversion to subsistence activities and trading. This change has oft been
called "a transition to a sustainable society." The Waste Economytoday's
consumeristic growth that has burgeoned for some decades-is widely seen as unsustainable
and the cause of massive species extinction. The conditions under which we live
are outrageous, but in many ways convenient and comfortable. The biggest corporate
fallacy may be that those features of comfort are salvageable through a "transition"
to a renewable-energy based consumer society. There is some leeway in how hard
the correction or transition will be for our overpopulation. We of Sustainable
Energy Institute (SEI) and the Auto-Free Times believe the source of
these problems center around dependence on petroleum, roads, vehicles and pavement.
If these dependencies are recognized and dealt with by society before our ecos
dives into a correction course, people can work together in hopes of liberation
and self-correction. Alternative land use, massive conservation of energy and
sharing cooperatively can all lessen the hard impact of falling on our collective
face on the inedible asphalt.
We could thus witness an awakening toward non-car transport, depaving for
gardens, and working with those nearby strangers called neighbors. Of course,
local business would thrive once unnecessary megacorporations begin to lose
out in shrinking markets. This in itself could trigger a rapid depression including
stock market collapse. ("Corporate systems for pollution and profit//Come apart
at the seams//What a great depression" Schoolmaster by the Depavers.
The same song precedes that sentiment with an image of people first finding
freedom and happiness as they "broke up all the asphalt." A tribal spirit helps
move the groove.)
Q: What can you do about this out-of-control system frying the planet? Sprawl sucks, right?
A: One thing you and many others can do is to support road fighting and bicycling. We naturally believe
that the Auto-Free Times and our projects such as Pedal Power Produce and the fledgling Sail Transport
Network (STN) are solutions to this toxic unreal culture. This is the Alliance for a Paving Moratorium's
tenth year, and it is time for a huge push in the U.S. and around the world to meet our moratorium goal.
Join us at APM's tenth year Anniversary Convention (stay tuned).
Our funding is quite modest; insufficient support has plagued us and limits our effectiveness. We don't
want to give up, and will not. Your participation in our success in 2000 can take many forms. From
applying our new "Fight Road Construction" bike sticker, to giving or obtaining a generous tax-deductible
donation for our office and projects, you could steer attention and dollars to our consciousness- (and
asphalt-) raising! Can you raise funds for us? Thank you, and enjoy this issue.
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