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NFC: Communique from the combat booted one.

Brute force will not accomplish our goals, of course... how silly of me.
Doing nothing will accomplish... nothing also. What we need to do is
figure out what our policy is, and stick to it. Obviously sitting in the
front row of a voyeur extinction show is not to my taste, and is not
likely to engender any mass movement to preservation. The first thing is
to understand we are really talking about self preservation, and how we
would like to be treating ourselves. Next we need to exhibit will power
and not back down off our position, once it is made. This is the crucial
part, and the trick is to allow enough feedback as the process unfolds
and yet not unwind our doings inadvertently. I think there are many
excellent studies and opinions developed that point the way to where we
need to go. 
1. Find a method of food production that does not damage the
environment.
2. Find a method of clothing, transportation and shelter that does not
damage the environment.
3. Convince everyone that this is the desirable way to live.
Ok, tall order. Well, what would stop this from happening? Easy, the
seven mortal sins.
Let's get down to business...
A. Food has gone downhill. It is becoming increasingly difficult to
purchase a decent tomato out of the grocery store. Fact. People are
paying top dollar for tomatoes that actually resemble a home grown
tomato, but still aren't quite as good quality. Most produce is like
this. Fact. The meat you eat is fed all kinds of nasty stuff you would
never consider eating... you name it, someone is selling you something
they fed it to. Ok, so there is room for improvement, and there are
people willing to spend top dollar to get it. Therefore, if you can
produce awesome food, chances are it will make a decent living for you.
It will take some work and possibly some law changes to allow locally
produced high quality food to become available.
B. Transportation and energy... well, you all know all about this
already, but don't want to spend any money on it to get the industry
going. Shame on you. And me.
C. There is no easy way out. There are not enough things you can buy
that will distract you from this simple truth.
Conclusion: There are a few ways everyone can help turn the tide. I have
mentioned planting your property with plants native to your particular
locality, particularly those that help support endemic and migratory
wildlife by providing food and shelter for them. Become involved in the
knowledge of your natural surroundings as we have here about our fish.
Plant your own vegetable garden, learn about companion planting
(allelopathy) and other time honored techniques from your elders and
companions before the information is lost to the winds of time. There is
a technology now called "aquaponics" that is used to raise fish and
vegetables together in a closed system, people are developing large
scale and home production versions of this right now as I type this.
What else do you have to do? Make a million bucks? Whatever, sounds
clever. Doesn't sound very enjoyable, chasing the buck... I'd rather
chase a real buck, and make sure there are plenty for my children to
chase around also. Rounding out the conversation back to fish, if there
becomes any amount of commercial demand for native aquaria species,
these should be farmed, not wild harvested. Incidental take as a hobby
must be supported by local fish and game departments, and they also must
be locally based, for instance not blending one variation in with all
the waters in a broad region. More small fisheries will generate more
jobs. Besides, with all the enthusiastic, hopeful people participating
in a better future, the economy is likely to purr along like a lap cat.
Sounds good to me, I haven't heard any better ideas recently... or ever.
People were not meant to perform as depressed and sickened drones, it is
not our nature. They don't buy lots of product with vigor and zeal under
those conditions, do they now?
So, this has all been heard before you say? As any good advertising exec
worth their salt will tell you, it is the repetitive beat of the drum
that pounds the message home. Heck, we start to think we enjoy all the
drivel that comes over our radios hour after tedious hour at the
unbearable job. We are not allowed to enjoy our own musical preference,
we sit isolated in traffic jams relishing the chance fender bender that
punctuates the monotony and listen to our walkman during transit instead
of striking up conversation with a neighbor. We are a rather drab
version of the savage natives who rip the hearts out of captive
sacrificial victims, convinced that eating our own heart out is
empowering to our personal vain individuality. Ok, I'm done for tonight.
Dang, only two spelling errors in all that, quite remarkable, really.
Tread lightly upon this earth, and go in peace.
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