One Planet, many stewards.

The Global Stewardship Initiative (GSI) is one person's vision of a platform for environmental reform. Success is not measured by popular vote here; there is only one planet to support many ecosystems and their inhabitants, and reform is not going to be an easy transition for those of us who embrace industrial technology. Success can be measured only by how well the earth is processing the demands made upon her resources, and right now there are more demands than resources to supply them.

Solutions come by way of dialog between the principle interests in the environmental arena, and GSI is taking a serious interest in environmental reform. GSI is making a call to concerned individuals to become stewards of their planet by reducing their carbon footprint, taking an active role in discussion and problem-solving, to stop using plastic, seek out alternatives to petroleum-based fuels, contemplate solutions that are both environmentally sound and economically feasible, and demonstrate a more active role in environmental reform initiatives.

We have the technology, we need only to commit to compromise for the planet's sake. The current production of greenhouse gases cannot be sustained by our environment indefinitely, and bio-failure is imminent. GSI is about sustained acceptance of responsibility for the environment by more individuals on a wider scale than previously seen.

The next time you buy bottled water - ask yourself why. Is it the purity that motivates you? GSI is suggesting that you let the need for clean water motivate you to action on behalf of the planet; we don't need more plastic bottles dumped in landfills, but we might need to conserve local water resources because of drought and over-consumption or pollution.

The Global Stewardship Initiative is actively seeking to network with like-minded individuals who can take the initiative to educate themselves about the issues of global climate change, deforestation, fossil fuel emissions, and the domino effect that occur with these issues. Individuals who may not have given this discussion much thought can visit the Environmental News Network or the BBC - Science/Nature and find many thought-provoking news articles regarding the rapid decline of the earth's ecosystems.

Many of the global climate changes that we are currently experiencing have only started to develop in the last forty years; in theory, science never anticipated such a rapid decline. Deforestation coupled with widespread industrialization is causing the collapse of our environmental infrastructure. We are literally overwhelming the world's ecosystems with chemical, physical and environmental waste products; it can't keep up without the trees and other nitrogen consuming flora.

Couple that with a steady rise in nitrogen producing, carbon-based people who are living longer due to medical advances, and it gets downright scary. If you haven't seen the pictures of starving and dead Polar Bears along the Arctic coast, you can still imagine how severe this crisis is if the environment can no longer support the mighty, iconic Polar Bear.

Al Gore's book, An Inconvenient Truth depicts startling images of entire glaciers melted in a matter of a few decades. I've lived in Alaska over thirty years, and even with the 'take it for granted' element, I'm stunned at what I'm witnessing; stunned and ashamed that it could happen in my lifetime.

I can no longer ignore the frightening changes in my world, which has come to encompass the entire planet now that the internet has created a global community. Fortunately, I was raised a steward of the land by my parents, and I have hope for the planet and humanity.

So, let the call go out: one planet, many stewards to protect and preserve it.


Kat signs off~