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Planetary Hospice, Redux
“At the level of society, there is very little any of us can do. However, I can think of one job that is worth our collective attention. There may be others. Working to…
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A Reminder from the Pandemic: Service Remains Worthwhile
“When asked why we are here, the inimitable American author Kurt Vonnegut frequently quoted his son Mark and also his uncle. The former individual, between stints in a psych ward and Harvard Medical…
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There is Always an Answer
“We have few opportunities to positively influence the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mass Extinction Event, and abrupt, irreversible climate change. None of these opportunities, even if pursued with rigorous passion by each of us,…
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What I Have Learned
“I have learned that most people are ‘Takers,’ in the spirit of Daniel Quinn’s 1992 novel, Ishmael. ‘Leavers’ formed cultures that thrived for more than 300,000 years before the agricultural revolution. ‘Leavers’ comprised…
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Letter from Maitland, Florida
“In other words, none of us has long. I have enjoyed an enormously privileged life, in no small part because I chose my parents wisely. I have lived a long time, relative to…
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Against Misogyny: Crusade Interruptus
“I suspect few people know that The Population Bomb, published in 1968, was co-authored. Professor Paul Ehrlich is credited as sole author of the book because the name of the other author was…
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Arundhati Roy & Rachel Carson: Two of My Guides
“Misogyny and racism are outcomes of every civilization. This latest version—the industrial, global model—is no different from its predecessors, except in magnitude. Much of the misogyny and racism is sufficiently hidden from view…
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Human Animals?
“The projected rate of climate change based on IPCC-style gradualism outstrips the adaptive response of vertebrates by a factor of 10,000 times. Closer to Homo sapiens, mammals cannot evolve fast enough to escape…
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Love in the Time of the Sixth Mass Extinction
“We are in the midst of abrupt, irreversible climate change. We are in the midst of a Mass Extinction Event on Earth. How shall we act? What moral code(s) can guide us? These…
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Philosophy & Conservation Biology
“It is small wonder humanity will not be saved. Evolution drives us to breed, drives us to procreate, and drives us to accumulate material possessions. Evolution always pushes us toward the brink, and…