Beyond good intentions: let’s think globally!

A couple weeks ago, I was invited by UMBC to provide a new year’s message to the world, in 100 words, prefaced with “In 2009, the world should resolve to…”

Here is the video version of my new year’s message:

And here are the 100 words:
“In 2009, the world should resolve to think globally before acting. Poverty, global warming, the massive extinction of species- all of these have come from acting without considering that everything we now do is connected to the health of the biosphere and all of its occupants. Good intentions are not enough. Witness biofuels- when nations acted without considering the global impacts of linking the automobile to agriculture, the negative global impacts were immediate. Humans are the greatest agent for change this planet has ever seen. We can change this planet for the better, but only if we get our act together.”

It was fun to weigh in on such a big subject with so few words, though anything so short is bound to oversimplify. Still, I really do believe that some of the grandest problems we are experiencing today are caused as much by failing to consider the global impacts of our actions as by failing to act out of good will to all.

Happy Holidays!
–Erle