Essay by Luke Foster
I love this song by Irish band U2 and the lead singer Bono has been an activist mainly to overcome global poverty for decades.
“If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function, no amount of money will save us.”
David Suzuki
I agree with Doctor David Suzuki that the environment is in poor shape due to humans cutting down old growth forests and lack of habitat for biodiversity, over fishing and the green-house effect and many other complex problems such as pollution.
“People are unaware of what is going on. When I talk to people, they know the basics, they know the planet is warming because of greenhouse gases… but they don’t know the actual consequence of that.”
Greta Thunburg
I feel the greenhouse effect is the biggest problem facing humanity and is much more dangerous than the consequences of COVID.
“Nature hasn’t gone anywhere. It is all around us, all the planets, galaxies and so on. We are nothing in comparison.”
Bjork
Bjork from Iceland who used to be lead singer of the Sugar Cubes now who has her own band with back up musicians is not only an amazing musician but also important environmental activist and close friend with collaborator David Attenborough.
“All our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people and harder – and ultimately impossible to solve – with ever more people.”
David Attenborough
The uneven distribution of wealth and food and access to medical supplies causes much suffering in the world.
“As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.”
Nelson Mandela
I agree with Nelson Mandela that the uneven distribution of wealth is one of the biggest problems in the world and the homeless in the developed world and many in the developing world suffer needlessly.
“Only through compassion and inner peace, can one spread peace in the world. Inner peace leads to a peaceful individual and then this peaceful individual can build a peaceful family, then a peaceful community, then a peaceful world,”
Dalai Lama
I agree with the Dalai Lama that the best way to develop peace in the world is if we all develop peace, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion in our own minds first.
“True security is based on people’s welfare – on a thriving economy, on strong public health and education programmes, and on fundamental respect for our common humanity. Development, peace, disarmament, reconciliation and justice are not separate from security; they help to underpin it.”
Ban Ki-moon
“Ban Ki–moon is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016.”
Wikipedia
I love the quote about the major issues facing humanity and I love that he is Korean.
“I will devote the rest of my life to world peace, but that will not be long enough. I will encourage others to carry on the work when I am done”.
— “Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), American poet, women’s rights activist, civil rights activist, suffragist, lecturer, writer, social reformer; founder, Mother’s Day.”
Google Search
I love this quote by Julia and I just finished this essay and then realised I didn’t have balance of male and female role models so I am adding three more strong women’s ideas.
“Women speaking up for themselves and for those around them is the strongest force we have to change the world.”
– Melinda Gates.
I love this quote by Melinda Gates about empowerment of women and feel the Bill and Melinda gates Foundation do amazing work in the world in overcoming global poverty.
“The willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life is the source from which self-respect springs… to free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves — there lies the great, the singular power of self-respect.”
Joan Didion
I feel one of the biggest problems in the world is the uneven distribution of power between males and females in key positions.
In conclusion I feel we need to work as a global community to solve the very complex problems facing humans and nature too. The answers won’t come easily but I have hope that we can turn the plight of the planet and humans around and rescue ourselves from the dangerous path we are on.
Selfie on a clear winter day in Australia after a book reading shoot about my mother Maria Foster from my book Mothers Love and showing my drawings from the ten drawings a day project and short walk all with my support worker Yannick Soyez.