2010

In the first few months of 2009, the global recession led many to struggle with the notion that some corporations were simply “too big to fail.” Proponents of corporate bailouts were certain that failure of those institutions would be too catastrophic. The entire US economy, our way of life, and the global economy itself could be at risk. And risk, as we’d all come to learn, was something that we really didn’t understand, despite the efforts of the best and brightest leaders — the politicians and their financial advisors. Better to preserve the lifeblood of the financial system and protect those institutions that are simply too big to fail.

Thousands of miles away from the centers of financial and political power, a very different sort of the best and brightest took a stand to protect something that, in their estimation, was “too big to fail.” In early 2009, Peru’s President unilaterally overturned congressional legislation and opened up the rights to log and drill 70% of Peru’s portion of the Amazon to international oil companies. The Amazon represents over half of the planet’s remaining rainforests, and it comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world. The logging would have initiated the release of carbon stored in the trees, dealing another serious blow to the ecosystem that has been called “the lungs of the earth.” Instead, the indigenous peoples fought back, blockading roads, rivers and even seizing part of Peru’s sole natural gas pipeline in protest. They stood firm while Peru declared a state of emergency and unleashed the army against the protesters. By mid-year, the Peruvian congress repealed the president’s decision by a vote of 82 to 16.

The Amazon isn’t the only system to suffer from the drive toward bigness. Bees, especially those employed by big agribusiness, have suffered, too. The mysterious colony collapses of bees around the world seems, in many cases, to be a combination of an onslaught of viruses, environmental stress and exhaustion. Honey bees are the most important insect in the human food chain, pollinating about one-third of crops grown in the US. Each year, industrialized bees are packed into tractor trailers by the hundreds of thousands, fed artificial supplements and corn syrup, and shuttled from Maine to California, exposing them to pathogens and pesticides, stress and dislocation. Experts are still scrambling to stave off this massive, and potentially catastrophic, bee die off.

At a time when the threat of global climate change and biodiversity loss is often sidelined by talk of a global recession, it’s important to draw inspiration from the instances where people take a stand for sustainability. The examples are out there, if we take the time to look. Even as we learn that our many fisheries are on the verge of being overfished and that climate change is happening now, there are stories that inspire us to take action.

For example, urban beekeeping, especially in New York City, is on the rise as people seek a supply of local honey and the pure satisfaction of watching bees go about their work. Local beekeeping may not be enough to ensure food security, nor satisfy the enormous needs of agri-business, but it’s a step toward feeling more connected to the vulnerabilities of the systems we depend upon.

The problems we face may seem stark, overwhelming and ultimately beyond our individual control. It’s tempting to wonder if small acts can really make a difference in the face of such bigness. But small acts of sustainability reaffirm our desire and commitment to act — to participate, to be engaged and to think practically about how to make a difference in the things that truly matter. More people are going green, or at least simply thinking about the impact of consuming so much more than we need. We vote for change — or the status quo — whenever we eat, drive our cars, use another disposable plastic bottle, or consume to excess. The power of thousands and thousands of small acts will have an impact: not just on our planet, but on our people.

SFS is working with community partners, scientists, and educators around the world to identify the challenges to sustainability. Our students and faculty provide vital information to local communities, governments and NGOs on environmental dynamics and linkages between natural and human systems. Whether you join us in the field or work in your local community, we hope you’ll take a stand for sustainability. Each of us can commit small acts that lighten the load of our patterns of consumption and generation of waste. Each of us can look up from our daily routine to appreciate and respect the limits to growth, and celebrate our own efforts, along with the dedication of others, working for change.