As with some of the fore mentioned posts: One-person, in a lot of documented cases, will and does make a real difference. It is so easy, and rather comfortable, to set back and complain or point out the errors of policy and/or legislation. When it comes to environmental policy, demographic purging seems to be the order of the day and psycho graphic propagandas are offered tools for the purpose of divisional opposition group platform formations. It seems that the belief is culminated by strength in numbers, simply said; whose voice is raised the loudest. Still yet, some believe that financial wealth will graduate a particular group to that of validity and merit; over all other interests. In my book I would have to respectfully define this as complacency.
Solution comes from resolution and resolution comes from thorough and complete research. Not just a means of measuring the data as pertinent to cause but more as a measurement of all data, most importantly is the analyzed conclusion of cause and effect. Once this is measured there seems to be a big rush towards the introduction of said recommendations and legislation to prevent conflicts by muting the legal merit of the disenfranchised parties.
So many speak of a balance in nature and the truth is that there is no such thing. Nature is not balanced nor will it ever be. Nature is made up of opposing forces of constant energy, a mass of evaluating controls. Even on the streams that we fish so often, one can see and read these opposing forces, as we better understand them the better our daily yields. I submit this; nature is best measured through a level of tolerance. It is within the tolerance levels that life can be sustained, any alter in this will allow for some life forms to benefit better than others may. Through this knowledge of a known, a much better balance of cause-and-effect in nature?s tolerances can be achieved.
I am one of dialog to a point, once the effects of resolution have been measures, including the benefit for all opposing parties, action must be taken and implemented, no more constant talk about doing something. Does this mean send it to someone and say; ?Now get it done?, No! Make it happen through presentation to all parties of interest, formation of actions groups, in newsprint and design a true project plan that also solves the problems of those who feel that the resolution may bankrupt them. It is time to stop complaining and pointing our perceived problems, roll up the sleeves and get your hands dirty. There are so many grant organizations out there that anything that has to do with environmental improvements can get funding; caveat of any project that is well though out and properly presented. Don?t expect everyone to jump on the boat and reach into their pockets, some want to be involved but they are those of less financial means. A dream is but a dream until a person takes one step towards making that dream a reality; it then becomes an action plan.
If a farmers land is draining amounts of Nitrogen, above the levels of tolerance, help them design a solution and then help them get funding for it. Stop fighting the battles or looking for them as battles take very long and are not always the best approach, one does not need to make a point they only need to solve one. The battles can be won but more important is the fact that a battlefield is cleared of those straggling warrior groups, true alliances must be formed. For those that believe that merely making others aware of problems by shouting, going to the news agencies or just forming groups to fight a battle: I don?t call that proactive but consider it to be a part of the problem that distracts from resolution. Complete the process and find ways of assuring the introduction of the resolution by getting your hands dirty. A hard fought battle is one that will be revisited often; alliance building clears the battlefields.
I am not one that likes to speak of my own accomplishments and will not do so now. I submit this as a case in point. I recently moved to an area that is considered to have one of the worst economies in the country, my original hometown. Everyone here said that nothing can be done and political delegates will never do anything to help. I was even told that there is no way to get others to agree on anything, much less get involved. Long story short; I am no quitter and created that action plan that I spoke of: The entire of Congress recently voted on a grant from the allocations fund for this area and it was approved, not a lot but a pie is made up of many pieces and more will come from Congress. The city and county are now working together on joint projects (another thing that I was told would never happen), A huge grant organization, with 190 million dollars of funds, has created an action group that will implement/fund many of the plans and a few more. The community has become very actively involved thru participating in many of the newer multitude of action groups that are implementing different projects from the master plan. Several organizations were formed for the purpose of researching and applying for different grants and so on. The local TU Chapter was once debating it but a new President stepped up to the plate and got TU very actively involved in the local projects; I cannot say enough positive things about this gentlemen, Shane Pinkston. All of the projects are passed among different groups and they are all doing great work with the projects. For myself, I help where I can but they are no longer my projects, I don?t have the need for attention or complete ownership, the action plan and projects are supported by research, analysis and resolution; it is the people that take the credit as it is their community and we are all doing the work.
Irony is this: Some of those voices that hollered the loudest about nothing being done, the ones that called them selves community driven and pointed out all of the fault as well as problem. Now, it seems that those who accused everyone of being lazy and worthless for not doing anything, still sing their songs of spite. I have even heard a few, that did nothing more than insult everyone through print, are now taking credit for all of the positive projects that are now underway because they somehow brought attention to the community sub-standards. Some of those self appointed saviors are still the ones that are now complaining about everything that everyone is doing, they even predict failure and to no surprise: They still do nothing more than shout loudly, as they always did.
Point that I am trying to make: Get your hands dirty, open your eyes and ears, help everyone and everything effected, form resolution and an action plan, get funding for all parties of interest, form action groups; Implement the projects and stop complaining about those that do nothing, you just may be one of them?
[This message has been edited by BenC (edited 25 January 2005).]