Chapter 10 of “Plan B 4.0″ by Lester R. Brown devotes itself to answering whether people can mobilize fast enough with minimal time to counter the effects of human economic activities on degradation. If all the world nations realize the need and take pragmatic roles in the warlike mobilization of masses toward rapid economic shifts: plan B, the escalating trend of hunger due to food insecurity with a consequence of roaming news of hunger instigated failed states can be reversed.
Scrutiny of the chapter leaves questions on how exactly a world already addicted to capitalist systems administration can pay special regard to the proposed manners of change. However, an insight into the query is provided. The author, Brown, feels that creating awareness about the responsibility of every person’s noble role toward the realization of the dream comprises one stride forward. It is particularly encouraging to learn that at an individual or group level, identified issues posing a threat to the environment can be brought to the attention of civic and political leaders administrators.
This way, policies on restructuring fiscal priorities and axes can be worked on. However, can a small group manipulate an entire system reluctant to changes? The author caution people not to underestimate what they can do. He asserts that we should never doubt that small groups comprised of concerned citizens are at a point to change the world. True or false, I think this is what we should all strive for, as nature is unforgiving!
Three models of change that shape or are likely to shape our relationship with the earth are evident. Some dramatic events but occurring so late for us to have ample time to reverse the way we think about our environment fundamentally alters how we behave. It is the first model so-termed as a ‘pearl harbor model.’ Alternatively, the Bahrain wall model: where society gets to a tipping point on a given issue normally after an extensive period of gradual alteration in attitudes and thinking or ‘sandwich model of social change’ compels us to change socially.
In this regard, it grasps attention to assert that the world needs to take pragmatic steps to ensure that the first model never comes to regulate our activities. Since then, virtually the entire society will have collapsed. Take, for example, the depletion of the ozone layer due to excessive carbon emissions. Will advents of uncontrollable global warming with the consequence of raised sea level, which again translates to the extension of more danger to plant life, for instance, diminished wheat and rice harvest, be recoverable? Ideally, no: when a layer of ozone is gone and gone forever!
It leaves us with only one option, and that is ‘mobilizing to save civilizations: restructuring of the global economy to stabilize population, stabilize, climate, eradicate poverty, regain natural support systems to the economy and more importantly restoration of hope. Technology, financial resources, and economic instruments are available to achieve this dream. All that is required is the willingness, especially by wealthy nations, to mobile them and set methodologies to be taken after by economically challenged nations. Even in the light of all possible things that can be done, it is policy frameworks alterations to suit the dreams of alteration of human-environment interaction.
Hence, shaping the relationship between the two foes, more demand is on the most basic constituent of the society: an individual. You and I can choose to ” stay in business as we are accustomed to and head an economy greatly continues to deteriorate systems of its natural support until it crashes itself, or we choose to adopt plan B. Enormously, plan B has the capability and capacity to propel the entire world towards the dreamland of sustained progress.