Comments for Wandering Gaia

Comment on Contact by Gaia

Gaia — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:58:04 +0000

Hello Caitlin, thanks for your lovely message! It’s great to know that you’re studying hard to help us solve the important problem of how we can all live comfortably on this biodiverse planet without suffering environmental catastrophe.
best wishes,
Gaia

Comment on Contact by Caitlin haigh

Caitlin haigh — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:08:33 +0000

Dearest Gaia,
My name is Caitlin Haigh, I am 19 years of age and am currently studying at Macquarie university, Sydney Australia. For so long I have had an interest in our planet, it’s biodiversity,it’s ecology, its geology… And it has only occurred to me in the last few years, the way we as a civilization are living; using and unfortunately abusing this planets resources.
I made the mistake of previously thinking that this planet will last forever, that we will last forever!! But through reading and watching and listening I sadly come to my own understanding that if we continue to live the way we are, this planet will rot at the hands of our misuse and yearn for commercial greed! So I say to you, I thank you most sincerely for having such a genuine interest in the wellbeing of this planet.
It is my life long ambition to enter into conservation, to spread the word and make people aware of the devastation that will undoubtly follow us if we do not bring about change. It feels almost 19years too late I discover your blog, and your articles. But it is never too late for change and inspiration; for ACTION!!! Earlier this week I felt I had no passion…typing into google “how to find a passion” haha. I am studying a bachelor of science, majoring in brain, behaviour and evolution. It is through this course that I discovered you and your work.
The October 2011 article you published in Science: The Epoch Debate. It was like a breath of fresh air, of new life (quite ironic in light of the article). It was that eureka moment, where I found that much needed piece of inspiration!

I have joined your blog, jumped aboard the Gaia bandwagon (an electrically powered wagon of course) and shouted lets get up, let’s go out and do something! A collective will is needed to change this pattern of apathy. I was quite shocked to see that only a little over a thousand people followed your blog…

Hopefully, with your wise words that number change and will entice a more productive attitude among society, among the mass corporations and the commercial fat cats! Among the everyday person and wider demographic.

So thanks Gaia! I cannot wait to read more, better my understanding, broaden my mind, feed my thirst for change! Learn and take ACTION.

Kind regards
Caitlin Haigh

Comment on Where gringos come to die by Mike Allen

Mike Allen — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:21:05 +0000

I am retired US Army and was in both Nicaragua and Honduras during the 80s. No one was ever droped into a volcano by helicopter.

Comment on Future city by Chris Striebeck

Chris Striebeck — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:37:04 +0000

I really enjoyed your article and definitely think that sustainability and distributed renewable energy can and should be applied to urban environment …..but through a free market not centralized planning.

The beauty of renewable energy is that it can be used in rural areas in a way to productively sustain living and working in such areas; thus, minimizing the need for migration to urban areas and the environmental and social problems which result from increased human density.

As such, this technology is not only environmentally beneficial, but economically and socially in that it empowers the individual to create the most fundamental resource that everyone on this planet needs, regardless of his age, location, status in society, profession, means to leisure and etc., and that is energy.

Comment on Shanghai Express by Andrew Cooper

Andrew Cooper — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:22:53 +0000

Apparently shark fin doesn’t even taste very good! It’s an awful situation, not only a tragedy of the commons but there’s obviously a vicious circle which means the rarer that sharks become the more expensive and therefore more desirable they’ll be. I can only imagine that a technological solution, like commercial farming, will fix this. It’s difficult to imagine that economics will deal with it: if there were only a handful of sharks left the hunters would go all out to kill them as they’d be incredibly valuable.

Anyway, on a positive not, really liked your photos and description of Shanghai.

Comment on Shanghai Express by Gaia

Gaia — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:07:53 +0000

Sadly, every menu had at least one shark fin dish on it, Andrew. And often lots of other undesirable ingredients too.

Comment on Shanghai Express by Bama

Bama — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:07:00 +0000

When the word China crosses my mind, I only think of Beijing, The Great Wall, Southern China, Xi’an, Jiuzhaigou and Zhangjiajie as the places that I really want to visit. Shanghai is never in the list. But your description of the city has changed my mind. I think it’s much more interesting than I previously thought.

Comment on Shanghai Express by Andrew Cooper

Andrew Cooper — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:05:09 +0000

It’s great to hear from a wandering Gaia again and I look forward to hearing more about your visit.

If you have a chance while you’re there, I’d be very interested to hear what the view of officials and others in China is about shark finning (and, although the issues are very different, harvesting from endangered wild species, including elephant and rhino).

Shark finning received some good coverage on Simon Reeve’s programme here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00pqbfj last Sunday.

While shark fin soup isn’t only consumed in China (unbelievably the New York Times published a recipe recently http://goo.gl/zGFnv ) the Chinese government could, if it wanted, do much to change habits and reduce the impact this real tragedy of the commons.

I’d be interested to know whether finning and the ivory trade are even seen as problems in China and whether there is any realistic chance of stopping them. My guess is that they aren’t and that even if the official line was in favour of conservation, corruption is so deeply rooted that a change to laws or government policies would have little effect.

If that’s the case, then maybe a combination of science and capitalism could help? Shark farming, for example? http://goo.gl/ddD0v

More on finning here http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/ and on the ivory trade here http://www.bloodyivory.org/stop-the-ivory-trade

Comment on About me by MHS

MHS — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:11:26 +0000

Hi,

I read your article on BBC: “THe Anthropocene”. I really enjoyed it, thank you for writing it. It is an illuminating look into a general overview of many rough terrains we are headed to and are in. I wish I could know what it is that I could do, it always seems like such a large task. I too have spent some time traveling (about a years worth) but I’m 19 and ‘stuck’ in college or to take a less systematic option (kind of like what I did in the last year). I too enjoy traveling and writing, mixing and sharing. Hopefully we can all come into who we are preserved to be, as fully as grace allows and do what it is Creation needs of us.

Thank you, bless you.

Sincerely,
MHS

Comment on Oriental arrival by Richard Pečar

Richard Pečar — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:39:46 +0000

Hi Gaia,

I’m a newbe follower and I want you to know how much I have enjoyed your essays. I came to your blog from your article on Silver Bear Cafe. Also, I am also really, really jealous of your travels, which is something I am unable to do. But since you are, I have the next best thing which is following your posts. I am grateful for that opportunity. Thank you!

Best Regards,
Richard