TOP DOWN OR BOTTOM UP?

 

Radio Ecoshock October 15, 2010

 

Hi there - this is Alex.  In last week's Radio Ecoshock program, I may suprised listeners with a very different point of view.  Former Whole Earther Stewart Brand came out swinging for nuclear power, genetic engineering, and geoengineering as the new "green."  I'll reply in just a minute.

 

Our main speaker this week is a refreshing antidote to Brand.  David Korten was recorded at the University of British Columbia.  He's a well-travelled specialist in the economy and cultural systems, author of the book "When Corporations Rule the World."  Korten has a much better idea, in my opinion.

 

We'll finish up with an example of corporation concentrating functions as Stewart Brand says is inevitable.  This time it's our enslavement of animals, in Concentrated Animal Feedlot Operations.  There's a set of two new books out - we'll talk with editor Daniel Imhoff.

 

This is Radio Ecoshock.  We now go to a new talk by author David Korten.  His books "When Corporations Rule the World" and "The Great Turning, from Empire to Earth Community" have set the pace.  His latest book, "Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth" couldn't come at a better time.  This new talk was recorded September 27th, 2010, by the presenters, the UBC Reads Sustainability program.

 

http://www.ubcreadssustainability.com

 

But I begin this week’s program with a rant about Stewart Brand.  His new “eco-pragmatism” reeks of the old conservatism, in my opinion.  To be fair, I ran his recorded conversation last week, with little comment.  This week, I tell you what I really think, in this piece:

 

“What’s the Matter With Stewart Brand?”

 

And we end this week’s program with an example of what happens in the country, when big business takes over our food system.  Daniel Imhoff is the editor of two companion books on CAFO - Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.  Earth Aware publishers have just brought out two new books on "The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories".  There is a CAFO Reader, and a big, big book of companion photos, that should frighten you.

 

Audio Links:

 

Stewart Brand at UBC October 5th 1 hour 30 minutes with Q and A

 

Stewart Brand “Conversation” on Radio Ecoshock 1 hour (Oct 5, 2010) 14 MB

 

Additional half hour from "Conversation" with Stewart Brand (raw audio, poor on questions, his assessment of back-to-the-land, billionaires may save us, more on geoengineering.)

 

Alex Smith reply to Stewart Brand (audio 12 min)

 

                       

David Korten at UBC Sept 27th  1 hour 30 min with Q and A

 

David Korten, from UBC Ecoshock radio edit (speech 30 min)

 

 

 

 

 

Once your’ve made your detour to “What’s the Matter with Stewart Brand” here is a healthy anti-dote: David Korten, author of "Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth" recorded at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver Canada on September 27th, 2010.  The UBC Reads Sustainability Program is bringing in some great speakers to stimulate students and staff.  They also recorded Stewart Brand in a speech on October 5th.  My thanks to Justin and the whole crew at UBC for sharing these fine speakers.

 

Audio Links: Stewart Brand at UBC October 5th 1 hour 30 minutes with Q and A

                       

                    David Korten at UBC Sept 27th  1 hour 30 min with Q and A

 

                    Stewart Brand “Conversation” on Radio Ecoshock 1 hour (Oct 5, 2010) 14 MB

 

                    David Korten, from UBC Ecoshock radio edit (speech 30 min)

 

                    Alex Smith reply to Stewart Brand (audio 12 min)

 

 

CAFO: THE TRAGEDY OF ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS with Daniel Imhoff

 

Stewart Brand says we must concentrate people in cities, and energy from sources like nuclear power.  The corporate world is also concentrating our food system, with dangerous results.....

 

In the news: at least 5 big supermarket chains recalled millions of eggs, due to salmonella poisoning.  The big shock for many of us: all those eggs came from a single Mid-West farm.  How precarious our food supply is, now that "farming" has morphed into industrial mega-machinery.

 

The new word we have to learn: CAFO - Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.  Earth Aware publishers have just brought out two new books on "The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories".  There is a CAFO Reader, and a big, big book of companion photos, that should frighten you.

 

Here to talk about it, is Daniel Imhoff, editor of both, and author of books like "Food Fight, Farming with the Wild".

 

I had a striking personal reaction to the horrible images, taken from our mass food system.  I can only explain it this way...

 

When I was 10, looking through my grandfather's bookshelf, I pulled down a scary book.  It was filled with photographs of the Holocaust - the industrialized slaughter of human beings.  No one had told me about it.  Those images never left me.

 

I had a similar reaction, when I received this big book of photos and essays, on these animal farms.  It was filled with stuff we never see in the mainstream media.  A hidden animal Holocaust.  It made me feel sick.  How are we going to overcome our aversion, this fear and nausea, to confront the realities of massive animal suffering, in our names?

 

In the interview, Imhoff gives us the inside picture - on what we all don't want to know about our risky food system under corporate agribusiness.

 

"The CAFO Reader: The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories", and the companion photo book, are lasting tools for activists.  On behalf of millions of animals, and their hidden suffering, in our industrial food machine - I urge you to educate yourself and others. 

 

And act to change it.

 

Thanks to Dana Pearson for our background music in this week's program.  And thank you for listening.

 

Alex Smith