Government and democratic power

Environmental deterioration is everybody's fault. But people delegate their responsibility for the running of society to the politicians. So ultimately the current ecological crisis is the fault of politicians because they have the power. They make the laws and control how our country's wealth is spent (including the taxes they collect from us). They choose how to manage or mismanage the way the world is run.

It is the responsibility of people to ensure politicians manage the world properly. Unless enough people vote out economically obsessed politicians and replace them with wholistic politicians, environmental mismanagement will continue.

Write to your politicians and express your dissatisfaction with the way that the environment is being treated. Choose one issue, such as the mismanagement of forests in your own country. Have a specific request, such as legislation to stop the import of wood from forests, which are not well managed. Alternatively request a door to door pickup for recyclable waste. Your request should reflect a specific local need, which is linked to global and local solutions.

Most countries do not have true democracy but a dictatorship of two powerful parties. These two parties may be in competition with each other for control of power but their policies are usually very similar. Both parties are well funded by multinational companies and wealthy individuals, and after winning power they are indebted to their backers to ensure continued economic growth. In a world of finite space and resources continuous growth is tantamount to biological annihilation.

People and businesses expect favours for their large donations to political parties. From the well oiled party machinery of the US to the blatant bribe in Thailand, money influences political elections everywhere in the world.

In an ethical democracy professional politicians should not be allowed to solicit money from wealthy businessmen and women. A baseline on spending during elections will ensure fairness in the democratic process. The business interests of politicians should be regulated carefully.

Democracy must have some form of proportional representation. More political parties mean more political input into debate and decision making. If in your country the election system does not have a form of proportional representation then lobby for a change in your constitution.

Get involved with your local Environment Party. Stand in local or national elections. People need to take back more control over decision making and specifically how we manage the biodiversity that remains on earth.

Vote for the party or person with the best record on the environment. This may be the official Green Party or an Independent Green candidate. Don't vote for the right or for the left. Don't vote for one party in order to keep the other from power. Environment parties represent hope for the future. It may take time for these parties to build up support and win places in your country's parliament but eventually they will capture control of government. Don't vote for the economically obsessed parties (the grey parties), vote for sustainability.

Voluntary systems of modifying individual human behaviour for the benefit of the whole are important. But they will never work alone. Laws must be made to regulate human behaviour if we are to protect the environment.