I grew up learning that American culture meant can-do. That we took on challenges as a nation and as individuals. When the going got tough, the tough got going. The bigger they come the harder they fall.

Now we face a challenge: our lifestyles are lowering Earth’s ability to sustain life, already killing tens of millions a year, projected more. Anyone can tell that we as a nation and every one of us as an individual have to pollute less, that is if we want to live by the Golden Rule. If we want not to cause human population to collapse.

So in an effort to show what we can do, I show we can pollute less. As a side effect, the lifestyle change improves life. The number one response, in so many words: “Here’s why I can’t”.

Often it comes in the form of “but my family lives far away so there’s nothing I can do [but pollute more than 99.999 percent of people who ever lived]” or “but some people don’t have access to farmers markets [so I give up, as opposed to realizing that what Josh is doing is helping solve that problem]”.

What happened?

What happened to the American spirit of stewardship, responsibility, can-do, and following the Golden Rule instead of making excuses that I grew up learning about? How did it get replaced by gluttony, sloth, excuses, and pointing fingers?

How do people look at a picture or video like these and not swear off packaged food and doof in general? How do they point fingers at others and not see their contribution every time they pay for doof? How to they not see every time they fill up a tank of gas they pollute way more than in the picture, to say nothing of flying?

Speaking of America, the arch in the beginning of this video honors George Washington, the first president of this nation. He risked his life leading the revolutionary army that gained this nation’s independence.

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