Hope, Human and Wild tells the story of three places on Earth that in the opinion of the author, Bill McKibben, have lived "lightly" on the Earth, as in, environmentally efficient and mindful. These places are Kerala, Curitiba, and the Adirondacks.
McKibben starts the story of his travels with a quote from Al Gore, who said "We are in an unusual predicament as a global civilization. The maximum that is politically feasible, even the maximum that is politically imaginable right now, still falls short of the minimum that is scientifically and ecologically necessary." In this quote Gore is talking about what needs to be done to preserve the Earth. That what really needs to be done is not attainable, but even what people could possibly do right now, isn't even close to a minimal effort to change the damage that has been done to the Earth. Not a single person alone can save the Earth, everyone knows this, but many people, are simply not willing to even try to make a difference. People like having their cars to take them everywhere, even down the block to the store, their big houses with air conditioning blowing in the summer and the heat cranked up to tropical in the winter, and every technological toy available on the market as soon as it's released. (I made the mistake of going to the mall the day the new iPad came out, let's just say people are CRAZY.) This book tells the story of places that are going against the norm of society, and living simply. McKibben found hope for the future of the Earth in his travels, and he describes the life styles of the places he visited, in hope that this can be an example to people.
Kerala is located in the southern tip of India and is notably poor, as is most of India. Many people living in Kerala do not have beds to sleep on, they have utensils to cook with, some have chairs, and for the majority of the people living there, that's all folks. It's per capita income is one-seventieth of the average in America. In India the average lifespan of a male is about fifty-eight years old, but in Kerala things are oddly different. The average lifespan of a man is seventy years old, compare this to the United States, a developed country, where the average life expectancy is seventy-two. A Third-World Country with a life expectancy so close to that of a developed nation? So what does this say about all of our doctors, medicines, technology, and progression that is supposedly making the United States superior? Everyone has the logic that richer people are healthier, they must live longer, they have more access to doctors, necessary medication, health care, but maybe we aren't looking at the big picture. Psychologists will tell you that the biggest factor contributing to peoples level of happiness is human relationships or social connection. People need a sense of society, but as we all get richer, we build are big houses and surround ourselves with material possessions that are suppose to bring us joy. So maybe in a place like Kerala where yes, people are living in poverty, they all share their resources, and have a real sense of community. Maybe their social connections to their fellow mankind they are living with makes them happier, giving them a longer lifespan. We all know happy people tend to be healthier and live longer. And no, McKibben is not saying we have to live our lives exactly like the people in Kerala, with no electricity or running water. But simply to reevaluate what we have, and how we use it. What do we really need in life? Maybe we don't need to live in a mansion, and maybe you don't need to drive you're car everywhere you go, and you know what? Maybe a little fresh air would do us all some good.
As I started with a quote I will end with a quote, by Bill McKibben. "Kerala supplies no new technology. Its gift is more precious: new fuel for our imaginations. "
