Jeffrey Sachs, Ph.D., Director of Sustainable Development Solutions Network, A Global Initiative for the UN; Director of The Earth Institute, Columbia University. He is Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the Millennium Development Goals, having held the same position under former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Yesterday I heard this man interviewed by Fareed Zacharia on the Global Public  Square, concerning sustainability and earth’s peril.  I have read books by him and seen other interviews but never have I heard him speak so intensely. He began by emphatically stating “This is our last chance.  2015 is big! We have an overcrowded planet and overused, depleted resources. We’ve seen and know the cataclysmic effects of Climate Change. Technology can accelerate solutions or dissolve the problem. . . what is needed is more global understanding and awareness.”

This led me to thinking of a dear Charity friend, Paula Gonzalez, S.C., Ph.D., whom I first heard speak of the environment in 1970 at a Community meeting. I was blown away! Since then she has relentlessly pursued her calling to help heal our earth.  Her numerous efforts have been recently recognized by having been selected as one of 10 Women of the Year, 2014; celebratory event to be on Earth Day, April 22, 2015.  She continues to question and challenge us –“Are we going to let (carbon dioxide levels) continue to rise? What we have to say now is ‘no.’ A lifestyle change is what we’re looking for. … Our planet is in serious trouble. But I don’t want people to despair. I believe in the creativity of people and that people will wake up.”

The following is an example of people waking up and taking action.  I was – and am -so impressed with this group of high school students!

An Inconvenient Lawsuit: Teenagers Take Global Warming to the Courts

KATHERINE ElLISON MAY 9 2012, Atlantic Magazine

Industry giants say their case is misguided. But that isn’t stopping a group of high school students from using the legal system to make environmental demands. Alec Loorz, now 18, became a climate activist at age 12, when spurred to action after watching An Inconvenient Truth — in his case, twice in one evening. He went on to found an organization called Kids vs. Global Warming, and traveled the world, giving more than 200 speeches at schools and other venues to more than 100,000 people altogether.

So, yes, we know the signs of imminent danger and destruction surround us but so, too, does the resilient spirit of a growing number of humans who know this planet of ours is home, not only for the living now – including water, plants, animals, insects, etc. but for those persons just coming into our world.  Peace and Courage!