Thinking About Responsibility

Those of us who live in the industrialized countries are reaping the harvest of a century and a half of high-speed energy consumption. We’ve learned a lot, gained a lot, and lost a lot. We know more about the universe than anyone ever dreamed possible, and we’ve built incredibly complex civilizations with detailed and beautiful artforms. But with these privileges come far greater responsibilities than we’ve acknowledged. Our conveniences, our largely reliable housing, electricity, food, and water (to say nothing of symphony orchestras, community choruses, jazz clubs and concert halls!) must be paid for with action and activism.

Those who use two humans’ worth of carbon per day to live their lives must do at least two humans’ worth of activism every day. I don’t know how much that is; I suspect I’m still falling short. (I have some friends in India who are committed to living a zero-impact, wholly sustainable life, permaculture-farming in a remote village. They’re not required to do any additional activism, for they’re showing the rest of us how to do what must be done.)

The Climate Letter Project led me to an incredible (although terribly depressing) four years of letter-writing. No doubt I’ll write more letters, because it’s very easy to do for me now. But my activist energy is now going into making sure the Climate Message gets into the stage talk of every performing artist with a conscience on this planet. I can use all the help I can get.

I’m not a climatologist. I’m just a singer and a teacher. But as long as I’ve got a voice, and as long as I can write, I’m going to keep pushing. The hour may be late, and any courage I feel may just be my wish not to frighten my daughter beyond her nearly-9 capacity for fear.

I’m afraid, a lot of the time. The future looks pretty grim.

But how can I possibly give up, when Old Pete’s still singing?

Don’t you know it’s darkest before the dawn
And it’s this thought keeps me moving on
If we could heed these early warnings
The time is now quite early morning
If we could heed these early warnings
The time is now quite early morning

Some say that humankind won’t long endure
But what makes them so doggone sure?
I know that you who hear my singing
Could make those freedom bells go ringing
I know that you who hear my singing
Could make those freedom bells go ringing

And so keep on while we live
Until we have no, no more to give
And when these fingers can strum no longer
Hand the old banjo to young ones stronger
And when these fingers can strum no longer
Hand the old banjo to young ones stronger

So though it’s darkest before the dawn
These thoughts keep us moving on
Through all this world of joy and sorrow
We still can have singing tomorrows
Through all this world of joy and sorrow
We still can have singing tomorrows