Why?

1. Most environmental trends are extremely worrying. Resources are being depleted, including fresh water. Populations are growing. Industrial production and per capita consumption are increasing. Available space and nature are being reduced. The atmosphere and the earth are polluted. Climate change threatens lives and structure both in the rich and the poorer countries.

2. All this is taking place on a finite planet. Nevertheless almost all opinion leaders continue to push for economic growth. They do not understand that each dollar or euro or yen or renminbi represents a quantity of work and resources and corresponding depletion and pollution.

3. The remedies proposed are equally embedded in the prevailing growth paradigm. Virtually all organisations who promote so-called "sustainable development", be they government, business or real NGOs, believe we must continue to grow. However, every development, each building brick for a new school, each additional pipe for sanitation, requires additional energy and resources.

4. If growth policies continue, we are doomed, in the real sense of the word. In other words, economic growth policy means suicide for humanity. Growth is the one and single factor that underpins and reinforces all environmentally destructive trends.

5. The environmental situation is very urgent. The data for almost all major environmental factors show that irreversable limits will be reached within one to four generations. Most opinion leaders, however, act as if we could go on for centuries with only marginal changes in our behaviour.

6. Most people have illusions regarding technical solutions. Hopes and expectations exist for the magic solution to come when needed. But technology requires resources in the first place. And secondly one can only do somesthing with technology and methods that are really known and available. Hopes and expectations are sky castles, that prevent taking action.

How?

1. First and foremost we will stop growth. The growth of industrial output is> halted. Steady society will become the standard. Production will switch over to maintenace and repair of existing structures, as far as they are environmentally sustainable.

2. Societal speeds are reduced as far as possible. Low speeds require far less energy and other ressources. This reduces accident rates and maintenance costs.

Who?

1. I cannot achieve anything by myself, but with others I can occasionally do something worthwhile. Two plus one makes three, and it builds from there. No two people in the world are the same, so although it might not be quite your idea, it will be SOMETHING. So link up to build something together.

2. I'm a 64 year old father and grandfather. So far I worked much on my own with simple means. Friends helped with the development of ideas, feedback an moral support and the organisation of seminars in New Zealand. Now, Spring time 2006, a network should be started and inspired people are needed to develop these beginnings into something really professional.

3. Two Frogs

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