By Dee McLachlan
The Bobolas family had been been hoarding for over 26 years. Their Bondi Beach, Sydney, home (above) was then forcibly sold in 2016, so the council could recover approximately $160,000 in cleaning costs. The council probably sent the trash to the Bronte tip (below).
by Dee McLachlan
In cities across the globe you get hoarders. It used to be be considered an OCD mental disorder sub-type, but in the new edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, 2013), “hoarding disorder” is now listed as a separate mental disorder.
Some hoarders can be treated successfully. There is hope. But what is the difference between those mentally ill people — and you, and me?
We sane people prefer sending our trash to another place — where we can’t see it, and can just forget about it.
In the future the rest of us might be diagnosed with PDD — “Pollution Denial Disorder” — the inability to gauge our actions, and be in denial about our negative footprint on the planet.
Gaia — A Closed System
The Gaia Paradigm describes earth as a living, self-regulating system. James Lovelock, now 97, the distinguished scientist that came up with the Gaia theory, proposed that “life is an agent in its own survival.” The way earth’s chemicals and temperatures exist in balanced proportions make earth an ideal place to survive. In his book he says:
“Life on Earth was… an almost utterly improbable event with almost infinite opportunities of happening. So it did.”
Our understanding of earth, and how it works is still in its infancy. As Lovelock now says (referring to climate), “Anyone who tries to predict more than five to 10 years is a bit of an idiot…”
This article is about pollution — in a vast “closed” ecosystem.
Like the hoarder’s quarter-acre plot, humanity has a plot called “earth” which is only 12,742 km in diameter. That’s it. There is no more.
The majority of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans (71%) with the remaining 29% being land. Of that, a third is desert.
When I was filming a documentary in the deserts of Northern Sudan in the early 2000s, we were advised not to camp near the towns, due to malaria. So our guide would drive us off the beaten tracks — deep into the pristine desert. I noticed that there was not a track or footprint. Our guide said one day, “It never rains, so your footprints will be in the sand here for thousands of years.”
Consider this: at this point in time, there are seven billion of us all leaving our footprint.
Interestingly, as a general rule, the wealthier the country — the more it pollutes. And the more “sophisticated” the population — the greater number of people suffering from PDD (Pollution Denial Disorder).
The world’s richest 10% produce half of the (carbon) emissions, while the poorest half contribute about 10%. It is clear that the richer countries are bigger polluters of chemicals and toxins into the air, land and sea.
Every year, up to 13 million tons of plastics ends up in the oceans. About 80 percent of that waste comes from just 20 countries — China, the biggest offender.
Polluting the Oceans
In 2015, a National Geographic article stated that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean.
Of that mass, 269,000 tons of pieces float on the surface. The deep sea is littered with an estimated four billion plastic microfibers per square kilometer!
These are numbers estimated by the 5 Gyres Institute, a nonprofit ocean advocacy group, over four years.
The floating garbage caught in the gyer in the Pacific Trash Vortex. The “island” or extent of the floating garbage is said to be twice the size of Texas
I won’t debate Nat Geo’s agenda, but what is happening is that the oceans are being poisoned and polluted.
All kinds of pollutants — chemicals, oil spills, plastics, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, radioactive waste, or the spread of invasive organisms — end up in the sea. Most sources of marine pollution come from the land.
We thus contaminate our only “home.”
These toxins and plastics are entering the food chain — affecting every bio-system in the ocean.
We may not feel or understand the impact now, but there is no doubt future generations will be impacted by over-pollution of the oceans. Its almost impossible to gauge the adverse effects on populations at this time, but it is evident that these toxic chemicals are not healthy for our planet — or our future existence.
By 2050 it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. And that’s only plastic. What about all the fertilizers, heavy metals, and chemicals?
Imagine looking into your fish tank and seeing more rubbish than fish. Fearing that your fish might die, you would most likely quickly clean out the tank.
We should ask: what will the state of the ocean be in only 50 years time? And how are we going to correct this?
I imagine there is a company designing the “ocean vacuum ships”, that could turn a profit by recycling millions of tons of ocean plastic.
Air Pollution
In 1989 I spent 6 weeks living in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Every day was a smog day. By early afternoon I would have a headache, and was popping Aspirin. It was four weeks before I was able to see the famous Hollywood sign in the Hollywood Hills.
By the time I returned to live there in the mid 90s, new legislation had forced cleaner cars — and I used to see the sign on most days. The city was in the process of cleaning up their act.
In 1970 President Richard Nixon signed the Clean Air Act and the newly established EPA to regulate seven harmful chemicals. It was updated in 1977 and then again in 1990.
The sprawling Greater Los Angeles area is home to nearly 20 million people — almost matching the population of Australia. If we are going to sustain modern cities this large, humans are going to have to be smart. We are going to need new leaders, too.
Presently I believe our leaders are distracting us with “climate change,” or “global warming” — with all the science focused on CO2 emissions. In fact people in colder climes are almost relishing the idea of warmer summers.
Yet, so little is said about the toxic waste we are pumping into our system.
I compare this to the fast food consumer — who becomes obese and unhealthy as a result. This individual is gulping down junk food and laying the foundation for heart disease. Humanity is no different.
Trash surfer in Indonesia
The Corporations
The big end of town contains the biggest culprits.
There are so many examples of multinationals destroying rain forests and natural ecosystems. The profit motive reigns. These companies naturally have no soul, no conscience. They only have shareholders.
It is time these companies were held to account.
The problem is that modern urban humans are detached from the environment, detached from the earth. We suffer from PDD — pollution denial disorder, and the consequences of pouring toxins down the drain and putting pesticides on our vegetables is going to bequeath huge problems to future generations.
We really need to start educating ourselves on the impacts of pollution, and to discipline our mega-businesses. Maybe we should be tipping their toxins back into their boardrooms.
We need to act urgently, and seek a cure for Pollution Denial Disorder.
Photo credit - Dede Zak, trash surfer
Not such a great future.
.
Plastics consumed by birds on Midway Island
A trip around the beauty of Cape York is soon spoiled by masses of washed up plastic rubbish swept in from currents to the North.
Paul, r u serious?
sure are.
With regard to this article with a mention of a vacuum ship of the future to clean our oceans, the clean up of space junk I have heard is or will be blown up and the pieces of junk descend upon earth as a result of gravity? the particles from this descent will become the air we breath and polluting the Earth and oceans, we need more information as to why so much debris exists? although higher consciousness is considered as being “its not rocket science” or is? do we now need to question rocket science?
The destruction of shipping at end of life using the sea as a solution, also requires some attention? why are we using the oceans as a endless rubbish tip? do the 1% think the fish bred in confined spaces is their package deal to escape from the vagaries of pollution of our seas?
Don, as I am fond of saying: What are you going to do about it?
We are way past the date of just talking. I did not know about the space stuff you mentioned. Can you howl at someone?
Can you go streaking in the park? I would be glad to bring a camera and make a news story out of it. ANYTHING!
I am not thinking of streaking as I have just had a birthday that makes me approximately one decade more than the biblical estimation of what is the age expectancy and now one foot being in the box and as a result of involvement in drugs had no idea as to having a future, in other words I am a freak.would you push me around Victoria Park, Daylesford dog park if I decided to streak and make a day of it?
I presume you Mary having credentials that are way ahead of mine and many others? as such you having greater credibility should have a duty to change the consciousness of the masses? I am saying that Gumtree is preaching to the initiated? as Gumtree having a constant expanding readership, I believe I talking to those who are not in the group of the inner circle? many who I show the Gumtree articles including me cannot comprehend the exact weight of what the meaning is?
Some ideas such as State involvement in atrocities, is so strange that not all grasp the meaning?
I would like to question what is the meaning of Nationalism? as a example of ambiguity, when we state our allegiance to the state if you are one of those? what does it mean? if we have a deviant government who are working for outsiders in controlling Australia? such as the CIA or MI6? who ousted Whitlam, and since my job whilst alive is do my utmost to discredit these two organizations and others whom I regard as being to some extent or large extent guilty of being moral criminal organizations, whom are deliberate or overtly corrupting the truth, as such any new reader to Gumtree can comprehend what my meaning is? as I am not talking in esoteric terms, this stance of mine is not for the mature readers of these columns, I am appealing to those who find they live in a quandary or existence and may chance upon this blog site to get a handle on why to some extent are in a planetary quagmire and to have a constant change of evolving consciousness.
What is going on in Syria effects my existence,the clearing South American forests effects me? the fact that Trump can get the votes of the lower and working classes in appealing to that He will change their lives is untruthful in terms of the Trump Ponzi scheme in ripping billions off the investors and he will do nothing for the lower classes and he is the sort of criminal that unfortunately now has risen to the most important post and as such is a dangerous individual.
Change will not come by streaking but will come by our evolving minds, although a dismal aspect that by alternative direct action such as myself blowing up Australian Parliament, will unfortunately not change the stutus quo, and benefit our planet but will enforce those who have influence to have greater influence for the impoverishment of our Earth.
Ok, Don. I do see that your disquisitions are helpful to readers, very much so. (Though the Daylesford Park idea seems pretty good too….)
Dee and I both used the same word when we saw that bird video (birds eating plastic bottle-caps). Have you seen the video? Our word was “unbearable.”
My sense of who is to blame is not the same as yours but I do understand your anger at leaders. I am angry at us. After all, those little red and green bottle caps came from the plastic containers of milk and cola that I so thoughtlessly consume.
Do you remember 30 years ago we used to talk about “The Tragedy of the Commons”? I think it originally referred to the commons — as in the town’s grazing land in England. Each cow-owner may wish to add one more to that common land but then there would soon be insufficient grass for any of the cows to eat.
The “tragedy” of the commons is a real mathematical issue. It works the other way, too. If you are a good citizen willing to, say, forego watering the lawn to help save the city’s water, but you assume most others won’t do likewise, you naturally lose your motivation.
Thanks for going after the CIA types, Don. They are paralyzing the world. They keep voices like yours and mine from having an effect.
When I saw the photo Dee supplied of the surfer in the trashy surf I thought it was an artist’s rendition, but Dee tells me it is a real photograph. Next time you go streaking, or even fully dressed, please carry a blow-up of that photo.
Who could not be moved to action?
Wooo Hooo, cant let this one go with out comment Mary.
Quote, ” If you are a good citizen willing to, say, forego watering the lawn to help save the city’s water, but you assume most others won’t do likewise, you naturally lose your motivation.” Unquote.
As you are probably aware, I live in Australia’s driest state, W.A. which is apparently according to the experts, drying out at a faster and faster rate, thus posing a great danger for our future.
For many years now, (about 20 that I can recall off the top of my head ) our various party led leaders have been telling us to save water, cut back on consumption and save, save, save until it hurts. Unfortunately, they did not request the same diligence of our business leaders, who are the biggest consumers of water in the first instance. But focused on home owners and renters.
Initially we bought it all, and got onboard watching our consumption, the first few years we actually halved our consumption, and thought we were doing a good job, that is until we received our annual water bill, and discovered that despite cutting consumption by half, the cost of that water rose to TWICE as much as the previous year. This upward trend has not stopped, every year we get a higher and higher water account, despite cutting our consumption to the bone. Where it ends, is anyone’s guess. Maybe we should just stop consuming water ?????????? OOPS, no, that wont solve the problem, as the infrastructure runs past our home, we’d still get a bill whether we use the water or not. YAY !
The contradiction to the claim of water shortage is in the projected/expected population increase that our State Government is bending over backwards trying to achieve.
Therefore every gallon of water my wife and I save, will go to another family that increases the population of our state, thus the demand for the allegedly short water supply, constantly increases despite the attempts made by the community to conserve water.
Is that not a catch 22 situation ???????
Now with no less than two desalination plants on stream, and a third being built, it appears there’s no shortage of water at all, thus the dream of their forecast population increase, now looks achievable, glad to see I wont be around to see it though.
The military industrial pagans ot the evilution school are much to blame for our present situation . It all went to poo since about the time of Darwin . Before then it was not ideal (still had 10% of the population being blood thirsty psychophats ) but it was manageable . Our hands were close to the earth so most was essentially good . Technology is destroying all living things on this planet .
We all need to go back to the creative miracle that is life .
Our heavenly Creator is real . He is the reason why our hearts beat .
We have all gone so so far from the truth .
Pray for peace and divine intervention otherwise no good will come of this .
Pardon spelling mistake ‘ot’ should be of .
Interesting how hoarding gets so much MSM attention whilst living on credit(traditionally known as Delusions of Grandeur) gets virtually none.
Both signify a disconnect from the physical world but, so far as trashing the planet, the former is dwarfed by the latter. The list of multi-faceted destructive behaviours is staggering; why look after a car when you know you can get a loan for a later model?Why walk along the beach when you can load your 4X4 loungeroom with every piece of recreational junk imaginable and drive?
The condition is summed up in REVELATION 3.17: “you say, I am rich and have acquired great wealth, you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked”
My favourite is REVELATION 11.18:
“the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth”.
Berry, you think like Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker):
No more boomerang
No more spear;
Now all civilised —
Colour bar and beer.
No more corroboree,
Gay dance and din.
Now we got movies,
And pay to go in.
No more sharing
What the hunter brings.
Now we work for money,
Then pay it back for things….
No more gunya,
Now bungalow,
Paid by hire purchase
In twenty year or so….
No more firesticks
That made the whites scoff.
Now all electric,
And no better off.
Black hunted wallaby,
White hunt dollar;
White fella witchdoctor
Wear dog-collar.
No more message-stick;
Lubras and lads.
Got television now,
Mostly ads.
Lay down the woomera,
Lay down the waddy.
Now we got atom-bomb,
End every-body.
Berry you are 100% spot on.
Recently heard on T.V. by Government official, telling us all we should get rid of our clunkers, cars that were not fitted with todays safety devices, as these clunkers were simply too dangerous to be on our streets.
We own a clunker, (Toyota Corolla, 76 model) an excellent little car. Moreover it is 100% sound and road worthy, despite the allegations made by said Government official. It is also incredibly frugal, even without all todays electronic crap shoved into it. And the best deal, it’s incredibly cheap to run and MAINTAIN, and we OWN it, lock stock and barrel.
So given all the above, why should we simply discard this perfectly good road worthy vehicle simply because this Moron on T.V. says so ????????????
Best of all, it isn’t permanently wireless connected to the Internet so it can’t be remotely disabled should they wish to do so, unlike mine.
REPLY TO EDDY’S COMMENT RE WATER COSTS:
In many parts of WA scheme water isn’t fit to drink. Whilst living in Mt Helena in 1985 I noticed that elastic in brand new cloths was dying. In a Hills Gazette article a woman purportedly discovered, via a swimming pool test-kit,that the chlorine level was higher than that recommended for her backyard patch of blue. Had the same problem in the township of Albany. In both instances we had a rainwater tank for drinking. I don’t trust anything that’s been processed by a pseudo government corporation
To Berry and other Western Australians
We used to have bad-tasting water in Adelaide. It has improved, but I do not know how much chlorine and fluorine it has in it.
In 2014, I took Dr Jerry Tennant’s course in electric medicine. His offsider (I can’t recall his name) was selling a water filter, which I bought and installed in my kitchen in Adelaide. Call it the placebo effect if you like, but I find the water refreshing. It actually tastes nice.
The brand is not Kangen, but Dee McLachlan is the Melbourne distributor for Kangen water filter. I assume it, too, pulls out the chlorine and diminishes the fluorine. (See her ad in second column).
Not that we should have to buy stuff, in order to avoid being dumbed-down by “F” (that’s the official name, you know, right thar on Mendeleev’s chart) — but at least there is a way to do it.
I am have water filtering system and my problem is how pure should water be? or impure? if water is to sterilized it becomes not a good water to drink but a bad idea, when I had Manna restaurant London, in 1967, I was unaware as to any restaurant using water in drinks and cooking that was spring water, the water came from a spring in Wales, all water used at Manna was this water, however now water more expensive than milk is a political/corporation conspiracy.
Eddy
“As you are probably aware, I live in Australia’s driest state, W.A. ”
Since school, we were always taught that SA was the driest state, I could be wrong.
I can testify to Pauls comment re rubbish washed up on Cape York too, was there a few months ago, I said to the missus I could make a fortune if I collected all the thongs we were walking past, hundreds of them, though was hard to find a matching pair, no worries if you were to sell to a demographic of one legged people, and really, it must be them who buy a pair of thongs, and chuck the un needed item into the ocean!
so many thongs!
Fair, that is so sad. I have never seen these things. I did hear that citizens of Hawaii complain that the US Navy ships let out their waste into harbor waters.
We must stop manufacturing thongs and bottlecaps. Oh stupid stupid people (I mean me.) S-T-U-P-I-D.
and me…