Tag Archives: petrochemical comapny

Day 30 — carbon footprints + footprints in clay

Always relieved when this month is over (I am pretty tired, pun intended, see below. It’s been hectic with extra commitments, several deadlines, & added responsibilities). That said, I’ve got a good swag of poems from the past 30 days (not all of them uploaded here). & I’m pleased with many of them. I really want to see if I can assemble a chapbook’s worth (at least) as writing about this topic feels like the most important thing to be talking about. I still have many poems titled, semi drafted, half-researched, a line or two of, the basic idea for, etc … & will continue to work on developing them & refining the ones I’ve got. 

Too often, I feel I’ve been bogged down in doom & gloom about the issue (which is partly what the inactivists want) so reading more optimistic books this year has been helpful.

This final one has been in my head a while (I always try & leave one I’ve thought about a lot till last so it’s not as exhausting) … this one was dictated as I drove to work this morning & I kinda like how it is in this rough state though it might get tweaked in future versions.

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prints & treads 

okay petrochemical fossil fuel industry : i’m happy to talk about my : personal carbon footprint. i’m happy to : recycle : eat no meat : drive less : take less/no overseas flights : plant more trees : & so on : but if you seriously think : the world is gonna be changed : by a few : well-meaning : people advocating : personal responsibility : while you roar round : the world : continuing to extract in ever desperate ventures : in ever destructive ways : & continue : operating : scot-free : continue : the same thing you’ve been doing : for the past hundred years : then you are deluded

yes : i’ll keep working on my personal footprint : because i know it’s the right thing : for me to do : (for me : others can make up their own minds) : but i’m gonna : keep talking to them about it : keep engaging : keep asking questions : but likewise i’m gonna nag away at : my politicians more : email policy makers : lobby shareholders : to divest : attend protests : & whatever else : feels necessary

but mostly : attacking you : you goddamm greedy heartless sons of bitches : to keep : calling you out : about hypocritically : trying to foist : guilt : & responsibility : back on us : the consumers of your pollution : when you cynically : shut down better : cheaper : cleaner alternatives : so you can : continue your : obscene exploitation : & challenging you : about your tread marks : at the cavalcade of tread marks : you cause : because otherwise : the thousands & thousands & thousands & thousands of treads : tracks : marks : & maulings : caused by : the tyres : powering your tiring old : business model : will obliterate : my tiny footprints : in a heart beat

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Day 30 — TIL i learnt about the first early human tracks discovered in North Africa

85 footprints

100,000 years ago
Late Pleistocene
last Ice Age

rounded heels
short toe marks
arched indentations

five adults & children 
walked a rocky shoreline 
Homo sapiens : modern humans

gathering food from the sea?
just passing through? 
fleeing trouble?

unlike me — their 
sea level rise still 
generations away

Day 24 — a scientist speaks + gargoyles respond

Irony aplenty in today’s topic as the poems take a decided shift (I think they’re going to anyway) away from what’s been before. You’ll understand why at the end of this poem …

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Runaway Gargoyle

There is : general scientific agreement : that the most : likely manner : in which mankind : is influencing the global climate : is through carbon dioxide release : from the burning of fossil fuels : there are : some : potentially catastrophic events : that must be considered : rainfall might get heavier : in some regions : other places might turn to desert : some countries : would have their : agricultural output : reduced : or destroyed : man has a window : before the need : for hard decisions : regarding changes : in energy strategies : become critical : once the effects are measurable : they might not be : reversible

so spake : highly respected : senior scientist : James F. Black : waaay back in the 70’s : (words his : formatting mine)

the twist in the tail : the kick in the pants : the punch in the gut : the knife in the heart : the stab in the back : the sell the whole damn world down the river just for greed’s & profits’ sake :

is that Black : was a lead scientist : for fossil fuel giant Exxon : but rather than : heeding its own scientists’ warnings : it : & every petrochemical company since : has waged the most aggressive : PR deny & deflect campaign : snow job : contesting the scientific evidence : using all their : (not inconsiderable) : wealth & power : to lobby : purchase politicians : stymy global protocols : & to block : absolutely anything : & everything : even to the point : of purchasing : green competitors & technologies : only to shut them down : repressing : every : single : thing : (i repeat trying not to get hysterical) : aimed at curbing : their carbon polluting : cash cow : which is slowly : (& more & more so : swiftly) : killing : our : only : home

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Day 24 — TIL about the original gargoyles

irony overload

knowing : what i know now : that fact that : exxonmobile’s original company : vacuum oil : used a gargoyle : as its logo : portrays : next : level : irony

given people : once believed : gargoyles protect : the buildings : they guard  — not pillage them : that they could : ward off evil spirits — not rape the planet & poison the air

some christian legends : state : gargoyles are : monsters : that attack people

& aside from keeping water : off of buildings : on churches : they supposedly : remind sinners : of the terror of evil : gargoyles : were meant to : shake you : quake you : make you : fear : hell & the devil

all of which : seem eminently reasonable : emotions to feel : about the richest : most immoral : entities : the world : has ever known