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In a world of turmoil, conflict and ignorance...
Savoring Life, One Moment at a Time
SOS #264 -- J. Morris Hicks -- (2-21-24)
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This SOS Memo had a somber title until this
morning -- when I decided to celebrate February 21,
my birthday, with a more optimistic message.
The idea for the uplifting title above was revealed to me at 5 a.m. when I watched this 39-minute video entitled: The Art of Slow Living -- Savoring Life One Moment at a Time.
As for the somber videos, this SOS Memo includes two other YouTube videos that I watched during the past week.
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The first one, pictured here, certainly does not sound optimistic or uplifting -- and I am not suggesting you watch it.
That's because I watched it for you, to find out for myself if these three brilliant scholars were ever going to say one word about the leading driver of climate change. Would they EVER mention the one that just happens to be the easiest, cheapest, quickest and most essential of all of the 44 drivers. Of course, they never did.
The first video runs for one hour and features notables such as Roger Hallam, a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Sir David King, a well-known environmentalist and Honorary Fellow at Downing College in the UK. It is entitled Act Now or Billions Will Die (Click title if you want to watch)
The second video, pictured below, runs for one hour and is entitled Our Food Is Killing Us. Both films are a monumental disappointment. How so?
Not ONE word is mentioned, in either film, about the desperate need to downsize, or completely eliminate animal agriculture all over the world.
Not one word. This is a huge problem that threatens our future as a species -- yet, hardly anyone, anywhere -- is talking about the elephant in the room, animal agriculture.
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Before I dive too deeply into the grim subject matter today, I have a few words to say about my 79th birthday.
When I was born in 1945, the global population was 2.3 billion -- and if I live until 90, the population will have more than quadrupled during my lifetime.
Our family's address at the time was 2200 Success Road, Memphis, Tennessee -- an area of town that is now dominated by one of the busiest airports in the world, thanks to FedEx.
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My mother used to tell me that she always knew that I would be a success, because I was born on Success Road.
Agnes Ware Stanfield Hicks died in 1995, about seven years before I began obsessively studying, writing and speaking about the enormous impact of our food choices on our own health, but more importantly -- on the health of the biosphere that keeps ALL of us alive.
My mom died believing that I had been successful in my career up until that time -- but she was spared the witnessing of how unsuccessful I have been when it comes to my passionate efforts for the last 21 years:
The promotion of whole food, plant-based eating around the world: a dietary regimen that pays handsome dividends in human health and saves trillions of dollars -- while automatically reducing what is by far
the #1 driver of climate change
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Why do I use the WFPB phrase to describe this healthful way of eating? Why not just call it vegan?
I wrote all about that last week in SOS Memo #262: Most new “vegans” end up quitting! What to do?
Here is some relevant content from that SOS Memo:
What do I think it will take for people
all over the world to WANT to become "vegan"?
First, let me list six reasons why I think veganism is NOT being adopted very rapidly around the world:
- Most people don't readily embrace any kinds of change with actions that end with "isms."
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A vegan diet is not necessarily healthy. That's because, for most people, it rarely has nearly enough whole, plant-based foods. It just has zero animal-based products in it.
- Junk food veganism might be good for the planet, but it's no fun for those who are eating it.
- Why is that? When most people give "veganism" a try, they typically load up on all kinds of processed vegan foods at home and they begin ordering the lone "vegan" option on the menu when dining out with their friends.
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Since most new "vegans" don't know about the magical, health-promoting qualities of whole, plant-based foods, their health does not improve when they go "vegan."
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You see, being vegan in the USA is all about what you "don't" eat (animal-based foods) -- when what you DO eat is far more important for your health.
In summary, because of all of the above, most new "vegans" don't have much fun being vegan -- so they quit.
That's why there are reportedly more
ex-vegans in the USA now than there are vegans.
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The Bottom Line
I am now more convinced than ever that those of us who are promoting whole food, plant-based eating for health AND environmental reasons are simply not getting through to enough people to make much of a difference. I'll start with myself.
Let me give you an idea of what a failure I have been -- when it comes to promoting a potentially world changing, plant-based way of eating for the past 21 years. Here are just a few data points:
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- After writing three books on the subject in (2011, 2015 & 2020) and posting thousands of relevant articles at hpjmh.com, delivering many lectures and setting an example for lots of friends and relatives -- I really don't think I have influenced very many people to take charge of their health AND save money by choosing to eat whole, plant-based foods.
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How many have followed my lead? Counting the book sales since 2011, I may have helped to influence, at most, a few thousand people.
- How many family members, friends and colleagues have been influenced by me directly to begin eating at the 3Leaf Level (over 60% of calories from WFPB) or 4Leaf Level (over 80%)? The number is definitely less than fifty and may even be less than twenty.
- Incredibly, I know hundreds of people who read my SOS Memos every week -- but have never embraced this way of eating or asked me questions about it -- or expressed a desire to even discuss this most important of all topics. Their silence is deafening.
Why have I failed so miserably? My conclusion is that the enjoyment of delicious meals is one of the most pleasurable activities in the lives of most humans.
As such, most people will need to hear and understand some VERY important realities that are riding on our food choices -- before they will invest the time and energy required to adopt a health promoting way of eating: for us and for the biosphere. But, apparently, they would rather not talk about it.
But if some of them were to go "all in" with whole food, plant-based eating at the 3 or 4Leaf level -- for at least six months, I am near certain that they would never even have a desire to return to their old way of eating.
It does take some time to fully adjust to the WFPB way of eating. Yet most people simply can't imagine giving up their favorite foods that they enjoy eating and foods that comprise such a major role in their social lives. So they just keep eating the disease promoting foods, that just happen to comprise the single largest driver of climate change.
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Once rational people understand what's truly at stake here, I am confident that a global dietary shift in the direction of whole food, plant-based foods can begin -- albeit slowly at first.
So, what can we do to get this crucially important process jump-started into action on a global basis?
We can take this powerful information DIRECTLY
to all humans on planet Earth. And we have a
Game Plan for getting that done! Read on!
Our future as a species is riding on our ability to recognize and act urgently to eradicate the leading driver of climate change. It is a complicated story -- yet it is one that must be quickly told, understood and acted upon.
Unfortunately, there are many industries and hundreds of millions of jobs at stake -- that would be negatively impacted by the rapid global elimination of animal agriculture.
True, that's temporarily unfortunate for millions of people. But wouldn't we rather lose those industries in the near term -- instead of sentencing billions of young people to unimaginable horrors of runaway climate change that are just a few decades away?
Our global leaders -- due to ignorance, complacency and/or fear of losing their lofty positions on the world stage -- are NOT informing us regarding the easiest, quickest, cheapest and most powerful step we can take to actually reverse climate change.
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With or without their help, we must inform the entire world regarding the crucial importance of our food choices.
Let's face it. We need a far more effective means of communicating this essential information. And we need a game plan for getting that done before 2030. That game plan begins following this final question to myself:
So, has it all been worth it for me?
Absolutely! For several reasons. Pictured here during their Thanksgiving break a few months ago -- are two of those reasons, Diana and Jason.
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- My 44-year-old daughter and my 50-year-old son -- both followed my lead and became 4Leaf eaters --- as have their spouses and about half of my grandchildren. My son is arguably the healthiest and fittest 50-year-old man in Massachusetts. Like me, Jason graduated from Auburn University and Diana graduated cum laude in journalism at a bitter rival in football, the University of Georgia.
- Knowing that I have been deeply involved in promoting what is quite likely the only way we're going to prevent the billions of deaths mentioned earlier -- has been incredibly satisfying and motivating. It has also been irritating and demoralizing at times.
- It also just feels good to awake in the morning -- knowing that I am working on the most important initiative in the history of humanity. That initiative doesn't pay very well, but, as I explain here, it doesn't cost much money to truly "walk the talk of sustainable living" -- in my modest, 443 square foot apartment that I absolutely love.
- Finally, when I die, I will expire with the knowledge and satisfaction that I gave it my best shot.
Closing today with a message from one of the most knowledgeable climate experts on the planet
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This just in from Eliot Jacobson, who posted the graph below on X (twitter) yesterday. Check it out: @EliotJacobson.
As a retired college professor with a Phd in mathematics and computer science, he has made a career out of assessing risk in the gaming industry. During retirement, he has become an expert on all things climate related.
He sincerely believes we have no chance to avert the worst effects of climate change that will result from our failure to properly deal with its many drivers in a timely manner. And it is highly likely that he's right. These are his words accompanying the terrifying graph below -- with the red and yellow lines representing scores of all-time daily climate records broken in 2023 and so far in 2024:
Just to put it all out there, the four day period February 8-11, 2024, saw four consecutive days with global surface temperature 2.0°C above the pre-industrial baseline. What was once inconceivable is now normal. Rinse and repeat.
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Just this morning, I saw Jacobson's latest piece entitled "Ain't Gonna Happen" -- where he lists a whopping 44 sustainability actions or goals in five different categories, with this one listed in the fourth category of "actions that ain't gonna happen," entitled: Green Tech and Environment: Vegan Diet Dominates.
Dr. Jacobson has concluded that we essentially have no chance. Yet against enormous odds, Dr. Sailesh Rao, I and a few others believe that we DO have a chance, however unlikely it may be.
We truly believe that our game plan, referenced below, has a legitimate chance of enabling humanity to take the necessary steps to slow/reverse climate change enough to possibly buy ourselves enough time to address/resolve the other 43 issues on Dr. Jacobson's list.
Our Game Plan -- is fully explained in this SOS Memo that was posted in November of 2023.
SOS Memo #245 (11-28-23)
Game Plan for Reversing Climate Change.
The opening question in SOS Memo #245 is this...
What would happen if the global media were to become aware of the simple fact that animal agriculture is, by far, the leading driver of climate change and the ONLY driver that is theoretically possible to completely eliminate by 2030?
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At zero cost! How's that for a benefit? As people begin consuming mostly whole, plant-based foods, most chronic diseases will be reversed -- and the world's cost of healthcare (disease management) could be slashed by over 50%.
Most Importantly. The beauty of this approach is that we don't have to deal with the world's food growers and processors, the world's self-serving healthcare Industry, the many rogue governments and international alliances (UN, UNFAO) or all of the academic entities who are supported financially by the animal food producers and drug marketers.
We don't need ANY of their support to get this done!
We simply take this life-saving message Directly to the people!
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Individual food choices alone -- all over the world -- can make this happen. Then, when enough people shift to plant-based eating, the food producers, for financial reasons, will respond quickly -- in producing only what we consumers are now choosing to eat.
At that time, we will have triggered a rapid dismantling of what is BY FAR -- the single largest driver of climate change: animal agriculture all over the world.
The stakes of this game are just too daunting to ignore. And we only have a few more years to get this right!
The climate change solution is simple! Getting billions of people to quickly join in that solution is a very difficult task!
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To get the ball rolling, how can we get this group of seven news anchors (and many others) prepared to urgently begin reporting the complete truth about the relationship between our food choices, climate change and the demise of humanity?
The man pictured below has the knowledge and he has the world's ear. Will he do all of humanity a huge favor and agree to facilitate the jumpstarting of the game plan described herein? Members of his staff know that many of us are standing by -- ready, willing and able to assist him as needed.
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For the record, I am confident that Mayor Adams of New York City, should he choose to ignite the flame (in this Game Plan) -- will someday enjoy an exceptionally rarified place in the annals of history.
He knows better than most what we should be eating -- for our own health -- and for the health of the biosphere that keeps us alive. He's also mayor of the global media capital AND the world's most influential city.
In his book above -- he writes about reversing his own type 2 diabetes and partial blindness -- a process that delivers the fringe benefit of helping to preserve the environment's ability to keep us alive. How convenient is that?
In closing, it's all about what we choose to eat. Let's just do it, already! We're about to run out of time.
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For billions of innocent children...let's all work urgently together to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.
Sincerely, Jim
J. Morris Hicks — hpjmh.com
500 Bank Street, Suite 215
New London, CT 06320
jmorrishicks@me.com
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PS: How can YOU make a difference?
1st: Become a healthy vegan -- making sure that over 80% of your calories are derived from whole, plant-based foods. As such, you will be doing your part in dismantling the leading driver of climate change: global animal agriculture. As a personal bonus, you will get healthier, eliminate most prescription drugs, lose weight and save money at the same time.
2nd: Start "walking the talk" of sustainable living. Let your actions do the talking for your friends and family. My thoughts on that process are in this updated SOS Memo #200 from early 2023, when I moved into my delightful 443 square feet.
3rd: Check out the FREE stuff in the appendix below and start sharing all of this info with your friends & family.
4th: Schedule a FREE Zoom call with me and your group. Contact me at jmorrishicks@me.com to arrange.
In the APPENDIX, you can read about what we must do to understand much more about the climate dilemma in which we find ourselves -- along with what it will likely take to prevent a collapse of civilization.
This appendix can help you get that done:
Appendix to SOS Memos
(lots of data, FREE books, scientific reports, videos & more)
You can join my mailing list and find all previous
postings by visiting this SOS Memos page.
Again, my primary website is hpjmh.com -- featuring a powerful summary that appears on the landing page. Click the link below for my one-page bio summary:
J. Morris Hicks, engineer. writer. big picture guy.
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Want to get started nurturing your own health
and the health of our planet?
Take our dietary survey at 4leafsurvey.com (2 min). With your answers to 12 multiple choice questions, the survey provides an estimate as to what percent of your daily calories are being derived from whole, plant-based foods.
Over 80% from whole plants = "4Leaf Level" of eating
(The average American or European gets less than 7%)
Click to learn all about this dietary assessment tool:
About the 4Leaf Survey
For much more about 4Leaf, visit 4leafprogram.com
Also: Link to the FREE e-copy of the The 4Leaf Guide
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