Perseverance has become my new middle name.
Tucson from my hotel room
Last month, while I was in Tucson discussing a likely civilization collapse with a good friend, she requested that I write a letter about that to Bill and Melinda Gates. She was thinking of one or two of her friends who could possibly get that letter in their hands.
So I wrote that letter, and delivered it to her on March 21. Since then, I have reached out to another dozen or so people who might have an opportunity to get it to Bill & Melinda. I actually handed a printed copy to Biz Stone (Twitter co-founder) on April 2 in Washington, DC.
I have also posted comments at Bill’s own blog-site, GatesNotes.com. Just this morning, I posted under Bill’s recent blog entitled: Why I High-Fived a Colleague in Paris. Here it is for your convenience.
The selfie photo from the blogpost at GatesNotes
Dear Mr. Gates,
Once again I applaud your many global initiatives to save lives and improve the living conditions for billions of people around the world. But, none of those foreign aid dollars are going to FIX our TWO most urgent problems: Climate Change AND Water Scarcity. And we’re quickly running out of time.
Conveniently, the overwhelmingly leading cause of BOTH is one and the same: “WE’RE EATING THE WRONG FOOD IN THE WESTERN WORLD.” Now that we’re seven billion strong, our food choices determine how the entire world is used—and that reckless, resource-depleting USE has put us on an almost certain path to the collapse of civilization long before 2100 (According to Stephen Emmott & Lester Brown).
So my question is this: Why are all those countries actively supporting foreign aid to help the victims but NONE of them are URGENTLY addressing the leading cause of climate change and water scarcity? What could be more important than saving our civilization?
I outlined a plan of attack in my letter to you and Melinda on March 21, but have not received a response. For your convenience, I have provided a link to that letter here. Thanks again for all that you do. Sincerely, J. Morris (Jim) Hicks. 3-21-14 Letter to Bill and Melinda
Also this morning, I reached out to Dr. James Hansen of Columbia after reading an article where he stated that nuclear power was the answer to global warming.
Dear Dr. Hansen,
Dr. James Hansen of Columbia University
Just read the Heartlander article in which you were prominently featured. I agree that wind and solar is not enough to stop climate change, but it would take many decades to solve the problem with nuclear energy—and we simply don’t have that much time.
I am writing to request a meeting with you at your earliest convenience. I have a plan that I have already run by Stephen Emmott and Lester Brown, the most prominent scientists who have predicted the collapse of civilization long before 2100.
Please take a look at the related information below and then let’s arrange to meet. I live in nearby Stamford, CT. My cell is 917-399-9700. I look forward to meeting you soon.
Sincerely, J. Morris (Jim) Hicks
(I also included a link to my Bill & Melinda letter for Dr. Hansen).
See my earlier blogpost on this topic: Activism is not a dirty word—it’s an essential process…posted on 3-20-14.
Signing off for now, J. Morris Perseverance Hicks
The following five books and one DVD can be purchased on Amazon for a grand total of less than $60—and will enable you to understand the overwhelming challenges we face—along with the single most-powerful solution of all.
Six-Pack from Hicks—for health, hope & harmony on planet Earth
- Healthy Eating, Healthy World, The “big picture” about food (our book)
- A life changer for millions, including James Cameron. Forks Over Knives DVD
- An essential scientific resource: The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell; the primary book that influenced Bill Clinton to adopt a whole food, plant-based diet.
- What have we done to our planet? Full Planet, Empty Plates by Lester Brown
- A horrifying wake-up call for leaders. TEN BILLION by Dr. Stephen Emmott
- Food choices are the primary cause of our environmental problems, yet our world leaders, scientists & experts are Comfortably Unaware, by Richard Oppenlander.
Why should we be eating mostly plants? The “big picture” in 4 minutes.
Want to find out how healthy your family is eating? Take our free 4Leaf Survey. It takes 2 or 3 minutes and you can score it yourself. After taking the survey, please give me your feedback as it will be helpful in the development of our future 4Leaf app for smartphones. Send feedback to jmorrishicks@me.com
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J. Morris Hicks, working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.
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—J. Morris Hicks, board member since 2012; click banner for more info:
J. Morris Hicks, engineer. writer. big picture guy. 
Jim – I linked your Blog on my Facebook site. I do reach many young people via my two daughters — Irene and Billierose:
“Please absorb today’s Blog by Jim Hicks AND pass the link on to your network of friends! Get on his mailing list, please, and become an ACTIVIST on saving your planet and going to a WFPB diet for your best LIFE!”
Have you reached out to 350.org?
Not directly, but I know someone who knows Bill McKibben very well. Like most mainstreamers, he has apparently chosen to ignore the ONLY plausible solution to climate change. That would be the URGENTLY promoted replacement of meat & dairy based calories with much healthier plant-based options.
Regardless of whether livestock account for 18% or over 50% of human-induced GHG, it is the ONLY primary driver that can be changed quickly. Every meat-eating human can begin choosing plant-based alternatives immediately after deciding to do so. We simply need to bombard them with enough information and incentives to speed up the process.
Jim,
Do you ever get discouraged?
Sal Liggieri
The short answer is NO. That’s because I am confident that I am doing all that I can do. I am leveraging my unique background and skill set as an engineer, general manager and executive recruiter. That’s what I do.
First, we understand the problem. Second, we develop a plausible solution. Third, we find qualified a leader(s) who are equipped and prepared to URGENTLY lead the change process. The good news is that we’re 2/3 of the way there. We know the problem. We know the solution. We just need a few powerful leaders to step up to the plate.
Keep knocking on doors. More of the big ones will open. What’s happening with Cameron?
James Cameron is hosting an 8-part series on global warming, beginning April 13 on Showtime. It is entitled “Years of Living Dangerously.” Unfortunately, I have been told that it’s more about promoting awareness of global warming than action needed to slow it down.