The Earth First movement sprung from the human heart that couldn’t bear witnessing the destruction of wilderness for human profit. Many people gave their lives to this movement and endured hardships, discomfort, and imprisonment for their dedication to preserving ecosystems. People saw what corporate greed and governmental compliance were doing to beautiful wilderness and decided to put their lives on the line to protect the Earth. People died, David Nathan Gypsy Chain was crushed because a logger wouldn’t stop cutting down an old-growth tree. Between 1992 and 1998 Earth First activists fought to protect 6,000 acres near the Nez Pierce Reservation in Idaho. They managed to save most of it but 350 people from 12 countries were imprisoned and some got life sentences in federal prison for property damage.

These were not soft hippies singing kumbaya and passing out flowers. They chained themselves together with a pipe around their hands, they cemented their feet into the ground, they put U-bolts around their necks to attach themselves to heavy equipment, they created barricades, and they sat in trees, in the case of Julia butterfly- for years. They endured pepper spray, pain compliance holds, police dogs, and guns in their faces.

One of the Northern California leaders, Judi Bari came up with the idea of Deep Ecology- that the species on this planet are not here for human needs but possess their own right to life.  She and another leader Darryl Cherney were bombed in their car. Judi was seriously injured because the bomb was under her driver’s seat. She had to have reconstruction surgery on the lower half of her body.  The FBI arrested them saying they bombed themselves. Judi and Darryl took the FBI to court and won the case, but not before Judi died of cancer.

Through it all, many held firm with their philosophy of eco-defense. These courageous and dedicated people gave their lives to save pieces of the planet. And it’s not a California thing. It is a worldwide movement with activists in Europe to New Zealand to the Philippines. England’s Earth First Liberation Movement occupied a port to protest cutting down tropical hardwoods and protested the building of a nuclear power station. These are people who see what profit thinking is doing to the planet and they choose to think differently. It’s not about products, it’s about life on this planet.

But now we have a new product for you to buy and wipe your butt with - Earth First toilet paper. Yes, feel good as you wipe your ass and flush it down the toilet, that you are helping the environment.

The idea of Karma came from the Indian religion of Hinduism and is also held in Buddhist and Hippy philosophy. The idea is that anything you do has repercussions, and those repercussions don’t disappear even if you leave the country, change your name, or die. Every thought or action you do has a recycling effect. In a sense, whatever you do to others will be done to you - you will be standing in those shoes at some point in your life.

But nothing is sacred to the capitalist mindset. With profit and product as society’s only goal, we sell our souls to get you to buy something. With nothing sacred we now have Karma Shopping App to make your shopping effortless.

What Else?

How about Jesus’ footwear – these sandals won’t wear out even hiking 40 days in the desert.

In Texas, there is the Buddha Burger. So what, that Buddha was an enlightened person who tried to help humanity out of suffering? Just buy the damn burger and eat, eat, EAT! You’ll have time to meditate after you’re stuffed.

The Sacred Trinity soap – get your soul clean as well as your pits.

Your pain is for sale if you cry really hard on a reality TV show. If you have nothing, you can always sell your body. Even your children are for sale or are groomed to be consumers through social media. Buy or sell, it’s all out there. Everything can be commodified.

But if you live in the woods, there is nothing to buy and there is nothing to sell. Some call this poverty, but maybe it’s freedom.