Imagination is more important than knowledge…
This part of the website will be further developed in the near future. If you have any suggestions… please post inside this thread. Thanks.
Jacque Frescos, Roxanne Meadows And Peter Joseph’s call for activism.
The aim here is to provide practical ideas on what you can do as an individual.
The system governs us and in turn, we can govern the system. We do so though utilising our power as consumers and expanding awareness through our consciousness. For example, you can actively choose not to buy products that have been manufactured through slavery. As a business owner you should refuse to manufacture or sell such products.
In essence, it comes down to you as an individual educating yourself and making informed decisions.
This philosophy applies to all areas of your life. It can be as simple as how you speak to others; for if you were to address your family and friends inappropriately it would most likely provoke undesirable behaviour in return.
Being educated and making informed decisions when doing something substantial such as choosing a new car is especially critical. Making a poor choice when making the purchase might result in extensive fuel and maintenance costs, not to mention long term environmental damage. You could also be supporting a company that has less than desirable aspirations and practices.
It stands to reason that no matter what size or complexity of what you do each day; that your main goal in life should be to educate yourself and remain constantly informed.
Always aim to broaden your perspective, extend your frame of reference and increase your scope of knowledge. Be constant in your objectivity; and never shy from sharing your knowledge with others.
Your appearance, house and car do not shape who you are as an individual. It seems obvious, but how often do we look at ourselves from that perspective? But when it comes back down to basics, they are merely superficial generalisations aimed to distract you from shaping your own identity.
What truly defines who you are is the information you obtain and share with others.
You have to become your own leader. Without doubt, we are proudly stepping into the most exciting times in human history.
Spreading Awareness
You have already acquired information that has led you here in some form or another. Consider how that has affected you and try to replicate it. Here are some simple suggestions:
DVD Burning
To date, handing out DVD’s has been the most common way that the Zeitgeist Movement has been discovered.
It is an easy and affordable way to spread the word for those with access to a computer.
Most of us here at the Zeitgeist Movement were introduced to the movement simply by being given a copy of the Zeitgeist the Movie DVD. If someone had chosen not to share that DVD with you, it is highly unlikely that you would even be here.
Some people go so far as to carry a copy of Zeitgeist Addendum wherever they go.
You can download both films though torrents:
To download those films you will need to utilise a torrent downloading program such as BitTorrent.
You can also order the films here. (However, the Orientation Video can not be bought anywhere).
You can also contact the Zeitgeist Australia Chapter here to ask for your free DVD copy (The DVD includes all three movies on one 4.7GB disc in PAL format).
It is frequently suggested to show Addendum first, as it is often said that the events that occurred on 11th of September 2001 were a catalyst for a lot of people.
You can also read a larger guide on the Factual Solutions blogspot.
Internet Activity
The internet provides endless opportunities to inform yourself and others. You can simply mention the movie or movement. Or you can add web links wherever or whenever possible. Here are some quick examples:
Email / forum / instant messenger signatures – Most email clients like Thunderbird offer a signature feature where you can add text that will be automatically attached to the bottom of all outgoing emails. You can also add your signature on forums and other social networking sites that you visit.
Commentary activity – Be active on sites such as Youtube forums or blogs.
Chain emails – Inform all the people that you have in your email contacts list by sending them a chain mail. You can personalise the emails by writing them yourself, or use the example provided here. Be sure you do not send unsolicited emails as it may result in an adverse response.
Blogging – Sites like Youtube, Blogger and Livejournal provide nearly instant methods of establishing an online journal. If you think you have established a certain level of information worthy of expression through publishing, or simply happen to have an established talent for it, blogging provides excellent exposure and is fun to be involved with.
Chat rooms – You may prefer to talk directly with others in a chat or forum based environment.
Examples: V-RADIO, Journey to Venus
Getting off the Grid
Implementing off the grid methods not only starves the Monetary Establishment; but can help you work less in a job that does little more than support bankers. Most importantly, it can help reduce the stress on mother nature. By being off the grid, you can encourage the use of sustainable sources of energy. Such solutions can be expensive, however the pro’s outweigh the cons.
There are four essential elements involved in getting off the grid:
Electricity
The use of fluorescent bulbs. – A simple and effective start to making changes in your home is to swap your light bulbs to fluorescent. A fluorescent bulb can produce between 50 and 100 lumen’s per watt. This makes fluorescent bulbs four to six times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. They can last over a year and some brands guarantee it.
LED bulbs consume significantly less energy than standard or fluorescent bulbs, however LED’s also produce significantly less light or lumen’s. They don’t last as long unfortunately; which is one of the main factors that needs to be considered when choosing your fluorescent or LED brand. You can learn more by watching this short video.
Installation of Photovoltaic Panels – Well researched and considered installation of Photovoltaic Solar Cells can literally get you off the electricity grid. Solar energy is free energy, as long as you overcome the expensive installation costs. All you need is a house with a south facing roof.
The cost to buy a Grid Feed starts from $4,000.00 for 1Kw system which produces around 1500Kwh (25% less of that value is expected in Victoria or Tasmania from the same system). A four member family uses about 6,000Kwh that translates in Australia into a 4Kw system. That would cost around $16,000.00 Australian dollars for the panels. In addition, there are also labor and installation costs that can increase the cost to over $35,000.00.
However, if you have the skills and do your research you can cut the installation prices by more than half. At the time of writing this article, the Australian Government offers an $8,000.00 rebate when purchasing a solar panel system.
The life span of solar panels ranges from 25 to 40 years (which is often guaranteed by the manufacturer). Here is one site where you can take a look at various solar systems and panels. Here is another and another so you can further your research.
Water
Whilst the majority of us might not be fortunate enough to have a natural reserve of water underground, all of us have access to the most abundant free water supply in the world.
It is now common knowledge that supplying water to a city with a population of four million people is possible from rain water alone. It is widely accepted to use rainwater to irrigate lawns, but unfortunately not many have taken it a step further to use rainwater within their household.
Simple changes such as using rain water for flushing your toilet can save thousands of litres of water per household annually.
Food
Source locally grown fruit and vegetables. Supporting your local markets takes money away from large company based ‘super’ markets; while providing you with fresh, quality produce. Further to this, some markets offer dairy (cheeses, cruelty free eggs) and meats from local suppliers.
Another consideration is organically grown produce that hasn’t been tainted by pesticides, insecticides and preservatives.
It is essential that you also source non genetically modified foods. There are unknown risks in consuming genetically modified foods, all of which have come about through corporate need for consumption.
Remember, the better your diet the better your health and the greater your capacity to contribute to a better future.
Refrain from purchasing food from takeaway food outlets. You’re only contributing to corporate greed by succumbing to the ‘I want something so I must have it now’ mentality.
Transport
Sustainable transport is easily achievable. Electric cars and motorbikes are already commercially available, although their costs can be higher than conventional vehicles. Vectrix sells 100% electric motorbikes that are capable of reaching speeds of 80 – 100 km/hr. Tesla Motors manufactures electric sports cars. Smith Electrics provide electric cars and transport vans.
Use public transport. Trains, buses, monorail, trams and ferries are essential in reducing the amount of energy consumption we use and pollutive output we generate.
Another popular alternative is vegetable oil for diesel engines. It would be ignorant not to consider these options, since the costs to run an electric vehicle can be counted in cents rather than dollars. Be assured, fossil fuel prices will never fall. You can further your research in Scooter and Motorcycle’s wikipedia page or electric car page.
Further references: House like a tree, The house that Mike & Heather Built, Earthships,
Antiestablishmentarianism
Supporting systems and corporations that fail to contribute back to society is defeatist. It is entirely possible for individuals to make a deliberate effort not to support them.
Individuals that actively choose not to support the current establishment might find the ideas mentioned ideas here useful.
Vote by purchasing wisely.
Whilst it may not be possible for everyone to do it all the time, it is essential to make informed decisions about products, services and a company’s history. You can always make a difference by taking the time to make the effort.
What brand of razors would you buy if you where against RFID implants research if you knew that the research is sponsored predominantly by Proctor & Gamble, the company that delivers you products like: Gillette, Duracell and Oral-B?
If you are concerned about the current situation in third world countries where scarcity is a scary reality, no doubt you would hesitate to purchase Nestle products whose interests are in purchasing the water supplies in these countries.
You have to conduct your own research. It is almost impossible to reject all brands that are on the shelf that have been manufactured by companies with questionable standards. This is largely because most items that you purchase are linked in some way with big corporations that only care about profit.
Generally speaking it is best to support local shops and local brands, organically grown food and recyclable goods.
Refuse to support the banks.
Dispose of your credit card, pay off your loan or refinance it with a small local bank. Particularly if you are currently with CitiBank or GE. If you have the means to safely secure your savings outside of a bank account then do so. Utilise any possible way to keep your bank account credit to minimum. For example, when your wage goes is deposited, withdraw it all and pay your bills manually.
Rally together!
Inspire and participate in non-violent mass civil disobedience, rallies and festivals.
Always conduct thorough research. Never take what you read or are told as truth. Question them. Question us. Question everything.