May 14, 2010
America’s Oil Spill
As the finger pointing commences on what will likely be the largest oil spill in American history, I can’t help but shoulder part of the blame. As a citizen of the United States it is our collective responsibility to protect our air, land and waters for future generations. Relying on corporations to do this for us is fool hardy at best and down right stupid at worst. We cannot as a nation expect a corporation charged with making a profit to make a priority out of protecting the very resources they are there to exploit. It is illogical. In this particular case the companies were given free rein by our government to exploit those very resources. The United States did not hold them accountable to any standards. The responsibility for making our government care for our environment rests with the citizens of the United States.If we do not hold our representatives accountable, we can expect no less than the corruption that is currently rotting our government.
Really, can we expect any less than what we have received?
The only way corporations can be expected to treat our air, land and water with any kind of respect is if they are required to do so. Leases that are given gratis to companies because they bring in jobs, teach them one lesson-our natural resources only value is in how much they can pull out of them. As the discussion commences about how much money BP and the others will be required to pay-the bad logic abounds. Can we really put a price on the wetlands of the gulf coast? What is the value of a particular families tradition of living off the land? What price do you put to the white sands of the gulf coast of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida? How much does a barrier island cost? What amount of money can make the breath taking beauty of that place return? I believe there is no amount.
An oil spill of this magnitude is truly like opening up Pandora’s Box. The evil has escaped, can never be put back, and we can only learn to live with a world which is much less beautiful.
As a citizen I must ask myself what am I willing to put up with? How can I make a difference?
Reference The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
May 8, 2010
Scales of Justice: Tyranny By The Majority?
My son came home from school the other day with a homework assignment: to make an illustration of justice. He quickly settled upon making a drawing of the scales of justice. Original no, poignant yes.
Even a 5th grader grasps the importance of balance in our justice system and our political processes. If the values of our government are to be upheld we must support the processes which balance the values of the majority against the rights of the minority. Our democracy can only be sustained if the scales of justice remain balanced between these two important aspects of our government.
A recent court case illustrates this concept succinctly. In 1952 President Harry S. Truman created a nation day of prayer: “On which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation in churches, groups and as individuals”. Since that time it has been up to each administration to decide how to observe the National Day of Prayer.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation recently brought a court case against the United States and the designated National Day of Prayer. Arguing that it violates our first amendment rights and the separation of church and state. From the point of view of a Sustainable Citizen I agree with The Freedom From Religion’s Foundation.
My reason’s all having nothing to do with my religious beliefs are:
To nationalize a holiday endorsing a religious observation violates a basic tenet of our country: Separation between church and state.
Arguments for the National Day of Prayer include: it is part of our history, the majority of Americans believe in god and our government was founded on christian values. All of these ideas are true, at least in part. According to some polls 95% of Americans believe in god and have no problem with a National Day of Prayer. However, that’s not the point!
The very, very dangerous point is, when our government endorses a religious observation we endorse a private point of view. The next logical step is to endorse a particular religions point of view. If you believe the defenders of the National Day of Prayer don’t want a particular religion endorsed then read what they have to say: http://nationaldayofprayer.org/about it succinctly argues for Christian values and traditions. If we continue down this path logically, then the laws of our country will be based upon the whims of the majority and not the steadfast values the United States of America was founded upon. The next step in this, is those that do not uphold Christian values are somehow “wrong”, “bad” or undesirable.
I believe fervently in religious freedom. Religious freedom can most strongly be protected by keeping our government completely free from endorsing ANY religions practices, traditions or values. Even if the majority of Americans believe in a National Day of Prayer, the place to practice this is not through an endorsement by our government but by the institutions of our religions. Each religion has the RIGHT to declare a “day of prayer” at anytime. They also have the right to come together and support each other in choosing a “National Day of Prayer”. But to allow our government to do so, runs counter to the values that have made our country a beacon of hope for over 200 years. We all have the right to worship as we choose, either in a church, synagogue, mosque, or in a field of flowers. Our government does not have the right to proclaim, require or endorse any religious observation whatsoever. That right must always reside in the heart and mind of each individual American.
Reference Links:
Plaintiffs Brief: http://ffrf.org/uploads/legal/NDPnodismiss.pdf
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/prayerday.asp
Argument in favor of : http://nationaldayofprayer.org/about
May 1, 2010
Hubris on the Horizon
As I watch the endless stream of news about the recent oil rig disaster in the Gulf Coast, I can’t help but wonder how we can expect an alternative outcome?
Drilling miles beneath the ocean floor and relying upon robots to fix any problem that comes up, seems to me, the height of technological hubris. Our technologically mad society believes we can stand outside the realm of nature, and remove what we want without consequence. I can’t help but wonder what if will take for us to face the fact that continuing with our unabated use of fossil fuels can only end in ruin for the earth, but also ultimately for ourselves.
How much more proof do we need?
April 28, 2010
Thank You Trader Joe’s! Sustainble Fishing Finally!
We all try our best, to do the right thing for ourselves, our families, and our communities. For me personally, especially since having my children, I have made an effort to buy food products that are safe and healthy. As I learned more, my buying habits also extended to thinking about what was good for the planet.
Enter Trader Joe’s! Trader Joe’s the bastion of every foodie, pseudo foodie and penny pincher the world over. Where else can you buy organic greek yogurt, berries all year round and every exotic juice you could ask for? All at rock bottom prices. I loved my neighborhood Trader Joe’s, so much that I practically never shopped anywhere else-except my local food coop-but that was miles away! Trader Joe’s was just up the street-oh so convenient.
Then I found out about the orange roughy. Now, I try to keep up, but you can’t keep up with everything. I knew orange roughy was a VERY endangered fish, lived to be over 100 years old and unfortunately for it, just generally delicious. I hadn’t seen orange roughy for sale in years.But there it was at my local Trader Joe’s! It had to be ok right? Hmm, I better do a little research. Well, Trader Joe’s was not only selling orange roughy but every other endangered fish it could get it’s hands on! Horrors! What to do?
Well…I am happy to say Trader Joe’s has finally agreed to sustainable fish buying practices. Read all about it here: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/trader-joe-greener
Thanks Trader Joe’s! Thanks Green Peace and thanks to shoppers the world over that care!
March 27, 2010
Earth Hour 2010: Lights Out!
Lights out for just one hour! On March 27, 2010 turn off your lights at your local time 8:30pm for one hour to show support for global climate change. Learn more here: http://www.myearthhour.org/
November 5, 2009
Sustainble Citizen Spotlight: Chief Almir
Where to start with Chief Almir? An Amazonian Indian. A college educated man. A leader that forges into unknown territory and alliances to help his people.
Words are not adequate. Watch the video and learn about a true hero for our times.
November 4, 2009
Am I a susatainable citizen?
Ok, when I came up with this idea, which is not original but very heartfelt I thought:
- We all must vote
- We all must educate ourselves about who and what we are voting for
- We all must stand up for what we believe in
- We all must listen, even when it hurts
- We all must let our representatives know what we think
- We must find a way to sustain our democracy and the earth
What I have come to realize is, everyday in every corner of the world people are standing up. They are defending the lands they love, the health of their children and they are finally saying meaning in life does not come from consuming objects so much as it does in caring for life itself.
So, am I a sustainable citizen-Yes! am I alone? No! One tree is the begining of a forest…You are not alone.
August 12, 2009
Great Pacific Garbage Patch Update
It was interesting to me after I made my first post about the Pacific Ocean’s garbage patch how many people didn’t believe in it! Wow! They wanted proof. Had I seen? Where was the film footage etc.
Well, I was excited to hear about a group of scientists from my home town of San Diego heading out to study it.
So, straight from CNN.com check it out:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/08/04/pacific.garbage.patch/index.html
Anyone have any thoughts on what this means for our oceans, for humans, for the earth?
If you do believe it is out there, and you believe it is destructive to our environment, how could we clean it up?
July 25, 2009
Abundance and the reverance of objects
As an American I live in a country that wallows in abundance. Abundance of food, shelter, clothing, entertainment, things, objects…the list goes on. The casual relationship Americans have to material objects is unprecedented in human history. We live amongst our material goods without reverence or appreciation. The slightly dented, faded, or stained is tossed away without a second thought. Indeed they are disposed of with such disdain as if the fault was the objects. As if the flaw was a reflection of the moral value of the object.
What does this get us? A society which continually chases the new, the shiny, the perfect.
As an individual living within this social structure I ask myself what can I do to somehow honor the objects, plants animals and all things non-human that I live amongst?
What do you do? What object do you revere? Send me your comments, pictures ideas!
For now I love these objects:
Bag of marbles on my desk, assorted paperweights, pen holder made by my son when he was 4, an old snugli I carried my first born around in, shells and rocks found on various beaches, hikes and walks, various fabrics that I can’t let go of.
March 25, 2009
Citizenship and Justice: Sandra Day O’Connor
Sandra Day O’Connor is one of my heroes. As a pragmatic, hard working judge for the highest court in our land she fought admirably to keep politics out of our judicial system. Her grasp of the importance of judges to be outside of the influence of politicians, money, and the other branches of our government is admirable. This view is a cornerstone of our democracy. If our justice system becomes infiltrated with politics or ideology then one branch of our government ceases to function as it should.
Since retiring she has turned her attention to our children’s civic education. See what she is up to here: www.ourcourts.org
To really get an idea how her mind works read this great interview that appeared in the New York Times magazine last Sunday: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/magazine/22wwln-q4-t.html?_r=1
February 8, 2009
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch-Myth or Reality ?
Who out there has heard about the great Pacific Ocean garbage patch? A floating behemoth of trash from our 21st century lifestyle? I have been chatting about it lately and have found lots of folks that think this is just some urban myth…Unfortunately it is not. This past holiday season I walked along the beach in central California and picked up bits and pieces of plastic. The funny part was, I was walking along in the early morning and was picking up the trash deposited upon the beach from the tide. As I ruminated on this irony, I wondered if my grandchildren would pick up bits of trash instead of shells on their walks along the beach. To learn more, check out the links below. My vow is to buy and use less plastic in 2009.
It is a complicated reality, and one of the best explanations I have read is here:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch.htm
For more details and even the coordinates to visit, check this out:
Note the great links at the bottom of the page.
March 1, 2009
Waste: A Resource in Disguise
As we examine our lives and lifestyle choices and options in early 21st century America we have to observe how much waste we all create. For Americans it works out to be about 5 pounds per person per day. Any reasonable person can see that this is unsustainable. In nature there is no waste! In nature waste is someone’s food!
Many companies are moving towards a zero waste policy. What is zero waste?
- The earth is a finite place. Whether it is one hundred years or one thousand years from now, eventually we will run out of space to dump waste. Meanwhile, we are polluting our air, water, and soil with landfills and incinerators.
- Although individuals and institutions can do a lot on their own, this is primarily a public health issue that only the government can address in a comprehensive and effective manner. Primarily, the government needs to convert waste management into resource management.
- For us to remain on earth, we must learn to safely recycle all of our waste back into the natural environment or the marketplace. – from http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/ZeroWaste.htm
We must change the way we think about waste and move towards seeing waste as a resource. Our culture of consumption encourages waste. Reducing what we use can be done at home and at work. For businesses, waste reduction saves money, increases efficiency and makes sense to employees and customers/clients. Waste prevention is different from recycling. Waste prevention eliminates waste in the first place, BEFORE it is created. Recycling is the collection and processing of material for re-manufacture that would otherwise become waste. For businesses and governments waste processing and recycling is very expensive. Waste reduction is a start but zero waste should be our goal!
I am taking a great class at UC San Diego Extension on Sustainable Business Practices. The team I worked with came up with a one page (if you print on both sides) tips sheet. Check it out or some simple ideas to get you reducing : Green Business Strategies and Resources
The other authors are: Pragya Kothari, Cristina Kwong, Meredith West-Thanks to Pragya for formating our document.
March 13, 2009
The Emperor Has No Clothes!
Finally! Someone has articulated the truth about our economic system.
Let’s face it our consumer culture has been bankrupt for a long time. But no one has been willing to acknowledge it. The United States of America a country founded on freedom of expression, justice for all and the right of each individual to pursue happiness has allowed our economic system to become the arbitrator of all of our values. And in the process we have lost our soul. Reference: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.
If you have not read Thomas Friedman’s editorial piece in the New York Times last Sunday I urge you to do so immediately. And after you have read it-read the comments posted-they are just as revealing. If the United States is ever to survive the current financial crises we are facing we must transform the way we all interact economically. An economy founded on endless consumption is not sustainable. We are like the giant monster that finally eats it’s own tail.
Some things in society really do need to be outside of the free market. Logic dictates this. Should our health care system’s point be to make a profit? Or should it’s main goal not be to heal the sick and comfort those that need it? Should our education system turn a profit or should it not educate our youth to the best of our societies ability?
Our current economic crisis has revealed, finally! The truth. Our financial systems unrestrained allegiance to growth (at any cost) is unsustainable. And ultimately unhealthy for our people, our planet and ironically our profits.
March 15, 2009
Turn Out The Lights! Just for One Hour…
Feel the power of mass unity! Turn out your lights for 1 hour on March 28th from 8:30pm. Join 50 million other folks from around the world as we make a mass international statement.
Find out all the details at: www.earthhour.org
See you in the dark!
March 20, 2009
Eat the View! Citizens Can Make a Difference!
The Obama’s have announced their plans to plant a “kitchen garden” on the White House lawn!
Finally, public officials that are willing to advocate for healthy changes in our society! By growing our own food we support local economies and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Not to mention the fun and beauty of your own garden. But wait there’s more…this all came about through the dedication of a few individuals and a lot (100,000) signatures. So, keep signing those petitions and remember as citizen’s we have the right to demand changes and make suggestions to our elected officials. After all they do work for us!
Here is a full announcement with follow up links.
100,000 Applaud Announcement of a New White House Food Garden
Environment, Nation’s Food System and People’s Health Stand to Benefit
(Scarborough, Maine) –100,000 people signed a petition asking the Obamas to replant a Victory Garden at the White House, and recent news reports indicate that they are about to reap what they sowed.
For advocates of sustainable and healthy foods, this harvest of good news was as welcome as the summer’s first red-ripe tomato. “I’m thrilled for the Obama family and for all who will be inspired by their example to grow gardens of their own this year,” said Roger Doiron, founder of the nonprofit Kitchen Gardeners International and leader of the successful petition campaign, “Eat the View.”
Launched in February 2008, Eat the View proposed that the Obamas replant a White House Victory Garden while planting a few extra rows for the hungry. The campaign used viral videos and social networking technologies like Facebook to grow a large support base, attract international media attention and help inspire a larger grassroots effort. In January, 2009, Eat the View won the “On Day One” contest sponsored by the United Nations Foundation, beating out 4,000 other entries and resulting in thousands of messages being sent to the White House in support of its proposal.
Over the course of the past month, the Eat the View campaign has touted the economic benefits of home gardens as part of its pitch to White House staff members. As proof, Doiron and his wife spent nine months weighing and recording each vegetable they pulled from their 1,600-square-foot garden outside Portland, Maine. After counting the final winter leaves of salad, they found that they had saved about $2,150 by growing produce for their family of five instead of buying it. “If you consider that there are millions of American families who could be making similar, home-grown savings, those are no small potatoes,” Doiron said.
Although the White House garden campaign is now winding down, Doiron says the Eat the View campaign is just getting warmed up. “Now that the Obamas are on board, we’re going to be reaching out to other people and identifying other high-profile pieces of land that could be transformed into edible landscapes. Sprawling lawns around governors’ residences, schoolyards, vacant urban lots: those are all views that should be eaten.”
History of Harvest at the White House
While the Obamas’ garden and the online technologies that campaigned for it might be new, the idea of an edible landscape at the White House is not. Throughout its history, the White House has been home to food gardens of different shapes and sizes and even to a lawn-mowing herd of sheep in 1918. The appeal of the White House garden project, Doiron asserts, is that it serves as a bridge between the country’s past and its future. “The last time food was grown on the White House lawn was in 1943, when the country was at war, the economy was struggling and people were looking to the First Family for leadership. It made sense before and it makes sense again as we try to live within our own means and those of the planet.”
Additional info:
Eat the View campaign website:
http://www.eattheview.org/
History the White House as an edible landscape from 1800 to the present:
http://www.eattheview.org/page/history-1
Testimonials on behalf of the Eat the View campaign from noted national and international figures:
http://www.eattheview.org/page/testimonials-1
Eat the View campaign videos:
http://www.eattheview.org/videos
