Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Sustainability and The Meaning of Life
Check this out at No Impact Man: http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2008/03/the-meaning-of.html
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
I can't help falling in love
Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis cover
by friends of a friend... in other words, friends I haven't met yet. I'm told that this is how they spend every lunch break.
by friends of a friend... in other words, friends I haven't met yet. I'm told that this is how they spend every lunch break.
Polyglots unite!
You know I sometimes can't resist posting horrifying things, and I'm a little reluctant to even give this thing an audience, but in the interests of knowing what we're up against, I'll overcome my revulsion and throw it up on the blog. It's a complicated issue and my assertion that I'm icked out by this does not comprise my entire position statement on the issue. (How's that for a disclaimer?)
Anyway...
Anyway...
Colin Beaven (No Impact Man): Opportunities to build community and relationships
A happier planet makes for happier people. See No Impact Man talk about our common cause on YouTube:
New American Dream, The Story of Stuff, Another Way...
The Center for a New American Dream helps Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.
The organization has released? promotes? a film, The Story of Stuff. Accompanying resources include a list of recommended readings. I'll emphasize the following items:
--Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv (2006)
--Affluenza by John Degraaf, David Wann, Thomas Naylor, 2nd edition (2005)
--Your Money Or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin (2000)
--The Overspent American: Why We Want What we Don't Need by Juliet Schor (1999)
--Stuff: The secret lives of everyday things, by Alan Durning (1997)
--How Much is Enough? by Alan Durning (1992)
--Take Back Your Time: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty in America by John De Graaf (2003)
--Slowing Down to the Speed of Life by Richard Carlson and Joseph Bailey (1997)
--The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure by Juliet Schor (1992)
--Made to Break by Giles Slade (2006) (addresses Planned Obsolescence)
--The Waste Makers by Vance Packard (1960)(addresses Planned Obsolescence)
--Born to Buy: A Groundbreaking Expose of a Marketing Culture That Makes Children Believe They Are What They Own by Juliet Schor (2005)
--Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander (1978)
--Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough, Michael Braungart, (2002) (listed in my Biblio File...)
--YES! (www.yesmagazine.org) spotlights the visionary ideas and practical actions for building a just, sustainable, and compassionate world.
Another resource is a list of actions we can take. Another Way: Everyone can make a difference, but the bigger your action the bigger the difference you’ll make.
My favorite excerpts:
--Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, fly less, turn off lights, buy local seasonal food (food takes energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat, use a clothesline instead of a dryer, vacation closer to home, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. All these things save energy and save you money. And, if you can switch to alternative energy by supporting a company that sells green energy to the grid or by installing solar panels on your home, bravo!
--Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace…
--A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to action.
--Write letters to the editor and submit articles to local press.
--On-line activism is a good start, but spending time in face-to-face civic or community activities strengthens the community and many studies show that a stronger community is a source of social and logistical support, greater security and happiness. A strong community is also critical to having a strong, active democracy.
--Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we don’t have an option to leave the car home because of inadequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sustainable transportation options.
--Change your lightbulbs…and then, change your paradigm. Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That’s a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs and values that together make up a community’s way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.
--Recycle your trash…and, recycle your elected officials. Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Unfortunately, many cities still don’t have adequate recycling systems in place. In that case you can usually find some recycling options in the phone book to start recycling while you’re pressuring your local government to support recycling city-wide. Also, many products – for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics company who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out!
--Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights....[B]uying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.
The organization has released? promotes? a film, The Story of Stuff. Accompanying resources include a list of recommended readings. I'll emphasize the following items:
--Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv (2006)
--Affluenza by John Degraaf, David Wann, Thomas Naylor, 2nd edition (2005)
--Your Money Or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin (2000)
--The Overspent American: Why We Want What we Don't Need by Juliet Schor (1999)
--Stuff: The secret lives of everyday things, by Alan Durning (1997)
--How Much is Enough? by Alan Durning (1992)
--Take Back Your Time: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty in America by John De Graaf (2003)
--Slowing Down to the Speed of Life by Richard Carlson and Joseph Bailey (1997)
--The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure by Juliet Schor (1992)
--Made to Break by Giles Slade (2006) (addresses Planned Obsolescence)
--The Waste Makers by Vance Packard (1960)(addresses Planned Obsolescence)
--Born to Buy: A Groundbreaking Expose of a Marketing Culture That Makes Children Believe They Are What They Own by Juliet Schor (2005)
--Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander (1978)
--Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough, Michael Braungart, (2002) (listed in my Biblio File...)
--YES! (www.yesmagazine.org) spotlights the visionary ideas and practical actions for building a just, sustainable, and compassionate world.
Another resource is a list of actions we can take. Another Way: Everyone can make a difference, but the bigger your action the bigger the difference you’ll make.
My favorite excerpts:
--Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, fly less, turn off lights, buy local seasonal food (food takes energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat, use a clothesline instead of a dryer, vacation closer to home, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. All these things save energy and save you money. And, if you can switch to alternative energy by supporting a company that sells green energy to the grid or by installing solar panels on your home, bravo!
--Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace…
--A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to action.
--Write letters to the editor and submit articles to local press.
--On-line activism is a good start, but spending time in face-to-face civic or community activities strengthens the community and many studies show that a stronger community is a source of social and logistical support, greater security and happiness. A strong community is also critical to having a strong, active democracy.
--Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we don’t have an option to leave the car home because of inadequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sustainable transportation options.
--Change your lightbulbs…and then, change your paradigm. Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That’s a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs and values that together make up a community’s way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.
--Recycle your trash…and, recycle your elected officials. Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Unfortunately, many cities still don’t have adequate recycling systems in place. In that case you can usually find some recycling options in the phone book to start recycling while you’re pressuring your local government to support recycling city-wide. Also, many products – for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics company who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out!
--Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights....[B]uying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.
Article in The Sun: Bridging the Green Divide
No Impact Man writes about Environmentalism and Social Justice, and cites this article... I've been thinking a lot about how personal life crises affect efforts toward planetary salvation. I am clearly not the only one. These are matters we MUST address with calm urgency. Is it possible that helping to clean up the planet will help us clean up our own lives, even when we are in the deepest despair or facing the most intense personal challenges? Does it work both ways? Achieving individual self-actualization would certainly better equip us to take on the planet's woes. However, it's impossible to be fully self-actualized if our house is in such disarray. If we could effect personal improvement alongside planetary improvement, that would be nice.
Until I can recover sufficiently to articulate my concerns, I will continue to point to others who have managed to do that job.
Food for thought.
Until I can recover sufficiently to articulate my concerns, I will continue to point to others who have managed to do that job.
Food for thought.
xkcd: A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.
This is a gem... Here are some of my favorites on the first pass. Browse away... some good stuff here.
Useless
Commitment
Angular Momentum
and most appropriate for this context: Bored with the Internet
Useless
Commitment
Angular Momentum
and most appropriate for this context: Bored with the Internet
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Improv Everywhere
Improveverywhere: http://improveverywhere.com/2008/01/31/frozen-grand-central/
Thanks, Mama O Knits Too Much...
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
More of that pesky pleonexia
Declutter your kitchen to improve your health: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/putting-your-kitchen-on-a-diet/ Peter Walsh, organization expert and author says, "All of us deal constantly with the urge to consume more. We spend too much, we buy too much, and we eat too much."
See the full New York Times article on clutter and health here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/health/01well.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
(In another NYT piece, Manny Weintraub, a former managing director and top-performing money manager for Neuberger Berman who formed his own investment advisory firm in late 2003, says, “Like your mother told you, the rule should be that if you don’t have anything nice to buy, don’t buy anything.”)
I've been exposed to this idea many times before, and I'm convinced that it works. Life gets better after a good sweep of unnecessary stuff into a box to take to Goodwill. Though I possess VERY little expertise on the subject, I like the Feng Shui principles about clutter and energy. I also like the idea that something I store in a closet might be so much happier with someone who will use and appreciate that object. Well, I'll be happier that way, whether or not my "stuff" has any emotion about where it lives.
I also like the idea of STOPPING consumption as much as I can. Honestly, what do I NEED that I don't already have? Funny how being in the hospital and then house-bound can make those "essential" trips to Costco seem so humorously indulgent now. I could use a bulk package of toilet paper, though...
See the full New York Times article on clutter and health here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/health/01well.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
(In another NYT piece, Manny Weintraub, a former managing director and top-performing money manager for Neuberger Berman who formed his own investment advisory firm in late 2003, says, “Like your mother told you, the rule should be that if you don’t have anything nice to buy, don’t buy anything.”)
I've been exposed to this idea many times before, and I'm convinced that it works. Life gets better after a good sweep of unnecessary stuff into a box to take to Goodwill. Though I possess VERY little expertise on the subject, I like the Feng Shui principles about clutter and energy. I also like the idea that something I store in a closet might be so much happier with someone who will use and appreciate that object. Well, I'll be happier that way, whether or not my "stuff" has any emotion about where it lives.
I also like the idea of STOPPING consumption as much as I can. Honestly, what do I NEED that I don't already have? Funny how being in the hospital and then house-bound can make those "essential" trips to Costco seem so humorously indulgent now. I could use a bulk package of toilet paper, though...
Does Television Belong in a Child's Bedroom?
Link to New York Times blog: Does Television Belong in a Child's Bedroom? http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/does-tv-belong-in-a-childs-bedroom/
I say No Way.
Also: The Cure for Exhaustion: Get More Exercise: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/the-cure-for-exhaustion-more-exercise/
I say, Okay.
I say No Way.
Also: The Cure for Exhaustion: Get More Exercise: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/the-cure-for-exhaustion-more-exercise/
I say, Okay.
Dear Politician...
[Submitted to Senator Kyl via webform on February 20, 2008]
[Submitted to Senator McCain via webform on February 20, 2008]
[Submitted to Representative Giffords on February 21, 2008]
February 20, 2008
Dear Senator McCain/Kyl or Representative Giffords,
I am writing to request that you sign the 2008 Senate Dear Colleague letter encouraging the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to continue to increase its support for the National Writing Project in Fiscal Year 2009.
Last week a Dear Colleague letter was sent to every member of the Senate, circulated by Senators Rockefeller (D-WV), Snowe (R-ME), and Bingaman (D-NM). You are invited to add your signature to the letter in support of a $30 million appropriation for the National Writing Project. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) have already signed the letter. In 2006 and 2007, the senators from Arizona did not sign this letter of support. I urge you to add your name to the list of senators who support this essential program.
You can sign the Dear Colleague letter by contacting Barbara Pryor with Senator Rockefeller’s office at 224-2578, Matthew Hussey with Senator Snowe’s office at 224-5344, or Michael Yudin with Senator Bingaman’s office at 224-5521.
Support for the National Writing Project is crucial for the improvement of writing education from kindergarten through 12th grade. The National Writing Project is the only national program that works to improve the teaching of writing in the nation's schools. The National Writing Project has been proven effective by outside evaluators and has become a model for improving classroom instruction in other academic fields. Ninety-seven percent of teachers surveyed by Inverness Research Associates (http://www.inverness-research.org/nwp_ppt.html) in 2005 said that what they learn in the NWP core program translates into improved teaching and improved writing skills for their students.
If you would like to see teacher development in action, I would like to invite you to attend a session of the 2008 Southern Arizona Writing Project Summer Institute. This professional development course takes place Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., June 9- July 3, 2008 at the University of Arizona. There you will see the tremendous impact the National Writing Project has on local teachers. Their enthusiasm is palpable. By steeping themselves in their own writing and creating teaching demonstrations for their colleagues, these teachers take many tools and much motivation back to their classrooms.
Thank you for your support of the National Writing Project. If I can provide you with any more information about the National Writing Project and its role in Arizona, please contact me at the address below.
Sincerely,
Moi.
[Submitted to Senator McCain via webform on February 20, 2008]
[Submitted to Representative Giffords on February 21, 2008]
February 20, 2008
Dear Senator McCain/Kyl or Representative Giffords,
I am writing to request that you sign the 2008 Senate Dear Colleague letter encouraging the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to continue to increase its support for the National Writing Project in Fiscal Year 2009.
Last week a Dear Colleague letter was sent to every member of the Senate, circulated by Senators Rockefeller (D-WV), Snowe (R-ME), and Bingaman (D-NM). You are invited to add your signature to the letter in support of a $30 million appropriation for the National Writing Project. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) have already signed the letter. In 2006 and 2007, the senators from Arizona did not sign this letter of support. I urge you to add your name to the list of senators who support this essential program.
You can sign the Dear Colleague letter by contacting Barbara Pryor with Senator Rockefeller’s office at 224-2578, Matthew Hussey with Senator Snowe’s office at 224-5344, or Michael Yudin with Senator Bingaman’s office at 224-5521.
Support for the National Writing Project is crucial for the improvement of writing education from kindergarten through 12th grade. The National Writing Project is the only national program that works to improve the teaching of writing in the nation's schools. The National Writing Project has been proven effective by outside evaluators and has become a model for improving classroom instruction in other academic fields. Ninety-seven percent of teachers surveyed by Inverness Research Associates (http://www.inverness-research.org/nwp_ppt.html) in 2005 said that what they learn in the NWP core program translates into improved teaching and improved writing skills for their students.
If you would like to see teacher development in action, I would like to invite you to attend a session of the 2008 Southern Arizona Writing Project Summer Institute. This professional development course takes place Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., June 9- July 3, 2008 at the University of Arizona. There you will see the tremendous impact the National Writing Project has on local teachers. Their enthusiasm is palpable. By steeping themselves in their own writing and creating teaching demonstrations for their colleagues, these teachers take many tools and much motivation back to their classrooms.
Thank you for your support of the National Writing Project. If I can provide you with any more information about the National Writing Project and its role in Arizona, please contact me at the address below.
Sincerely,
Moi.
Monday, March 3, 2008
More wisdom from an old book; thanks, Mom
I wrote,
Hi, Mom,
Just wondering if you could send me citation info for the book you got those great quotes from. I'd like to share them and my scholarly librarian self says Not without a full citation...
Only if it's not too much trouble...
Thanks,
Heather
Mom replied:
They came from a 1927 book printed by the famous Roycrofters Press called The Note Book of Elbert Hubbard. The book is a work of art, but lacks attribution for the quotes -which bothers me a bit too. Many of the words are Hubbard's - but not all of them .... Still - I love that old book.
Here are some more quotes from The Note Book of Elbert Hubbard: (notebook is two words in the title)
"When sympathy finds vent in vengeance and love takes the form of strife, who can say where it will end?"
"A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness."
And my favorite because this applies to our children and grandchildren as well as friends: "A friend is Nature's masterpiece."
It's always fun to share these things with you.
Love, Mom
Hi, Mom,
Just wondering if you could send me citation info for the book you got those great quotes from. I'd like to share them and my scholarly librarian self says Not without a full citation...
Only if it's not too much trouble...
Thanks,
Heather
Mom replied:
They came from a 1927 book printed by the famous Roycrofters Press called The Note Book of Elbert Hubbard. The book is a work of art, but lacks attribution for the quotes -which bothers me a bit too. Many of the words are Hubbard's - but not all of them .... Still - I love that old book.
Here are some more quotes from The Note Book of Elbert Hubbard: (notebook is two words in the title)
"When sympathy finds vent in vengeance and love takes the form of strife, who can say where it will end?"
"A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness."
And my favorite because this applies to our children and grandchildren as well as friends: "A friend is Nature's masterpiece."
It's always fun to share these things with you.
Love, Mom
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