This year there are two Earthdays. The forty-year old one on April 22 was a resounding success. Earthweek activities this spring involved millions of Americans in grassroots action and programs designed to build relationships between humans and the environment, educate the public about sustainabuility and foster attitudes of solidarity within the ecological movement. Now, with our elected leaders letting people, as well as the planet down, environmental groups from around the country are calling for a show of public support for proven sustainable practices that protect the earth and her people.
Corporate interests have once again superseded our need for clean air and water. This bad decision on the part of our "leaders" must not be allowed to stand. The events scheduled for October Tenth range from tree planting to trash clean up and from environmental networking and educational events to ecologically themed movie nights. Across the country people are being asked to make their ecological actions known through the press, television and radio. To maximize our efforts, send out a press release beforehand, calling attention to the recently abandoned cap and trade bill that would have, for the first time, assigned a true cost to pollution. Let the media know that we are still waiting for our leaders to reign in polluters and finally address these pressing problems.
It has been said that when the people lead, the leaders will follow. We need to hold those in Congress who are responsible for killing environmental laws accountable. With the mid-term elections just five weeks away, it is time to show the public through a demonstration, a national day of support for Mother Earth and her ecological systems, that we are ready to finally have our right to clean air and water upheld by our elected officials. Forty years ago, many were cynical about whether demanding positive ecological change would make any difference at all. My own parents did not allow me to attend events that first Earthday. Luckily, I still felt that I was part of it in my own way. This October Tenth we are starting a new tradition. Second Earthday, which is not as much about standing up for our right to clean air and water, but pointing out the need to, once again, become leaders in creating environmentally sustainable systems that assure our children and their children a chance to prosper without destroying the environment.
ECO-Tours of Wisconsin Inc. will be planting trees as usual. Day trips to plant trees will be followed by an evening screening of an environmentally themed movie. Their commitment to living lightly on the Earth remains unchanged. It has taken their group just six years to plant over seventy thousand native trees across Northeast Wisconsin. Before they organized formally it had taken them over fifteen years to plant their first sixty-thousand native trees. They are a small local non-profit that operates with all-volunteer staff. If you would like to donate to their tree planting efforts, you can now use Paypal their account is: tnsaladino42@hotmail.com.
No effort should go unnoticed and for that to happen we all need to write local media outlets so that they can cover the story. This national day of action is meant to show our legislators that we are serious about the need to pass legislation that attaches realistic costs to pollution. The river that flows past my house is too dirty to swim in, the fish that live in it are not safe to eat. Wetlands in the headwaters are being drained and filled to make way for more fossil fuel guzzling vehicles, for planting more genetically modified corn and soybeans, and for three thousand square foot drywall castles and the Earth is already out of balance. Ask around or check local listings about actions in your area through 350.org. If you can find nothing planned, take it upon yourself to do something for Mother Earth this October Tenth. The Earth and her people will thank you!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wild Westerly Winds Expose Local Artist's Creation
The effects of high winds on Green Bay were quite evident yesterday as water receded from the shoreline throughout the day. By noon, areas were left high and dry that have been covered with water for over two years. This effect, called a seiche (pronounced say-sh) emptied hundreds of millions of gallons of water through a process much like blowing on a hot bowl of soup. Because of the opening at "Death's Door", this water was allowed to flow out of the Bay and into the larger body of water, Lake Michigan. The water level dropped nearly two feet overnight and as winds continued throughout the day, more and more lake bed was exposed.
This brought artist, Tony C. Saladino, back to his creation just after noon. He spent several hours adding to the work. He also spent time repairing storm damage and the effects of waves on his creation. Saladino recognizes it as an homage to Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty that was constructed in the Great Salt Lake. That piece is based on a spiral as well, but this newer work looks more like a nautilus shell, ever expanding to represent spiritual growth over time that the artist believes is critical to human life. The difference between myself and Smithson is that he marshaled hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire diesel trucks, their drivers, a quarry and their massive machines, in effect making a huge carbon footprint as well as a sculpture. "Ever since I saw the movie about the construction of Spiral Jetty, I have wanted to do a work that would be a counterpoint to it." says Saladino This work, which remains unnamed, has been completely created with human energy and on-site materials. "Ten years ago, when I started to work on this piece, it took over 140 hours of work before I could recognize it as a spiral from shore" Now with over 500 hours of harvesting fist size and larger stones from the lake bed, he has created a work that is visible from satellite. The last time Saladino measured it, the spiral measured about sixty by one-hundred and sixty feet. "It is substantially larger than my city lot." he said.
He has created dozens of environmental pieces around both Green Bay and other places in which he has lived. Several have been on the campus of UWGB, where he has studied art. His largest piece filled the area between the library and the Weidner center for the Performing Arts. That piece was created using over three hundred large circles cut from felt that was cast off from a paper mill. The pink felt was set off by the vibrant green of the lawns that Spring. Saladino got some photos of his work from the eighth floor of the library. His art was almost immediately removed because it was deemed a "hazard" by grounds crews. It is hard to find a five acre site to exhibit that kind of work, but Saladino continues to create exceptionally large pieces just the same.
"What I love most about my spiral in the bay, is that when the water is high, the gulls and pelicans stand on the rocks. Then it becomes a living sculpture defined by the white birds." Tony said. The homeowners who live adjacent to the spiral pile of rocks have enjoyed it for years and wonder at what motivates Saladino to create such large works. his answer, "The little knoll of sandbar that it sits on called to me one day. I imagined the hundreds of thousands of stones littering the lake bed cleared away so that the sandy bottom would be inviting for wading children. I also thought that by working with nature's energies, I could enhance the habitat for creatures while making a statement about the spiritual need for humans to relate to the planet." Some folks were sad to see it retreat below the waves since the low water levels that led to it's creation were only temporary, but Saladino loves the fact that even submerged, the art is visible with the help of local birds.
Like the mound builders from ancient cultures Saladino says that his life is given perspective by these creations and his actions honor eternal energies and spiritual factors that are with us every day. "I have yet to build an eagle mound or a serpent mound" he says, "but I have visited some of them many times and in many places. The energies that they reflect is honored in my work too." Saladino sees our self imposed rift between humankind and nature as a pathology. "In our current culture we rush to find cures for cancer, but have no problem using products that cause the disease." The good news is that people are slowly becoming aware of our need to depend on the health of the planet for our own health. If it takes another thousand years, Saladino believes, we will one day live in harmony with the planet.
This brought artist, Tony C. Saladino, back to his creation just after noon. He spent several hours adding to the work. He also spent time repairing storm damage and the effects of waves on his creation. Saladino recognizes it as an homage to Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty that was constructed in the Great Salt Lake. That piece is based on a spiral as well, but this newer work looks more like a nautilus shell, ever expanding to represent spiritual growth over time that the artist believes is critical to human life. The difference between myself and Smithson is that he marshaled hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire diesel trucks, their drivers, a quarry and their massive machines, in effect making a huge carbon footprint as well as a sculpture. "Ever since I saw the movie about the construction of Spiral Jetty, I have wanted to do a work that would be a counterpoint to it." says Saladino This work, which remains unnamed, has been completely created with human energy and on-site materials. "Ten years ago, when I started to work on this piece, it took over 140 hours of work before I could recognize it as a spiral from shore" Now with over 500 hours of harvesting fist size and larger stones from the lake bed, he has created a work that is visible from satellite. The last time Saladino measured it, the spiral measured about sixty by one-hundred and sixty feet. "It is substantially larger than my city lot." he said.
He has created dozens of environmental pieces around both Green Bay and other places in which he has lived. Several have been on the campus of UWGB, where he has studied art. His largest piece filled the area between the library and the Weidner center for the Performing Arts. That piece was created using over three hundred large circles cut from felt that was cast off from a paper mill. The pink felt was set off by the vibrant green of the lawns that Spring. Saladino got some photos of his work from the eighth floor of the library. His art was almost immediately removed because it was deemed a "hazard" by grounds crews. It is hard to find a five acre site to exhibit that kind of work, but Saladino continues to create exceptionally large pieces just the same.
"What I love most about my spiral in the bay, is that when the water is high, the gulls and pelicans stand on the rocks. Then it becomes a living sculpture defined by the white birds." Tony said. The homeowners who live adjacent to the spiral pile of rocks have enjoyed it for years and wonder at what motivates Saladino to create such large works. his answer, "The little knoll of sandbar that it sits on called to me one day. I imagined the hundreds of thousands of stones littering the lake bed cleared away so that the sandy bottom would be inviting for wading children. I also thought that by working with nature's energies, I could enhance the habitat for creatures while making a statement about the spiritual need for humans to relate to the planet." Some folks were sad to see it retreat below the waves since the low water levels that led to it's creation were only temporary, but Saladino loves the fact that even submerged, the art is visible with the help of local birds.
Like the mound builders from ancient cultures Saladino says that his life is given perspective by these creations and his actions honor eternal energies and spiritual factors that are with us every day. "I have yet to build an eagle mound or a serpent mound" he says, "but I have visited some of them many times and in many places. The energies that they reflect is honored in my work too." Saladino sees our self imposed rift between humankind and nature as a pathology. "In our current culture we rush to find cures for cancer, but have no problem using products that cause the disease." The good news is that people are slowly becoming aware of our need to depend on the health of the planet for our own health. If it takes another thousand years, Saladino believes, we will one day live in harmony with the planet.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Sustainability
Once again we face the same exploitative foes. A word born of the ecological movement has been co-opted for use by economists. The same folks who turned their backs on the idea of externalities are now using the concept of sustainability to mean "of long term interest to profit seekers". To review the concept of externalities it is well to begin with something that most of us have either seen or at least heard of, say a car. Those readers who understand externalities, may want to jump ahead one long paragraph.
Let's imagine that this car is a standard internal combustion engine.(about 40% efficient)The internalized "cost" of the vehicle would be the sticker price plus tax, title, license, insurance, depreciation, maintenance, fuel and other obvious and fixed costs to the purchaser. All hidden costs, or those "paid" by others or the environment are called externalities. Costs resulting from sourcing materials, might include tax benefits to widows of miners who die from Black Lung. In the USA these "benefits" are paid by insurance, subsidized by the government. The air and water pollution from ore processing and foundries would fall into this category as well. During construction, other costs would accrue. The carbon emissions from lighting alone are a huge cost for factories. These costs again are subsidized through current "public" policy that tries to keep down the cost of electricity, rather than including environmental and social ills in the price per Kwh. (Kilowatt hour) Paint shop fumes and smokestack emissions would also fall into this invisible category. When I was made aware of how hazardous chemicals are regulated, it made me sick to learn of the many gaping loopholes that industry has been provided that allow them to poison their neighbors. The health costs alone from paint shops and "new car smell" would add significantly to the purchase price if auto makers were required to account for them. Marketing, includes the cost to us all of yet another series of car commercials, the ramifications of examples ad infinitum why one self propelled box is better than another. I have not yet purchased a new car and when I do, the lies that marketers have told me during my lifetime will not influence my choice in the least. I conservatively estimate that I have seen over one thousand commercials each year for certain brands of auto. Sales, that's a great one. What are the costs of the giant parking lots full of new cars, just sitting there? I have to travel around several of these no matter where I go. Have we not progressed to the point where one of each model could be housed in a showroom and perhaps another of each model be on a dealer's lot, as well as a set of paint chips for them to see the various colors available. This would allow buyers to experience the full range of features, make up their minds, then, deliver the car to them within a few days? I assume that the majority of people buying new cars already have one at home that they could tolerate for just a few more days before a new would arrive. Again, thinking of lighting, how many people have lost sight of the heavens and the star-spangled night sky because a car lot was built near them, lit through the night with dozens of giant halogen bulbs? What are the actual costs of runoff from an acre of pavement? Some externalities are hard to understand, until their effects impinge on you. During operation, let's see, where the rubber meets the road, particles of hazardous chemicals are rubbed off the tires. Even minute concentrations become great when multiplied by millions of vehicles. That brings us to questions of what costs are subsidized at vulcanization factories as well as disposal of said car tires after their useful life? The gasoline that we all burn has costs that are virtually incalculable. Millions dead, displaced or terrorized in oil rich nations, thousands of our own countrymen sacrificed in that region. The true costs of our current oil addiction may never be quantified, but we press onward, complaining about the price of gasoline. Other externalities of operation are the need for roads on which to drive, maintenance of these ribbons of gravel, concrete and/or asphalt, highway patrols, accidents, highway deaths, roadkill, etc. Of course, we have all agreed to share in many of these costs "for the good of our nation", but we have never established an actual accounting of the total range of costs associated with vehicle operation. The AAA (American Automobile Association) estimates that the individual's cost of owning and operating a vehicle approaches $.50 US per mile driven. Accounting for externalities may bring that cost up to three to five times that amount. Certain individuals have paid the ultimate price for our free and easy way of getting about and there is no accounting that adequately reflects their sacrifice, that of their loved ones or the impact it has on our society and culture. That brings me to the ultimate demise of the automobile itself. The junkyard. Who has not seen one of these in their lifetime? The auto is frequently the largest single consumer item that we dispose of regularly. 2000 pounds of waste at a shot. In the best of circumstances, it gets recycled, but even then, the paint becomes a contaminant when the steel is melted down. Known as fugitive emissions, these fumes are largely unregulated. The fluids, rubber and plastics are often unregulated. Most are either too costly to recover for recycling or formulated in such a way as to make handling and proper disposal difficult. A significant part of the vehicle is non-recyclable. I'm the first to admit that I love to search through a junkyard for a certain part that can make my car run again, but the desolation and impact of just one of these facilities makes the nature lover in me sick to my stomach.
To achieve sustainability requires that we follow a few simple rules. We need to understand the complex nature of what we do, how it influences and affects the planet and our fellow human beings. The most concise way that I have seen it described is through The Natural Step, a phenomenal book by Sarah James and Torbjorn Lahti. They boil everything down to four questions. First, will this eliminate fossil fuel use or wasteful use of metals & minerals? Second, will this eliminate persistent chemical use or the use of synthetic chemicals? Third, will this eliminate encroachment on the ecosystem? Fourth, will this meet human needs fairly & efficiently? We can ask ourselves these questions about every product that we might consider purchasing as well as every action that can be taken. When we can answer yes to all four of these questions, we will achieve a sustainable result. The time has come for us to demand sustainability from our leaders, to encourage our fellow humans to think about these issues and to express our own love for and dependence upon the planet by learning to exist within the parameters set by answering yes to all four questions.
The basis of these four questions are what the authors describe as the system conditions. They were arrived at and formulated by understanding the physics behind all of our actions and natural systems that adapt to a variety of niches around the globe. Emulating what has worked for other life forms gives us the best chance of survival as a species. The hollow meaning of the word sustainability for economists is what we can afford. The true meaning of sustainability for environmentalists who coined it is can we afford not to? There are many pressing issues at play in our lives, but there are few that will not be solved or at least ameliorated if we just ask ourselves these simple questions. The reasons that we most often ignore these questions are simple enough. Throughout mankind's existence on the planet, there has never been a more profitable endeavor than mining fossil fuel. For those with the most to lose and the most money to pour into public policy making, moving away from fossil fuel use means that their way of life would have to change.
One of the most enlightening concepts for me was realizing that there is no "away". That was the portal, that allowed me, to get to a much deeper sense of ecology. Back in 1987, when I rode my bicycle around the Great Lakes to discuss what was then called living lightly on the Earth, more than six million people heard my simple message. Some of that number may have thought that my commitment to the planet was evidence that I was a crazy man. Others began a quest toward sustainability. There were some who felt that I was endangering the status quo. God/ess forbid things might change for the better. One of the people who saw me as a threat sabotaged my bicycle. I'm assuming that it was a guy, because it's the sort of thing guys do, but "he" ran a dart through and through my tire. His maliciousness angered me, but not nearly as much as having to throw a formerly perfectly good tire and tube into the landfill. I had back ups for both, but I certainly didn't need to use them on my third night out on an 80 day adventure! Likewise, just a few days before the end of the trip I was equally distressed by an unnecessary replacement of my tires that took place because of someone who loved me. Thinking that they were doing me a favor, while I slept, my uncle took my bike to the shop and had them do a bunch of work to it. One of the things they did was to put all new rubber on it. I tried to accept his "gift" as graciously as I could, but he obviously had not been hearing the message that my ride was meant to share. If not for those two events, I would have made the entire 4,280 mile trip on only three tires. The roads of Detroit took their toll on one. In total, the combined efforts of the saboteur and my uncle, effectively doubled the cost of and waste produced by tire requirements for that trip.
Just for fun, I tried to account for the actual cost per mile of that trip. Even with the sabotage and the unauthorized repairs, the total cost of the bike and some pre-tour customization, the cost was less than $.04 per mile. My largest waste product by far was Carbon dioxide which is essential "food" for plant life. I suppose my extra food costs for the energy that it took to pedal all those miles brought the cost up to about ten cents per mile, but the value of the trip was infinite. Had I chosen to drive a car, it would have undermined my credibility and made me wonder why I was trying to use the same outdated and dangerous system to usher in the new age of enlightenment that the planet needs to survive. Sustainability, it's not just another catchy phrase. For me at least, it has become a way of life.
Let's imagine that this car is a standard internal combustion engine.(about 40% efficient)The internalized "cost" of the vehicle would be the sticker price plus tax, title, license, insurance, depreciation, maintenance, fuel and other obvious and fixed costs to the purchaser. All hidden costs, or those "paid" by others or the environment are called externalities. Costs resulting from sourcing materials, might include tax benefits to widows of miners who die from Black Lung. In the USA these "benefits" are paid by insurance, subsidized by the government. The air and water pollution from ore processing and foundries would fall into this category as well. During construction, other costs would accrue. The carbon emissions from lighting alone are a huge cost for factories. These costs again are subsidized through current "public" policy that tries to keep down the cost of electricity, rather than including environmental and social ills in the price per Kwh. (Kilowatt hour) Paint shop fumes and smokestack emissions would also fall into this invisible category. When I was made aware of how hazardous chemicals are regulated, it made me sick to learn of the many gaping loopholes that industry has been provided that allow them to poison their neighbors. The health costs alone from paint shops and "new car smell" would add significantly to the purchase price if auto makers were required to account for them. Marketing, includes the cost to us all of yet another series of car commercials, the ramifications of examples ad infinitum why one self propelled box is better than another. I have not yet purchased a new car and when I do, the lies that marketers have told me during my lifetime will not influence my choice in the least. I conservatively estimate that I have seen over one thousand commercials each year for certain brands of auto. Sales, that's a great one. What are the costs of the giant parking lots full of new cars, just sitting there? I have to travel around several of these no matter where I go. Have we not progressed to the point where one of each model could be housed in a showroom and perhaps another of each model be on a dealer's lot, as well as a set of paint chips for them to see the various colors available. This would allow buyers to experience the full range of features, make up their minds, then, deliver the car to them within a few days? I assume that the majority of people buying new cars already have one at home that they could tolerate for just a few more days before a new would arrive. Again, thinking of lighting, how many people have lost sight of the heavens and the star-spangled night sky because a car lot was built near them, lit through the night with dozens of giant halogen bulbs? What are the actual costs of runoff from an acre of pavement? Some externalities are hard to understand, until their effects impinge on you. During operation, let's see, where the rubber meets the road, particles of hazardous chemicals are rubbed off the tires. Even minute concentrations become great when multiplied by millions of vehicles. That brings us to questions of what costs are subsidized at vulcanization factories as well as disposal of said car tires after their useful life? The gasoline that we all burn has costs that are virtually incalculable. Millions dead, displaced or terrorized in oil rich nations, thousands of our own countrymen sacrificed in that region. The true costs of our current oil addiction may never be quantified, but we press onward, complaining about the price of gasoline. Other externalities of operation are the need for roads on which to drive, maintenance of these ribbons of gravel, concrete and/or asphalt, highway patrols, accidents, highway deaths, roadkill, etc. Of course, we have all agreed to share in many of these costs "for the good of our nation", but we have never established an actual accounting of the total range of costs associated with vehicle operation. The AAA (American Automobile Association) estimates that the individual's cost of owning and operating a vehicle approaches $.50 US per mile driven. Accounting for externalities may bring that cost up to three to five times that amount. Certain individuals have paid the ultimate price for our free and easy way of getting about and there is no accounting that adequately reflects their sacrifice, that of their loved ones or the impact it has on our society and culture. That brings me to the ultimate demise of the automobile itself. The junkyard. Who has not seen one of these in their lifetime? The auto is frequently the largest single consumer item that we dispose of regularly. 2000 pounds of waste at a shot. In the best of circumstances, it gets recycled, but even then, the paint becomes a contaminant when the steel is melted down. Known as fugitive emissions, these fumes are largely unregulated. The fluids, rubber and plastics are often unregulated. Most are either too costly to recover for recycling or formulated in such a way as to make handling and proper disposal difficult. A significant part of the vehicle is non-recyclable. I'm the first to admit that I love to search through a junkyard for a certain part that can make my car run again, but the desolation and impact of just one of these facilities makes the nature lover in me sick to my stomach.
To achieve sustainability requires that we follow a few simple rules. We need to understand the complex nature of what we do, how it influences and affects the planet and our fellow human beings. The most concise way that I have seen it described is through The Natural Step, a phenomenal book by Sarah James and Torbjorn Lahti. They boil everything down to four questions. First, will this eliminate fossil fuel use or wasteful use of metals & minerals? Second, will this eliminate persistent chemical use or the use of synthetic chemicals? Third, will this eliminate encroachment on the ecosystem? Fourth, will this meet human needs fairly & efficiently? We can ask ourselves these questions about every product that we might consider purchasing as well as every action that can be taken. When we can answer yes to all four of these questions, we will achieve a sustainable result. The time has come for us to demand sustainability from our leaders, to encourage our fellow humans to think about these issues and to express our own love for and dependence upon the planet by learning to exist within the parameters set by answering yes to all four questions.
The basis of these four questions are what the authors describe as the system conditions. They were arrived at and formulated by understanding the physics behind all of our actions and natural systems that adapt to a variety of niches around the globe. Emulating what has worked for other life forms gives us the best chance of survival as a species. The hollow meaning of the word sustainability for economists is what we can afford. The true meaning of sustainability for environmentalists who coined it is can we afford not to? There are many pressing issues at play in our lives, but there are few that will not be solved or at least ameliorated if we just ask ourselves these simple questions. The reasons that we most often ignore these questions are simple enough. Throughout mankind's existence on the planet, there has never been a more profitable endeavor than mining fossil fuel. For those with the most to lose and the most money to pour into public policy making, moving away from fossil fuel use means that their way of life would have to change.
One of the most enlightening concepts for me was realizing that there is no "away". That was the portal, that allowed me, to get to a much deeper sense of ecology. Back in 1987, when I rode my bicycle around the Great Lakes to discuss what was then called living lightly on the Earth, more than six million people heard my simple message. Some of that number may have thought that my commitment to the planet was evidence that I was a crazy man. Others began a quest toward sustainability. There were some who felt that I was endangering the status quo. God/ess forbid things might change for the better. One of the people who saw me as a threat sabotaged my bicycle. I'm assuming that it was a guy, because it's the sort of thing guys do, but "he" ran a dart through and through my tire. His maliciousness angered me, but not nearly as much as having to throw a formerly perfectly good tire and tube into the landfill. I had back ups for both, but I certainly didn't need to use them on my third night out on an 80 day adventure! Likewise, just a few days before the end of the trip I was equally distressed by an unnecessary replacement of my tires that took place because of someone who loved me. Thinking that they were doing me a favor, while I slept, my uncle took my bike to the shop and had them do a bunch of work to it. One of the things they did was to put all new rubber on it. I tried to accept his "gift" as graciously as I could, but he obviously had not been hearing the message that my ride was meant to share. If not for those two events, I would have made the entire 4,280 mile trip on only three tires. The roads of Detroit took their toll on one. In total, the combined efforts of the saboteur and my uncle, effectively doubled the cost of and waste produced by tire requirements for that trip.
Just for fun, I tried to account for the actual cost per mile of that trip. Even with the sabotage and the unauthorized repairs, the total cost of the bike and some pre-tour customization, the cost was less than $.04 per mile. My largest waste product by far was Carbon dioxide which is essential "food" for plant life. I suppose my extra food costs for the energy that it took to pedal all those miles brought the cost up to about ten cents per mile, but the value of the trip was infinite. Had I chosen to drive a car, it would have undermined my credibility and made me wonder why I was trying to use the same outdated and dangerous system to usher in the new age of enlightenment that the planet needs to survive. Sustainability, it's not just another catchy phrase. For me at least, it has become a way of life.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Two Victories for Tea Partiers
When the news said that the Tea Party had achieved two victories in the Primary Election, I was very confused. These people have been portrayed by the Fox News types as the hottest thing going in the political realm these days. I had been certain that the dumbing down of America had led us to the brink of total collapse. For now, at least, we can continue to see them as just another fringe group, making token attempts to change our nation into a gun-loving, bible thumping, shout down. Although many of us might empathize with the direction the United States has taken since the advent of the "Reaganomics", the "Moral Majority", the "Drug War", economic "Free Trade" policies and "No Child Left Behind", we are not yet ready to take up the banner of the Tea Party rabble. I'm glad that they have chosen to stand up and voice their opinions, but now we can see that the sum total of their disorganized approach and inflammatory rhetoric was only able to win them two "victories".
As we have seen before in politics, hindsight is rarely twenty-twenty. These two elections may have gone their way without any effort on their part. We may never know. As we have seen, a resounding victory in the Primary Election has little bearing on the general election. sometimes those folks go on to achieve the office for which they are running, and sometimes they don't. In my experience, crossover voters frequently vote in the opponent's Primary just to meddle with the results. The first time I heard of this effect was when a pagan friend of mine, someone who shall remain nameless, voted for Pat Robertson in the Primary only to cast their vote for Lorna Fulani in the General Election. for those too young, or too mainstream to know who that is, she took up the banner of the Rainbow Coalition after Jesse Jackson sold them out and threw his support behind Democrat, Jimmy Carter. In that election, a small minority of Americans cast their vote for Reagan, but they called it a "revolution" when he was voted in. Just 52% of eligible voters showed up for that General Election, but all the news was about a "landslide victory". Many, who had thronged to hear about the Rainbow Coalition, were inspired by their platform and anxious for our country to come together into a more compassionate and equitable place were frozen out of the process when their figurehead leader copped out and went with a proven leader. Carter had certainly proven that he was more compassionate, intelligent and capable than Reagan, but that couldn't inspire people to get to the polls that November.
During the next month and a half, let's take a look at who has helped us get to a better place and who has not. If your representatives have really taken our country down the wrong path, I say, get rid of them. Just remember that when a new guy comes to office, it can take half of his first term to learn the ropes and become effective. We need change, but that change that we need is not to be set adrift in a sea of ineffective opinionated newbies. The ship of state runs most efficiently when held on an even keel. Just as a sailboat loses momentum each time it tacks, our country looses a great deal by constantly vacillating between extremes.
If we look carefully, the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, they did not lead us to a better place, nor did the hands off approach advocated by economic pundits. The American public has the right to demand equitable ways of funding their government as well as effective limits that protect the health and welfare of our population. The wealthiest among us have shouted down any attempt to slow the effects of global climate change. They are making a case for never having to pay for the "right" to play in our economy and they have a dismal track record when it comes to investing to spur the economy. Sure there are ways of tweaking our laws and regulations to achieve a better country. I'm all for that, but throwing everyone out just to start over seems unreasonable. Luckily, only two hot-headed rabble-rousers made the cut for November. With a bit of luck the public will see how dangerous it is to be a reactionary. Crisis management hasn't worked for business or industry, why would it work for government and politics? We should all write to Fox News for pointing out and bringing into sharp focus what we should all be ignoring.
As we have seen before in politics, hindsight is rarely twenty-twenty. These two elections may have gone their way without any effort on their part. We may never know. As we have seen, a resounding victory in the Primary Election has little bearing on the general election. sometimes those folks go on to achieve the office for which they are running, and sometimes they don't. In my experience, crossover voters frequently vote in the opponent's Primary just to meddle with the results. The first time I heard of this effect was when a pagan friend of mine, someone who shall remain nameless, voted for Pat Robertson in the Primary only to cast their vote for Lorna Fulani in the General Election. for those too young, or too mainstream to know who that is, she took up the banner of the Rainbow Coalition after Jesse Jackson sold them out and threw his support behind Democrat, Jimmy Carter. In that election, a small minority of Americans cast their vote for Reagan, but they called it a "revolution" when he was voted in. Just 52% of eligible voters showed up for that General Election, but all the news was about a "landslide victory". Many, who had thronged to hear about the Rainbow Coalition, were inspired by their platform and anxious for our country to come together into a more compassionate and equitable place were frozen out of the process when their figurehead leader copped out and went with a proven leader. Carter had certainly proven that he was more compassionate, intelligent and capable than Reagan, but that couldn't inspire people to get to the polls that November.
During the next month and a half, let's take a look at who has helped us get to a better place and who has not. If your representatives have really taken our country down the wrong path, I say, get rid of them. Just remember that when a new guy comes to office, it can take half of his first term to learn the ropes and become effective. We need change, but that change that we need is not to be set adrift in a sea of ineffective opinionated newbies. The ship of state runs most efficiently when held on an even keel. Just as a sailboat loses momentum each time it tacks, our country looses a great deal by constantly vacillating between extremes.
If we look carefully, the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, they did not lead us to a better place, nor did the hands off approach advocated by economic pundits. The American public has the right to demand equitable ways of funding their government as well as effective limits that protect the health and welfare of our population. The wealthiest among us have shouted down any attempt to slow the effects of global climate change. They are making a case for never having to pay for the "right" to play in our economy and they have a dismal track record when it comes to investing to spur the economy. Sure there are ways of tweaking our laws and regulations to achieve a better country. I'm all for that, but throwing everyone out just to start over seems unreasonable. Luckily, only two hot-headed rabble-rousers made the cut for November. With a bit of luck the public will see how dangerous it is to be a reactionary. Crisis management hasn't worked for business or industry, why would it work for government and politics? We should all write to Fox News for pointing out and bringing into sharp focus what we should all be ignoring.
Friday, September 10, 2010
I Have Offered to Burn Any Bibles People Send Me, Why Don't I Get any Press?
Oddly enough, we are being shouted down by the most unsavory lot among us. The news cameras thronged around a man, accused of absconding with church funds by his "flock" in Germany. A man with just fifty folks in his congregation, who has a myopic view of his own religion as well as the religions of others who are as insignificant to him as his religion is to them. Why are his attitudes, ideas and behaviors worthy of all those reporters time and effort? When will the press (media outlets)learn that they are supposed to guide people to truth, ask the difficult questions that reveal frauds and lies? Nothing about this man can be deemed truthful, not his fallacious beliefs, not his self-aggrandizing attitudes, not his methods, not even his message, nothing.
On the other hand, Christian beliefs have influenced, given quarter, aided and abetted some of the most heinous crimes of the last dozen centuries. There is not a single day that we can pick out of the calendar that stands out amongst the bloodshed perpetrated by Christians throughout the Age. If you have read my posts before, you will know that hating someone for their nation's behavior is as silly as hating them for their religious beliefs. Most people are extremely humane and downright good people. No truly patriotic Americans want violence perpetrated against others in our name. Just as there are precious few believers in Christ who wish to own the heinous crimes perpetrated during the Crusades, the Inquisition, or the subjugation of pagans around the globe.
In my own small way, I have offered to "get even" with the insane Koran burners. Eye for an eye, they say, without realizing that we would all be left blind by such a law practiced without compassion. I have read the Bible, it is a mediocre story whose central myth is plagiarized from cultures that pre-date it by many centuries. Human beings, long before the birth of "Christ" knew that the sun would travel south each winter, reside in the constellation Crux (cross) for three days and then be reborn to mankind, bringing back the light (life)and warmth of the growing season. Myths only work when the entire culture believe them, or at least agree on their meaning. Like the ancients who created Stonehenge, we all must agree on the importance of our place amongst the stars, the necessity for unified action in service to the Gods and Goddesses that we hold most dear.
The words in the Bible are devoid of meaning for the vast majority of people on earth today, but that is no reason to deface or destroy the holy books of other religions. A handful of Christians today have blood lust for people of other faiths, or those with no faith at all. How many times do we hear of loony, wackos who are hell bent on destruction, but use as their defense,"God told me to do it."
Word to the wise...if you are hearing voices, get treatment right away and discontinue any medication that you may be on. The lies that we have been told about so many things dissolve upon further inspection, please take the time to educate yourself about them. Old farmer's wisdom admonishes us to not leave the fox in charge of the hen house, or to allow bulls into a china shop. I think that the same is true for Fox News, or the Bulls on Wall Street. We have been consumed by the non-issues that Fox chooses to portray for us. One of the biggest lies that we are told repeatedly is that Wall Street investors have anything to do with our economy. The millions that are "traded" are just that. Nothing has ever been produced by there fat cats, so why do we allow them to be supported by us? Is that not the most vile form of corporate welfare? Again, some very well-meaning people work the street, but for those who live and die by their next big trade, we really need to burn the holy books of their religion.
More pain has been unleashed on the American people, by far, by the greedy bankers and traders of their debt, that all the terrorists over the past two hundred years.
Perhaps the best thing to burn if you are a little pissed off is money. The problem is that most money today is in the digital realm. Even if we burned all the paper money today, it could not hope to stop the worship of what it represents. Before I end this missal, I would like to ask why the date, September 11 was "picked" in the first place. If anyone knows, please enlighten me. Whether my understanding is correct or not, I would like to know. Perhaps for the tenth year anniversary we could burn all religious texts and begin again to forge a more humane tribe upon the planet. Everything we have tried so far has not seemed to work.
Please make 10-10-10 the turning point that many are hoping for. Give that day to service of the planet and our fellow humans. Invest in sustainability and let your representatives in local, state and national office know that we are willing to hold their feet to the fire until we get what we want, a more equitable and just distribution of wealth, a more ecologically sound approach to energy, transportation, food production and more humane treatment for our young, our old, and the sick who live among us. Rather than each of us trying to be a tiny voice in the wilderness, like the poor sot who threatened to burn holy texts, we can gain strength from realizing that we are all one, sharing precious little space here on Starship Earth.
On the other hand, Christian beliefs have influenced, given quarter, aided and abetted some of the most heinous crimes of the last dozen centuries. There is not a single day that we can pick out of the calendar that stands out amongst the bloodshed perpetrated by Christians throughout the Age. If you have read my posts before, you will know that hating someone for their nation's behavior is as silly as hating them for their religious beliefs. Most people are extremely humane and downright good people. No truly patriotic Americans want violence perpetrated against others in our name. Just as there are precious few believers in Christ who wish to own the heinous crimes perpetrated during the Crusades, the Inquisition, or the subjugation of pagans around the globe.
In my own small way, I have offered to "get even" with the insane Koran burners. Eye for an eye, they say, without realizing that we would all be left blind by such a law practiced without compassion. I have read the Bible, it is a mediocre story whose central myth is plagiarized from cultures that pre-date it by many centuries. Human beings, long before the birth of "Christ" knew that the sun would travel south each winter, reside in the constellation Crux (cross) for three days and then be reborn to mankind, bringing back the light (life)and warmth of the growing season. Myths only work when the entire culture believe them, or at least agree on their meaning. Like the ancients who created Stonehenge, we all must agree on the importance of our place amongst the stars, the necessity for unified action in service to the Gods and Goddesses that we hold most dear.
The words in the Bible are devoid of meaning for the vast majority of people on earth today, but that is no reason to deface or destroy the holy books of other religions. A handful of Christians today have blood lust for people of other faiths, or those with no faith at all. How many times do we hear of loony, wackos who are hell bent on destruction, but use as their defense,"God told me to do it."
Word to the wise...if you are hearing voices, get treatment right away and discontinue any medication that you may be on. The lies that we have been told about so many things dissolve upon further inspection, please take the time to educate yourself about them. Old farmer's wisdom admonishes us to not leave the fox in charge of the hen house, or to allow bulls into a china shop. I think that the same is true for Fox News, or the Bulls on Wall Street. We have been consumed by the non-issues that Fox chooses to portray for us. One of the biggest lies that we are told repeatedly is that Wall Street investors have anything to do with our economy. The millions that are "traded" are just that. Nothing has ever been produced by there fat cats, so why do we allow them to be supported by us? Is that not the most vile form of corporate welfare? Again, some very well-meaning people work the street, but for those who live and die by their next big trade, we really need to burn the holy books of their religion.
More pain has been unleashed on the American people, by far, by the greedy bankers and traders of their debt, that all the terrorists over the past two hundred years.
Perhaps the best thing to burn if you are a little pissed off is money. The problem is that most money today is in the digital realm. Even if we burned all the paper money today, it could not hope to stop the worship of what it represents. Before I end this missal, I would like to ask why the date, September 11 was "picked" in the first place. If anyone knows, please enlighten me. Whether my understanding is correct or not, I would like to know. Perhaps for the tenth year anniversary we could burn all religious texts and begin again to forge a more humane tribe upon the planet. Everything we have tried so far has not seemed to work.
Please make 10-10-10 the turning point that many are hoping for. Give that day to service of the planet and our fellow humans. Invest in sustainability and let your representatives in local, state and national office know that we are willing to hold their feet to the fire until we get what we want, a more equitable and just distribution of wealth, a more ecologically sound approach to energy, transportation, food production and more humane treatment for our young, our old, and the sick who live among us. Rather than each of us trying to be a tiny voice in the wilderness, like the poor sot who threatened to burn holy texts, we can gain strength from realizing that we are all one, sharing precious little space here on Starship Earth.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Tragic Cost of Hatred and Misunderstanding
All too often we forget that we do not live in a vacuum. We deny the fact that our "democracy" is too often controlled by money, more money than the majority of us can fathom. The powers that be know that it is far easier to demonize and blame others for our tragic failings than to take responsibility for our own mistakes and change in ways that can fix the problems that we have created ourselves. Our figurehead leaders are put in a difficult position because they have at least a glimmer of understanding about the immense power that the fortune 500 companies wield. Right now, today, the non-financial S&P 500 corporations are sitting on enough capital
(in smaller amounts it is called dollars)to fund another bail out like the one we taxpayers are on the hook for. We spent money that we do not have to save their asses and in return, they have taken that much cash back out of the economy. Why do we let them do this? Because we value "freedom". I contend that the freedom to do wrong is not protected under our constitution but try to find someone willing to take on the big dogs. The right-wing of our government feels that those dollars, which were created by exploitation of "resources", including human ones, investors and profit margins, is theirs to do with what they will. Well, if a mere 500 companies have the cash on hand to float the American people a loan to get things moving again, wouldn't it help them to do it as well? In fact, even a zero interest loan to the government would benefit them more than they could calculate because it would help break through the log-jam that is facing our economy today.
Those who keep telling us that the government is the problem are only fomenting hatred of any system that might have a chance of working. I am thoroughly amazed at the number of working poor who feel that the government is taking too much from them, because that is what come career businessman has told them. Most of these people get a full refund of federal taxes withheld at the end of the year anyway! The misdirection of our collective attention would strike awe into the most smooth and successful magician. If we could see through the smoke and mirrors, we would find corruption and collusion from the local level all the way up to the top rungs of our industries. Government is always in the terrible position of having to "play nice" with the most vile and reprehensible characters. The "regulated community" as most government officials refer to it is made up of folks who feel entitled to whatever they need to make a profit. Frequently, these organizations feel that they are not only entitled to everything they want, but justified in taking it because they "create jobs". Sadly, the other unspoken truth of the matter is that these corporate leaders often feel that they are better humans than the rest of us and therefore have the equivalent of The Divine Right of Kings. Calvinism dies hard amongst those who can use it to justify pollution, exploitation and degradation of the very communities that they exist in.
Lest I forget to mention, these entities usually support local non-profit organizations, but it seems a bit disingenuous when the same folks who bring in and release to the community the largest amounts of toxic and carcinogenic compounds turn around and support the walk for breast cancer research, or that the same companies that require mothers and fathers to work late donate to the Boys and Girls Club to help fight juvenile delinquency. Hundreds of bad actors placate the public by making donations to noble causes. Strangely enough, these funds are written off pre-tax, which results in under-funding programs that the government tries to support.
Few realize the deductions allowed business on a daily basis, or the huge sums that skate by as non-taxable. Everything with corporate logos printed on them, from hats to shirts, to uniforms, to pencil holders, "freebies", frisbees, pens, pencils, packaging, etc. think of all the things that you see that have a logo on them...all deductions pre-tax for the corporation. Is there a benefit to anyone by allowing this one deduction? Since most of these give-aways are cheap plastic crap from China, I suppose someone in China benefits, but why would our government subsidize their industry?
Understanding these issues goes a long way to unraveling the mess that has been made of our political and social lives. When we begin to see the falsehood and rhetoric behind the most commonly used words such as "freedom" and "patriotism", we can begin to sort out the true meanings of these words and define them for ourselves, rather than taking them as code words for something bigger and more occult. Hatred flourishes when ignorance is in the mix. That is why ambassadors and statesmen are usually from a more educated class. I, in no way, want to sound prejudicial, but the fact is that ignorant people have been and will continue to be graduated from Harvard and all he Ivy League schools. Being educated is not like filling a vessel with water, prejudice, hatred and misunderstanding exist in all of us to some degree, they act as holes in one's vessel, allowing truth to spill away and lies to be contained within. Stemming the flow from one gaping hole often leads to partial patches over other holes as well. We begin to learn when we realize that we really know very little. The worst thing that education has ever attempted to do is to send people in their late teens, to College, directly out of High School. Who knows more, and knows that they know it, than a High School senior? Two years of community service, or military training would go a long way to curing many of those misconceptions.
This week, The Red Cross has had to curtail efforts to bring relief supplies and equipment into Pakistan. After a month of suffering, along with millions of others, a tipping point has been reached. The refugees began attacking aid workers, making it unsafe for the Good Samaritans. What has happened during the past month has been mostly, nothing. We forget that the Pakistani people are just that, people. We have been told recently that their government is supportive of those that we righteously hate. Do we forget the atrocities that our own government carries out in our name? The truth of the matter is that our enemies are leading relief efforts on the ground, exhibiting for the local populace who "cares" about them, while we withhold aid and stand in awe of the catastrophic flooding. It took a few days to begin putting relief into Haiti, but after a full month, humanitarian aid was flowing into that area relatively freely. The longer we wait to "do the right thing" in Pakistan, the more loyal to our enemies their people will become. Instead of a few corrupt and powerful government officials and a cadre of military leaders who support our "enemies", the displaced people and refugees will note that the hands that sustained them during this current crisis were the same color as theirs, and that the politics of hate has merit.
We cannot afford to have an entire country, one that has nuclear weapons of it's own turn out to be a terrorist state. We must begin to understand that we are all one, brothers upon the same Starship Earth. In spite of the fact that the vast majority of Pakistanis wanted a woman, educated in the West, to be their next leader, a fringe militia, frightened at the prospect of losing their power, murdered her. The people love what we stand for, but if we acquiesce now, many will lose faith that there can be a path to a better life. The moral high ground is neither if we cannot lend a hand to those less fortunate, those suffering the costs of our unbridled greed, and those who bear most heavily the weight of our failure to understand basic principles of freedom and democracy.
When the majority becomes cold, heartless and misinformed, all is lost for our country. We need to develop more leaders who are willing to stand up for truth and justice, stop the rhetoric of scarcity & competition, and get on with the process of educating ourselves instead of relying on well-funded elites to give us more smoke and mirrors instead of reflections of stark reality. The truth may be difficult to look at from time to time, but it is what it is, and we play a big pert in it. I cannot presage what the next meaningless distraction that we will be fed will be, but I assure you, it will be designed to keep us from seeing what is really going on right under our noses.
(in smaller amounts it is called dollars)to fund another bail out like the one we taxpayers are on the hook for. We spent money that we do not have to save their asses and in return, they have taken that much cash back out of the economy. Why do we let them do this? Because we value "freedom". I contend that the freedom to do wrong is not protected under our constitution but try to find someone willing to take on the big dogs. The right-wing of our government feels that those dollars, which were created by exploitation of "resources", including human ones, investors and profit margins, is theirs to do with what they will. Well, if a mere 500 companies have the cash on hand to float the American people a loan to get things moving again, wouldn't it help them to do it as well? In fact, even a zero interest loan to the government would benefit them more than they could calculate because it would help break through the log-jam that is facing our economy today.
Those who keep telling us that the government is the problem are only fomenting hatred of any system that might have a chance of working. I am thoroughly amazed at the number of working poor who feel that the government is taking too much from them, because that is what come career businessman has told them. Most of these people get a full refund of federal taxes withheld at the end of the year anyway! The misdirection of our collective attention would strike awe into the most smooth and successful magician. If we could see through the smoke and mirrors, we would find corruption and collusion from the local level all the way up to the top rungs of our industries. Government is always in the terrible position of having to "play nice" with the most vile and reprehensible characters. The "regulated community" as most government officials refer to it is made up of folks who feel entitled to whatever they need to make a profit. Frequently, these organizations feel that they are not only entitled to everything they want, but justified in taking it because they "create jobs". Sadly, the other unspoken truth of the matter is that these corporate leaders often feel that they are better humans than the rest of us and therefore have the equivalent of The Divine Right of Kings. Calvinism dies hard amongst those who can use it to justify pollution, exploitation and degradation of the very communities that they exist in.
Lest I forget to mention, these entities usually support local non-profit organizations, but it seems a bit disingenuous when the same folks who bring in and release to the community the largest amounts of toxic and carcinogenic compounds turn around and support the walk for breast cancer research, or that the same companies that require mothers and fathers to work late donate to the Boys and Girls Club to help fight juvenile delinquency. Hundreds of bad actors placate the public by making donations to noble causes. Strangely enough, these funds are written off pre-tax, which results in under-funding programs that the government tries to support.
Few realize the deductions allowed business on a daily basis, or the huge sums that skate by as non-taxable. Everything with corporate logos printed on them, from hats to shirts, to uniforms, to pencil holders, "freebies", frisbees, pens, pencils, packaging, etc. think of all the things that you see that have a logo on them...all deductions pre-tax for the corporation. Is there a benefit to anyone by allowing this one deduction? Since most of these give-aways are cheap plastic crap from China, I suppose someone in China benefits, but why would our government subsidize their industry?
Understanding these issues goes a long way to unraveling the mess that has been made of our political and social lives. When we begin to see the falsehood and rhetoric behind the most commonly used words such as "freedom" and "patriotism", we can begin to sort out the true meanings of these words and define them for ourselves, rather than taking them as code words for something bigger and more occult. Hatred flourishes when ignorance is in the mix. That is why ambassadors and statesmen are usually from a more educated class. I, in no way, want to sound prejudicial, but the fact is that ignorant people have been and will continue to be graduated from Harvard and all he Ivy League schools. Being educated is not like filling a vessel with water, prejudice, hatred and misunderstanding exist in all of us to some degree, they act as holes in one's vessel, allowing truth to spill away and lies to be contained within. Stemming the flow from one gaping hole often leads to partial patches over other holes as well. We begin to learn when we realize that we really know very little. The worst thing that education has ever attempted to do is to send people in their late teens, to College, directly out of High School. Who knows more, and knows that they know it, than a High School senior? Two years of community service, or military training would go a long way to curing many of those misconceptions.
This week, The Red Cross has had to curtail efforts to bring relief supplies and equipment into Pakistan. After a month of suffering, along with millions of others, a tipping point has been reached. The refugees began attacking aid workers, making it unsafe for the Good Samaritans. What has happened during the past month has been mostly, nothing. We forget that the Pakistani people are just that, people. We have been told recently that their government is supportive of those that we righteously hate. Do we forget the atrocities that our own government carries out in our name? The truth of the matter is that our enemies are leading relief efforts on the ground, exhibiting for the local populace who "cares" about them, while we withhold aid and stand in awe of the catastrophic flooding. It took a few days to begin putting relief into Haiti, but after a full month, humanitarian aid was flowing into that area relatively freely. The longer we wait to "do the right thing" in Pakistan, the more loyal to our enemies their people will become. Instead of a few corrupt and powerful government officials and a cadre of military leaders who support our "enemies", the displaced people and refugees will note that the hands that sustained them during this current crisis were the same color as theirs, and that the politics of hate has merit.
We cannot afford to have an entire country, one that has nuclear weapons of it's own turn out to be a terrorist state. We must begin to understand that we are all one, brothers upon the same Starship Earth. In spite of the fact that the vast majority of Pakistanis wanted a woman, educated in the West, to be their next leader, a fringe militia, frightened at the prospect of losing their power, murdered her. The people love what we stand for, but if we acquiesce now, many will lose faith that there can be a path to a better life. The moral high ground is neither if we cannot lend a hand to those less fortunate, those suffering the costs of our unbridled greed, and those who bear most heavily the weight of our failure to understand basic principles of freedom and democracy.
When the majority becomes cold, heartless and misinformed, all is lost for our country. We need to develop more leaders who are willing to stand up for truth and justice, stop the rhetoric of scarcity & competition, and get on with the process of educating ourselves instead of relying on well-funded elites to give us more smoke and mirrors instead of reflections of stark reality. The truth may be difficult to look at from time to time, but it is what it is, and we play a big pert in it. I cannot presage what the next meaningless distraction that we will be fed will be, but I assure you, it will be designed to keep us from seeing what is really going on right under our noses.
Northeast Wisconsin Apples Beyond Ready for Picking
Earlier this summer, I was flabbergasted when the broccoli bolted two weeks ahead of time, before we even had a chance to enjoy it. I was amazed that, even before the first bloom normally hits the day lilies, they had faded and their bloom spikes had browned off. I was amazed at how early everything was happening in the gardens. I had to tie up the asters, the peonies and daisies about two weeks early, mostly because of the record breaking rain. I saw my first pile of deer apples on the curb today. Fall still seems far away, but the harvest is definitely coming in early. I don't know how much more destabilized the global climate will have to get before we realize that mankind is acting like a bull in a china shop.
My first seven years or so were spent in Southern Illinois, as well as seven summers after that. The summertime heat and humidity that we had there in the sixties and seventies is here in Green Bay now. People tend not to notice trends that occur on this scale, but the weathermen will tell you a tiny bit about what is going on, as much as they might deny it, fact is that when a series of records that were set over 100 years ago fall in a period of weeks, something big is going on. When records across several different parameters are set, that is even more of an indication that something is up with our climate. This summer we set a three-month precipitation record where I am from. Simultaneously, there was that issue of it being the hottest summer on record as well. The last major storm that passed by included hail and high winds, but the airport, which is outside the city, on the windward side received just under three inches of rain in the short three hours that the storm took to dump on us. I live within a mile or two of center city and our rain gauge captured seven and three sixteenths inches! I'm almost certain that if you were keeping records here that would have beaten any and all storms, ever.
Living lightly on the planet requires a weaning off of fossil fuel, we know that, but the insidiousness of fossil fuel use is that it creeps into nearly every purchase we make. Think about the truck driver bringing food from California, Florida or Texas, the only way to stop that fuel from being burned is to buy local produce, ultra local. In my case, I choose to buy seed and just walk the food into the kitchen. Even the water we use is most often brought to us through pumping, again using coal energy turned into electricity. Rain barrels have allowed me to significantly reduce my water use and still keep my garden productive through dry spells. Even the packaging on most items has the blessing and curse of fossil fuel use upon it. Buying unpackaged items as opposed to packaged ones can cut petrochemical and fossil fuel use by up to 60%.
For a little perspective, the fossil fuels (Carbon)that nature took millions of years to lay down and store (sequester)are being consumed by our modern culture at a rate that will be on the order of hundreds of years. All of it, the Coal, oil and natural gas have stored solar energy, conveniently yes, but we cannot sustain the planet and use it all up. We need to step across the threshold that confronts us now. We need to use the sunlight that hits the earth today, or that which hit the earth yesterday, The Sun and the Wind have the potential to power everything we do now, in a more benign way, the challenge for us now is to put them to use as quickly and efficiently as possible. corporate interests will fight like there is no tomorrow, but when the people come together on this issue, they will have no choice. The fossil fuel industries have been the most profitable undertakings that humans have ever participated in, bar none. Asking, begging or cajoling corporate interests to walk away from them will not be easy. Human beings with conscience must stand shoulder to shoulder and demand that practices change. We have come to a place that is full of danger and risk for our children and life as we know it, we cannot stand idly by and fail to reclaim our right to a cleaner. safer and more sustainable way of life. The future is now and there are apples to pick, almost a month early!
My first seven years or so were spent in Southern Illinois, as well as seven summers after that. The summertime heat and humidity that we had there in the sixties and seventies is here in Green Bay now. People tend not to notice trends that occur on this scale, but the weathermen will tell you a tiny bit about what is going on, as much as they might deny it, fact is that when a series of records that were set over 100 years ago fall in a period of weeks, something big is going on. When records across several different parameters are set, that is even more of an indication that something is up with our climate. This summer we set a three-month precipitation record where I am from. Simultaneously, there was that issue of it being the hottest summer on record as well. The last major storm that passed by included hail and high winds, but the airport, which is outside the city, on the windward side received just under three inches of rain in the short three hours that the storm took to dump on us. I live within a mile or two of center city and our rain gauge captured seven and three sixteenths inches! I'm almost certain that if you were keeping records here that would have beaten any and all storms, ever.
Living lightly on the planet requires a weaning off of fossil fuel, we know that, but the insidiousness of fossil fuel use is that it creeps into nearly every purchase we make. Think about the truck driver bringing food from California, Florida or Texas, the only way to stop that fuel from being burned is to buy local produce, ultra local. In my case, I choose to buy seed and just walk the food into the kitchen. Even the water we use is most often brought to us through pumping, again using coal energy turned into electricity. Rain barrels have allowed me to significantly reduce my water use and still keep my garden productive through dry spells. Even the packaging on most items has the blessing and curse of fossil fuel use upon it. Buying unpackaged items as opposed to packaged ones can cut petrochemical and fossil fuel use by up to 60%.
For a little perspective, the fossil fuels (Carbon)that nature took millions of years to lay down and store (sequester)are being consumed by our modern culture at a rate that will be on the order of hundreds of years. All of it, the Coal, oil and natural gas have stored solar energy, conveniently yes, but we cannot sustain the planet and use it all up. We need to step across the threshold that confronts us now. We need to use the sunlight that hits the earth today, or that which hit the earth yesterday, The Sun and the Wind have the potential to power everything we do now, in a more benign way, the challenge for us now is to put them to use as quickly and efficiently as possible. corporate interests will fight like there is no tomorrow, but when the people come together on this issue, they will have no choice. The fossil fuel industries have been the most profitable undertakings that humans have ever participated in, bar none. Asking, begging or cajoling corporate interests to walk away from them will not be easy. Human beings with conscience must stand shoulder to shoulder and demand that practices change. We have come to a place that is full of danger and risk for our children and life as we know it, we cannot stand idly by and fail to reclaim our right to a cleaner. safer and more sustainable way of life. The future is now and there are apples to pick, almost a month early!
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