Inspirations from the Semster

I do not remember which reading this came from, but it has always stuck out in my head. "We do not inheret the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children," a Native American proverb. I love this quote because it is so much more eloquent than the academic literature we've been reading, and it evokes such passion.

Another one of my favorite quotes was from Cradle to Cradle, "Negligence is described as doing the same thing over and over even though you know it is dangerous, stupid, or wrong. Now that we know, it's time for a change." This quote is a great way to sum up the semester. We have spent so much time examining the problems facing the environment this semester, but it all points to the same issue. We know that we are causing problems and now it is time to do something.

It has been great blogging with you all this semester. Have a great summer!

Cradle to Cradle

Cradle to Cradle was one of the more inspiring books we read this semester. Most of the books and article we have read have spelled out the problems the environment were facing, but few attempted to offer up solutions. The most refreshing part of their vision was its innovation. We have read other authors who discussed environmentalists versus industrialists, referring to the latter very negatively. However, McDonough and Braungart are inspiring in the fact that they attribute the consequences of manufacturing to awareness and public sentiments of the time, instead of malicious intent.

I think they are heading in the right direction with their optimism. They make change seem more accessible to the average Joe. Instead of saying, “there is so much we need to change and Americans aren’t ready to give in,” they really try to initiate reactions. What is particularly interesting is how they make environmental solutions seem more creative and fun. We have done so much harm to the environment is such a short amount of time that it is nice to think of us having an equal opportunity to do some good.

I love nature...naturally!

When I used to live in California, I used to go surfing as often as I could. One day, I was just sitting on my board when a single dolphin jumped out of the water right next to me and our eyes met. We lingered for a moment, just staring at each other, until he dipped back into the water. There were no other surfers in the water, the sun was shining on my face, the dolphin and I had a moment, and I felt so connected with the ocean and nature.

I love traveling and one of the most beautiful places I have ever been is Kailua Ranch in Hawaii. There are rolling, lush green hills and fields stretching as far as the eye can see. If you look the other way, there is the bluest ocean and the brightest sunshine. I felt so peaceful and at ease. I just lay there in the grass and absorbed in nature.

These two experiences taught me how precious nature is. When I look back at those experiences, I only think about how happy and in awe I was. I appreciate that I am able to enjoy nature, especially when I am able to leave the concrete jungle I live in now. I think it is important for us to preserve nature. I do think, in a way, that it should be one of the chief concerns of environmentalists. All of life and nature is so interconnected that I don’t think you can focus on one problem without working on others at the same time. We can try and preserve nature and work on keeping clean rivers, thick forests, and a functioning nitrogen cycle.

In-flight Discussion

On the flight down to my spring break destination, I was reading an article about certain states filing a petition to have the EPA regulate airline emissions. The man sitting next to me noticed I was reading the article and said he just saw something on ABC news about it. We discussed how it is wrong for government agencies to regulate some forms of transportation and not others. It seems like the EPA turns a blind eye towards aviation when they contribute a great deal to the problem. He told me that California just passed a law restricting the emissions on cargo ships and they were part of the petition, along with the state he worked for, Pennsylvania, to restrict the airlines as well. We agreed that the airlines should have restrictions along the same lines that are placed on motor vehicles and, increasingly, ships and other marine vessels. We also talked about what role the military has in all of this. I brought up the point that even if we restrict the airlines, our armed forces still use air and water craft extensively both for training and tactical maneuvers abroad. We both highly doubt that there will ever be any restrictions on that. It was a very interesting conversation and I didn't know that there were not restrictions on the airlines to reduce their emissions. As air travel becomes increasingly more popular it seems that restrictions not only make sense, but should have already been in place.

A Green St. Patrick's Day

My experience was very similar to what has already been mentioned by my fellow bloggers. After a brief respite in New York, I returned to my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. It has been a tradition for many years in my fair city to shut down the downtown area for the annual parade, the second-largest in the country behind New York, as some like to claim. Though for the most part the crowd remained civil, little effort was made to keep the streets and sidewalks clean of trash. The mess, of course, was unbelievable, as an assortment of cups, cans, bottles, and whatnot filled the area. I began to pick up what I could, sticking mainly to what I came upon on the path that I was walking. Contrary to popular belief, Pittsburgh is a genuinely clean and environmentally conscious town. There were plenty of garbage and recycling bins located on almost every block. As I began picking up some trash, others saw me and began to help. A close friend of mine was confused, and told me that there were people who were paid to do what I was doing. I told him that I saw nothing wrong with doing a little bit myself, and If others did the same, perhaps we could live in a cleaner world. This was not what he expected to hear, and this was disregarded as hippie nonsense. I attempted to expand the conversation to a discussion of the benefits of individual action and economic incentives, but this did not happen. I did however continue to pick up garbage, and though my friend didn't help me, he agreed that at another time and place, he would likely do the same.

I had a very similar experience in Panama City Florida. It was a typical springbreak scene. Lots of students drinking beer. After one morning of drinking, of which I was not a participator, I looked out over the sand and all I saw was can after can after can laying on the beech. Who knows how many were thrown in the ocean. Who knows how many were buried in the sand. Who knows how many were ever thrown out? I then ventured on to Savanagh Georgia for a celebration of our beloved St. Patrick. While there I went to play wiffle ball with a few of my friends in a large Park. As we were leaving I saw more cans littered on the ground. I began to pick them up. As I did so my friend Alex asked why I was picking it up. This allowed for a healthy discussion of the environment. I said to him that it disgusted me to see so much trash over a one week period. It took me just a few seconds to pick up the trash and bring it to a trash can just a few feet away. Why could the people who drank it throw it away? He wasn't opposed to this thinking, however, he helped me out and by doing so started to see how quickly you can change the environment to being overridden with trash to a clean, grassy area.

Final and In-Class Debate

Hey Guys!

I hope you all had a great spring break! I was wondering if anyone wanted to get together on Thursday and go over the study guide for the exam. I have been working on it, but it would be nice to throw some of our ideas back and forth. Let me know!

Also, we are in a group for the debate this week. Our topic is the government's stance for/against genetically modified food in a poor country. Do you know if we are supposed to use one particular article from last weeks readings like the debate we had last time? I guess we'll figure it out.

Have a great day!