Read It and Weep

The concern, he said, is that the current rise in carbon dioxide levels—driven by human activity over the last 200 years, mostly the burning of fossil fuels—is causing unprecedented global warming and putting West Antarctica on the fast track to melting.

..."Even if it might take a thousand years or more for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to disappear, the melting before then could be significant enough that humans should really be taking note ... as we worry about our future generations," Powell said.

- "Great polar melt-off feared", William Mullen, Chicago Tribune

Something Fishy This Way Swims

The other day my friend sent me a link to fishscam.com.

I was immediately suspicious of this site claiming that there really is nothing to be afraid of in terms of mercury in your fish and to keep BUYING certain seafood. I was immediately suspicious because whenever there's some campaign out there going up against scientific studies and it's urging you to keep on purchasing certain items, it causes one to stop and wonder- just who is behind this?

Fishscam is a project of the Center For Consumer Freedom and describes itself as:
A growing cabal of environmental activist groups, public health researchers, and government bureaucrats are using junk science to needlessly frighten Americans about the fish they eat.

Something seemed fishy, so I did some snooping around...

According to Source Watch, CFCF is actually a (get this!) FRONT group for the RESTAURANT, TOBACCO and ALCOHOL industries! AAAND- this organization also runs petakillsanimals.com and is backed by Philip Morris!

What seemed fishy IS fishy.

We are overfishing our oceans. This is a fact. An inconvenient, annoying fact? Yes. But a fact it still is. That fact ALONE should be cause for people to adjust their eating and buying habits, but unfortunately for the masses (yes, I'm talking to YOU) that usually isn't enough. People usually don't start to pay attention unless they are DIRECTLY in harm's way, SO yes- mercury in fish IS cause for concern (as are a lot of other things in a LOT of other foods...) and doesn't it seem like common sense that one might not want to indulge in food that contains unspecified traces of a sometimes toxic element? AND isn't it cause for GREATER concern that the food industry is manipulating the public in order to make a buck (which is the oldest trick in the book) and that people (yes, I'm talking to YOU again) are TRUSTING them?!

Just sayin'.

This may seem like a small, unimportant issue in the great scheme of things, but it is in fact something that needs attention immediately and it is a HUGE INDICATION of many other situations much shadier than this.

Creepy little findings like this should motivate each and every one of us to read between the lines and question everything. There's nothing wrong with that. It just takes a little more time and effort and an application of the integrity and individuality so many of us claim to have.

Global Warmth

Maybe there's an issue with referring to it as "global warming". It seems as though a whole lot of people interpret that "ing" as something that's going to happen- like we're getting there, not quite there yet. Well, this just in: IT'S HAPPENING.

Will climate change/global warming literally have to show up at everyone's front door with blinking lights and sirens in order to seem pressing enough to motivate some real change in behavior? Apparently the Alps melting, New Orleans sinking, and Darfur drying up is just not compelling enough.

A few months back, I was having a conversation about the urgency of this issue with some people who felt as though we must all be patient and take small steps. Sure, small steps are better than no steps, but I think there needs to be an emphasis on steps- once you take one, take another and keep taking them. Light bulbs, recycling, and reusable bags are small (albeit trendy and EASY) steps, but they need to merely be a taking off point.

I struggle constantly: easily slipping back into old, bad habits and then I'm reminded that the call for serious, BIG change is the most urgent call out there. If we don't have a home planet, we don't exist.

Our society has made it all too easy for us to get distracted and has subsequently turned many of us into blissfully ignorant consumers, giving ourselves too much credit while turning a blind eye to the real things that need our immediate attention. Here's the thing, though- chances are if you're reading this, you're rich. You are richer than 95% of the world and you have options. You probably got to choose which college to attend and what color socks to wear this morning (choices that many people on the planet aren't even aware of). You got to choose who to vote for and what to make or buy for dinner tonight...and with choices come influence. We can choose to make choices that can greatly impact the rest of the world. We can choose to take BIG steps and affect change. We're powerful. And isn't it true that with great power comes great responsibility?

I need to be more responsible and use the power that comes along with the great variety of choices that I have. And guess what? So do you.




This rant is inspired by Scientific American's "Top 10 Places Already Affected by Climate Change". Read it.

Rotten Apple

Computer hunt follow up...

Sorry Mac lovahs, I'm going with a PC.

Why?

"Green washing" (among other things).

Apple (a trendy/fab company), is always aware of what is well, trendy and fab and being "green" is all the rage these days (or rather being, "light green"...most folks aren't willing to push to total GREEN). Is Apple making efforts? Yes. But there are many GOOD and GREENER computers. Apple has toxic history (literally) and only after a big Greenpeace campaign to call them out on their shenanigans did they finally start taking note.

Also, Apple's bells and whistles aren't what I'm looking for. I quote Nick (one of my tenants/computer expert):

"...Macs on the other hand can be a little more difficult to become acclimated to if you've ONLY used PCs before. Apple computers DO have more advanced graphic capabilities which is the main reason why they tend to be pricier. The graphics may be good but that's all you'll really get. It's GREAT for those that are in to digital/graphic design, photography and movie editing, etc etc. BECAUSE of those graphics capabilities."

I'm currently consulting Greenpeace's GUIDE TO GREENER ELECTRONICS. It's updated regularly, so I won't make my final call until just before I set out to make the purchase!

Queen of the Road

Ladies and germs, I would like to introduce you to my new bike!

It's actually a used bike, but it's new to me! I picked it up at Nearly New Bikes on Broadway and Sheridan. They take and old frame and totally update the bike, so it's...you guessed it, nearly new! It's super lightweight, which has taken some getting used to, but I love it.

I am soaking up the last few weeks/months of ride-able weather and enjoying being soooo close to the lakefront path. It's such a luxury to live so close to the lake and I'm trying to take advantage of it best I can!

My car is on the way out, so it's bike and public transit from this point on. Green transit all the way, baby!



I'm thinking of calling her my Black Beauty...

U G H

When I imagine the montage that would play through the minds of baffled humans as the world comes to an end, I see a clip John McCain proclaiming, "Drill baby drill!" while campaigning for the highest government position in the most powerful country in the world.

It's just plain upsetting, disappointing, and kind of disgusting.

Why, oh why aren't more people bothered by this?




On that note, I leave you with a quote...

"The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane"

-- David Orr, from "Earth in Mind"

Houston, We Have a Problem!

Hey Houston! Why y'all gotta be so dern stubborn?!

Click on the link above, and please share in my frustration.

Houston Resists Recycling, and Independent Streak Is Cited

When I read or hear "Independent Streak", I tend to think of a brash community activist or an unruly teen, not a backwards southwestern city that's too lazy to do their part for the environment. But hey, that's just me.

UGH

Below is a little blurb from Salon.com article about the Climate Security Act. Click on the text and read the article. It's well worth it. I don't care what your affiliation is- this is our planet we're talking about and I don't know if you noticed, but we've only got one.

...If the science of the last few years and the painful reality of a changing climate haven't persuaded the conservative movement of the dire nature of human-caused global warming, I can't imagine what chain of catastrophes would. We've already had record-breaking droughts, heat waves, wildfires, deluges, super storms and flooding at home and abroad -- just as climate science predicted. And we've had far more loss of ice from Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic Sea than anyone expected.

A National Journal poll in June found that only 26 percent of GOP Congress members believe "it's been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the earth is warming because of man-made pollution." That matches their constituents -- only 27 percent of Republicans say the earth is warming because of human activity. Needless to say, if you don't believe humans are the cause of global warming, you're not going to believe that humans are the solution to global warming.

Back In Green

First off, I apologize for not posting in ages. I wish I could say it's because I'm out being outrageously fabulous and saving endangered babies, but that'd be a lie. I've just been plain old lazy. Forgive me, adoring fan(s), forgive me.

I can't remember a time recently where I've found myself on a Monday morning feeling excited about just being alive after the weekend. This euphoria is thanks to the Green Festival. Usually I'm depressed about how short the weekend is and the lame job that I return to at the start of every week, BUT not this week!

Rachael and I spent pretty much the whole weekend at the fest- volunteering and seeing the sights. I got to see two speakers- Amy Goodman of Democracy Now and John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman (I'm currently reading and loving it!). Amy was amazing, John was less-amazing, but still good to see and meet.

We volunteered on Saturday for Global Exchange at their store, where we worked as the wacky but endearing cashiers. The crowd loved us and so did John, our "boss" for the day. On Sunday, we were in charge of making sure each vendor cleaned up after themselves, which basically meant Rach and I walked around after the fest closed and took pictures of messy booths and wrote the offenders up- the perfect job for two judgmental ladies like us ;)

It was a wonderful and exciting environment to be in all weekend. We were surrounded by people that care- people who have dedicated their lives and careers to the greater good. Sure, there was a whole lot of green consumerism, but there were also a whole lot of causes and movements that are doing their part and making a dent. It was also pretty awesome that the cuisine was mostly vegan- no perilous searching for something just right for me- I actually had options!

Not only did I leave the weekend more informed and inspired, but I also have a new, socially concious cell-phone provider, Credo Mobile. Go to the site and see what they're all about. I'm going to talk on the phone anyway, so why not have some of the profit do some good?

Rach and I spent a long time talking to John from Global Exchange and it turns out that he's a pretty awesome guy- he's worked for non-profits his whole life, is a cancer survivor, an artist and he's does non-violence advocacy in schools. Check out his art- www.meltguns.com

Oh, and I also picked up the documentary, 9/11 Mysteries. Trust me when I say that you NEED to see this film. It blew my mind. My mom watched it last night and her mind is blown as well. I own it, so you have no excuse for not accessing it!

I encourage EVERYONE to come to the fest next year! There were tons and tons of people there just to see what it was all about. You don't have to be a tree hugger extraordinaire to enjoy and benefit from all it has to offer.





PS- I solemnly swear to blog more often!