I am looking forward to an eventful (although cold and rainy) earth day. I have canceled my classes today so my students and I can attend the variety of earth day panels and activities going on today on campus. I’ve posted the poster of the itinerary below in case anyone was curious what sort of things campuses are doing for earth day.
Happy Earth Day! April 22, 2009
Class Site finally up and running!!! April 20, 2009
Hi All,
Well, it was a heck of a unit, and there will definitely be changes if I decide to do a project like this again- but in the end- I’m happy with the results. So, happy Earth Week to you! PLEASE go check out my classes’ site: http://engl100.wordpress.com/ I’ll post more on how it all came together as well as a short list of “best of” to check out on the site. This week there’s a flurry of activities and events on campus for Earth Week and I’m looking forward to attending as many as I can.
Then, I should really post our stumble list from our Easter/Cooper’s birthday celebration weekend. I suppose it should be changed to the *fell flat on our faces* list after that weekend….
Happy Easter Easter Bunny: BrocK! Brock! April 9, 2009
Some good news from Cadbury:
“Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar Goes Fairtrade” (treehugger)
Unfortunately it appears that it’s only their milk chocolate bar that has gone fair trade so far. But I say: Go out and buy some Cadbury Eggs to help support their process of expanding to 100% fair trade.
The Crying Indian and Suzy Spotless March 31, 2009
For memories:
One of my students is doing a compare/contrast project of the environmental movement media of the past and today. She will be “updating” two of the famous PSA’s from the 60′s & 70′s. See if you remember these:
You can access Suzy Spotless at this link: http://www.aef.com/exhibits/social_responsibility/ad_council/2278
Happy Spring March 22, 2009
Happy Spring! The sun has been out more- if only it would warm up!!!
Some stumble items: PJs for Cooper, 2 bins (90% recycled plastic though!) for vermicomposting, 2 DVDs and a CD(Dan’s vices), 2 magazines (my vice), 2 spools of thread, red balloon for Cooper, 2 bargain sesame st. Dvds, a book on gardening and Dan’s high tech running shoes for the marathon on May. (btw- this is over a course of a month, we didn’t just go on a buying binge)
Organic White House Garden March 20, 2009
The Obamas are starting an organic vegetable garden to teach about local organic foods to kids- awesome. I bet White House compost is pretty fancy. Here an article on the project from the NY Times: http://tiny.cc/CrJLk
Dan and I are thinking about spring and looking forward to expanding our garden. I’m pushing for more flowers and herbs as well as veggies. We joined a CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) in Fredonia and have veggie shares coming our way every week starting in May (through october). I know Dan still wants to grow tomatoes and carrots again in our garden. I think we’re going to need to study up on some new recipes to handle all these veggies coming our way. We’re also talking about finally getting a compost set-up going. We’ve talked about it for a few years now, but I am determined to get it done this spring. We’re currently researching and choosing between the options of a traditional pile (open crate/wire enclosure, a turning barrel, or vermicompost. We’ll keep you updated on that process.
Terracycle March 19, 2009
Two Princeton students started Terracycle back in 2001. It started as a business model to sell organic plant food with no waste (recycled packaging etc). The company is now a huge operation that collects all sorts of product waste (cookie wrappers, drink pouches, cell phones) and turns them into new useable products. A great site for school kids especially since they would gather the materials (chips bags) then once they have a certain amount they send it in using the free postage, and 2 cents for each wrapper goes to the non-profit of their choice (could be their own school). It appears that brands/companies have to agree to this – so only certain wrappers are accepted (for example Nabisco is one of the collaborators). So, certainly there is some advertising involved. That’s part of the company’s M.O. though, they’ve labelled it “eco-capitalism”. The site is a good educational tool too. They give a simple overview of our current system of capitalism and 20th century indutrialism then give their theory of eco-capitalism instead. An interesting site overall. We bought a birdfeeder from them last spring and decided to look up what else they made- they’ve become quite a large enterprise.
I am hoping this will inspire my business majors as well!
Interview by Yale 360 March 18, 2009
http://www.e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2130
This is a link to an interview that addresses the disconnect between the science and findings on climate change - politics (esp. policy)- media/journalism- and the general public. I admit it’s a bit long, but I think it’s an underdiscussed topic and the journalist being interviewed gives a good overview of the situation and how it’s broken and the consequences of the lack of integrated communication.
I get frustrated with the lack of REAL information out there about climate change or more generally the need to dramatically change our practices to sustainable acts- from manufacturing to daily consumption. I know our media is perpetually charged with fear-mongering (and rightfully so)- but at the same time, somehow, our news can’t seem to get across to the general public the immediacy of the environmental crisis. I’m constantly trying to figure out what elements cause us (me included) to dismiss our own responsibility in an unsustainable system- how we got here and how we can change. Is it a general sense of personal acts not having impact in such a large global system that’s gone awry? A lack of a sense of agency in the face of enormously powerful corporations? Is is because we don’t experience the immediacy of the crisis in the same way we experience the impact of the economic crisis? Is it because we’ve become so aware of the media’s function as “entertainment”- flashy graphics, polarizing “debate” shows that dumb down real issues….and on and on — that we dismiss all reporting as overblown rants and raves for ratings? Is it the politicization of the issue- identifying issues of sustainability with “liberal” politics- the “bleeding-heart liberal” who wants to save the rainforest so they can be seen a a “do-gooder” ? Is it that we just don’t want to give up the luxuries we have- even the small, seemingly inconsquential ones like taking a couple extra minutes to rinse out a plastic container and putting it in a recyling bin or remembering to bring a cloth bag when we shop or choosing to walk across the street to the next shop rather than drive? I am just as guilty as the next person- I threw out a plastic container the other day because I didn’t want walk downstairs to scrub it in the ladies bathroom and put it in a bin down the hall from my office- complete disclosure here (ugh, I’m seriously embarrassed even though I KNOW i’m not the only one). Or maybe it’s that general mentality: if so-and-so’s not going to do it, why should I bother? Or: will I look like a weirdo or be labelled a tree-hugging, self-righteous hippie- what if I don’t want people thinking I am a member of that sort of “club”. Or maybe it’s just fear of change, or lack of desire to change. for example: it’s a blast to open a bunch of new sparkling presents on your birthday- the tradition and childhood memories of ripping open the paper and opening up the box of the newest, coolest toy out there, that shows that these people got together and went out and bought you stuff because you’re special and deserve the best- to be treated like a king/queen for a day. I give this example because I’m struggling with Cooper’s pending birthday. I don’t want him to connect happiness with being showered with the newest toys and set that expectation for every birthday. And yet, I know the complexities of trying to expain this to others: there is the possibility they’ll be insulted :”You have had lots of wonderful toys that we – parents, grandparents-aunts and uncles and friends– sacrificed to buy for you. Now you’re saying that that is “shallow,” “less than” what you want for your own child”. There is the fact that I can’t tell others what to do- they all have their own unique relationship with Cooper and have a right to give him what they want. There is the concern that others feel I’m pushing my own ethics/ ways of living on them if I were to request no store-bought gifts for Cooper’s bday. It means denying others something they find pleasurable- seeing Cooper do the things their kids, cousins, neices and nephews and siblings did. And yet, we’re becoming increasingly aware that these things– our ways of living over the past 100 years – have contributed to destroying the very ecosytems we need to continue to live on the planet. So couldn’t we just find a new way to recreate these feelings of happiness? or are we REALLY that tied to traditions that require buying new stuff? These are my questions. How do we change? And, how to convince others to change as well- because it can’t just be the choice of a few people, it has to involve everyone changing to meet the needs of everyone that comes after us- not some far off ancestor either- our children and our children’s children. I know this sounds heavy handed and dramatic, how do we get over the fact that it IS this dramatic? It’s not “just” a war – or an economic downturn- as dramatic and destructive as these things are, we know that future generations and the human race survive these sorts of devastation. But if we continue to trash the earth, there’s no “coming back” from it.
I know, this blog sucks. A big fat downer. There are days I can feel excited about the little things I see going on around me that seem to be addressing these concerns and creating “change”. But some days, I’m just frustrated, unsure what to do next. I’m in a lucky position that my career allows me to teach about these issues, as I teach students how to find the language and communication skills to share their own findings with more people. My scholarly writing is another outlet which allows me a chance to explore and research these areas (frontier literature has a deep connection to the American movements of conservation and environmentalism- although often ironically). I don’t think the AIG news is lifting my spirits either. To see that scale of greed and lack of conscience is devastating. I thought once the Bush era was over I’d be less addle -brained from shaking my head all the time, but the headlines of corporate greed and destruction with no sense of responsibility or guilt are numbing. Ok, next post: something hopeful, promise.
Here’s for all you “24″ fans: 
Recent Comments