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.

Student Sustainability Project Proposals March 13, 2009

Today was the last class before Spring Break and my students submitted their research project proposals- and I’m excited about many of their proposals! Before giving you an outline of the assignment I’ve given them I suppose some general information about how I teach composition is in order. They have had 2 papers prior to this project; I try to add new layers of composition skills on to each assignment as we move through the course

I teach composition with a broad focus on critical reading and writing skills, with an inclusive concept of what is meant by “composition”. Most of my class is made up of freshmen and includes a broad spectrum of majors as well as  those categorized as general liberal arts or “undecided”. So, I choose to teach them reading and writing skills that are  applicable broadly across their needs as students, citizens, and  eventual employees (and/or employers). For example, their first paper was a critical analysis of their perspective of some aspect of the university (types of classroom settings, application processes, dorm life, balanacing of academic and social activities, purpose of college etc…) . They use their own direct experience to support an analytical claim about some larger issue or debate surronding college/university life. Many of my students enter college without ever having written an analysis that was not just a regurgitation of other’s ideas. So this unit really focuses on a whole new critical awareness for many of them. In addition, the idea of analyzing the world they live in , as it affects them directly, often seems a foriegn concept. Their second paper is focused on visual literacy. There are a bunch of conflicting stats out there on how much of our information is gained through images- but one thing that is consistent is that it’s a BIG number, and yet most people are not taught how to “read” these images or think critically about them in the same way we are taught about written and spoken language. So,  I teach them strategies for reading images as multi-layered, communicative compositions and then they choose their own image –often Ads, magazine covers, or webpages – and do a close reading of its visual elements and how they work together to create its message(s) or claim(s) and respond to the images messages with their own critical argument. This has brought us to their research project. Now that they have worked on their analytical skills (in both text and images) they will  extend that and include other’s ideas into their arguments and search out additional information. This is the first time I have used “sustainability” as an assigned subject for their projects and it is also the first time I have allowed for such vast choices in how they choose to compose and communictae their research to others. Their areas of research come out of their individual interests and activities (academic or personal). Then, they must come up with research questions about the issues of sustainability surrounding their chosen interest/activity. Some things I asked them to consider were their college majors and future career interests/ hobbies and extracurricular activities/ Campus and community living – daily life activities. Once they’ve discovered the “problems” of sustainability (or unsustainable systems) connected to their area of interest they must then also come up with potential solutions and alternatives. They must then decide on an appropriate audience to share their findings with in order to enact change. They  may use ANY composotion format that they think will be the most persuasive considering their topic and audience. This includes, websites, editorials, brochures, powerpoint presentations, scholarly articles for publication, writing campaigns to companies or government, How-to demonstrations, short videos, lesson plans for El Ed or secondary classrooms, or anything else they can think up. Those who create projects that are not already writing focused will also hand in an analysis of how they made their composition choices and why,  as well as an overview of their research and how it shaped their project.

So here’s a  list of some of the proposal topics:

Tecahing environmental Lit to adolescents (Sec. Ed. English major)

Reasearch onsustainability of pre-school materials & activities as well as how to teach sustainability to pre-schoolers

Coffee production and consumption (with a particular focus on our campus)

Sports equipment

Use and dependence on oil in air travel (physics engineering major- wants to go into aerospace engineering)

Computers, common household usage and waste, what happens to dead computers, and a business model for rehabing old computers (computer science major)

Fashion (works in a clothing store)

SUNY fredonia’s green movement- what they doing, what can students do to help

Campus cafeterias

facebook and other social networks- carbon footprints

“green” products, are they worth buying?

Chocolate!!!

Renting movies

Consumerism and happiness (psych major)

Musical instruments and rare woods (violinist)

Books (harry potter books specifically:-)

Art Materials  & sutainable art (art major)

Hollywood films (tv/digital film major and film fan)

Bottled water (environ. science major)

Sports events and clothing

Baking (chocolate and sugar)

Running and air pollution

farm Raised fish and cooking

Fuel economy and travel

Music recitals and receptions

Tim Horton’s (employee)

Gun ammo and shooting sports (gun enthusiaist)

Thrift shopping

Cell phones

Dorm life- esp typical college products: plastic crates, mini fridges etc

Cosmetics

kids and recycling

Video gaming

 

Suprisingly, nobody chose toilet paper: I’ve seen so many articles on toilet paper the last couple weeks.

Also, nobody chose vampires: sorry Kasey.

Day 2, Discussion Readings March 11, 2009

It’s a busy week for me, I have a second set of papers (60) to grade before spring break arrives at the end of the week. So, for now I’m going to just post the 3 articles I had the students read for today’s discussion. They’re all short and center around  the intersections between education the economy and sustainability- as well as defining the sustainability movement.  So far discussions have been engaging and diverse. No one seemed to place Annie Leonard (The story of stuff) high on the “likeability” scale, but many had positive things to say about other aspects of the presentation. The students are handing in their research project proposals on Friday. I’ll have a more lengthy post later onwhat their projects entail.

 

Article 1: University Leaders for a Sustainable Future

Higher education is beginning to recognize the need to reflect the reality that humanity is affecting the environment in ways which are historically unprecedented and which are potentially devastating for both natural ecosystems and ourselves. Since colleges and universities are an integral part of the global economy and since they prepare most of the professionals who develop, manage and teach in society’s public, private and non-governmental institutions, they are uniquely positioned to influence the direction we choose to take as a society.

Article 2: Worldchanging.com: “New School Sustainability: Majors Making a Difference”

To make the transition to a sustainable world, we’ll need an army of sustainability-minded revolutionaries. We’ll need scientists to record what’s happening in the forests and oceans, prairies and deserts, to plan for the future and to work on restoring and conserving what’s left. We’ll need builders and designers to help reconstruct our cities and their systems. We’ll need mechanics and engineers to construct new technological and energy systems. More than ever before we’ll need a team of people working on social justice, humanitarian rights and fairness issues, holding the world to a higher level of accountability. And last but not least, we’ll need hordes of artists, musicians and creative types to paint life with that delectably unique human essence.

Article 3: NY Times (Thomas Friedman): “The Inflection Is Near?”

What if the crisis of 2008 represents something much more fundamental than a deep recession? What if it’s telling us that the whole growth model we created over the last 50 years is simply unsustainable economically and ecologically and that 2008 was when we hit the wall — when Mother Nature and the market both said: “No more.”

Oh, and some additional items bought to add to the “Stumble List”: Computer memory, encasement for hard drive, and a sink attachment ($80!!!) for the used dishwasher we got o n Craigslist.

Refurbished Info, Refurbished Nation January 20, 2009

So, we’ve bought our first “new” items outside of groceries. Dan needed a new belt and we didn’t have the energy/patience to go looking for a good one at a thrift/consignment shop. We also must confess to buying a new RealSimple magazine – the tipping point was because we had a coupon! And today Dan bought a book at the dollar store. We have found our weakness for buying often coincides with a “great deal”- such as a cool book for a “just a buck” or having a sale or coupon to give us a nudge. I guess we should add the fact that we bought a “new” desktop computer this weekend as well. Technically, it is a refurbished computer- so I suppose we could stretch that to calling it “used”- but really all that means is that somebody else bought it new, used it very briefly (or not at all) because it had a problem and was returned to the company to be refurbished and resold. So here’s the beginning of a list we will keep for the year and it will be interesting to see what makes it onto the list and how LONG the list becomes- even when trying to put forth an effort to not buy “stuff”: Belt, magazine, book, computer.

Our computers the past few months have given us quite a bit of trouble. In October my laptop crashed and we had to buy a new hard drive for it. A few weeks ago our desktop’s video card went kaput. We bought a new card for it but there was also something wrong with the pci express slot that it goes into. So, now we are left with an unusable pc tower. Luckily we were able to rehab my old laptop hardrive and use it as extra storage space. However, we are faced with what to do with our dead tower. There are the occasional electronic recycling events that are organized in the area that we can save it for. However, I have recently read in various places that some of the  electronics that are gathered to be recycled are then shipped overseas where people dismantle the products without being properly protected from the various poisonous elements (of course this report is often also of people that are poorly paid and/or including a child labor force). So, now I have to consider how to track where our products go to be recycled and whether it’s an efficient  (all that shipping across the globe seems like plenty of unnecessary pollution)and ethical recycling process? I like being conscious of the impact of my actions, but can’t we simplify this people? Aren’t there a ton of electronics geeks out there that can rehab our various computer waste nationally/regionally/locally and resell it cheaply to those who can’t afford the newest technology? OR, better yet can’t we make computers so that they’re less disposible? Dan has said that many companies collect unused electronics and refurbish them as charity for schools- this makes more sense to me overall -so we’re looking into this, I’ll post what we find out.

I also need to make a correction from my previous post. A friend who works with wood assures me that the website I linked to in the “bookmark’ site is misleading. Only a small fraction of the wood used in furniture/building etc. in the U.S. is from illegally logged forests.  In light of this, I should also say that I am certainly not an expert on the broad areas of concern that I will write about in this blog. I appreciate any additional expertise or information people can give me. Please be aware that I am merely recording the negotiations I am trying to make every day within the vast sea of information and conflicting opinions (and even statistics) on these issues.  There are many different interests that can lead to the various representations of how we  are (mis) using our resources whether it be forests, oil, water, crops etc. Corporations have an interest in obscuring details of the production process for their capital benefit (or personal conscience) and environmentalists desire their voices to be heard over the din of a much more flashy and desireable commercialism (often feeling like their cries are falling on deaf ears). And with each seeing so much at stake, they often collapse the complexities and details into something they think the general population will better understand , or highlight the truths that benefit their larger goals.  But  I think  we can agree that we are using up finite natural resources and that we need to  rethink our current practices (at a personal level as well as governmental). This blog is merely my personal exercise in trying to raise my awareness and make appropriate changes for the health of the planet, my family and the other families around the world involved in our web of commerce. Obviously, by posting this thought process I also hope it raises questions for others or provide info/links/personal solutions that others may also explore or adopt. (and also get feedback from others with more information!)

Hopefully my devoted readers have not missed all the good stuff going on  the comments sections- here are some highlights:

A link to a film i’ve been eager to see: http://www.flowthefilm.com/

And, some further answers to your vampire ettiquette questions: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090117190311AAjN8H0 (miss ettiquette is me)

Today however is a day for hope and change. The excitement is palpable today. Happy day.

The Obama Administration’s official agenda on energy and the environment: http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/energy_and_environment/

And here’s Obama  appropriately dropping the F- bomb (really) while less officially talking about his ideas on energy and environment: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/11/obama-forget-the-f-ing-light-bulbs-its-the-collective.php

Becoming Less January 13, 2009

 

A new year, a new blog. Although I am not  abandoning my dissertation blog, I want to start a blog that lends itself to sharing with family and friends a more inclusive glimpse at what I’m working on in  the more various facets of my life. As the name of the blog and this post suggests, I do have  a centralizing theme and purpose. One of the central concerns of our family these days is learning more about how to lessen our toxic impact on the planet and, more directly, on our bodies. As most of you know, we have taken incremental steps over the past few years to become more conscious of the chemicals in our foods and our home. Although this inclination started probably 5 or 6 years ago (certainly one milestone would be when Dan read Fast Food Nation). Since we’ve become parents we have more actively sought out information on this topic. These days we are trying to take tiny steps toward detoxifying ourselves and our environment. Our newest undertaking  (I hesitate to call it a New Year resolution- since Dan doesn’t believe in those….) is a pact to try to not buy anything “new” in the next year. (This is inspired by a group that tried this in San Franciso called The Compact) Now, obviously this has all sort of small print attached: groceries, personal products, gas… these will be bought. And, no doubt, there will be things that will arise that in the end we decide to buy new. However, the primary impulse of this “undertaking” is to become more conscious of what we buy, to stop and think about the impact of whatever we are considering rather than blind purchases in a moment of impulsive want. Dan and I like to think we have become more “consumer-conscious” and cut back on purchasing/consuming as a form of entertainment, but certainly the fact that we’ve noticed that the employees at walmart recognize us as regulars does nothing to help continue this self-delusion. So, we’ve decided to try this exercise in restraint in order to see where our weaknesses crop up. what will we miss? what will we cheat on (yes, we know it’s inevitable)? What will we struggle with? How will we draw lines or make concessions? What will we NOT miss? So part of this blog will document this process.

 

I have noticed that we  (Dan and I as well as many others I talk to) often  get discouraged when we think about the scope of the problem of toxic chemicals in our world. Certainly, if any real change and rehabilitation of our planet and bodies is going to happen – it needs to be addressed  by our government  by regulations on the manufacturing  and agricultural industry. The fact that we try to buy a laundry detergent without phosphates or phlatates (more info on this in a later post) often seems ridiculously inconsequential. However, as we’ve become more committed to trying to become more conscious and responsible on a personal level, we have noticed how it has benefitted us in multiple, unexpected ways – even if we can’t see the direct results. Although it may (sometimes) cost more to buy that organic shampoo or take more time to shop around for a used item rather than buying something new (more immediately and maybe just as if not more cheaply) at Walmart, slowing down and thinking about our purchases has felt better. I know that’s an ambiguous description, but I’ll work on trying to articulate what it’s doing for us better in various posts later on. It is also surprisingly liberating to have LESS choices. That’s partially why I titled this post “becoming less,”  having 5 or 6 shampoos on the shelf to choose from in the organic aisle just feels simpler and easier than the typical aisle upon aisle in our megastores. When’s the last time you counted the different brands of deodorant? It’s sort of crazy. Also, ‘becoming less” has to do with our move toward buying food with fewer preservatives and artifical additives. I think food is one of the areas that’s broadly recognized by most people as a “problem” that needs to be addressed. However, all of the conflicting information (not to mention “greenwashing“) has made many of us throw up our hands and go about our normal buying and eating practices. Dan and I spend a lot of time sifting through information. Over the past couple years we have come across so many websites, books, magazines, movies and even TV shows that have made us more knowledgeable and raised our consciousness – this allows us a space to pass these sources on to others who may be interested as well. We also hope this becomes a space where others feel free to add their voice to the discussion, to post comments or reactions, counterarguments or different perspectives as well as additional source sharing. 

Overall, I hope this will be a space to document our struggles and discoveries this year as we work toward healthier living . This will include becoming more conscious of what we consume- whether it be food or “stuff”, raising our consciousness of our surroundings and how we interact with them- whether it’s in our immediate home with each other, our more indirect interactions with others in town, or thinking about our distant interactions globally- the impact of what we buy or do on other people, creatures, landscapes. What we are putting into our bodies as well as taking out of our wallets.  As an economic endeavor as well as a project in physical and mental wellness. And some days “healthy” will just mean what new crazy game Cooper has come up with to make me laugh.  

For further pertinent info please also check out my ”About” tab above