Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Human impacts, Invasive species, Ocean, Pacific Garbage Patch, Plastic, Systems
Just about every piece of plastic that has been made still exists today. Only a small amount has been incinerated, which causes problems in itself because of the toxic chemicals released when plastic is burned. The petroleum in plastics cannot be digested by the Earth, and most of plastic trash ends up in our beautiful oceans.
The Beautiful Table Rock Beach
photo by Theora Britzman
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: animal cruelty, Animal Welfare, consumerism, freakonomics, Thanksgiving, vegetarian
More than 300 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. each year- 46 million for Thanksgiving dinners alone.Turkeys killed for Butterball are packed by the thousands into unnatural conditions, where disease, smothering, and heart attacks are common. The institutionalized, rampant abuse that turkeys suffer would warrant felony cruelty charges if the victims were dogs or cats. In the wild, turkeys grow to about 18 pounds. In order to provide for all the Turkey feasts, turkeys that are bred for consumption reach an average of 45 pounds by 19-weeks of age. The poor animals have become manipulated into fat, big breasted birds that cannot naturally reproduce; all for human pleasure. Animal cruelty and unnatural manipulation for consumer’s consumption is far from sustainable.
It is Thanksgiving Day; not Turkey Day. This is a holiday to give thanks, yet we are oblivious to the absurdness of what this day has become.
WARNING: if you are sensitive to brutality, this video displays animal violence that is very graphic and very real.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 350.org, Climate Change, Divestment, Do The Math, Fossil Fuels
Have you ever heard the phrase, “practice what you preach?” I’m sure most have heard this at least once before. When I think about the amount of money that universities across the United States, including my own university, invest in fossil fuel industries this phrase resounds loud and clear in my mind. Basically every college institution in the United States has incorporated sustainable practices into the curriculum. Universities preach sustainability in their classrooms in a variety of disciplines. So why is it that these institutions do not practice sustainability in their boardrooms? Fossil fuel industries are one of, if not the most, profitable industries in the world. Oil companies tend to give high returns on investments which make them appealing options for university endowments. Investing in fossil fuel industries directly supports and contributes to the rise of carbon emissions which are dangerously warming our planet. Fossil fuel industries are well aware of the strain they’re putting on our climate, but will continue to burn oil, gas and coal for maximum profit. Maintaining their billionaire status is more important than pushing our climate over its tipping point.
Protests are happening across the U.S. to divest from Fossil Fuel industries
photo from 350.org
Almost every country in the world, even the most oil-infused have agreed that 2 degrees Celsius is the maximum raise in temperature that earth can with stand without experiencing disastrous climate change. Scientists say that 565 gigatons is the amount we can burn and keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius. Our current fossil fuel addition shows that we will burn this amount in just 16 years. What is scariest about these numbers is that fossil fuel companies have 2795 gigatons of carbon to burn in their reserves. That is enough carbon to cook our planet nearly five times over. The fossil fuel industries control more than our economy; they essentially hold control over the well-being of our planet.
“It isn’t okay to invest in educating students with investments that will ruin the world they’ll go on to,” said Bill McKibben. McKibben is a profound environmental author and activist. He is the founder of the climate campaign 350.org that is currently touring the United States to begin a divestment movement.This “Do the Math Tour” is modeled after the successful anti-apartheid campaigns of the 1980s. Activists had successfully pressured american universities to divest from the South African economy. This intellectual approach to end the moral injustice of the apartheid in South Africa is going to be applied to the immoral injustice that fossil fuel monsters are doing to our earth today. The goal is to freeze any new investments with the fossil fuel industries, and ultimately have complete divestment from these fossil fuel industries within five years.
Me with my biggest inspiration, Bill McKibben, at UCLA on his “Do the Math” tour . 11/11/12 photo by Justin Graza
The fossil fuel industry cheats civilization. This is the most important moral fight in history. It is bigger than the fight for civil rights. This is a fight for the survival of the human race. Divestment will allow a shift of investment into clean energy and tame the fossil fuel beasts. Mother nature is our ally and the magnificent reminder of why we are in this fight.
photo by Paul Anderson
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: clean water, fracking, hydraulic fracturing, oil drilling, VOCs
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking, is a drilling technique used to extract natural gas from deep-shale underground. Fracking is the use of high pressure injections of chemicals, sand, and water to release natural gas. The drill first penetrates vertically into the ground to create a well, then the drill turns horizontally into the shale. Underground explosions of the toxic chemical,sand, water mixture further crack (frack) the shale.The fractures created allow natural gas to flow more freely out of the ground.
The environmental and health risks of fracking are appalling and well documented. Contamination of groundwater, pollution of the air and global warming impacts, spills that release contaminants, and health concerns at the well site are all dangers included in the fracking process.
Stunningly, these known threats have failed to stop the large scale fracking projects across the world. In 2005 congress created exemptions for fracking to benefit Halliburton and other oil and gas companies. The Safe Drinking Water Act was created to ensure safe drinking water that is free from both natural and man-made contaminants.The fracking industry does not have to reveal the chemicals they use, but scientists have discovered volatile organic compounds involved in the fracking process. Fracking certainly has no business being exempt from the safe drinking water act.
We need to work to find a way to extract oil without the use of fracking, and more importantly how to discontinue our dependency on oil and gas altogether.
Filed under: Food system, Uncategorized | Tags: educate, food process, health, Label GMOs, local food, obesity, reform, sustainable food
Food is not a thing. Food is a process. Sadly,our greed-driven society has blinded so many Americans from this process. Communities should be a part of the food process. Yet, many communities today are mindless consumers of food that is controlled by industries.The majority of American society has minimal knowledge about where the food they eat is coming from. Even worse, Americans have become ignorant about ingredients they ingest into their bodies. The American diet is nutrient poor and very good at promoting illness and weight gain. Youth today are inheriting a poor diet and it’s showing. Obesity rates in children are now higher than ever before. Concerning as obesity is, there are more deceptive dangers within our flawed food system. Food industries are feeding american citizens obscure genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that may cause serious health conditions and detrimental impacts on our environment. Continue reading
Filed under: Uncategorized
It’s official. For the first time in 24 years, climate change was not mentioned once in the presidential debates. Despite consensus in the scientific community that climate change is in fact a dangerous reality that is induced by humans, efforts to tackle the climate crisis are being blocked by the fossil fuel industry. Political action is vital for impeding the heating of our planet.
“Greedy Lying Bastards” is a documentary that investigates the reasons for this standstill in global heating efforts. Corporate contributions to political campaigns are funding a campaign of deceit regarding the science and impact of climate change.
The Executive producer of the documentary, Daryl Hannah, sits on the boards of the Environmental Media Association, Eco America, the Sustainable Bio-diesel Alliance and the Action Sports Environmental Coalition.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Access to water is essential for all human life. Yet, most humans are disconnected from the vital water process here on Earth. We expect water to be on demand at any given moment without an understanding of how it is being delivered or where it is coming from. As intellectual beings, we should all feel inclined to understand how our natural water resources are being managed and what standards of regulation are being used for this management. Do you drink bottled water because you feel tap water is unsafe? Reconsider that thought before you reach for a plastic water bottle again. Continue reading
Filed under: Uncategorized
In financial respects, prosperity is commonly measured by the things we own, and the fortune we make. So by owning the latest, greatest products we are deemed successful and in a flourishing state. But are we? I suppose it depends what you view to be a thriving condition.When we continue to give into the advertisements we continue to feed this mass consuming monster, and thus stray farther away from a healthy, balanced environment to live in.
Annie Leonard explains and illustrates this concept well in this Story of Stuff video. Expand your consciousness and let’s reconsider what our economy prioritizes. Safe products, happy people, and a healthy planet first; not corporate profit!
Post Script: On the topic of safe products.
Parents, Beware of BPAs in your childrens’ toys, bottles and cups!
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bpa/AN01955
Filed under: Uncategorized
Standing outside, I am elated by the pure joy on my 9 -month-old son’s face as he laughs uncontrollably at the birds flying over our heads. In the next breath I am filled with despairing concern as the sweat drips down my forehead reminding me of the sweltering weather we are standing in. The climate crisis feels very real in this moment. What type of weather conditions will my little man have to endure in the coming decades? At the rate that we are currently heating our atmosphere, the climate predictions are seemingly startling.
Dan Pearce via Flickr
Stepping Toward Sustainable Solutions 