Posted by Dave on June 22, 2009
I can see the headline now: California disintigrates into oblivion after massive calamity of natural disasters. L.A. Lakers to blame.
You know you are thinking it. Will God judge all of California because of the haughty arrogance of Kobe Bryant? Should he? Well, in my opinion, yes. Through watching the Lakers banish all on-comers this year it has become apparent to me that they have filled up the totality of evils to be ecologically smitten by an earth loving God. It is too much for Nature to bear up.
A sustainable planet simply cannot continue on with the L.A. Lakers in their current incarnation. They are draining the rest of the planet of necessary natural resources such as the will to live. There is nothing more vital right now to the survival of mankind as we know it than the will to act. How, I ask you. How? How can mankind have the will to act immediately and decisively after watching a single L.A. Laker/ Kobe Bryant play-off victory? (Much less a gaggle of them.) And in the midst of a global recession at that?
What did we elect President Obama for if it was not to intervene in such travesties? After his much talk about reforming the college football bowl debacle I had hope that he would understand the significance of sustainable sports in the U.S. He does not, and he will not. Now I fear it is too late. We can only ask that God allow us to not make the same mistake again.
Posted by Dave on June 17, 2009
What should our relationship with the dirt under our feet be? Physically, emotionally, spiritually and legally? Legally? Yeah, why not? That is exactly what the country of Ecuador has asked and answered in a new constitution they have drawn up between the land and the people that live on it. Yep. Nature in Ecuador now has rights of its own. I know, I know. It is bad enough, right, that there tree huggers. Now there are dirt and ground huggers too.
The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), a U.S.-based nonprofit, teamed up with the Ecuadorian government to bring to life this “earth-shaking” and “ground defending” legal document. They have yet to see how, or if, it will work (it was only put into place in Sept. of 2008), but it is kind of mind-blowing to think about. How would the very fabric of our daily lives shift if the ground we walked, worked and lived on had actual, legally binding rights? WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on June 13, 2009
Their can be glory in death. It is true. But Lord, not in a prolonged, asthma induced suffocation due to a humanly inhabitable planet. But never fear! 350 is here! Bill McKibben is still alive and kicking, and while he ain’t no Leonidas, he along with alot of others have started up 350.org. The movement and the number are based on the report put forward by the NASA climatologist guy (James Hansen) in 2007 that said that if we don’t reduce the amount of CO2 we are pumping into the atmosphere to below 350 parts per million and pronto we will be screwed (meaning human life could meet some rather sucky hurdles of death). WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on June 6, 2009
Although bland at first glance, hemp’s most important role may very well end up as a part of our diet. Hemp is a monster when it comes to proteins and essential fatty acids (EFA’s). These two things are the reason we should all be growing hemp in our backyard gardens. (Note to DEA: I don’t have hemp in my backyard garden. I don’t even garden, or have a yard. I promise.)
Many may disagree about whether the earth is in the midst of a food crisis or overall shortage. If we all played nice, mabye everyone could have enough (fat chance). We do know that in the U.S. we are losing farms, farmers and farm land. But, there is much less disagreement that we suffer globally from a food distribution crisis. Certainly portions of the earth surface lack sufficient food stuffs to feed the people that live there. And seeing how lack of vital resources like food can cause mayhem and destruction of life that ultimately reaches even us lazy Americans on our couches, we should probably care that others lack food. Enter hemp, stage right.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on June 5, 2009
Can we get there? Within the last 15 minutes of ABC’s show, Earth 2100, a positive picture of our potential future was painted. (How is that for alliteration?) The interviewed experts posed that it would be possible to perform the heavy lifting of global clean-up by 2050, with only the peripheries to remain after that. Really?
Now, many bloggers and commentators have spoken out that the first 100 minutes of the show were simply too devastatingly depressing. I don’t know. I thought the bulk of the show was pretty entertaining. Instead, it was the end that brought me crashing down into middle of the afternoon, bathrobe shuffling, bacon eating depression. If the bright, hopeful version of our future requires us to bond together globally in loving harmony in order to completely revolutionize our cultures, values and worldviews… I think I just peed a little.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on June 4, 2009
I by chance stumbled upon the last half of ABC’s show Earth 2100 a couple nights ago. Now understand, I just returned from a trip to Texas, the land of my birth. And Texas, with the exception of Austin, is not the land of environmental sensitivity. And so my frame of mind was stemming from what some other bloggers on the topic of Earth 2100 have been referring to as “the lowest common denominator.” Imagine my reverse culture shock when I found myself watching an acid trip induced, enviro-documentary/graphic novel about the end of humanity on prime time television.
Break out the shisha and tea. I need to relax. Now for the last couple of days most of the reviews on the show have been critical, but personally I think everyone needs to take a few puffs from the hookah. After you feel a little light headed you should keep reading. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on May 9, 2009
Well… not exactly, but I will be quite a ways from any sort of civilized mode of communication beyond smoke signals and a sharp poke in the eye. Not to fear, I feel it time to finally bring up the little matter of the wonder plant, hemp, when I return.
For now I leave you to ponder the ultimate sustainability in clothing… the loincloth. But wait. It gets even better. A loincloth made from hemp. You heard it here first.
Posted by Dave on May 7, 2009
I keep wondering when the “lease revolution” is going to take hold for the individual consumer? But alas, the stigma of “leasing is for the least” seems to be clinging to our culture like stank on the unshaved armpits of a female U of M (Montana) graduate.
Part of this could be due to the fact that the only two real players in the consumer leasing business are Rent-a-Center and Aaron’s. And RAC seems to be doing more payday loans and high price rentals that anything. I’m still a little foggy about what Aaron’s actually does. Both stores are mysterious via website.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on May 6, 2009
I remember a time when stuff used to be done with a creative combination of craft, human dexterity, ingenuity and the computing force of the human mind. When the final product rose triumphantly out of its raw materials the creator knew exactly what it contained and what it was capable of and how to keep it capable of that. Now it is only a matter of time before we look to John Connor to deliver us. I realize Connor isn’t a stereotypical redneck, but he’s a redneck stuck in a suburban rat body (play along, come on).
Seriously, am I the only one who remembers such UIL competitions as “Number Sense?” WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Dave on May 5, 2009
We suckle from breasts that insure our own demise. Bummer.
To continue my theme on blemishes within the American Dream that hinder sustainability I thought I would turn to a nurturing image in celebration of Mother’s Day. I know, so sentimental. Anyway, the problem here in the USA is not that our breasts are shriveled and dry (if only they were), rather the problem is that we suck at the wrong tits (if sustainability is what we seek. And it isn’t, but it should be.). WAIT! There is more to read… read on »