Every creature
Down on Earth
Liked Earth a lot...
But the Humans,
Who owned the Earth,
Did NOT!
The Humans hated Earth! They hated each season!
Now, please don't ask why, no one quite knows the reason.
It could be because they ruled above all,
It could be, perhaps, that Earth was too small.
But these Humans nonetheless were careless in fashion,
And took all they could without rhyme or ration.
So
Whatever the reason,
Their heads or their hearts,
They ran around careless using all of Earth's parts,
Taking whatever from the ground and the trees;
Even polluting the air and the seas!
For what we knew every Human on Earth
Was wasting the Earth for all it was worth.
"They're killing me slowly! This sure is not fair!
I give all they need! I wish they would care!"
And then the Earth sighed, looked down with compassion,
"I MUST find a way to teach Humans some passion!"
So Earth, said a prayer...
And SO
...All Humans, All Humans, with all of their flaws
Would wake up that morning and put life on pause!
And then! To find a cause! They'd find a cause!
That's how they'd fix Earth! With a round of applause they'd each find a cause!
Then Humans, young and old, would all volunteer.
They'd engineer! Pioneer! Make smog disappear!
Persevere! Hold Earth dear! Here Here! Here Here!
They'd start from the front, and move to the rear!
They'd do all they could to save their great Sphere!
And THEN
They patched up Earth from its wearing and tearing,
And Earth was pleased Humans finally were caring!
They stood close together, with hand in one hand,
For Earth had been saved! They saved their great land!
When they tried! And they tried!
AND they TRIED! TRIED! TRIED! TRIED!
They fixed up their Earth from the out to inside!
They came together, each one, worldwide!
All because they stopped and they stared
Listened to Earth, and finally cared,
And with just a little passion
Earth was repaired.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Discussion Question 7
I think the green collar jobs movement is really smart. Most people see the environment as something that you address when you're rich (I'll buy solar panels and organic produce when I can afford it), but this idea involves people in all economic walks of life. As a lot of blue collar jobs are being lost, green collar jobs are a great way to replace them. They not only help people who need jobs, but they restructure the entire energy industry (and other industries) to make them more green. It works with the root of the consumption problem. It also works with the current environmental problem. I agree, it definitely kills two birds with one stone. Green collar jobs use the environment as the means to economic end, but not in a harmful way
Van Jones, Economics and Infrastructure Reform
Van Jones' point seems to be self evident. In modern American capitalist society, very little change will occur without some form of profit incentive. Unless, for the majority of people, an issue is framed in terms of gains and losses to their wallet, nothing will get done. This is the innate appeal of so called "green collar jobs." That they can push forward an environmental progress agenda through the medium of profitable American jobs in a time of economic downturn. They remind me most of FDR's New Deal public works projects in that they are a government impetus to put people to work in skilled labor jobs to renew the infrastructure of the United States.
Now seems to be the perfect time to engage in this sort of wholesale infrastructure reform. Because of the current economic conditions there is a strong incentive to create jobs. Most importantly is the creation of useful, sustainable jobs.
Now seems to be the perfect time to engage in this sort of wholesale infrastructure reform. Because of the current economic conditions there is a strong incentive to create jobs. Most importantly is the creation of useful, sustainable jobs.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Working for Environment America this summer really opened my eyes to the perspective of people's opinions as a whole regarding the environment. Living and working in Washington, DC is really like living and working in a bubble. Everyone is politically aware and everyone has a specific stance on each issue. So standing on street corners asking "Do you have a minute for the environment" really didn't hit home for most individuals. However when you rephrased the question regarding the issue and tailored it to the person being asked it made a world's of difference. The questions which received the most stops were "Do you have a minute to help boost the economy?" or "Do you have a minute for green collared workers?"
When it comes to issues that regular American's are concerned about, I've learned very quickly that if it affects their wallet they care much more than if it didn't. The beauty about living in a capitalist society is that if we rely on the economy, it really will fix itself because money affects each individual personally. So when campaigning this summer, the green collared jobs appeal was the most effective. Regardless of your profession or your environmental stance, every American wants our country to have an outstanding economy. And the green collared job aspect not only addresses this concern, but actually offers a reasonable solution to our environmental, energy, and economic problems right now.
This logic is one of the reasons as an environmentalist that I supported McCain. I agree with Obama who scorns consumption when we don't have the means to do so. Based on what I learned in this class, consumption will be the end of our planet. In this regard, Obama has the right idea. However, I have faith that McCain will try harder than his opponent to create more green jobs. If the wealthy spend and create jobs for the lower class, then our country could possibly be saved. We could save our environment, our economy, and our personal well being if we were to reform our economy from the ground up and create a new green collared workforce. In this sense, I one hundred percent, without a doubt, agree with Van Jones.
When it comes to issues that regular American's are concerned about, I've learned very quickly that if it affects their wallet they care much more than if it didn't. The beauty about living in a capitalist society is that if we rely on the economy, it really will fix itself because money affects each individual personally. So when campaigning this summer, the green collared jobs appeal was the most effective. Regardless of your profession or your environmental stance, every American wants our country to have an outstanding economy. And the green collared job aspect not only addresses this concern, but actually offers a reasonable solution to our environmental, energy, and economic problems right now.
This logic is one of the reasons as an environmentalist that I supported McCain. I agree with Obama who scorns consumption when we don't have the means to do so. Based on what I learned in this class, consumption will be the end of our planet. In this regard, Obama has the right idea. However, I have faith that McCain will try harder than his opponent to create more green jobs. If the wealthy spend and create jobs for the lower class, then our country could possibly be saved. We could save our environment, our economy, and our personal well being if we were to reform our economy from the ground up and create a new green collared workforce. In this sense, I one hundred percent, without a doubt, agree with Van Jones.
Van Jones has the right idea. The best way to get America sold on the environmental movement is to demonstrate how there is money to be made. Its pretty much that simple. His organization is hitting the right points, especially in a time of severe economic doubt and financial turmoil. By framing the environmental issues as those pertinent to future economic growth, Mr. Jones is opening up a vast look to the future with regards to job creation and economic development. By tying these issues hand in hand, Mr. Jones is making a challenge to the American economy to step up and be a world leader in the transformation of our economic growth. "Green Collar" jobs are the wave of the future. They allow us to no longer view economic development and environmental protection as at odds with one another. This is essential to breaking down and changing the production/consumption cycle to being more environmentally friendly while still allowing for the growth of the world economy and the development necessary to pull the world's poor out of poverty.
Discussion Question 7 - Van Jones' Work
I think Jones has wonderful and very efficient energy/environmental ideas (no pun intended) - essentially he's killing two birds with one stone (not to be taken literally, of course, since I'm an environmentalist). He's addressing poverty and job creation, economic woes, energy security, budget deficits, environmental concerns, etc. This multi-faceted approach is the best way to tackle such a far-reaching, comprehensive problem - as Jones points out, climate change has to be addressed by everyone but in different ways. Upper-middle class white collar workers have specific ways that they can help ameliorate the climate crisis, and middle-lower and lower class individuals must contribute in their own ways. The more appealing a thematic strategy becomes, the more grassroots and corporate support it garners, and the more it is effectively addressed both in policy circles and in vocational schools.
Jones' numbers also offer hope. He says that, with just $350 billion (half of the bailout sum), we could launch an all-inclusive green initiative that would save millions of dollars in energy costs, create millions of new jobs, and make the world cleaner and more comfortable for everyone. This definitely conceptualizes climate change and puts it in context so that it no longer seems to be an insurmountable problem.
The only thing I worry about is who is going to address this at this point in our history? It SHOULD be expeditiously tackled as a long (and short) term solution to many of our country's problems, but, unfortunately, I worry that most policy-makers will get caught up in our economic problems and will turn to more "traditional" ways of dealing with them, such as more regulation, more financial packages, more interest rate adjustments, etc. Of course, green measures could supplement all of these "conventional" remedies, but I'm concerned that this won't happen, if past actions are accurate indicators for future actions.
More people like Van Jones should work on this and similar plans to address climate change. Political will is necessary to make this work on a large-scale, and I hope that the American public at large will find it in themselves to rise to the challenge.
Jones' numbers also offer hope. He says that, with just $350 billion (half of the bailout sum), we could launch an all-inclusive green initiative that would save millions of dollars in energy costs, create millions of new jobs, and make the world cleaner and more comfortable for everyone. This definitely conceptualizes climate change and puts it in context so that it no longer seems to be an insurmountable problem.
The only thing I worry about is who is going to address this at this point in our history? It SHOULD be expeditiously tackled as a long (and short) term solution to many of our country's problems, but, unfortunately, I worry that most policy-makers will get caught up in our economic problems and will turn to more "traditional" ways of dealing with them, such as more regulation, more financial packages, more interest rate adjustments, etc. Of course, green measures could supplement all of these "conventional" remedies, but I'm concerned that this won't happen, if past actions are accurate indicators for future actions.
More people like Van Jones should work on this and similar plans to address climate change. Political will is necessary to make this work on a large-scale, and I hope that the American public at large will find it in themselves to rise to the challenge.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
I can't necessarily name a favorite experience in nature, there simply have been too many. However, I can name one that happened most recently and was quite unexpected. Recently some friends and I found a spot on Nevada ave. where the road diverges and a section of woods from rock creek park opens up. In front of the woods is a long section of an open field. In the clearing there is one tree, stripped of all its branches. This tree is a single simple trunk shooting towards the sky. It is really quite beautiful to sit and look at the night sky and see the tree shooting up towards the moon and stars.
Of course, none of this area is in a pristine state. The clearing we found exists only because it is most likely maintained by man. However, this goes to the question of who decides what is a natural state. More importantly it begs the question, should such an unnatural clearing be saved. I am sure that this area could be bought and developed should the price be right. However, it would truly be a shame to lose some open greenery in the heart of the city. While I was there a famiily of four deer- a Buck a doe and two fawns- grazed past while my friends and I stood almost in awe of how brazen and unafraid they were. It was the closest I had ever been to a wild animal, within 15 feet. It would be a true shame to lose that.
Of course, none of this area is in a pristine state. The clearing we found exists only because it is most likely maintained by man. However, this goes to the question of who decides what is a natural state. More importantly it begs the question, should such an unnatural clearing be saved. I am sure that this area could be bought and developed should the price be right. However, it would truly be a shame to lose some open greenery in the heart of the city. While I was there a famiily of four deer- a Buck a doe and two fawns- grazed past while my friends and I stood almost in awe of how brazen and unafraid they were. It was the closest I had ever been to a wild animal, within 15 feet. It would be a true shame to lose that.
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