Pleasantly Surprising Selection
I just heard about Better World.com about five minutes ago. It’s a source for buying used books (and when the library isn’t good enough, used is next best). Additionally they donate money to literacy programs, are a carbon neutral company, and seem downright good for the planet and the people on it. Surely the obscure books I’m interested in wouldn’t be available right? I’m happy to be wrong. I checked for three books on my wish list (which are pretty random…not sure one of them is even in print anymore) and 2 out of 3 were available. I’d say that’s pretty darn impressive. That got me thinking that the popular book selection would leave potential customers disappointed. However The da Vinci Code, Harry Potter 6, and and the newest Michael Crichton book, Next, were all available used. When a used copy of a book isn’t available you can purchase a new one, so it’s important to pay attention if you’re looking to go the eco-friendlier path. All in all it seems like a good service and an ethical business. I’ll refrain from assigning a grade since I haven’t made an order yet (maybe when we’re less broke). But I’m very optimistic. via: Treehugger, via Planet Green
Family Crisis
If you don’t hear from me for a little while it’s because my mom is in the hospital and my grandfather is getting his hip replaced. I’ll be flying home to help out. In the mean time don’t forget to visit the websites featured on my links page!
Heroes Actress is Real Life Hero
Hayden Panettiere who plays a lead character on the hit show Heroes (which is a hit because it is actually very good) has earned my respect and admiration. Not because she’s cute, and a good actress to boot…but because she’s a real life hero. During a recent dolphin slaughter in Japan she, and several other admirable US and Australian citizens risked their lives to save a family of dolphins, including a baby from Japanese fishermen. Unfortunately the fishermen put up a fight so dangerous they were forced to head back to shore (when you’re on surfboards, and you’re fighting against guys in motorboats with fishhooks the fight is just a wee bit unbalanced). When interviewed about the experience Hayden cried, and so did I.
Dolphins are highly intelligent and emotionally complex animals, not just “fish to be treated like other fish” (as the fisherman would try to tell you). In historical accounts you’ll see dolphins (yes, even wild ones) helping humans. But these Japanese fishermen slaughter them in the thousands (20,000+ I believe) each year. The sea turns red with their blood. The fishermen argue that this is there way of life, that outside criticism is inappropriate and an attack on their culture. It’s a lame excuse. Driving SUV’s everywhere we go, and eating cruelly raised beef from the McDonald’s drive through is a part of American culture…but you don’t see me excusing it for that reason. Slavery was once a part of US culture…does being a part of your past and your culture make something okay? Heck no! via: Treehugger
School is eating my soul…
My sincerest apologies to those of you who actually read this humble blog regularly (are there any such readers?). School is eating me alive this semester. I won a talent award from the art department which requires me to take more credit hours than I ever have (14). It may not seem like many, but for this ADD student who’s never taken that many it’s a big change. In addition I’m working again for the first time in a little over a year, not too many hours, but still it adds up. And seeing as this is my first semester in the art program and some of my professors don’t understand that students have lives outside of drawing class (lives that include family members, religion, other classes, service, exercise, hygiene, and hobbies/social activities to keep sane) the work load is unbelievable. Now, that I think about it this is more than just a time issue. As much as it’s been driving me nuts that I don’t have more time to post all the neat things I’m reading/thinking about…I realize there’s a second problem caused by this overload that is, truthfully, a green issue.
One of the biggest obstacles in the green movement is the notion of “convenience.” It’s become some sort of God to many people in the developed Western World, especially Americans. Paper plates, disposable cleaning wipes, fast food, even driving (especially when not carpooling) contribute in huge (often unnoticed ways) to the deteriorating health of our beautiful, and fragile home. That’s why I think the Simple Living movement is so important. I don’t know that I believe the green movement can be successful unless it goes hand in hand with simpler living. What’s frustrating is that as long as you’re in college still working at getting the all-important degree (I’m beginning to doubt its value, especially when it seems that earning one seems to be at the cost of actually learning anything), as long as you’re still entrapped in the university universe your professors, the system itself, forces you into a lifestyle in which time is such a rare commodity that convenience sneaks itself into your mind as something important, even necessary.
When you don’t have time to cook, clean your apartment, wash your dishes, wash your clothes, write your Grandmother a letter, etc. you end up either giving in and eating fast food or over processed, over packaged convenience foods, using disposable dishes, neglecting the things that really matter (like family) for those that seem more urgent (like homework and exams). Or, in the case of our little family you only end up doing some of those things…because you refuse to use ridiculous things like paper plates and instead you end up with a big smelly pile of dishes in your kitchen that stress you out and make you embarrassed to have people over. These rat race lives we’re living are so often referred to as unavoidable. But they’re not…even when it’s college that makes things hectic. After all, I’ve chosen to go to school. I’ve chosen to live this way for several years (if I had only settled on my major sooner I might be graduating this year and escaping the chaos). And I choose to finish it out. It’s important to my family, and 30 years from now I’m sure it’ll be important to me to know I accomplished this. But it does make one think, question…and the one thing I do know is that as soon as I’m graduated I’m never choosing something that will make my life like this again. I’m not at all ashamed that my plans, my goals include being a stay-at-home mom. I’d rather increase the quality of the activities and things in my life than the quantity. A family can (despite what popular culture tells us) live quite happily on one income. In fact, they can live better. With a parent at home to do things like cook, clean, garden, sew, etc. you don’t have to spend all that extra money on those wicked little slave-masters we call “conveniences.”
Hubbub
Well, at the risk of adding nothing useful to the hubbub…here’s what I have to say about Al Gore and the IPCC winning the Nobel Peace Prize: WOO-HOO! The right-wing pundits can stammer and whine all they want…but it won’t change a thing. Gore/IPCC were no less deserving of this award than anybody. Climate change is linked to world peace (for example: climate issues have had a devastating effect in Africa, especially Darfur). Climate change is an international problem. And Gore/IPCC are working hard to change the problem. My hope now is that the Nobel Panel has given extra credibility to Gore/IPCC in the eyes of everyday skeptics. There’s a certain aura that accompanies a Nobel winner. The average joe (myself included) feels a sense of awe when considering such an individual. And it’s hard to quickly dismiss what someone with that kind of aura has to say. I’m not hoping Gore will run for president, for a few reasons, the main ones being 1: he doesn’t seem to want to, and 2: he wouldn’t be able to focus solely on climate change. Mostly I’m just happy that the Nobel Panel agrees with me on the danger and urgency of climate change and that they’ve shouted it from the proverbial mountain tops by awarding Gore and the IPCC with the Peace Prize.
Cough…sniffly sniffle…cough cough!
By sibcerest apologies to you, by faithful readers (do I eveb have aby faithful readers?): as you cab probably tell by by ibability to produce the two letters that cobes after L, I have a bit of a cold. Bot buch to report this week abyhow. Hope you all are healthy.
A Promise To My Readers:
I will never, ever, ever allow advertisements on this blog (with the possible exception of links for charities…which would be completely free-i.e. I would make no money from them). I promise this for several reasons:
1. How can I encourage you to consume less and then place ads created solely to encourage the opposite? Hypocrisy sucks, and I do not endorse it.
2. I want you to know that any time a product is linked to, reviewed, or otherwise promoted that it is because I sincerely feel it should be. You should be able to feel confident in the knowledge that my opinions are genuine and not the result of earning money.
3. Ads are web-page clutter. I know that large websites and blogs need to advertise to survive (i.e. Treehugger). And that’s okay because they generally provide a service that without advertising revenue they couldn’t afford to. But this humble little blog is a labor of love. It’s my contribution to the discussion, my little effort to make a difference by showing others how to make a difference. If it ever got too big for me to handle solely with unpaid, free-time then I would either retire, enlist other writers, turn the blog completely over to a worthy heir, or ask readers to donate or perhaps have paid subscribtions. If it ever gets that big then you can bet I’ll be surprised/thrilled/overwhelmed/grateful/and so on!
So there you have it. My promise to you.
You’re welcome.
PS- If WordPress ever changes their “no banners policy” I don’t know where I’ll move to…but I’ll figure something out.
