A post that isn't about green issues but IS about equity and fairness in America today.
THIS is what is happening in America -- one out of every twenty homeowners whose homes are being foreclosed, and many more people who are losing their jobs.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Blog Action Day - Poverty and the new Green Economy
Today, October 15th, is Blog Action Day 2008. Thousands of bloggers are writing about poverty today to raise awareness about this issue and encourage others to take whatever steps they can to talk about it and find solutions to this issue of poverty which affects more than a billion people.
I'm participating today because I became aware of poverty after moving to the east side of Austin, TX. I come from a third world country - I thought I knew a lot about poverty. One thing I didn't know is how pervasive it is in these United States. And how easy it is to ignore.
One of the best proposals I've currently come across outlines potential solutions to several of the problems our global society is facing - namely social inequity and environmental degredation. Some solutions come from Van Jones and his recent book, The Green Collar Economy; How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems
The idea is to train people in the emerging green market which includes; weatherizing homes, installing solar panels, training hybrid electric technicians, etc. Bringing jobs to sectors of our economy that have been left behind in the move to protect our environment. We can invent the new technologies, invest in the renewable energy the will power our future economies, and implement conservation efforts. All the while we can make certain that we invest in people through training and new job opportunities paving the way for the poor in this country to build the new economy, invest in their communities and have ownership in the new economy.
I'm participating today because I became aware of poverty after moving to the east side of Austin, TX. I come from a third world country - I thought I knew a lot about poverty. One thing I didn't know is how pervasive it is in these United States. And how easy it is to ignore.
One of the best proposals I've currently come across outlines potential solutions to several of the problems our global society is facing - namely social inequity and environmental degredation. Some solutions come from Van Jones and his recent book, The Green Collar Economy; How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems
The idea is to train people in the emerging green market which includes; weatherizing homes, installing solar panels, training hybrid electric technicians, etc. Bringing jobs to sectors of our economy that have been left behind in the move to protect our environment. We can invent the new technologies, invest in the renewable energy the will power our future economies, and implement conservation efforts. All the while we can make certain that we invest in people through training and new job opportunities paving the way for the poor in this country to build the new economy, invest in their communities and have ownership in the new economy.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Scooter vs. Scooter
I got a pretty awesome birthday present this year. A custom t-shirt that says, "I love J Lo".
AND a sleek, black, new-to-me VESPA. I've been riding around town on it for about two weeks now and for the peoples that have ever considered riding a scooter here's my review comparing it with my first scooter experience.
I bought an EGO a few years ago - one of the first ALL-ELECTRIC vehicles that is capable of taking you on your daily commute. IF your daily commute is within a 30-mile range and you feel confident riding at maximum speeds of 30mph. I think that rules out a lot of people. It has a nice style to it and it makes you feel like you live on an island. Which I don't... :.( Thanks for reminding me.
It was a great ride during my experimental phase. You could charge it for 10 cents/charge and the mpg was equivalant to 200mpg. One more awesome-ness point: when we transitioned to wind power with Austin Energy which we did last year my scooter was wind powered! Suck on that EXXON!!! ooo- just got a new idea for a t-shirt.
I would recommend this bike for anyone that lives in a pedestrian friendly town. Unless you could use a little more speed, range, and size. (that's what she said!! can't help myself...waaay too easy)
We took the Vespa for a ride right after we bought it. Mando didn't want to be seen on it - he's a truck-driving, beer-drinking macho man. But after he went to fill the tank and the pump stopped at $5 he came home and this is what he looked like.
This past weekend we rode around town, went to the springs, ran some errands and the experience of riding on a scooter is kinda like riding a convertible - its a very free feeling and rest assured you'll look real purty in it. Unless you're a guy and then of course you'll look muy macho.
If you do consider a scooter, I recommend getting the the 150cc engine which gives you more power. These usually come with a seat for two which is also highly recommended - like getting an extended cab truck the extra seat always comes in handy. One other thing - it gets 70 mpg and complete insurance coverage for both Mando and I came to $134.00.
AND a sleek, black, new-to-me VESPA. I've been riding around town on it for about two weeks now and for the peoples that have ever considered riding a scooter here's my review comparing it with my first scooter experience.
I bought an EGO a few years ago - one of the first ALL-ELECTRIC vehicles that is capable of taking you on your daily commute. IF your daily commute is within a 30-mile range and you feel confident riding at maximum speeds of 30mph. I think that rules out a lot of people. It has a nice style to it and it makes you feel like you live on an island. Which I don't... :.( Thanks for reminding me.
It was a great ride during my experimental phase. You could charge it for 10 cents/charge and the mpg was equivalant to 200mpg. One more awesome-ness point: when we transitioned to wind power with Austin Energy which we did last year my scooter was wind powered! Suck on that EXXON!!! ooo- just got a new idea for a t-shirt.
I would recommend this bike for anyone that lives in a pedestrian friendly town. Unless you could use a little more speed, range, and size. (that's what she said!! can't help myself...waaay too easy)
We took the Vespa for a ride right after we bought it. Mando didn't want to be seen on it - he's a truck-driving, beer-drinking macho man. But after he went to fill the tank and the pump stopped at $5 he came home and this is what he looked like.
This past weekend we rode around town, went to the springs, ran some errands and the experience of riding on a scooter is kinda like riding a convertible - its a very free feeling and rest assured you'll look real purty in it. Unless you're a guy and then of course you'll look muy macho.
If you do consider a scooter, I recommend getting the the 150cc engine which gives you more power. These usually come with a seat for two which is also highly recommended - like getting an extended cab truck the extra seat always comes in handy. One other thing - it gets 70 mpg and complete insurance coverage for both Mando and I came to $134.00.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Heavy stuff
It's Friday night and time to get down and par-tay, right? So I drag my family to the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems where I can geek out and hear Pliny Fisk talk about some "heavy stuff". Those are his favorite words to use in a conversation and it IS heavy stuff. The Center is an action oriented think tank that specializes in life cycle planning and design. They approach buildings as living systems and their expertise is formidable. But what I really like about this Center is their accesibility. They are open to talk to anyone and everyone about any concept, idea, thought or opinion. Learning can happen anywhere and IF we're to get anywhere in the sustainability world we have to let that happen. We have to integrate - biologists have to talk to economists, social activists have to talk to environmental activists, corporations have to talk to nonprofits. The solutions to our current crisis are going to come from some unusual partnerships I think.
Check out their website: http://www.cmpbs.org/cmpbs.html
A few books that opened my mind to an integrated approach to environmental problems: Cradle to Cradle and The Economy of Nature.
Check out their website: http://www.cmpbs.org/cmpbs.html
A few books that opened my mind to an integrated approach to environmental problems: Cradle to Cradle and The Economy of Nature.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Its not easy being green
In celebration of Earth Day, 2008 I'm starting my first blog! Ushering me into the modern world and all its wonders/conflicts. This blog is my personal journal of thoughts, experiences, questions and concerns in thirty years of living in and studying the natural world that surrounds us all. But out of necessity we can't sit back, observe and enjoy all the intricacies of life. We have to fight for it. I am on my own path to figure out how that's done. How do we recreate the built environment that we've imposed on the natural? And how do we make sure this process is equitable and involves every single one of us? SO please sit down and let's talk about what we can do. Each one of us. Juntos SI SE PUEDE.
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