Category: green

environment, green, innovation, politics, WEF

Whales as a necessary casualty?

Christa Avampato

What I find fascinating about the U.S. military is their continual insistence that they care about preserving life and then with nearly every policy, the destruction of life on some level is considered acceptable. How is it possible that with all of the technology and funding that the military has at their disposal these days (and I truly hope that those days of unbridled spending are numbered), they are cannot help but harm or cause death in at least 30 species of marine life off the coast of California? There isn’t any other solution to this problem? Or is it just that it would require more creativity than the Navy can muster?

This brings to mind similar problems of a creativity void that I see, hear, and read about in today’s corporations. Our ability to proceed with “business as usual” is becoming a crutch. Some one’s in the way? Run them over. Someone has opinion that doesn’t tote the party line? Fire them. Some one’s best interests are in the way? Run them over. Or in the Navy’s case, destroy them. I mean, it’s just a few whales right? This is NATIONAL SECURITY we’re talking about here. Or is it just inconvenience for the Navy to think different?

Creativity seems to only rise to the top as a driver of solutions when it is the only option left on the table. Given the current state of our economy, and our wold-wide relations, we may have no other choice now except to let creativity lead us to a better solution. Brawn is clearly not working. It’s no wonder that the WEF in Davos chose Innovation as its theme this year. Innovation is the only way forward.

For a related article on this topic that appeared in today’s New York Times, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/opinion/22tue2.html?th&emc=th.

The above photo can be found at http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/humpback-whales-singing.jpg

economy, election, environment, green, politics, worry

Control the controllable

Christa Avampato

“I kept myself calm by making sure I didn’t concentrate on anything I couldn’t control.”
–B.J. Bedford, Olympic swimmer

BJ Bedford barely made the U.S. Olympic swim team in 1996 and then went on to win the gold at Sydney just four years later. If this mantra worked for her, I believe it can work for all of us. A lot of our anxiety as a society, and as individuals, is driven off the unknown fed by a focus on things we cannot control.

I worry a lot, as I have written about several times on this site. I worry about the economy, our environment, terrorism, about the states of education and healthcare. I worry that George Bush has damaged our nation so badly on so many levels that it may take all of the effort of the next administration, Democrat, Republican, or otherwise, four years just to get us back to where we were at the end of Bill Clinton’s Presidency. What do I control in these situations? What can I actually do to contribute?

The economy: I am an ardent saver. I live within my means, and most often below them. I do my best to make smart investments. I show up every day at my desk at work and do the very best I can in every moment. I look to buy products that make a difference, be that they are more environmentally friendly, healthier, or provide a benefit to those who manufacture them such as fair trade farmers. I watch the market, and I educate myself on the actions of the Fed and policy makers that can move the needle.

I try to propagate peace and tolerance in the environments I make my life in, hoping that I can inspire other people to do the same. I recycle, and I make every effort to always use less, whether it’s energy, paper, water, or any other natural resource.

And as far as George Bush – I do my best. I voted for the other candidates both times, mostly because I refuse to vote for anyone who is incapable of stringing five correctly pronounced words together to make a coherent sentence. Plus, I fundamentally disagree with his stance on nearly every issue. I control what I can control.

My politics aside, there is a lesson for all of us in BJ Bedford’s quote. What I do to maintain control is nothing extraordinary. They are choices I simply make by being aware of the world around me. It may be worth it to make a list of what’s in our control and what’s not in any given situation in which we feel stressed. The list can serve as a visual cue to help us refocus our energies and efforts so that we can generate a sense of calm both within ourselves and for those around us.

The photo above can be found at: http://www.colly.com/images/uploads/control_poster_420.jpg

green, trend

Get your Vital Juice

Christa Avampato

One of the great benefits of my job is that it requires me to be tremendously well-read, and allows me time to do that. I spend hours a day trolling around on blogs and on on-line publications, as well as burying my nose into dozens of magazines a week. This is the perfect job for me!

One of my recent fabulous finds is a website called Vital Juice Daily. http://www.vitaljuicedaily.com/ It is a wellness site that is a go-to source for living a happy and healthy life. What I love most about the site is its easy and clean navigation, as well as its holistic view of wellness. They appreciate the fact that we are all busy and want to take care of ourselves and those we love as best we can. Their tips are entertaining as well as practical.

Posts are short and sweet and fall into the following categories:
Nutrition
Fitness
Healing
Beauty
Green Living
Social Responsibility
They also have a free daily newsletter that they will send that is very concise and very helpful. This juice is definitely worth the squeeze! Sign up here: http://www.vitaljuicedaily.com/signup-page/
Africa, green

On Green: Can the sun save Africa?

Christa Avampato

I have long felt that Africa was an economic giant who has laid sleeping too long. It’s a continent that much of the world has written off as a charity case, a place that has too many tribes, too many dictators, and not enough resources save the few pockets of oil and diamonds.

And I could never understand this mentality. How is it that the continent where human life began has been rendered useless? The whole world that has doubted Africa’s ability to save itself from itself may finally be proved wrong. And the sun itself may be the protagonist.

There is a concentrated solar project now being conducted in the African desert that has the ability to create enough power to supply 1/6 of Europe with all of its electricity, drastically cutting emissions and providing many African nations with a consistent stream of income. It’s about time we let this giant rise and shine.

The above picture can be found at http://www.xemedia.com/africa/p_images/sun_lg.jpg
green, happiness

On Happiness: Together for the environment?

Christa Avampato

I am an environmentalist. I think about how my daily choices effect the planet, and I make sacrifices for the sake of future generations. I will pay more for eco-friendly products. I am the quintessential green customer.

And even I think that a story I read today goes too far. A scientist has actually conducted research and received money to arrive at the conclusion that marriages should stay together, even if unhappy, for the sake of the environment because people who live independently consume more.

I have never been married. I am not an advocate for the institution, and I am not an enemy of it either. I’d love to find a terrific guy to share my life with. And if I do, great. And if I don’t, I think I’ll be able to make it through. I believe that when most people get married they believe they have found the love of their lives, and before ever getting divorced, most people try very hard to work it out. At heart, I am an advocate of happiness and personal freedom. And if marriages lets you have those things, go for it! And if your marriage is ruining those two things for you, get out.

With all of the things to conduct research on, I have a hard time understanding how anyone can knowingly take funding to do a study that makes people feel obligated to stay in a bad situation. And with all the ways that all of us can contribute to a healthy planet, my should our happiness and daily fulfillment be compromised? That is one sacrifice I will never be willing to make.

Read the news release at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/dec/04/divorce.resources

environment, green, innovation, product, retail

Innovation: Laundry minus the water

Christa Avampato

I love smart products – ones designed to fit my crazy life’s schedule, make my days a bit easier, and make me feel good while using them. For example, I don’t like house work. I do it, and the only thing I ever like about it is how it looks when I’m all done. So if a product quickly gets me through the pieces I don’t like, I’m all for it. I’ve got places to be…

Voila – Swash! P&G developed a “smoothing” spray for people like me – I’m an infamous re-wearer. I’d prefer to wear my jeans about 20 times before I wash them. I don’t because they just feel kind of used after just a couple wears. Same with heavy sweaters. With Swash I can get rid of stains, odors, and wrinkles with a few sprays of the can. No water required. And even better, the can is made of recycled aluminum and can be recycled again.

Check it out at http://www.swashitout.com