Author Archives: d

Bring Your Own

For the love of all that is good on planet earth could everybody please stop using plastic shopping bags and do their best to bring their own water bottles, food containers, and dining utensils. Please consider sending an email like the one below to your local retailers and encourage them to do what they should already be doing… charging for plastic shopping bags.

Dear Company X,

As a longtime and frequent customer I strongly suggest you start charging for plastic shopping bags and:

1.) Place signs regarding your effort to reduce plastic shopping bags at each register which encourage customers to support your stores noble efforts to reduce its overall environmental footprint.

2.) Sell reusable shopping bags at each register, you can prominently display them next to those nice signs. Provide customers with an option: pay for every single plastic shopping bag you take for the rest of your life or buy one that can be used many times.

3.) Make sure the single use shopping bags you do sell are non-toxic and biodegradable. You can also use your clout as a retailer to pressure your suppliers to send you things packed in non-toxic and biodegradable packaging. Better alternatives to plastic bags and plastic food trays do exist so please start using them.

As for the few ignorant and/or selfish people who will complain about you charging them for plastic shopping bags, if you talk with your competitors about how you can work together to reduce your environmental footprints starting with working to eliminate the use of plastic shopping bags these ignorant and/or selfish people will have no where else to go so don’t cave under the pressure of a few bad apples because we the vast and rapidly growing majority have your back.

Thank you for doing what’s right regarding this and with other social and environmental issues,
Your Name

Did I…

Use more energy efficient forms of transportation?
Strive to eat a locally and organically grown plant based diet?
Waste anything such as a bottle or a bag when I could’ve brought my own?
Forget to turn anything off or unplug things that use power even when they’re off?
Spend my 1000 minutes today as well as I could have?

Marriage and Children

Perpetuating such emphasis on getting married and having a baby as if it’s the apex of becoming an adult is extremely backwards. Anyone with the notion of it being selfish not to have children should ask themselves in which day and age their personal reality is constructed upon and whether if in the current day and age having kids brings our species back from the brink of extinction or moves us closer towards it.

Instead of young adults constantly being asked if they’re married or have children I think we’d be moving in the right direction as a species if we started asking adults of all ages things like: “What are you doing or not doing to make the world a better place?”. Instead of seeking to bind someone to a contract or leave behind genes no better than the ones already in circulation, especially when there are already so many orphaned and abused children in the world in desperate need of homes and funding, I seek to leave behind knowledge and a world in better shape than it was yesterday and I hope you do too.

Three disturbing things I recently heard:

The first was in a podcast regarding offshore drilling near a mans home. He said it didn’t bother him and “I don’t think the government is in control of the environment, I think god is.”. In other words why bother regulating things that will have negative environmental impacts when in the end it’s the big man up in heaven that decides the fate of this planet.

Continue reading →

Turning Back the Doomsday Clock Starts With You.

What has to be said and who has to say it to get people not just to say they care when they’re around others but act like they care even when they aren’t? As individuals we need to do what we can NOW rather than waiting for our “leaders” to do something later because waiting for top down change to be initiated from those with the most vested interests and those funded by those with the most vested interests is a formula for failure.

Doing what you can to avoid fossil fuel powered trips along with reducing the damaged caused by unavoidable fossil fuel powered trips by taking public transportation or finding people to carpool with might not seem like much. Avoiding meat at your next meal in favor of a few of the healthy, humane, eco-friendly, and delicious plant based alternatives might not seem like much either, but it is, all of it, every individual action means a lot.

However we also need to realize that simply living responsibly isn’t enough because the challenges we face are far too pressing and there are currently far too few people living like they care about this planet to reach a positive tipping point anytime soon. Therefore as the true leaders of this global society we the people also need to focus on those in business and government looking for our financial and political support by regularly contacting them in order to tell them things like:

I like many of your other constituents strongly oppose government subsidies for fossil fuels and the raising of livestock which artificially lowers market prices and encourages unsustainable consumption. Instead I strongly support taxes on fossil fuels and the production of unhealthy, inhumane, and environmentally destructive food which encourages people to consider healthier alternatives. The revenue raised could be used to support such alternatives or it could be given back on a per capita basis allowing those who consume the least of these and other health undermining things to financially benefit while allowing everyone to benefit in terms of a cleaner environment, a more stable climate, and peace of mind in that we are doing our best to ensure that we leave to future generations a planet as beautiful and as hospitable as the one we inherited from previous generations. Sincerely…

White House     U.S. Senate     U.S. House of Representatives     U.S. Governors

If you’re interested in learning more about the doomsday clock: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Probiotics and Prebiotics

A healthy gut microbiome is essential for good digestion and good health in general however this doesn’t mean we should be taking supplements of beneficial bacteria or eating yoghurt. For most people the problem isn’t that they’re missing a species of beneficial bacteria but that they don’t have optimal amounts of it. So instead of going out of ones way to consume such bacteria only to have them die off as soon as they reach the unhealthy gut home that awaits them it’s best to first create an environment conducive to the survival of these bacteria which will allow them to reach and maintain optimal numbers on their own. The way to do this is to live a healthy lifestyle with adequate sleep, sunlight, and physical activity; and to eat a plant based diet abundant in healthy prebiotics, e.g., fresh fruits and vegetables, which provide the raw materials needed for your beneficial bacteria to thrive.

2015 State of the Union Address

Regardless of whether you politically identify yourself as red, blue, green, or like myself as independent and aligned with principles rather than political parties, if you support action to address climate change and the deterioration of the biosphere in general then please contact your government representatives and let them know you want to see progress and positive results in addressing these important issues; and not politics as usual which often seems like a never-ending cycle of one politician or political party trying to make another look bad in preparation for the next election. Regardless of who you voted for in the last election and who you intend to vote for in the next one please don’t let entrenched positions and partisan blindness prevent you from taking a few steps back and getting a broader and clearer view of where we stand as a civilization and realizing what we need to be doing as a species starting with each of us as individuals.

White House     U.S. Senate     U.S. House of Representatives     U.S. Governors

Just How Different Are We?

monkey monkeys

Genetically speaking we aren’t very different from them, and if you question this I recommend taking a closer look at those photos, but it’s that little bit that makes a lot of difference. I can’t speak for all monkeys or the other great apes because we humans haven’t yet been able to devise a way to communicate with them as they communicate amongst themselves let alone read their thoughts, so what follows is just my anthropocentric presumption.

It seems we humans unlike other apes, monkeys, and animals in general have the ability to take not just one or two but a few steps back in order to get a bigger picture of the reality beyond our individual existence along with the ability to see not just far enough into the future to know when a tree will be fruiting and when we should return to it, but far enough to imagine what life might be like hundreds or even thousands of years into the future.

It’s these unique abilities which allow us to understand the long-term consequences of our actions and overcome instinct to adjust our patterns of consumption and the rates at which we reproduce accordingly. Whereas other animals without these unique abilities would probably just go on consuming and reproducing until nature finally by way of famine, disease, or resource scarcity induced conflict painfully brought their levels of consumption and population down to that which the biosphere could support.

On second thought… now that I look around and see the tribal mindsets, over-consumption, and overpopulation that threatens to end our evolutionary journey I begin to think… maybe we aren’t that different. On the bright side we are moving in the right direction, the only problem is will we move fast enough in order to meet new challenges and prevent future catastrophes, or will we continue as usual making it increasingly likely that future generations will be born into a noose of our tying?

Voice Your Opposition to the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline.

If you don’t want to see the US and the rest of the world go further down the dirty dead end road of extracting and burning fossil fuels, especially those refined from tar sands oil which is even more polluting and even harder to clean up than conventional oil, then voice your opposition to this pipeline. By opposing the construction of this pipeline we make it more likely that this sludge stays in the ground and show the world that the US and its citizens are serious about climate change and protecting the biosphere.

Your Senators Contact Information (call or email it only takes a minute and means a lot)

For more information about this pipeline check out the National Resource Defense Council’s website where you’ll find a concise 5 point article and a 3 minute video.

Conservation and Innovation

Humanities number one problem is a rapidly deteriorating biosphere and this needs to be adequately addressed from both sides of the solution: conservation and innovation. There are many people working on the innovation side of things which is understandable because the cutting edge of science and technology is an exciting place to be and great monetary rewards await those who can best innovate.

However while there are people working to promote conservation there aren’t enough. Perhaps because it isn’t very fun or exciting to teach people common sense, e.g., not to waste things, nor are there any great monetary rewards for doing so. In fact you’re more likely to get a dirty look or be told to mind your own business but don’t let that deter you from speaking up in the name of our planet and future generations when needed.

We must not bet the biospheres future on technological advancements which may never come and as advances in science and technology do come we must remember that neither can save us from ignorance and apathy as billions go about their daily bad habits thinking that some authority will intervene before things get really bad. Things are already really bad however they can be made much better if we all do our part.

One Tip for Better Blood Sugar Control: Stop Drinking Alcohol.

I’ve never had alcohol so I can’t share any personal experience but I can recommend a link: New Scientist: Our liver vacation: Is a dry January really worth it?

How an adult could have never consumed alcohol” You might be thinking if it’s true they must have grown up in some cult or on some alcohol-free compound. Well I can assure you that it is true and that I didn’t grow up in a cult or on a compound. Rather by observing others who drank alcohol I noticed they became dumb, clumsy, and often puked. Therefore as a person who has always wanted to be smart, agile, and doesn’t like puking I simply avoided alcohol all my life and intend to continue doing so. I’m all for people being free to do what they want to themselves provided they don’t burden society and/or the environment with the consequences however I still hope you take good care of yourself because you’ve only got one body and one life so it’s best to make the most of them.

Minute by Year

Minute by year another birthday draws near while it still seems like the last one was just here. The older we get the faster time moves take a look back and this is easy to prove. Once a year seemed like a lifetime and now it seems more like a half-time. Life’s short live with this in mind and seek to make the most with your remaining time. Regardless of whether you’re in your hundreds, teens, or somewhere in between don’t settle for second best or give up on your dreams.

Pricing Carbon

Today I received an email from the White House regarding the 2015 State of the Union address asking me what I’d like to see accomplished during the Obama administration’s final 2 years in office. I encourage any US citizens reading this to visit the link for themselves, select an issue, and perhaps provide them with some suggestions. Here’s what I sent. Maybe it’ll give you some ideas, maybe you’ll resend it in support to make sure it gets read, or maybe you’ll improve upon it and send it as your own which you are more than welcome to do with anything on this site.

With elections out of the way, the economy on solid footing, and gas prices the lowest they’ve been in a long time I hope the Obama administration, as well as all other administrations and global citizens, will do much more over the next 2 years to address climate change, environmental degradation, and the daily loss of precious biodiversity starting with how he presents these interlinked issues in the 2015 State of the Union address. Addressing climate change, safeguarding the biosphere, and preserving biodiversity are challenges that must unite us as a nation and as a global community of nations.

In his speech I hope that the President helps people in the US and around the world better understand the current and potential consequences of a slight but rapid rise in the earth’s temperature and mentions that regardless of how much humans are responsible for the undeniable rise in global temperatures releasing more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, whether it be from consuming energy or eating meat, will only make matters worse and not just for future generations but for us and especially for our children and grandchildren. So lets start doing things that help ensure humanity stays safe and stop doing things which set it up to be sorry like denying climate change is even an issue and obstructing the legislation needed to combat it.

Speaking of legislation one suggestion I’d like to voice my support for is, as part of a broader carbon tax scheme, setting base prices for fossil fuels, e.g., a gallon of gas. This will allow us to take advantage low oil and natural gas prices to raise revenue to address the health and environmental issues related to the extraction, transportation, and burning of fossil fuels while helping incentivize consumers to conserve and companies to innovate. Where to set the price and what to do with the revenue needs to be debated, however regardless of whether it’s used to invest in clean energy, public transportation, or refunded evenly on a per capita basis the important thing is to disincentivize the burning of fossil fuels.

The power the US has by way of it’s positive example is far greater than any power wielded by it’s military might so I hope in this century, despite the poor start, the US will fully utilize this power for its own good and the good of the world. The US implementing a bold carbon tax scheme is what the world needs right now especially as other nations prepare their own environmental commitments ahead of the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference whose outcome will in large part determine what kind of a planet we’ll be leaving to future generations so lets set a good example.

To Climate Change Skeptics

Even if climate change wasn’t the critical issue it is wouldn’t it still be nice to shift to clean and renewable forms of energy and not have to deal with all the negative health and environmental implications, e.g., oil spills, air pollution, premature death, et cetera, associated with extracting, transporting, and burning fossil fuels sooner rather than later?

Please be a cautious freethinker and not a reckless contrarian especially when so much is at stake. I thank you for your attention and applaud you for your ability to change positions on this extremely important issue or to at least take precautions which help make humanity safe as opposed to continuing to do things which set it up to be sorry.

Fuel Prices

Despite all the talk about “cheap” gas burning fossil fuels is as costly as ever. If anyone’s really looking to save money on gas they should consider car pooling, taking public transportation, riding a bike, or perhaps simply walking. Regardless please take the true costs of things into consideration before deciding whether or not to make a purchase. Thanks for living like you care.

Self-mastery

Self-mastery is about being the person we want to be. Even if this seems impossible we should continue doing what we can while we can like a tree growing towards the sun knowing that it will die long before it ever reaches it but until then it just keeps on reaching. The path to self-mastery is an endless road of self reflection and walking alone with something to record new realizations with is a good way to remember new ones or review and further ingrain existing ones. Here are a few that have made their way into my notes.

Life’s too short for a bad day and things could always be worse.

Entertain or educate, induce laughter or learning, there’s rarely any other reason to speak.

The only reason to point out or repeat anything negative is if it can lead to something positive.

Work hard and see where it gets you rather than thinking about working hard and thinking about where it might get you.

Lower the bar and then raise it incrementally instead of raising it to the point you balk every time you go to clear it because what matters isn’t where you start but where you end up.

Don’t wait for opportunities create them and don’t search for paradise build it.

On the road to increasing self-mastery there will inevitably be some obstacles so rather than seeing stumbles as complete failures we must see them as important parts of the self-improvement process. Some people may progress two or three steps at a time while others may fall back a step or two for every two or three they take. Regardless those who stick with it will inevitably end up in a place much higher than they were when they started.

Better World

Let’s step back and take a look at where we’re at beyond nations, politics, and all of that. We’ll see a world overpopulated and heavily polluted, infatuated with consumption and morally diluted with many if not most lacking concern or a desire to learn as oceans rise and rainforests burn.

A population immersed in marketing designed to exploit instincts and capitalize on greed, many now consume what advertisers tell them to rather than what they need. Too many people look to the TV to construct their reality where mindless programming only serves to make them hollow, turning off their minds and setting them up for the ads that follow. Sports stars and celebrities who sell out at the drop of a dime, advertising junk food and soft drinks to children in their spare time. Anything for a dollar, anything for a plug, just tell them what to holler and where to place their mug.

It doesn’t take an anesthesiologist to numb’em up and dumb’em down like this because processed food and television does the trick, it’s got many going through life deaf, dumb, blind and sick. It’s how we’ve ended up with a population too sick to think and too tired to blink, just barely getting by on prescription drugs and caffeine filled energy drinks. Addicted to salt and hooked on sweets, congested on dairy and constipated on meat. Junk food marketing preys on the weak and prime time television’s got them glued to their seats.

Where processed food and prescription drug ads play in succession only adding to their anxiety and deepening their depression. People start thinking they’re suffering from the disease they just saw advertised on TV when what they’re really suffering from is an inability to see that the reason they’re ill is a direct consequence of the way they live. So before they go looking for a partial fix with inevitable side effects to mix they ought to take a pause and get to the root cause by looking at their diet, lifestyle, and personality flaws.

A better world starts with me and you and that’s the reason why I live the way I do. From rise to rest I do my best to let a positive example shine through. It’s sad to see what our world is when one knows what it could be as between ideal and reality lies a sea of discrepancy however complaining won’t do much and complacence won’t do a thing so lets get informed get involved and see what each of us can bring.

Handshakes: Unsanitary and Unnecessary

Under some circumstances I think a handshake is justified and serves a purpose. For example if representatives from two tribes came together to sign an agreement a handshake between them could serve as a symbol of cooperation and unity. Under circumstances like these I have no problem with the handshake, however where I do have a problem is when people, particularly people you don’t even know, feel the need to reach out their sweaty palm for a sturdy embrace of hands. What’s up with that?

What purpose does it serve to shake somebodies hand? Do people think that if they shake somebodies hand that that person becomes less likely to lie to or harm them? Do they think if they shake the hand of a rich or famous person that some of that persons traits will literally rub off on them and that they’ll increase their own chances of becoming rich or famous? Has the average person even stopped and thought “Why do we shake hands, what are the benefits and what are the detriments?” ?

Handshakes under normal circumstances are not only unnecessary they are also unsanitary. Just think about all the door handles and other things that person may have come into contact with just before shaking your hand. Perhaps they just finished blowing a runny nose or perhaps they’re just returning from the bathroom. Did they properly wash their hands? Did they even bother to wash their hands at all? Will you remember to wash yours before you touch your face or put food into your mouth?

Fortunately there are a number of far superior alternatives to the handshake for example people could simply make eye contact and nod, they could bow with their hands down as they do in Japan, or “wai” by placing their palms together, raising them up, and slightly bowing as they do in Thailand. If physical contact was needed a more sanitary fist bump could be used in lieu of a handshake. In conclusion, I’m not trying to abolish the handshake entirely however I don’t think it should be overused like it is.