The Lorax-Dr. Suess

After all the dense reading we have done this term, it was very refreshing to sit back and enjoy a children's book...although, really, The Lorax is a very dark story for a child to read. The story it tells is one of destruction, of utter abuse of the earth and a disregard for other life. Profit was what was occupying the Once-ler's minds. The fact that numerous other animals were relying on the natural resources surrounding them didn't matter at all. Even when he could see the damage he was doing, what his family was doing, and despite the Lorax's pleas the only important thing was to keep producing, to keep tearing down the trees to create his product. You may be wrap it in a pretty package, with bright pictures, cute characters, and silly singsong words, but the main point is still the same: this earth is dying, and we are killing it. The message that Dr. Suess conveyed in this children's book was the same, minus all the fancy figures and graphs. I find that amazing. 

I can’t decide if I am glad that I took this class or not. I do think that it is important information, that everyone should be aware of how they live and what it is doing to the earth, but it was very hard to listen, read and see all the damage. To hear that people exist that don’t care about the earth and it’s health, that money is all that is important. Money isn’t making us happy. It is stressing us, and planet Earth out. I feel overwhelmed, like I should be worried about more than my own personal trifles. I feel guilty for not being as eco-friendly as I could be. But now that I am armed with the right information, I can make my carbon and water footprint smaller. I can live as sustainably as I possibly can. I want future generations to enjoy the natural beauty of Earth the way that I am. I can’t imagine not being able to enjoy a cool breeze and fluffy clouds in a blue sky, bright sunshine and fresh fields, peaceful lakes and busy rivers...I love this planet. Sustainability has strengthened that love. So I guess I am glad that I took this class. :) 

David MacKay-Sustainable Energy-Without the Hot Air

“Campaigners also mislead. People who want to promote renewables

over nuclear, for example, say “offshore wind power could power all UK

homes;” then they say “new nuclear power stations will do little to tackle
climate change” because 10 new nuclear stations would “reduce emissions
only by about 4%.” This argument is misleading because the playing field
is switched half-way through, from the “number of homes powered” to
“reduction of emissions.” The truth is that the amount of electrical power
generated by the wonderful windmills that “could power all UK homes”
is exactly the same as the amount that would be generated by the 10 nuclear
power stations! “Powering all UK homes” accounts for just 4% of UK
emissions.” - David MacKay, Sustainable Energy-Without the Hot Air

“The point is that these natural flows in and out of the atmosphere have been almost exactly in balance for millenia. So it’s not relevant at all that these natural flows are
larger than human emissions. The natural flows cancelled themselves out. So the natural flows, large though they were, left the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and ocean constant, over the last few thousand years.” - David MacKay, Sustainable Energy-Without the Hot Air

For this weeks weblog I wanted to bring to your attention two quotes from a marvelous book by David MacKay. He writes in a frank and refreshing style of climate change, fossil fuels, human influence, politics involved, and various other topics relating to sustainable energy. His British sense of humor and his tongue in cheek ways of expressing things make this that much more enjoyable to read, while being extremely informative and frank about the bare facts surrounding sustainability. 

I picked the first quote out because, although I knew that you can’t always believe what politicians and other public figures tell you, I had never realized how blatantly they could twist facts around to make their idea seem so much more logical and realistic. The pure facts that MacKay presented helped me understand what was really going on with sustainable energy sources and why some ideas were presented as better than others. It’s infuriating to think of how many people, myself included, were fooled by the twists and turns of these public speakers who only want to promote the idea that will gain them the most profit. Money. Disgusting stuff. 

As for the second quote, I really loved it because of the utter simplicity and logic that MacKay used. His logic is undeniable, in my eyes, and I completely agree with him. It really astounds me to think of anyone being able to argue with his statement concerning natural CO2 levels as compared to the CO2 emitted by humans and how it is causing an imbalance. The quote just flowed along beautifully, with no faulty logic or ideas. 

Blessed Unrest-Paul Hawken

"'As Booker T. Washington said: 'Let no man pull you down so low as to make you hate him.'" -Blessed Unrest, page 82 quoting a speech done by Martin Luther King Jr. 

While reading the chapter titled Emerson's Savants in the book Blessed Unrest, I was really struck by all the connections between famous figures in history. Emerson was an influence on Thoreau, and Thoreau an influence on Ghandi, and down the line to Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. Though Emerson did not agree with all of the actions that Thoreau took, he nonetheless was a huge part of what Thoreau believed was right and what needed to be done. It really was fascinating to see how they all seemed to lead into the next one's actions and lives. 

Anyway, that isn't really what I wanted to talk about in my blog tonight. I want to talk about hate. Hate, one of the strongest emotions in the human spectrum, in my opinion at least. The old saying that hate is such a strong word is undeniably true. When someone uses the word hate, it is in anger, in fear, other very strong and also very negative emotions. I don't like to use the word hate, nor do I like to hear it out of other people's mouths. Honestly, it takes way too much out of you to hate another human being. It is literally exhausting. I feel that the word should never be used. People do terrible things, and people hurt one another, but to hate someone is to let them hurt you more than they have already. Hating someone gives them a certain power over you, because you are consumed with this feeling. You avoid seeing them, talking to them, thinking about them...they have control over your life. Hate can also lead to other destructive actions and behaviors, such as murder, rape, kidnapping, destruction of property leading to loss of life...in a word, revenge. Mr. Washington was very wise when he said the above quote. And it only makes sense for a man as great and as peaceful as Martin Luther King Jr. to have quoted him in one of his famous and inspirational speeches. 

I am not saying that we all have to love one another. Humans are not going to love everyone they meet. I don't think it's in our wiring. But don't hate. Live your life, move on and spread as much love as you can. And if someone comes along that rejects that love, move on. Love is such a strong and enduring emotion. We need more optimism, more positive feelings in this world.