I’m in the business of trying to get people to see that we could be happier, healthier and more secure with some adjustments to how we run our country and our lives. How we live our lives affects how we run our country. How we run our country affects how we live our lives. This […]
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How Christmas turned out for Isabella
(You can read previous writings to do with the effects of consumption on the planet and human security, health and happiness here, here and here.) Anyway, we worried that the daughter of the enviro-freaks–i.e. our nearly 3-year-old Isabella–would suffer for our principles while our adored Gordie and Ellie got to open gifts. We agonized. We […]
An end to e-toxins just a phone call away (please make it)
First off, let me ask you please to forward this post to every New Yorker you know, and ask them to make the calls… Some say that e-waste–trashed computers, cell phones, printers and other gadgets–is becoming one of the biggest toxicity problems facing our culture. In the US, municipal incineration of e-waste is the largest source […]
How to help make the planet a better place for all of us
If you’re reading this early enough and you want to tune in, you can catch me on Good Morning America between 8:30 and 9:00 this morning. As for all the Good Morning America viewers who watched and are now dropping by, welcome! Today’s offering is a list of posts and links about how each of us can make […]
Germane (at least to me)
There is only one thing we will be remembered for when we die–how we lived. What makes me feel proud of myself? What makes me feel warm? What makes me feel caring? What makes me sleep well at night? What makes me able to look my friends and family squarely in the eye? How, in […]
On not hurting ourselves
The other day, I visited the Dharma Field Zen Center, here in Minneapolis, where I’m spending Christmas. I enjoyed Buddhism: It’s Not What You Think, by Steve Hagen, the head teacher there, so I thought it would be fun to drop in and taste the flavor of the temple. One Soto Zen tradition Steve showed […]
Don’t save the planet
The title is unabashedly stolen from a post by George Marshall on Climate Change Denial. His point is that begging the world’s population to “save the planet” is a downer and not a message that will ever translate into real social change. He’s right, and that’s one of the reasons why I hold forth on […]
Earning a living helping people keep it green
We found a great clothing store in Minneapolis, land of the 10,000 lakes, where I am for the holidays (more about the travel in a later post). The store is called Birch, and its owners are committed to carrying only fair wage and sustainable products. Co-owner Marti Markus explained to me a system of standards […]