The New Manhattan Project and Perot Charts

There’s good news on the horizon… in the form of The New Manhattan Project. YAY! The two main goals: U.S. 50% energy dependant in ten years; U.S. 100% energy dependant in 20 years. Yay, congress. Something I can get excited about.

Also, Ross Perot is back in the news and making his inaugural appearance on my blog. Former United States’ Presidential Candidate billionaire Ross Perot wants you to be aware of the growing national debt – now over $9,300,000,000,000! (There is no mistake in that number.) That’s over $9.3 Trillion.

To that end, Ross Perot has reverted to what he, apparently, knows best… Perot Charts! You know those pie charts and bar graphs you saw back in 1992 when he garnered nearly 20% of the Presidential election votes? Well, he’s back. Not to run for President, but to show you some more charts.

Faux Green is Not Green

Recently, someone mentioned the silliness of television shows where they totally revamp a home to make it more green friendly.  In the process, on many of these shows, they destroy perfectly good things, throw out lots of useful stuff and replace them with more eco-friendly options.  Now, here’s the rub, for those that need this outlined…

Totally demolishing a house in order to re-build it in a green fashion is NOT GREEN.  Any eco savings you are aiming at with the greening of the house are being totally thwarted when you demolish what was already there.  The goal is to produce less waste – you can’t produce a bunch of waste (demolish something) in order to produce less waste (use greener elements).  Yes, I realize there is a bit of a catch-22 element here, but we can’t undo the damages of our civilization in one night.

Now, today, I saw a large house with a sing in front of it claiming to be green friendly.  I would be willing to bet that this was the house of a typical family of four.  If that’s the case, the monstrosity of a house is IN NO WAY GREEN.  So, shut the f— up!  You are not green if you are living in a ridiculously extravagant lifestyle that you have become accustomed to believe is the norm.

On this note, I’m looking for a community to live in that makes sense.  (Useful ideas are welcome.)  Specifically, I don’t want to live in a community where every single household feels the need to have a large yard.  While a green space is beneficial for a community and highly desirable, a yard at every house is an absurd concept and I don’t know how it ever gained traction.  The every-house-with-a-yard-sydrome detracts from community and I can think of lots of better things to do with that space.

Apartment complexes seem somewhat more sensical for a good portion of the time as they most often have one or more recreational areas for community use, which makes sense.  Although, I must admit I have yet to come across an apartment complex that does not automatically fill in the extra spaces with grass – as if grass doesn’t have to be maintained or something.

I would also like to steer clear of: 20 foot tall ceilings, general assinineness and stupid rules.  Any useful ideas are welcome and appreciated, as I am having little luck in my endeavours.

Environmentalism Co-Existing with Capitalism: Recycling to Gift Wrap

A Complex Integration Process
The integration of capitalism and environmentalism is a complex process, which can not be accomplished in a short period of time. Going green has recently been touted as a desirable characteristic within capitalistic endeavors, but many advocated steps are just that – mere steps to a more environmentally-friendly world in a society entrenched in capitalism. Although the dawn of the internet age seemed like a process that was highly integrated into modern culture overnight, the integration of environmental ideals can not occur so expeditiously in the current cultural landscape.  Continue Reading

 

Marrying Capitalism and Environmentalism

It’s a tall task to take to town, but it’s on my mind and I’m thinking about writing an article about it.  I spent six months livin in an ecovillage in 2007.  Beforehand, I never considered myself much of a capitalist, but like Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) mirroring Jack’s (Edward Norton) shortcomings in the great movie Fight Club, some of the ecovillagers aversion to capitalism was a wake up call, especially when I contracted Hepatitis A and there was a scare with the health department.  Money’s necessary and while saving the Earth is probably more necessary, it is not as seemingly imminent.  And, therein lies the rub, along with years and years of systemic, built-in tradition and ways of living.  EDIT (04-17-08): In fact, I wrote an article on this titled, “The Environmental and Capitalistic Teachings of Living at an Ecovillage Intentional Community.”