How the Media Is Ruining the United StatesHere’s a video I put on my Facebook page, with introduction: Those seeking to know why things in our country are so screwed up need look no further than this.

My old friend Steve Vachss writes:  This woman makes some good points. Nevertheless, she misses one fundamental reality. The media are not there to serve the public good or to provide fair coverage. I agree with her that TV “news” has been unwatchable for the past year, due to the political nonsense she fairly describes. (more…)

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Ethical Handling of Refugees Is Essential to Global SustainabilityHere, Peter Sutherland (pictured), Special Representative for the UN Secretary-General for International Migration, speaks on the moral issues surrounding the processing of refugees.  IMO, no one has ever said something like this in a clearer and more compelling way.

Curiously, the concept of nationalism lies at the core of his statement, reminiscent of the video message that Arthur C. Clarke left us: “I hope we’ve learnt something from the most barbaric century in history — the 20th. I would like to see us overcome our tribal divisions and begin to think and act as if we were one family. That would be real globalisation…”

 

 

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asdaHere’s a petition I just signed regarding the family pictured here.  It has very little to do with environmental issues, though a great deal to do with figuring out who we are as a nation.  If it doesn’t make you angry that this is happening in the U.S., you have a far more even temperament than I do.  (more…)

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Note on Linguistics as it Applies to the Subject of SustainabilityIt’s the birthday of 20th Century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, known for his contention about the role of linguistics in determining one’s capacity to perceive the world.  He wrote: “The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for.”

This is a very interesting assertion, but I’ve never found it compelling.  There are potential thoughts and feelings that are unavailable to us because we don’t have words for them? It seems more likely that we make up words that describe new objects and feelings, and thus one does not limit the other. (more…)

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What Force Does the Paris Agreement on Climate Change Carry?It should come as no surprise that there are people referring to the Paris Agreement on climate change, which 175 countries signed last week as “farcical,” on the basis that it is non-binding.  It was probably these people’s ancestors who said the Declaration of Independence was a farce because the British had a big, well-equipped army that would be tough to beat.  (more…)

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175 Countries Sign Paris Agreement on Climate ChangeIt’s strange that such good news on a grand scale can receive so little coverage in the mainstream media.

The countries of the world have agreed to work together to mitigate the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change.

In some publications, this appears on page 6 next to an ad for used cars.  I choose to give it a bit more prominence.

 

 

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Here’s the latest newsletter from my colleague Jon Lesage of the Green Auto Digest.  Justice for Volkswagen: Coming Real SoonApparently, the 11 million victims of VW’s emissions fraud (of whom my wife and I are two) are very close to getting some sort of restitution in the form of a buy-back at a preferential price.

This is perfect for me, as it kills two birds with one stone: compensation for my loss plus a quick and painless end to my tenure as a VW owner.

I’m done with the bitterly vitriolic hate thing I had going on there, but I really do want to see justice done, and to have these people out of my life forever.

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Celebrating the Paris Climate Change AgreementCaption to this Instagram post: A historic meeting took place on April 22, 2016, as more than 155 countries have committed to sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City. 

An expression of pure exhilaration.  Whenever possible, we like to wax enthusiastic.

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Earth Day Instagram Post from Last FridayCaption: Never underestimate the power you have to change the world.

An attempt to inspire by expressing gratitude.

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Solar Power Is Great, But Take It Easy on the Specious LogicHere’s an upbeat article on the city of San Francisco and its commitment to renewable energy.  It includes:   The San Francisco ordinance says that solar energy is needed because the city is vulnerable to sea level rise due to carbon dioxide emissions. Solar energy can replace power generated by fossil fuels, reducing those emissions. (more…)

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