a book review

Regularly it happens that in mid-conversation someone will ask me if I’ve read a certain book. Typically this person will go on to give a short summary of the book and then herald it as something interesting, something I should read. Sometimes however something completely different happens. After asking if I’ve read a certain book the person I’m talk with will give no details regarding the book; only pause as if to rearranging the direction of our discussion based on whether I have read the book or not. When this happens with the same book several times I know I need to read it. Such was the case with “The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight.” I’ve been hearing about this book for several years but not in the typical way. This book belongs in another category. It seems to have such a profound affect on those who read it that they are sometimes forced to reorganize their conversations when speaking to those who have not. My whole review here...

the drain of what we knew

"our habit of self-destruction helps cut through arguments over whether ‘technology’ is good, bad, inert, whatever. technology is not a mythical beast over which we have no control, but an object of our creation - the embodiment of everything we covet and fear. clearly not every culture is stupid enough to roast itself. even in our own cultural past we have not always been this stupid."

Read more as heretic fig serves up an excellent helping of thoughtful commentary on our foolish attempt to impose our will upon the world. For thousands of years human beings lived in relative harmony with the environmnet around them. Now those of us in "developed" countries have discovered shortcuts around the cyclic processes that organized life before fossil fuels were exploited. When we began to view ourselves as apart from nature and then as the masters of nature we took a wrong turn that has led to the incredible wealth of a few and the extraordinary destruction of much of the rest of this planet's creatures and systems. Only now, as our mistaken direction is threatening our own human lives are we waking up to the potientially devestating effects of our actions. But now I'm bleeding over into my next post...

when will the peak perk?

The following was previously published by me over at Groovy Green. Also, I've reworked my comprehensive composting guide and put it up over on the front page of GG for those of you who missed it here at powering down early this year. Check it out if you're interested in making soil. Now for the main feature...

when will the peak perk?
by aaron newton

Jeffery Brown throws out a challenge to the main stream media.

“Who among you is going to have the courage to step forward and “break” the story that the lifeblood of the world economy–net oil export capacity–is now declining?”

Mr. Brown says, “I estimate that oil exports from the top 10 net oil exporters are probably now falling at a double digit annual rate.”

He’s an independent petroleum geologist from Dallas by the way; not one of them economists that thinks you can put dollar bills in your gas tank and drive to work. I once told two smart friends of mine, an engineer and a medical student, that physics trumps economics and they said I didn’t understand how the world works. I don’t. But I do think that as oil is physically less available “laws” of economics are going to spin on their heads. Just a little prediction for you this afternoon. Here’s one more. It will be obvious that we’ve peaked in oil production by the end of 2006. It’ll take a few more years, two maybe, for the most optimistic of oil cheerleaders to admit so (read up on the history of the peak in production in the U.S. - 1971). Then, suddenly everyone will be saying, “Yeah, of course we’ve peaked. That’s what oil fields do- Duh!” But by then the scurry to find the next source of fuel for our mobile lifestyles and our transportation dependent economy will be on in full force. My favorite are the news headlines that read, “How Will We Fuel The Cars of Tomorrow?”, or, “Is Ethanol The Answer?” No ethanol isn’t the answer. It’s only suggested as a part of the solution because Iowa is the first stop on the road to the White House. It seems very few people are stopping to consider ways of living that require less driving. Supply-side solutions will not solve the problem of the declining rate of petroleum production. In fact I’ll predict that they will cause more damage in the form of pollution and green house gasses and postpone the day when demand-side solutions will be seriously considered. The rush to liquefy coal, harvest oil shale and tar sands, and build new-cue-lar facilities will all be a very real part of our energy descent. But unless we are visited by aliens from outer space (and some think we will be) our politicians will remain tethered to the very industries that rely on a fossil fuel based economy. They will do more of the same; fight in the Middle East for the largest remaining oil deposits, refuse to address the idea of a shift in our economic paradigm and a change in our lifestyle, and continue to subsidize foolish supply “solutions” that will dirty our air, pollute our water and offer only a false hope that we can continue on our merry way. I wish I were cheerier about it but I’m not.

How then should those of us concerned about our dependency on dirty fossil fuels respond? Recently a friend wrote to me in an email, “I am repeatedly finding that there are lots of folks who would like to talk about the “environmental” movement but don’t want to actually take an aggressive stance in this area.”

My response was that there are two problems that I face in trying to affect change in the area of environment and energy. The first problem is the need to recognize that nothing I do to shape the minds of other people will be as effective as what I do to shape my own mind. And the second problem is to understand that there are plenty of well-meaning people who will do little to change the state of our world because they don’t understand the first problem. Without meaning to, they are spinning their wheels and they’ll spin mine too if I let them.

There are other people out there doing it, making real change. They serve me as both a source of inspiration and information. In the absence of physical neighbors who understand our environmental pickle we must, at this point, begin to build the lighthouses that will serve to illuminate a darkening world. We must have the foresight and resolve to do that which is unconventional. Frontyard gardens might be a source of neighborhood gossip now but the knowledge gained in growing them will turn into a valuable skill for the future. We must be willing to step forward in a new direction long before there are others to lead or even hands to hold. This is what I’ve come to believe.

I learned about peak oil a little more than two years ago. What followed was a life-changing rollercoaster ride during which my world view was refocused. Since then I’ve walked a path that meant learning about some of the incredibly foolish actions we’ve taken as a species in the recent past. My first instinct was to shout out to others so that they too might learn of our follies and help me steer the ship away from the rocks. I learned no one likes to be shouted at. Next I knocked at the door of those traditionally associate with championing the environment. But a mixture of politics, bureaucracy and/or an attitude of self-congratulatory smugness seemed to render many of them too ineffectual for me. Lastly I recognized what I said before, that I must change myself and be ready to help those others that wake up.

So here I am. Laying trails of bread crumbs and working diligently to better my model before it is needed by my community. I feel a sense of urgency but I’m no longer in a hurry. That would only lead to mistakes (and I make enough already). What will come will come. Maybe someone will accept the challenge Mr. Brown gave at the beginning of this posting. Perhaps tomorrow will be the dawning of a new age of awareness as the population at large learns of our predicament from the main stream media. Or more likely there are a few years ahead of us with relative calm as the problems of energy and environment compound. Then one day average Joe, his government representative and the National Association for the Societies of Environmental Activist Coalitions Against Global Pollution Efforts (NASEACAGPE) will be ready to understand.

When will it be time for a real change? Will I be ready?

shared lately?

Have you told your friends and family about the coming shift in culture ready to take place as energy, specifically liquid and gaseous fossil fuels, decrease in availability and spin our way of living in a new direction? To put it another way, have you talked to your loved ones about peak oil, resource depletion, a turn from consumer-based society, your backyard garden, your new bike commute to work or even your general worry about how your children and your children's children might live? Robert did. Read his letter with a quick jump over here.

He awaits his friend Marcus's response...

Update: a response!

eating carrots

This morning I wrote a short essay over at Groovy Green. Here's a bit of it.

"As a new way of life grows out of increased awareness about the state of our environment and our energy problems, we must remember that great change can’t be made without mistakes. I’ve made many. I’ll make more. Come and watch so you can learn. Share with me so that I might avoid the mistakes you’ve made. Together we can recognize the need to continue to walk and remind ourselves that the path is worthwhile even if it’s flawed sometimes. We can’t take a pass on progress in search of perfection."

You can read the whole thing, including more about Keaton eating carrots by clicking here.

katrina advertiZing

More from Maria at Crew Creative Advertising below. Maria and her company are tapping the ever expanding blogosphere to advertise for the Discovery channel. I wrote a while back about her and the rise of indirect advertising over the internet. Read it here. OK Maria tell the folks what you want them to know...

Hello,

RE: Surviving Katrina

I just wanted to follow up on the "Surviving Katrina" Special that premieres on the Discovery Channel, August 27 at 9PM ET/PT.

SURVIVING KATRINA covers the perfect storm of nature, science, politics and extreme human experience with a range of stories and interviews from all major aspects of the disaster, including Charity Hospital, the Convention Center and Superdome and with former FEMA director Michael Brown.

We have advance screeners available, please let me know if you'd be interested to write a review on your website and I can send you an advance screener of the special. [webaddress removed per her request but here's an image from website]

Also, visit our link below for access to our SURVIVING KATRINA assets page, where you will find a press release and images.

You are more than welcome to utilize any of the assets on the page, but please do not link directly to our server. Please keep me posted as assets go live on your site.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. Thanks in advance for considering our request.

Thanks,

Maria

This post was designed to remind you that business is evolving and coming up with new ways to promote their products. Just so we all keep that in mind.

Will someone please watch this special and let me know what you think? Oh and I didn't make any money from this post; not one thin dime.

in town permaculture video

Andrew Millison put together this video about his urban permaculture project in Prescott, Arizona. Found it on Treehugger. Click the pic to watch.

how dependent on oil are you?

As a nation, we're hooked. When you begin to understand in the global context the extent to which we are reliant on oil our behavior as a nation begins to make more sense. Just a reminder that those most dependent on a finite resource stand to lose the most when the production of that resource goes into decline. How long will we wait to wake up to this fact? How much pain will we have to feel before we shake off the propaganda of big oil, big auto and the other corporate interests who keep us convinced that we're fine- everything's fine. Stay tuned. I'm sure the answers to these questions will be revealed... eventually. In the meantime I suggest we all ponder where we personally would appear on a graph representing oil dependency among American citizens. How dependent on oil are you?

Graphs by NationMaster

rocket science

I think the discussion of peak oil has moved from its former existence as an arguable question (though there are still skeptics) through a period of anxious anticipation (are we there yet? are we there yet?) and has arrived for many of us as a realization that requires action. A growing mass has come to accept that the end of the oil age is upon us. This group is moving away from noisy discussions about if or when. Possibly out of fear, perhaps out of practicality, or maybe because this group is forward thinking, they are beginning to engage in serious discussions about how to deal with reality. All of this is a way to introduce what I think is an interesting idea.

PeakEngineer is a rocket scientist or more accurately a NASA engineer. He has established a new discussion called PeakOilDesign. It’s described as a,

“forum for discussing solutions for an organized planning and transition to post-Peak Oil life. This is a first stop for community organizers and those looking to become part of a community as oil-based life becomes increasingly difficult.”

He’s employing a systems engineering approach to plan for post petroleum life. I do recognize math as a language but using it to describe events or map plans of preparation can become static for me. I shy away from engineering and towards more organic types of training. In truth, even the organic world of plants and animals is made up of measurable data. And I could stand to pay more attention to the numbers if only as a way to track progress and facilitate efficiency so I’ll try and keep up. Design is after all the marriage of science and art in an effort to create. So take a look, offer your thoughts or at least check back from time to time and see what comes of it. The more ideas the better.

mixed bag

If you're interested in an alternative theroy concerning the recent shut down of the Alaskan oil pipeline Click Here.

If you're more interested in being hands-on productive and you'd like to save money and energy by insulating your hot water heater Click Here.

If you'd like to learn how to make fig jam (figs are in season- yum) then Check This Out.

If you want to read about the threat high gas prices pose to a suburban lifestyle Hit The Jump.

And if you have a hamster and a dead cell phone battery Try This One.

If you'd like to see a picture of Koda the dog, well, here you go.


I'm putting together several telephone interviews- trying something new. I'll let you know when they're done.

hold on

This from the New York Times Sunday edition,

"In a sudden blow to the nation's oil supply, half the production on Alaska's North Slope was being shut down Sunday after BP Exploration Alaska, Inc. discovered severe corrosion in a Prudhoe Bay oil transit line... That's close to 8 percent of U.S. oil production as of May 2006 or about 2.6 percent of U.S. supply including imports, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration."

Some annalists are saying we can expect a $10 rise in the price of a barrel of oil. Others are saying the U.S. is well supplied and this will have little effect on price. If I were a betting man I'd go with the former. The real question however is how long this last will. No word on that from BP.

The volatility of the peak of oil is here. If you don't think so watch what a little corrosion in a pipe in Alaska does to the price of the fuel Suburban America is desperately dependant on.

potato harvest

the worsted witch

If you like what I write you should check out

From a recent post,

"I understand how the wheels of the consumer capitalist machine revolve, but I’ve always raised a skeptical eyebrow towards green consumerism, which is quite different from consuming consciously. The latter places needs above wants. The former, however, objectifies the movement but sees no inherent value in something other than keeping in step with the zeitgeist, persisting in the same excessive spending patterns reflexively with neither analysis nor forethought."

I couldn't agree more.

link

blueberries and green salads

Just a reminder that this year's wild blueberries are ripe and ready to be collected- at least here in the southern United States. If you've never done much foraging for wild food this is a great way to start. Blueberries are easy to indentify and gather. They're very tasty and really good for you. You can find them along the sunny edges of wooded areas. Don't be surprised to find them even in small pockets of undeveloped land in and around town and cities. Blueberry pie, Yummmm. Thanks Jan.I always seem to wait too long to start my fall garden. It's not time just yet but I thought I'd take this opportunity, as we say goodbye to July, to remind everyone that autumn is right around the corner. Here's a great article on 4 season salads. Grow Great Salads Year-Round. Thanks Matt. Be sure to to be thinking about what you want to grow this fall and winter. Get your seeds and your soil ready because we'll be planting at the end of August.

the peak oil blues

Do you have the Peak Oil Blues? I experienced my own period of anxiety followed by a nice bout of depression after my realization that a peak in global oil production will dramatically affect the remainder of my life and the future of mankind. I feel better now thanks as I've found several outlets for emotion release on the topic. I've also started to make real changes in my life and the direction of my living. The great part is how natural and reasonable those changes seem. The idea of living more locally and of investing in my own skills is very rewarding. The plan to provide a future for my family that steers clear of the false promises of consumerism feels more like waking up then losing out. At first though it was a bit harrowing.

I find it interesting to observe the ripple effects of peak oil beginning even before the big stone is dropped in our pond. There are plenty of people out there already responding in their own ways. Recently I discovered a website devoted to the study of the life-altering realization that occurs when someone stumbles across peak oil. www.peakoilblues.com describes itself as,

"a small but growing group of professionally trained psychotherapists who know the stress the dawning awareness of Peak Oil brings. We invite our readers to contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding the unique social and emotional challenges we face in a post-petroleum age."

This website recently won second place in a contest hosted by www.beyondpeak.com. The goal was to write about post petroleum scenarios in which "Things Might Get Better" after oil peak. The hosts of the contest weren't looking for pollyanna situations. They were just tired of the gloom and doom. I found reading the contest winners an excellent exercise for envisioning possible positives; especially useful when considering such a momentous shift in paradigm. I am reprinting part of the second place essay below. For the essay in its entirety please visit Beyond Peak.

For more information contact the author Kathy McMahon at grandnana@peakoilblues.com or visit www.peakoilblues.com to learn more about the psychological effects peak oil is having on us silly humans.

The Silver Lining
By Kathy McMahon

It's 2050 and Grandnana and Leah, her teenaged granddaughter, are talking about what life was like when everybody found out about Peak Oil

Leah: Thanks for helping me with this assignment, Grandnana. I'll read you the questions I have to answer, and you tell me as much as you can remember, okay?

Grandnana: Okay, Honey, I'll tell you as much as I can.

Leah: Okay, I'll look up the rest, later. First question: "Were there any people aware that the planet was running out of fossil fuels, and, if so, what did they do to prepare?"

Grandnana: "Oh, my. That's quite a big question. Let's put it this way, the people who ran governments all over the world knew it. They had to know it, because scientists kept telling them over and over. I don't think they wanted to believe it, because it was such a massive problem. They knew they had to make big changes, but they didn't want to 'rock the boat.' You see, Honey, everything back then was run by huge corporations. They ran the world, really. They paid big money to the politicians to help them run their campaigns and so the politicians were indebted to them. And the corporations had just one focus: Profits."

Leah: But Grandnana, if they didn't take care of the fossil fuel depletion and come up with alternative sources of energy fast, they wouldn't have profits.

Grandnana: I know, it's hard to describe. It was like the people in power were on a fast moving party train and they wanted to stay on it as long as possible, because they were having such a delightful time. Even when someone said "That train is going into that wall up ahead," they would say "Yes, maybe, but not for a long time yet, and right now, we are going to keep partying!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leah: Question Two: What were your worst fears? What was the most difficult period for you, personally?

Grandnana: My worst fear was that nobody would have any interest in being in community with me. I was afraid I would just remain isolated with your Grandpapa, your mother, and grandmother and life would just get harder and harder. Of course, before you came, my biggest fear was that you wouldn't get out in time. Thank God my daughter finally started to listen to me. I just wish the rest of my extended family had. At least for their children's sake.

The most difficult period was when I started to realize that a large percentage of people were not going to do anything until it was too late to be effective. They were so used to what they were doing; they couldn't imagine a world where they couldn't keep doing that anymore. They just couldn't imagine it. And they paid with their lives for their lack of imagination.

Most of them died of the so called "pandemic flu," in the relocation camps. I think a lot more just starved to death waiting for the next shipment of food to hit the grocery shelves. For me, having a community by then, the worst of it was not knowing how the entire world was going to turn out. We were alright. We knew we would be, ten years before. It was those "good citizens" who "waited for direction" that got the worst of it.

Leah: Question Three: What items of the fossil fuel age do you miss the most? Which types of things do you think the Post Peak Generation missed out on by being born later?

Grandnana: Oh, that's a great question. Let me think: I guess overall I'd say it wasn't just "things," as much as it was the feeling that life was easy. It took no effort to have what you wanted. We never thought about how much electricity we used when I was a girl. You flicked a switch, and paid your bill, and there it was. We used to take "joy rides" for hours.

Leah: A "joy ride?"

Grandnana: It meant that you just got into your car with your friends and drove as far and as long as you wanted, until it was time to go home. If we were moving in a car, we thought we were getting somewhere. We had such a great variety of everything: isles of soaps and shampoos; ice makers built into these gigantic refrigerators, and you could just put your glass up and get all the ice and water you wanted. We used to give the dogs ice water too. Items from all over the world available every day: spices, cloth from India, bananas and other tropical fruit all year round, as many as you wanted.

But short of that, what we gave up in consumer goods we got back in community. Not everyone has ipods to listen to individually, but we have instruments we can make music on together. We don't have rock stars, but we have sparkling stars over head, now that the night sky is seen so clearly. We don't have a lot of things, but we have a lot more time to be with our families. Working together for the common good. We never had that before the threat of Peak Oil. We were never challenged to learn what the true meaning of brotherhood and sisterhood�real participatory democracy, really meant. Now we do.

going without

The following was originally published at Groovy Green. I am in the process of revisiting these ideas and thought I would share.

Going Without :: A Search For Our Lost Perspective
Aaron Newton
May 23, 2006

For breakfast today I had 12 oz. of fresh fruit juice. For lunch and dinner I will have the same. I am in the fifth and final day of a fast. I have had no solid foods, no other liquids except tea and water. I feel fine. For any of those worried about my health you needn’t be. I have research this practice and performed it main times. I find it to be a tough but rewarding experience physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I am doing it in celebration of my family’s one year anniversary of television-free living. This time last year my wife and I were discussing the possibility of an experiment that would involve getting rid of our television. Three days later our TV set died and we took it as a sign. We never replaced the beast and one year removed we’re happy we haven’t. Before you begin to worry I am not here to try and convince you to give up eating or to condemn you for watching American Idol. I would however like to interject an idea into the growing critique of our way of life and its future.

I believe in our hasty, valiant effort to change some of the more ecologically destructive behaviors of our unsustainable consumer culture we’ve missed a step. We have not stopped to consider the excess of our present existence. We have become accustom to an ever-increasing availability of food, entertainment, travel and more- always more. This has become ingrained in us so much so that currently our argument is often over how to produce more fuel for our cars not about how to make less driving necessary. The discussion is frequently about how to produce more electricity without emissions not about how much power we really need. The conversation is commonly about technologies that will allow us to do more while hurting less not about how much we really require in the first place.

I am not suggesting a return to the Stone Age. I think technology can play a part in adjusting our lifestyles such that we may begin to do less harm to our environment and use fewer of our children’s resources. I do not however believe in the endless growth of consumption. In this I doubt I am alone. I am asking how much is enough? Have you ever asked yourself?

Strawberries in December, cranberries in June, and lettuce in august; we have become accustom to food from all over our planet, available to us at any time for a relatively low price. We have also grown accustom to being feed amusement and distraction at all hours of the day- whenever we want. Television has made this possible.

If one program does not deliver we simply flip the switch and give another channel a chance. Devices to record and replay these programs have made even the necessity of watching at a certain scheduled time a thing of the past. Cell phones make everyone available anytime almost anywhere. Cars provide cheap transportation to wherever we want to go. One must simply fuel with cheap energy and hit the road. To Wal-Mart we go to buy cheap toasters tents, fishing rods and fake finger nails. Our thirst for more, better and faster seems to have reached a fever pitch. In the midst of this whirlwind we have lost touch with just how precious our position is. The increase of our desire has removed the context of our situation historically and among those other citizens with whom we currently share this planet. We have available to us more of everything than any other population on the Earth at anytime- ever! And the end result is that it’s hard to hear myself speak above the bombs.

The sound of our way of life is deafening. Isn’t anyone else ready for some peace and quiet? My response has been to stop shouting if only for a little while so that I might hear my own voice and listen to what it tells me.

When you only eat strawberries in summer their specialness returns. You also begin to learn how to once again eat seasonally. When you turn off your television even for a week or so not only do you appreciate it more, but you recognize the importance of time spent doing other things. Leave your cell phone off for a weekend and you will be more grateful for this technology come Monday morning. You might also begin to communicate in a more thoughtful manner with those whom you share your weekends with. Give up that car for a day and you might have to bike to the store. Imagine that- getting exercise and spending time outside on the way to wherever you’re going. You will return more appreciative of your automobile and you might even enjoy the ride!

I believe as we examine the way we live our lives in an effort to do so more sustainably we have at our disposal an exercise that provides a more proper prospective for our affluent era. By purposefully going without we can again understand just how good we’ve got it. We can return the extraordinary to that which has become commonplace and we can learn a lot about what we need, what we want and just what is really important to us.

I will eat again tomorrow. I think I’m going to make a pizza- my mouth waters at the thought. I wish I could properly convey the experience of visiting an American supermarket after fasting for 5 days. As a family we probably won’t get a television again. That experiment just provided too much free time to go back, but we still go to the movies. How much more sensual they seem now that I can’t watch one every night. Overall I am pleased with my self-imposed limits. They are flexible, open for discussion and bound to take on new forms in the future. For now though I am content with life as it is and pleased to be awake and aware- more so I think- to the pleasures with which we are blessed. Going without might not be that only way to understand how much we have and how great those things are but I am thankful for the renewed perspective it provides me on how I live my life and what I truly value.

Carnival of the Green #36

Hello and welcome to powering down. I’m honored and happy to host this week’s Carnival of The Green #36. Created By City Hippy and Triple Pundit as a weekly round up of the greater green blogosphere, you can get more information on this environmental carnival and how to host at either of the links above. Last week Carnival of the Green was hosted at The Ester Republic. Next week it moves over to Myke’s Weblog.

I was having quite a bit of trouble deciding which articles to include. Being a new father and beginning to think about ways to teach my daughter about the Earth and how to live responsibly on it, I thought this would be a good opportunity for her to get involved. There are those that say a four month old is too young to host her first Carnival of the Green, but I say it’s her world we’re talking about and if she thinks she can do it (and she does) then why not?

So I’ll man the keyboard while Keaton Phoenix surfs the web and picks out this week’s most interesting and informing articles on the environment. Here we go.

Getting to The Holdouts. "Remember the legendary “holdouts” of the Japanese Imperial Army?" says John Laumer at Triple Pundit. Well Keaton doesn't. Neither do I for that matter. But I've heard about them. "Japanese Soldiers hid in mountain jungle caves of Pacific Islands long after their nation's surrender. Some re-entered modern society up to three decades after the end of World War II." John goes on to compare them with the climate change holdouts of today. He recommends recruiters are brought in or maybe even organic food be left outside the caves these global warming disbeliveers are living in. Keaton enjoyed the imagery.

Nathan at Greenthinkers thought this would be a great time to write about the cutest little GEM e4 no-emission vehicles on the road. Just the right size for Keaton she thinks. They were used in St. Petersburg during the recent G8 summit as they were at the same summit in 2004. With a top speed of 25 miles an hour they can go up to 30 miles between charges. Big isn’t always better right Keaton?

Nuthatch at bootstrap analysis featured an “Asides” in which he shares several recent discoveries including a paper on the large amount of antibacterial agents ending up in our ag fields. Yup, it displeased Keaton quite a bit to learn that she and her friends will have to deal with many more super bacteria in the future because we wash our hands with antibacterial soap that isn’t necessary. Talk about selling her future down the river! Also Nuthatch goes on to write about a Greenthinkers post about which fruits and veggies are the most and least contaminated. Good to know when shopping for fruits and vegetables with which to make Keaton baby food. Last on his list was an article on Grist. It pertains to upcoming initiatives by Whole Foods that increase this retailer’s commitment to its customers. Can you imagine a grocery store allowing local farmers to sell produce in their parking lot?

As a way to help better understand the connected nature of economy, bio-diversity and the geopolitics surrounding global warming, Future Greek put together a post entitled: Why Global Warming Is Bigger Than You Think. Keaton thought the part about the migration of displaced people is particularly relevant given the current debate in America concerning border security and immigration control. She asked what would happen if whole sections of the planet currently inhabited became unlivable?

Keaton was fascinated and more than a bit sad about Interesting Thing of the Day’s article on light pollution. When she found out that there are twinkling balls of light in the night sky she can’t see she was understandably upset. When I tried to explain that she's born in an age when artificial night-light is misused, she just got even more worked up. We didn’t even get into the safety hazards.

Speaking of responsible lighting, Jennifer has a post over at Climate Crisis Action Team about, “Operation Bright Christmas”. It’s a growing campaign to give compact florescent light bulbs as Christmas gifts this year. She knows it’s only July but campaigns take a while to build. Keaton was curious about Christmas. I told her it’s a special time of year when everyone seems nicer and we all give each other light bulbs. She’s excited already.

It’s official. Riversider writes at Save the Ribble this week about The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launching a wetlands creation project, the first of it’s kind in Essex. Keaton was especially pleased to learn of this effort to provide not only flood protection (a bit over her head) but also a place for fish and birds to live. She likes fish and birds. Who doesn’t?

While she’s not ready for that birds and bees discussion Keaton was pleased to hear more from Riversider about the birds and the bees living at Lower Brockholes. We were both displeased to learn about another quarry planned for this beautiful farmland location. We learned together about recycled aggregates, a construction concept I was unfamiliar with.

Nick at bird DC was livid about vandals writing objectionable material over prehistoric Native American rock paintings. Keaton, a descendent of the natives of North America, was noticeably bummed about it. When she asked me why “the federal agencies charged with protecting these lands (BLM, Parks Service, Fish and Wildlife, Forest Service) are continually having their budgets cut by the Bush Administration and can rarely afford rangers and law enforcement officials to do patrol and education”, I didn’t have a polite answer for her.

Steve and Keaton have been friends for about four months. She was amused by his recent article comparing the American obesity epidemic with the American oil addiction. America’s Big Fat Oil Problem compares dieting with the current rage in alternative liquid energy sources. Energy is the number one source of pollution here in the USA.

The affect on the environment is easy to extrapolate, even for a four month old. Rather than reduce consumption the hunt is on for the next “Nutrasweet” for our automobiles. Keaton doesn’t have a weight problem. Hopefully she’ll never develop an oil addiction.

Education and Environmental Impacts, by Dan Rhoads at Migrations considers something I’ve thought about as a father and Keaton has considered when she ponders entering our education system. Better education concerning the environmental impacts of both individuals and society in general could lead to positive change. And are we teaching at all about how environment impacts society?

While not a daredevil (yet) Keaton was excited to read a story about those who fly though hurricanes in Greener Magazine, written by Harlan Weikle. Of interest was this quote, “people notice weather, they don’t notice climate”. Keaton agrees. She’s not happy when it’s raining but just like with the rest of us slower changes tend to go unnoticed.

Wow was Keaton impressed with City Hippy’s news of the week. The NICE car for Londoners, Lewis Gordon Pugh swimming the Thames (I had to help her with the pronunciation of your river) to raise awareness of climate change,

Marks and Spencer pushing fair and appropriately green business practices, SUV’s being charged 3X the congestion charge (Keaton pushed mommy for a wagon) and even a bit about the new Green Mountain coffee cup liners made from sugar not plastic. She thinks you’re an overachiever Al.

"Most people have heard it said that you shouldn't believe everything you read in the newspaper. Well, let me tell you, if you've spent your time with PR people, you'd feel that very, very strongly.” As a father I feel one of my greatest responsibilities, after feeding and clothing little Keaton, is to teach her to think with an open mind. A large part of that in this modern world is learning about propaganda. David Beers of The Tyee writes this week about public relations and how it’s shaping environmental debate.

Keaton hasn’t seen “An Inconvenient Truth” yet, but that not because she’s a republican. She just eats too often. If you’re looking for a bright and plucky review of Al Gore’s film and it’s place in the battle between truth and um… fair and balanced, then check out this piece by Frank at Sludgie. We book marked him.

Green LA girl, one of Keaton’s heroes, has an article she’s just not ready for. It’s about sexy green bras and I have to admit, that’s not what comes to mind when I think about the environment. However here it is, a written review of what’s available in the name of environmentally sound support. She’s got what’s hot and what’s not. Check it out.

Lastly Keaton was able to stay awake long enough as Sally at Veggie Revolution slipped in just under the wire with this piece about recycling W.V.O. That’s waste vegetable oil to those of you who aren’t making your own bio-diesel. The article is responsible, we think, in that it discusses openly some of the flaws of corn-based biofuels. Keaton loved it because she’s already familiar with titration tests and she liked the subversive mindset of these dumpster diving fuel finders.

Well that’s it.

Time for Keaton to say goodbye and find her mommy for some fuel of her own. I want to thank all of you for indulging me in the inclusion of such a young environmentalist. Sure I want her to think for herself, but it doesn’t hurt to show her some responsible paths to travel. Thanks again to City Hippy and Triple Pundit for putting this together. Be sure to check out last week’s Carnival at The Ester Republic and next week’s at Myke’s Weblog.

Best Wishes.

Aaron and Keaton

who told you so?

I received the following email last week.

Hi there,

I just wanted to follow up on the newsworthy and very interesting Discovery Channel show "Global Warming". The TV special airs this coming Sunday, July 16.

It would be great if you could possibly promote the show on your site and announce the premiere.

Click on the link below to find assets, including photos and a clip from the show.

Please let me know once the promotion goes live on your site.

Thanks for your consideration.

Maria

GLOBAL WARMING - premieres July 16th on Discovery Channel

Hosted by award-winning journalist Tom Brokaw and produced by the global alliance of Discovery Channel, the BBC and NBC News Productions, the two-hour special presents the facts and leaves it up to the viewers to determine their own truth about global warming.

Maria Park Crew Creative Advertising 1157 N. Highland Ave, Los Angles, CA 90038

At Maria’s request I’ve removed the link she provided for access to the assets webpage meant to provide me with information to use in promoting this television program. It allowed me to see a clip of the program, provided me background information for the scientists in the show and gave me access to images like this.

In total I received two emails from Maria concerning this television program. The first had a grammatical error which led me to believe she was in fact an actual human. I checked into her company and they are in fact an advertising agency often hired to promote TV and Movie product. Personally I won’t be watching Discovery Channel’s “Global Warming” special this Sunday, July 16^th. I would if I had a television but I don’t. I looks like it will be very informative and I applaud the Discovery Channel for continuing to chip away at the ignorance of the American public concerning this issue. I guess I could have said fighting corporate propaganda and let the American people off the hook. Lately though I’m feeling like we won’t really get anywhere until we begin again to take responsibility for our own actions; both as individuals and as a nation of citizens not of corporate stockholders. But I digress…

One reason I didn’t immediately post the information provided by Maria is that I was skeptical about promoting a show I had not seen just because I was asked to do so by some stranger. In truth it wasn’t the global warming special that intrigued me. The real eyebrow-raiser for me was the ad campaign being used to promote it. Stop for a second and examine what we, those of us writing on the internet, have become. We are powerful enough now that ad agencies are turning to us to help get their message out. Discovery Channel paid Crew Creative Advertising, who in turn paid Maria to find my little blog, with all of 16,000 hits to its name, and find my email address and send a message, albeit fairly generic, in hopes of getting the word out about an upcoming program.

Interesting.

It’s happening. This isn’t your 1990’s internet. Those who have a message (and who doesn’t) are onto us. Steve at deconsumption wrote recently about trolls- people paid to surf the web and steer conversations on the internet with the hopes of changing public opinion. Here I’ve experienced another, if less sinister and more straightforward, attempt to use the blogosphere to help the sheople, do what others want them to do.

I’ve heard it said that advertising is a sign of an unhealthy economy. What if there were no advertising? Imagine for a second going to the store and arriving on the alcohol aisle only to find 6 types of beer in exactly the same sort of blank bottle. The only way to tell them apart would be the number they have on the outside of the bottle. You could choose Bottle Number 1 or Bottle Number 2 or Bottle Number 3, etc. What would happen? Well if you were alone with no one to ask you might pick Bottle Number 5 and take it home to try. On your next trip you might decide Bottle Number 5 was great and buy more or you might decide you didn’t like it or it was too expensive and try Bottle Number 6. Maybe you would try them all to see which one was best or how they were different. Perhaps you’d ask friends and neighbors if they’ve had a chance to try Bottle Number 3.

Eventually you would probably form opinions about each of the bottle numbers. You could use these opinions to decide which bottle to buy when shopping for beer. Your information would be based on trial and error and perhaps information provided by other beer drinkers you know. In this climate I think good beer would be rewarded with an increase in purchases as it became apparent which beer was better or worth the price. In other words the positive and negative feedback loops that promote a healthy free market would do their jobs and product superiority along with price point would rule the day. What happens in the real world though? We are constantly bombarded with advertisers telling us which beer to buy. They appeal to us in ways completely unrelated to beer. They use humor, sex and sports stars to get us to believe that their beer is the best. They market beers to take advantage of the low carb crazy. They even put beer on the sides of race cars. I thought alcohol and automobiles don’t mix?

I am aware of the power of advertising. I try and stay conscious of the fact that corporate America is constantly trying to get me to make decisions that make them money. I guess that’s the best I can do in this day and age. That and help others recognize where all this information comes from. So watch the Discovery Channel special, “Global Warming” this Sunday July 16^th. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it helps with the awareness of this truly important issue. I bet if you do it will make Maria happy. I wonder if this was what she had in mind.

More on propaganda Part One

More on propaganda Part Two

UPDATE: Just after finishing my post I saw this article over at Grist. In it David Roberts says, "...Tom Brokaw is hosting the Discovery Channel's special, "Global Warming: What You Need to Know." This has enraged the hack factory that is the Senate Committee on Environment under the hacktastic proprietorship of Sen. James Inhofe (R-Clowntown)."

Apparently Senator Inhofe said, "Brokaw's partisan past and his reliance on scientists who openly endorsed Democrat Presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004 and who are financially affiliated with left wing environmental groups, has resulted in a documentary that is devoid of balance and objectivity." Now if that ain't propaganda talking I don't know what is.

I like to imagine Senator Inhofe speaking at a ceremony for chopping down the last tree on Easter Island. I can hear him now, "There is no proof the trees won't grow back! The treehuggers would have you believe it's not our God-given right to use trees as we see fit. There needs to be more fair and balanced examination and study of this issue before we harm the economy and the timber industry with a moritorium on tree chopping. Blahblahblah..." This rant brought to you by a question once posed to Jared Diamond. You know what Easter Island looks like today right?

It hasn't always looked that way. "The civilization of Easter Island was long believed to have degenerated drastically during the 100 years before the arrival of the Dutch, as a result of overpopulation, deforestation and exploitation of an extremely isolated island with limited natural resources." More on Easter Island here.

How big would you say OUR Island is Senator?

a spunky guard for the new family

rowdyspunkykittenthatattacks or "spunky" for short is seen below guarding the hen house (or so I like to think). The chicks have moved into the outdoor pen. My plan was to wait longer before introducing them to the older hens but Ubie got broody.


Being broody means a hen sits on her eggs and waits for them to hatch. If the eggs are in fact fertilized they will hatch after about 3 weeks. If they are not fertilized the hen will still sit on them for several weeks. Eventually she'll lose interest and leave the eggs. Ubie was broody for about a week when I decide to try and use her as a mother for the chicks. This past weekend I began removing unfertilized eggs from her nest and replacing them with chicks. By Monday all ten chicks were living with her in the hen house. They seem to be getting along well and Ninja, our other hen, seems fine with her new roommates. Yesterday Ubie ventured into the outdoor area with chicks running around her. She's turning out to be a better mother than the light bulb.

will we reconcile?

Has the human race divided into two distinct species? Will we ever reunite? More here...