Getting Inspired

Hi everyone! I have been wondering what to do with this blog...do I delete it, since I have been so bad about writing here? Or do I keep it around and promise to myself to write a lot more?

I have been doing my Master's research about how UK municipalities can get their town employees to reduce their carbon footprint. A lot of my work is about awareness campaigns, and how to get people to actually do something! It can be a bit frustrating since sometimes it feels like people know what we should be doing, but we don't actually do it. This is called the value-action gap, or knowledge-behaviour gap. What will it take to get across the gap to get societies to actually make enough changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Or to be be more pro-environmental in general?

There are basically two ways to go about encouraging people to do more pro-environmental actions, like conserving energy or reducing how much they use their car. One is to change their values, since people who care about the environment are more likely to do actions that match up with saving the environment. Teaching and inspiring people about nature is one way to reinforce their positive values about the natural world.

The other way to do it is to just get people to change their behaviour, without changing their attitudes. This can be in the form of giving people incentives to get more efficient appliances, or a hybrid car. They might do the action that saves energy, but in general they're doing it to save money or because they think it will make them look good.

Both approaches have their pros and cons, and people respond differently to what motivates them. In my opinion, we need a combination of both to get things done. What do you think motivates people to change? Would you change your actions just because its the right thing to do, or because it would save you money? Or maybe you would like to make those changes but can't afford it, and a financial incentive is the only way to make it feasible for you?

Monkeys and climate change

My posts on this have been pretty sparse recently. I think I've felt like no one reads this, so I haven't bothered posting. However, the counter is at over 11,000, so obviously some people have at least come across the page! I found a disturbing statistic: Only 57% of Americans believe in climate change. I found this astonishing and pathetic. Maybe since I've been at university studying environmental science for the past 5 years, I tend to think that everyone knows what an INSANE problem climate change is. This is why I want to go into environmental policy: regulations need to be implemented as soon as possible. When I die, I want to be able to know that I've done as much as I could to make the world a better place.

Also, I stumbled across a documentary about people who keep monkeys as pets, but treat them like children. They put makeup on them, make them wear clothes, and take family portraits with them. I think this is really creepy and sad for the monkeys, because they should be with other monkeys. I'm really not an animal rights extremist or anything, but animals have such complicated emotional and physical needs that I really don't think its fair to keep them in the house like a baby human. The documentary is called "My Monkey Baby" if you can find it.
All this craziness in the world! But we can't lose hope. If anything, at least all this madness gives people like me something to be passionate about.

A few links

Ah, I've been bad about keeping this updated lately, I know. I'm graduating this semester from undergrad, so I've been busy/stressin' over what's next to come. In the meantime, I've finally found some links worth passing on:

Exxon Valdez photos: 20 years on, spilled oil remains from the National Geographic site (which is an awesome place to procrastinate and look at gorgeous photos, among other things)


A compelling plea against climate change from a 12 year old at Rio years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0

Check out parts 9-12 of this mini-documentary...it's about the ginormous island of trash (the size of Texas) in the Pacific Ocean. This is where our plastic garbage ends up.

Make your voice heard about EPA should regulate CO2!

Friday is the last day to voice your opinion on whether the EPA -- the Environmental Protection Agency -- should regulate carbon dioxide pollution, the primary cause of the climate crisis. This is a big deal.

The EPA is taking public comment, before making a ruling.
Of course, special interests -- like the oil and coal lobbies -- are working overtime to defeat a positive ruling and have already gotten thousands of comments submitted in opposition.
Most people don't know about this opportunity for public comment, so your voice can make a real difference. And with a new president in the White House, it's likely that someone will actually be listening. Submit your public comment to the EPA here:
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/EPA

In April 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide if it is harming our health and welfare. After more than a year of delay, the EPA is finally now requesting public comments on whether carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollutants are endangering our health and our climate.

Make your voice heard about EPA should regulate CO2!

Friday is the last day to voice your opinion on whether the EPA -- the Environmental Protection Agency -- should regulate carbon dioxide pollution, the primary cause of the climate crisis. This is a big deal.

The EPA is taking public comment, before making a ruling.
Of course, special interests -- like the oil and coal lobbies -- are working overtime to defeat a positive ruling and have already gotten thousands of comments submitted in opposition.
Most people don't know about this opportunity for public comment, so your voice can make a real difference. And with a new president in the White House, it's likely that someone will actually be listening. Submit your public comment to the EPA here:
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/EPA

In April 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide if it is harming our health and welfare. After more than a year of delay, the EPA is finally now requesting public comments on whether carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollutants are endangering our health and our climate.

Monsanto and pesiticides (and growth hormones, and PCBs)

I just watched this really interesting documentary called "The World According to Monsanto". It's a very interesting film looking at Monsanto's advertising vs. actual cases of environmental and health hazards. Genetically modified soybeans and corn are affecting not only America, but Mexico and South America because US GM corn is hybridizing with native corn. Bovine growth hormone (rBGH) made by Monsanto increases mastitis (inflammation of mammary glands), increases the amount of pus in milk, and increases the risk of cancer. PCBs (like the ones found at the plant in Glens Falls) in high concentrations can kill small animals and increase the risk of cancer.
Check out some of these links:

Dirt-poor residents seek compensation in Alabama town that was secretly poisoned for decades

Two veteran news reporters for Fox TV in Tampa, Florida have been fired for refusing to water down an investigative report on Monsanto's controversial milk hormone, rBGH

Selling a Revolution: The Monsanto PR Campaign

Intro to Bovine Growth Hormone

An old petition from preventcancer.com speaking out about rBGH

New Study Links Monsanto's Roundup to Cancer

There are many more websites you can find for yourself, but please, think twice before you use pesticides on your lawn or garden (especially if you have kids or pets!!). Pretty much all milk in the US that is labelled otherwise contains Bovine Growth Hormone, so it's my opinion to go organic and rBGH free.

Greening prisons

A pretty interesting story about how inmates are recycling and growing their own food for their prisons.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081101/ap_on_re_us/green_prisons

Two local events

350.ORG PRESENTATION
"The Bells are Ringing …
…not for me and my gal, but they will be ringing 350 times at St. George’s Church and at churches and synagogues throughout the area. Why?- to remind parishioners and members of the Clifton Park community of the vital importance of reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million or less. That’s the maximum amount of carbon that scientists tell us we can have in order to maintain the fragile ecosystems that sustain life on earth. Right now those same scientists tell us that carbon emissions into the atmosphere from manufacturing, households, autos, power plants, and all other sources have raised the number to 385 parts per million. And that is causing climate change - global warming, as it is more popularly known.

On Thursday, October 30th at 7:00 pm, join Green Faith members and other concerned citizens at the Clifton Park – Halfmoon Library for an informational presentation on the 350.org movement. Our speaker will be Jeremy Osborn from 350.org, representing author-environmentalist, Bill McKibbon. This program is sponsored by the Saratoga County Interfaith Environmental Coalition in the interest of improving our stewardship of the Earth.

So listen for the bells on Thursday, Oct. 30th at - you guessed it – 3:50pm and think about what action you can take to reduce your “carbon footprint” to a level that will help make our planet sustainable."


GREEN BUILDINGS FOR GOVERNMENT
"Learn how to implement and enhance state and local green building policy andprograms from national experts - right at your own computer!Register today for the U.S. Green Building Council's new "Greening YourGovernment" Webinar Series <http://lists.usgbc.org/t/883097/13111060/902/0/>

* Understand key components and resources for implementing LEED atthe state and local level.
* Explore the development of the STAR Community Index, and thetools and resources it provides for developing sustainable communitiesnationwide.
* Identify sound green building policy and key implementationstrategies through case examples.
Who Should Participate:
This webinar is a valuable educational opportunity for state and localgovernment leadership and staff, policy makers, advocates, and anyone elseinterested developing and enhancing green government building programs. "

Deadline extended to oppose offshore drilling

"The federal government has extended until September 18 the deadline for commenting on a proposed 5-year plan for offshore energy development. Please act now.
Congress may soon take up unprecedented energy legislation that includes authorization for new offshore drilling. Unfortunately, that’s not the only big threat facing our nation’s precious coastal environments. The Bush administration has launched a new accelerated planning process that could open extensive offshore areas around the country to oil and gas drilling irrespective of how Congress votes. Lining our coasts and shorelines with oil rigs will not lower current gas prices or bring Americans long-term energy security, but it will put at risk some of our nation's most valuable habitats and productive marine areas. " from WWF.

Palin on arctic drilling

Honestly, I was pretty psyched when Sarah Palin was announced as VP for McCain. After all, she's a fisherman/hunter in Alaska, shouldn't she know the value of pristine environments in her home state? I was shocked to find out she's a big advocate for drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore drilling.
"McCain hinted in June that he may re-evaluate his position on drilling in ANWR, saying that he would “go back and look at it again,” but he has since continued to cite environmental concerns as his primary reason for opposing drilling in the reserve."-from http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/29/mccain-and-palin-disagree-on-arctic-drilling/
Let's hope come election time, the candidate with better environmental values wins.