Forever Earthbound
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Away

2/18/2016

1 Comment

 
     The typical morning walk takes our dog, Fritz, and me down the back path to the road.  Fritz runs ahead into the woods and up on the pasture while I traipse behind on the pavement.  He waits for me on the crest of the last rise above the long descent to the creek valley below.  That’s where we reverse course and head home to breakfast.

     One Sunday late last fall, the Saturday night revelers deposited an unusually large number of roadside items including: cellophane from a Hot Hands Toe Warmers package, beer containers (one each) of the 8 oz., 12 oz., and 24 oz. varieties, and a cigarette pack.  Fritz dragged up a well-gnawed deer backbone as his contribution.  These were all things folks had thrown…away.

     Long ago this same relatively secluded stretch of road acquired a reputation as a place to get rid of old tires, mattresses, building materials and the like by tossing them into the adjoining woods and driving away.  This practice continued until our frustrated neighbor posted “No Dumping Allowed” signs along the road.  It apparently hadn’t dawned on the perpetrators that getting rubbish out of their sight didn’t actually eliminate the rubbish; it was still somewhere.  Perhaps Saturday night revelers have a hard time reading the signs as they whiz past in a beery blur, so out the window they continue to throw their trash…away.

     Just where is this mythical “away”?  One person’s “away” is another’s backyard.  Bravo! to folks who reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle.  Nevertheless, all but the very most conscientious of us still have a bunch of stuff we simply set out once a week for the sanitation workers to take to that magical “away” place.

     Scientists tell us we’re entering a new geologic epoch, the Anthropocene, or the human epoch.  Epochs are marked by earth-shaking events like the retreat of the ice age.  Humankind’s impact is creating a new, less ecologically balanced epoch partly because of all the stuff we produce and then eventually throw …away.
 
     But we’re savvy enough to know that we can’t endlessly foul our nest and expect to thrive.  We can all be more thoughtful about the quantity of stuff we accumulate and then how we ultimately dispose of it.  We’re wise enough to know there really is no “away.”  “Away” is right here on our only home where we’re forever…Earthbound.”
1 Comment

Just Considering

2/3/2016

0 Comments

 
      Oscar Optimist continued explaining about COP21, the Paris climate conference, while the always-cynical Conrad Contrarian bided his time, preparing for a clever comeback. Conrad ordered up another round of drinks.  Then he found his opening.
     “So you’re telling me 196 countries agreed to keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees C (3.6 F) even though they know that their current pledges, so far, are too low to meet that goal.  And while the wealthy countries agreed to raise their financial contributions in this cause, most are throwing in only a tiny fraction of their GDPs.  For example, the U.S. commitment over the next 5 years is less than one-thousandth of a percent of its annual GDP,” chuckled Conrad.  “Sounds like pie-in-the-sky to me,” he smirked.
     “Ahh…the cynic strikes again,” Oscar countered.  “Nobody said this would be easy.  But consider the alternative – rising sea levels causing infrastructure damage and refugee problems, increasing crop insecurity, ocean acidification, and increased extreme weather events – all expensive consequences.  On the other hand, with continually improving technologies and economies of scale, the smart money is betting on a clean energy future that steadily reduces fossil fuel use.”
     “OK, OK, so times are changing, and this is an important issue,” conceded Conrad. “It just seems overwhelming.”
     “But,” smiled Oscar, “Americans are great at taking on seemingly insurmountable problems.  After all, who was it that put a man (several men actually!) on the moon and defeated fascism on two fronts at the same time during WWII?  We can DO this!  But it’s going to take a new way of thinking.  Outdated thinking often limits decision-making priorities to comfort, convenience and cost.  Now’s the time to add climate into that equation. 
     “Consider the climate when making purchases; it’ll be a wise and healthy shift in priorities.  Consider the climate when traveling locally or across the country.  If seven billion earthlings each make small adjustments in priorities we can have a huge impact.  Consider the climate in your investments and at the polls because WE’RE the ones the world’s been waiting for to shape a healthy future.  Consider the climate, and you’ll exemplify the finest of human qualities – compassion for others.  Consider the climate and the whole environment because this small blue and white sphere is the only home we’ll ever know.  We’re here forever…Earthbound.”
0 Comments

    Author

    I'm interested in the topics of sustainability and climate change especially in regards to our local area in southwest Wisconsin.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    Carbon Fee And Dividend
    Carbon Sequestration
    Climate Change
    Extreme Weather
    Health
    Local Food
    Lymes Disease
    Mercury Pollution
    Renewable Energy

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.