Water Writes (Rights)

Yesterday I was listening to an old CSPAN podcast of a Supreme Court water rights argument in the
case of Kansas v. Nebraska and Colorado.  There are some interesting points that arise in the case as you listen to the SC Justices integrate the prosecution or petitioner and the defendants.

The Case
At issue is violation of both the Republican River Compact and known wrong doing, which seems to arise as a separate issue in my opinion.  Let me simplify this and get to the point because it is made out to be a typical overly complex litigation with meaning getting lost in the language.

These three states made a compact about use of the Republican River.  The violations go back over 10 years.  Nebraska had under estimated water use requirements and violated their use because they argue that the tools to estimate water needs was not accurate enough.  One of their models for the baseline analysis was the dust bowl era.  Seemingly that would be a valuable baseline for water minimums, and it is.  However as it turns out, that water minimum is not the lowest water levels that have been reached over the time since their compact.  Now you might be able to see where this is going.

Colorado is supporting Nebraska's argument, but Kansas is arguing that modifications in the compact are not allowable without acceptable revision (simplified here).  Further Kansas states that such revisions are a "threat" to their water rights; there is also no precedence for addressing disputes for violations of the Compact as can also be found in the Cornell review of that case.

Now there are other factors in the conversation but I am choosing not to go into those because I am not necessarily going in that direction.  As a last note Justices Ginsberg, Alito, Roberts and  Scalia-- as to my memory.

The bigger issue here is the value of water itself.  When considering the volume of water, it is one matter.  And clearly at risk is future violations and what exactly those violations mean going forward if there is not real consequence.  But also this should be an alarm for the real threat of water availability and scarcity.  As we encounter greater concerns over usable water an pollution of it from farms and other industrial requirements for water, how much influence do we as citizens have over this water.

As individuals we lack the power in most cases to even bring our arguments to the Supreme Court, yet our concerns are no less valuable.  Granted that we are getting use from the water that is stated in this case, but I am more concerned about the very nature of the argument that Kansas is making, which is how do we generate consequences for a dispute that satisfies an individual, let alone a state?

Oh!  I found it very interesting that one of the Justices (I believe it to be Justice Scalia) made a point of saying that if better ways of measuring water consumption from the River,  become available that doesn't necessarily meant that you are suppose to continually ask this court to make allowable revisions in the Compact.   Now it is my understanding that the whole point of law is to adapt when things are not accurately accounted for including human behavior relative to the greater good or violations of ideologies that were once though to be sufficient as in the case of civil rights arguments.

This is probably enough to marinate on but it does get you thinking about the importance of water and perhaps how we should elevate our awareness of what it actually means to and in our society.

An Authority in the Field

Being an authority in sustainability is not as important as being able to lead others to walk a sustainable path.  For example, there are 831 scientist appointed to the 5th climate assessment panel for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  While that sounds rather impressive, and it is, it does not make the knowledge sharer impressive- this is more to the point.

There is a certain benevolence among the community truly committed to growing the number of people actively participating in climate initiatives and efforts.  It seems sometimes that the real expertise manifests in behavior; it is not necessarily the expert that convinces people, but the persuader that is most successful.  Think about advertising, the woman in the skimpy shirt and panties, the man with the low cut jeans; they are no expert in manufacturing jeans or even health and fitness, but you listen to their message- buy these jeans dammit and you will look good like me.  And what happens, millions of people go out and make their purchase on a most unreliable source.

So with 831 experts in their field, why is it so difficult to move a society closer to climate consciousness?  We are creatures of habit and comfort.  This may be one of the human conditions that plagues us the worst, certainly among the top ten.  In fact when is the last time you watch or responded to the stock market rising or falling.  Heck we have so much belief in the stock market, not a day goes by where we are persuaded to believe that our day is not complete without us determine based on some"one", else's opinion, that the world economy is going to collapse because the some country's market dropped 1%.

Now imagine if we gave that much weight to the environment.  What would happen if we responded to a 1% change in the ecosystem, the way we do when the financial markets shift.  We might think very differently about the Amazon Rain Forest.  Such a shift in our behavior might result in a cataclysmic shift in our decision making.

In a recent article in Time Magazine, Ecuador want to be paid not to destroy the rain forest in their geographic area.  It is a very interesting article, but more importantly it is forces us to take a real hard look at externalities (assessing a value to attributes we over look). I would say that the world could probably come up with $3.6 billion dollars to protect the rain forest for 13 years- seems like a pretty good value.  As a matter of fact, I think I going to reach into my pocket right now and that spare $3 billion I have just sitting around.  All joking aside, why is it we have hordes of people telling us the significance of climate issues and our response is less than admirable?  Comfort is a likely answer.

We have got to work harder to do more to persuade others to act more responsibly.  Maybe it is more time out of our day, more money, better yet, more individual innovation that will help move people's stale thinking about climate extremes.  And whatever you do, don't try to scare people into being more responsible, they will just shut down and that won't do anyone or anything any good.  Let's go back to the sexy women and men of advertising; it is not often that you feel threatened by their ads, they can be down right persuasive.  Employ similar techniques, at least in principle.  No need to start stripping down, though some women in the Ukraine, have been known to take advocacy to such a level somewhat successfully.  Hmmm, perhaps the tides are changing.

Good fortune to all!

Relationships Don't Always Go Green

This article is more personal (man, woman, and green) in nature so if you are looking for a technical stimulant, you'll want to take a pass on this one.

Not too long ago I met someone new, in an attempt to explore building a relationship with someone.  She is an amazing individual with a list of accomplishments and a sense of independence and determination that would rival any over achiever.  I am honored to share a part of my life with her.

As most new relationships go, we had a conversation about attributes we appreciated about one and other as well as expectations.  Within this context, she expressed concern about her personal lifestyle and not wanting to be pressured to change.  This came on the heels of a statement about my commitment to sustainability as my lifestyle relates to it.  My lifestyle by far exceeds her level of commitment to sustainability, which forced her to share that such a chasm could very well be too much of a hurdle to overcome.

It is very early in the relationship so there is no real level of commitment at this point, this can also be known as the discovery period.  You learn about the other persons habits, lifestyle etc. and determine if going forward makes sense.  The other good thing about these tougher conversations is that you are not too engulfed in the relationship that you can't see daylight on the other side because all that seems to matter is how caught up you are in the moment of emotions, like you wound up and twisted in a potpourri of your favorite chocolates.  It is great that our more sensible/ mature side has prevailed.

My response to her concern was simple; as a grown woman, I don't expect her to change her lifestyle rather I believe my lifestyle habits might encourage her to change her own after seeing the ease of sustainable adaptations.

I do what is good for me and the environment; my hope is that my behaviors and lifestyle choices will influence people in a way that encourages them to make significant changes- of their own volition.  Such changes will likely have a more profound impact not only on the environment, but will also systematically foster changes in people who are not as committed, to shifting lifestyle impact on climate change.  So while I don't expect her to change her lifestyle, I do expect that my choices will encourage her to make lifestyle changes.

My lifestyle choices have evolved over time.  Because of my circumstances or personal choices; making the adaptations have been profoundly easier for me than such changes might be for virtually all other people.  This does not make me a super hero (except perhaps in my own mind), but stands to explain how I have positioned myself for success relative to environmental sustainability issues and that I can continue to do so- a priority in my life.  Just as one must position themselves for financial success by strategically positioning specific actions and objectives, so have I done with sustainability.  Each day I grow better at what I am capable of doing because of my intentions.

Where does this leave our relationship, I cannot say with certainty, but choosing to broach the conversation positions each of us to make well informed decisions going forward and it will not be a hurdle that was stands in the way of our pursuit of happiness.

Unexpected Changes to a Greener Planet

Deliberations, sometimes they get in the way of getting done what we believe in.  Consideration for this, consideration for that; what will they think; WHAT IF!!!  Eeeeak!

Stop... breathe, and do what you believe in.  This is a much simpler statement than the what our genetic coding suggest we go through for decision-making but there is more than a speck of truth in it.  There is so much activity in sustainability and climate change often it feels like someone else is or can do whatever is on your mind- not so.  Each person acts as another potential persuasive vehicle to advance work tremendously important to protecting the planet.  Even if its been said, say it again, add a twist.  We must constantly strive to balance protecting the natural resources accessible to us and the way we use them.  There are millions of people, billions for that matter, waiting for someone with the right tone, approach or message that will resonate with them enough to take active steps to contribute to making a different in the many areas that make up sustainability and preservation.

After a brief hiatus, returning to this work is paramount for me; there is so much work to be done and I cannot count on what everyone else will do so I will continue to do my part and be more diligent in doing so.  Expect more articles from me more frequently, that share important advances in technology, resources, activities and changes in climate related matters.  I don't have all the answers but I feel reinvigorated after returning from Asia and having gone through a certain cleansing for myself.  I found what I needed to regroup and continue with what I believe in.

The world is a beautiful place; I want to fulfill my role in it and preserve it for as long as possible.  My goal is to help inspire others to do the same by sharing my knowledge and determination to do the same.  What you don't find here (looking4answers) you will find here ( at green elements).

Recently I spoke with my ex-wife who shared with me some amazing progress I never thought I would hear come from her lips; I Love her she is an amazing woman.  This evening she told me all of the steps she was taking to be a more active participant in climate consciousness.  Throughout the entire conversation I was smiling to myself realizing how important it is to continue the work.  You see, we don't always know when what we share with others will have the desired affect, but we can't allow that to slow us down or prevent us from doing the work.  What did she share? 1) She is walking our son to school 2) she is (as well as my son) designating a separate disposal for recycling and trash- and my son is keeping her on her toes; 3) she has replaced all the lighting in her home with CFL; 4) she has taken a conscious step to reducing the highly processed food and nearly eliminated soda from her/ their diet.  YAHOOW-OOOOOh!  Nothing could make me happier relative to what changes she is making regarding climate change.

I want to remind everyone that CFL can be extremely dangerous so follow the necessary precautions when handling them.  I have provided a link here >> What should I do if I break a bulb?  .  LED is really the best lighting technology but pricing is still an issue.

Trip of a Life Time- Around the World

Traveling is one of the true amenities of the human experiences.  If you are an environmentalist there are things that you constantly think about relative to your carbon foot print.  I have friends and family all over the world and own a dilemma; how to I enjoy the company of these friends and people I cherish, while maintaining my sense of responsibility to protecting the environment?

Over the past five years I have made many changes in my lifestyle.  I sold two cars and a motorcycle; developed an acute awareness for my waste habits, including recycling, and composting to produce my own food (effectively reducing the distance food has to travel to get to my table and the environmental costs associated with producing that food).  I use a waterfall system to wash my dishes by hand; I turn my hot water tank down to a temperature I can bare (warm) in the Summer; I don't leave water running when brushing my teeth or taking a shower (meaning, I turn the water off while I am soaping my body); I use a rain barrel to water my house plants and in the winter, I use the water running in the shower for my plants (because it takes time to heat up- why waste usable cold water?); I buy used clothes because I know how much water it take to produce a pair of jeans; and I pick up furniture being thrown out by others to furnish my home as I think about how long it might otherwise sit in the landfill as waste.

Despite all these things and more, I still have reservation about doing extensive traveling.  So how do I reconcile these concerns?  My hope is that I will learn more things along the way that will make a bigger difference in my life; enable me to make a bigger difference in the lives of others, so that my overall impact is reduced because of the net benefit.  Obviously I hope to share some of my experience and research to persuade others to practice environmentally sound habits.

It is challenging to see that some of the worst habits are right here at home in the United States.  Perhaps there are some positive lessons in the economic downturn we are currently experiencing.  Slowing our consumption rate is a really good starting point.  We could begin to reconcile our fuel usage and establish a national campaign on conservation that is relentless with clear objectives that achieve specific milestones- that would be data worth tracking.

I would like to say that I will just do my part, but the planet is much too important to me to not be diligent in persuading others, while consistently raising the bar for myself about acting more responsibly relative to being climate conscious.

How do I justify making this journey I believe to be an important next step in my life?  My answer may not be the correct one, which I will reserve until I collect more responses from my readers and friends, but I will begin by telling you the impact I have is on my mind every waking moment; at night I dream about a better world.

Water Whys

Why, is water so important in our life?  

Imagine if you decided to not consume or use anything that was related to water, for just one day:

*The most obvious exclusion would be drinking water- none of that.  On average an adult consumes about two liters of water per day;

*you would also have to stop eating that day; water is required to grow anything that grows from the earth, i.e. agricultural products;

*you'll have to turn off those lights also; coal fired powered plants use about 2.2 billion gallons of water each year (UCS); 

*you would have to decide not to drive that day, because : the amount of water used to manufacture a new car, including new tires? 39,090 gallons per car;

*chicken wings? water is used during the growing/production of a chicken? 400 gallons;

*Water required for irrigation (2005 estimates)  128 billion gallons of water per day.

Water under the bridge

Clearly, water is a key resource to everything we do.  It is important that we are more conscious about making wise consumer choices to avoid over use, of this precious natural resource.  Since only three percent of our earth's water resources is considered drinkable water understanding its scarcity is something we should be educated about, not threatened by.  This simply means as you are making your purchases, go the extra mile and let manufactures know by sending them an e-mail, calling customer service or contacting their head quarters, that you would like to know what steps they are taking to conserve water in their manufacturing and distribution process.

 


Certain arms of the government such as WETT, are looking at the value of water to the environment not just the value of water to for human consumption.  On their web site they state that their research will "...enable an environmentally and economically more appropriate evaluation by including quantified environmental benefits..."  This is an approach of internalizing the externality (or realizing the cost in other than dolar terms).

Putting your best foot forward

With so much effort into understanding water that is taking place behind the scenes, it is understandable why we need to know much more about the impact of our own consumption habits and usage regarding water.  There is not doubt that human related activity has an impact on water quality and availability; so we can make a conscious choice to change the impact we have by reducing and reusing water whenever possible.

Water availability is a real concern and there are a lot of good sites you can visit to understand more about it including: the U.S. Geological Survey; American Water Use; WETT (Water Energy Technology Team) and the radio active risks associated with Japan and our fish consumption.  You might also want to visit the World Health Organization's site to look at impacts around the world.

Ending on a memorable note; in the United States, we consume about 346,000 million (that's "346 hundred-thousand-million" gallons of water each day.

Let water why(s) help you become water wise.  It is a global issue, but the change begins with you.  

Happy drinking!  

Japan Earthquake: Signs of Climate Change

An 8.9 scale earth quake rocked Japan generating a tsunami that is moving homes, cars, planes and having an earth shattering office buildings.

This is obviously a terribly disturbing event as hundreds are already reported dead; at what point do we recognize the correlation between what is occurring in the natural environment as a result of the accelerated impact of human activity?

Condolences and well wishes for those who are experiencing a significant loss- it is unimaginable.

Here the ocean moves large boats and vehicles as though they were leaves in a stream.

Psychological Filters of Climate Change

by Scotland Willis
Whether you are a believer in climate change or not, the intensity of your belief passes through many filters.  This is one of the many things preventing the kind of progress which advocates for climate change would like to see.
Opponents, on the other hand, lack research infrastructure, attempting to manipulate and falsely extrapolate intensely researched data from climate experts- not advocates.

Researchers from Yale University published a book titled Global Warming's Six Americas.  They examine varying degrees of individual's perception on climate change.  More extreme views for immediate action(which might include shutting down all coal fired power plants,) make up a small percentage of environmental activists.  You could easily put Jim Hansen in this category.  Though a renowned scientist, he is becoming increasingly recognized as an aggressively staunch environmentalist, rather than scientist.  But like many people, Hansen has likely become frustrated with the tree sap pace implementation of legislative, social, and industrial (policies, lifestyle and operations) respectively, and the commitment to reversing human induced climate change.

Opponents of climate change concern's have a line to tow, depending on the degree of opposition.  Even starlet opponents such as Bjorn Lomborg, who lead a study sponsored by Copenhagen Consensus funded by the IMF, to address what the most pressing issues are facing humanity and how to prioritize them; Lomborg noted the environment is not a priority in his comments.  Claims by legitimate scientist counter Lomborg's opinions as fabricated and deliberately distorted.  Lomborg lacks fundamental insights to science and is not qualified to contest the evidence put forth by most climatologist; and as the evidence mounts his opposition continues to wilt.

Because human activity on the Earth is also directly related to conflict on the Earth(environmental, social, economic and otherwise) setting priorities will grow increasingly difficult- but making the right choices is paramount.  In a recent discussion with a friend who had come up with a model for saving polar bears that are dying because of melting ice caps; he asked for my opinion.  I was forced to ask him a series of provocative questions challenging the invention, for which he was not prepared to receive.  As it turned out he neglected to consider a number of ecological unintended consequences.  Opponents often don't support their arguments with hard data because of such oversights.

Heavily disputed IPCC's work happens to have 831 scientists and researchers in the fifth climate report they will generate.  For whatever data they omit from their report, we still have to recognize the strength of the caliber of talent this body is made up of.  If the strongest argument for opponents of climate change is  that data was left out; which it was, there arguments will continue to fall apart.  It is important to understand that government leaders specifically asked that IPCC research include significant data that might present insight to the most challenging environmental issues.  That would imply that some pressing matters may not take priority over others- report back to us on those matters.  Also universities, and other governing authorities as well as the National Academy of Sciences verified that the work was not compromised in terms of ethics or procedure and is in fact valid.

Ultimately individual people will have to amass enough knowledge to influence government to set environmental policies.  Knowledge helps to persuade government of a matters significance.  And because of the force of lobbyist against climate change policies, consumers must be able to consistently present formidable arguments capable of becoming mainstream thinking- but that requires a change.
Our perception of the cost of goods is skewed in the United States, resulting from a long standing feeling of entitlement.  Cheap fuel, merchandise and taxes all make the United States very appealing but we have a lot to learn about the impact of our amenities.  When we learn to adapt to a higher cost of living for the resources we use we will become a nation of advocates and revolution will be a mantra that is not as painful as it is in its current form.

Thomas Friedman author of Flat Hot and Crowded suggests that we are not even on the cusp of an environmental revolution; in a real revolution there are winners and losers.  That means no cheer leaders, society is much more sophisticated than that.  An environmental revolution will set policies that say either you get on board or get in the water and hope for the best.  There is no compromise . The environment is not going to wait and give us a few more years until we get our house in order.  Friedman was right when he said, the dot com revolution created leaders and those who got left behind- you got it or you didn't.  We need an environmental vision that powerful.

There are very specific reasons we are going to experience what I call Climate Strange, because the climate will always change; but the strange occurrences will increase in frequency.  This is a broader topic I will address in the near future.

Each of us needs to get out of our comfort zone and do something to advance a reversal of our carbon footprint.  There an abundance of evidence and numerous experts indicating the urgency of climate change.  If we fail to acknowledge as a nation the matter before us in the environment; and if we don't make it a national priority(which means creating jobs, investing in research and development and positioning the United States to be a leader in the industry of environmental products and innovation)  we will no longer be identified as a leading nation among our global counter parts.

Scotland Willis is an environmental strategist, lecturer and advocate.  He is currently a dual Masters candidate at Tufts in Environmental Engineering and Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.  He is a management consultant in systems and large scale change and is a columnist/ photographer for environmental issues.

Human Activity ...In Flames

Not far from the Caspian Sea lies the crater the crater 328 feet wide.  It is the result of gas exploration in Turkmenistan during the early 1970's.   Incidence such as this are a stark reminders that can penetrate psychological barriers that block understanding of the need to protect natural environment.  Here we see evidence that indicates the prevalence of poor judgement, detrimental when exploiting the natural environment.

Located Near the village of Derweze in the Karakum Desert, it is an easy reminder that we need more foresight when embarking on new "oppotunities" so that we proceed with the proper amount of caution.  There is a balance to preservation and the impact of human activity that will allow us to avoid leaving disasters such as this in our wake-- Deepwater Horizon is a reminder of that as well. This particular incident, has  been exacting its revenge for nearly 40 years now and continues to burn today.  This incident occurred near a 350 person village of Derweze and the risks associate with that population are no in my perview as of yet.
Location link Derweze (gass flame crater)
video link: Derweze in falmes

Never Before in History

Never before in history have all social components of society been on the verge of collapse. Politics, family, economy, religion, education.  The question we are left with then is what do we do?  Before we decide that it is important to look back in history.  This article simpley acknowledges that we need to address these issues and that we are running out of time.  I can't say that the threshold is but it certainly seems as though we are approaching many of them simultaneously.
Looking at the following list, it is difficult to put them in their correct:  Native Americans were clearly established in North America first, but problems arise with each cultural category where do you place African Americans and Women on a timeline when considering historical impacts and implications?  So this order reflects the experience and when major events occurred in no particular order of significance.  African Americans could have a slave experience and a historical experience based on civil rights.  These nuances would consume too much time and I would lose lots of readers.  So for practical purposes I have just chosen to list them in no particular order.
Native American History American; Explorers- Colonial Period 1772- 1786-; The Revolution 1787- 1820- The New Nation; 1820-1855- Antebellum;  The Civil War Period 1865-1897- Reconstruction and Industrialization  1897-1920 World Stage; The Twenties;  The Depression  World War II; Postwar America 1945-1960; The Sixties and Civil Rights- 1960-1974; ; African American History; America 1975-2010 Women's History.
 If you look back to the Native American period, they had education, agriculture, trade etc.  During North American colonization education, economic growth, religion and family values were prevalent.  Even during the Revolution and Civil War, the family unit was essential; despite the intra-family conflicts that occurred families though fragmented, were bound by the pursuit of freedom, prosperity, and agriculture and beyond.  During the formation of the New Nation people coalesced around the idea of independence from Europe and a sense of determining their own fate-- people in control of their own destiny.  Again during Antebellum people were still heavily dependent on the family unit.  Towns and communities were designed for security and social enhancement.  While more people died in the Civil War than at any other time, in U.S. history, it was also a time of growth from agriculture to war as a stimulus for manufacturing and again families worked to populate those who were sacrificed during the war.  Re construction and industrialization revolutionized the world.  New innovations and some of the greatest minds continued to flow into the U.S.  This was a great period of thinking.  World War I and World War II posed more challenges to the United States but it continued to wield its influence as a new comer to the world state, making a name for itself and creating a real presence as a force to be reckoned with.  African American experience stretches from slavery to Civil Rights and beyond, the same could easily be said for the feminist movement and women's rights. 
 But what lead us up to today where religion is not only disruptive but in deep conflict all around the world.  What is responsible for the world economy collapsing?  Why have our family units been dismantled? Why has faith and trust in politics and government gone by the wayside? And why is the state of education look more like the state of chaos?  One thing I can guarantee you is that I do not have the answer, rather this is a wake up call to everyone.
 No one president, leader, organization or government; religious or academic institution is responsible.  My point here is only that each (politics, family, economy, education, and religion) is on the brink on destruction or collapse a place we have never been before.  We are in need of more than just a change in health care; we are in need of more than educational or banking reform.  Nothing Planned Parenthood or right to lifers can do will change the course we are currently on.  And to top it all off we are destroying the very environment we depend on to sustain human life as we know it.  Don't pray about it, fix it.  We need to do and be something revolutionary that will transform the current conditions we face as a society-- as a human race.  If we do not we will surly perish.
 There is much that has not been captured here but we must begin to look at things differently.
This topic requires a much broader conversation which I embrace; but we have a problem greater than any world leader or president, political party, fundamentalist group.  We need to look upon it that way and fix it not the part of it.  We have our priorities wrong and we are not doing anything to create a holistic change.  We must look at all of these components and begin mapping out a revival plan that is strategic and deliberate.  I am amazed we have not articulated this argument sooner but we need to have the conversation.

...Sky's the Limit

There is no limit to what is possible, an insight into the human mind.  Preserving the environment is no different.  And as long as there is 1% chance I will invest 100% effort.

By far our greatest challenge is preserving the balance between environment and the impact of human activity, rivaling the tragedies occurring in Africa, India as well as other developing nation- humanitarily speaking there is no comparison, but there are many links.  Preserving one can improve the outlook for many.

Fortunately human capacity has the unique ability to adapt and change.  Fraught with compromises, questions and with so many to consider, there is no satisfactory answer for what we face.

World population as of October 1, 2010 6,872,233,191

As I reflect on what my task is at Tufts University I think about the power of the resources at my disposal in Urban Planning and Environmental Engineering.  I reflect on the opportunity as a utility, to apply theory, philosophy, ideology, modeling and structure to produce a transformational strategy to preserve our natural environment-- helping others to understand and improve.  I believe we can learn to help others make immeasurable leaps in faith and progress.  My goal is to produce compelling insights that can move the world-- why not?

Engagement with people from around the world, resembling a United Nations located in a place where  our differences become our indifference-- to barriers.  We to explore the frontier together in order to foster new thinking and energy that makes the planet a more habitable place to live.

Critical thresholds of water resources; debate and dialog on economic influences, health risk factors all leave me capitulating to the evidence that rests before me; knowing that within all of this is not solely idealism that drives my commitment to change, but my unshakable belief in what is possible for humanity to achieve.  People managing scarcity, and transforming it into abundance, implementing strategies around policies and sound planning, collectively represent my drivers.

How much time do we have to achieve all this?

We have exactly enough time... starting right now.

Do something environmental (DSE)

Bottled water www.(water what a waste)

photo wikipedia

by Scotland Willis

Massachusetts legislation House Bill 3515, Senate Bill 1480 for which the session ended July 31 2010(According to legislative sessions and rules ).  Further discussion on the matter of bottled water and soft drink deposit requirement(of .05 cents) is essentially moot.

Global not just you not just here
Throughout all of this, what rarely comes to the forefront is the impact of plastic on our environment.  Four out of five plastic bottles end up in a landfill, according to UN research. A Pool of plastic swirling in Pacific Ocean commonly known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is visible evidence of how human activity affects the environment(wikipedia maps and description).  Both the manufacturing and disposal have a toxic environmental impact that last beyond your and my lifetime combined.  Perhaps a more effective approach would be to develop a campaign that consistently demonstrates the waste product, its path and the outcome of plastic bottle's aftermath.  Visibility of harmful affects just is not there, despite the discovery of a rubbish patch in the Atlantic as well.  Perhaps politics, plastics, and profits just don't mix- curious.  There should be a 10 cent deposit; there are proven results in other states at this level.  That is a fraction of the toll waste plastic is having on our environment and it is something we can achieve immediately.

Issues with the bottle bill
This bottle bill left out some important provisions in its current form nonetheless.  It did not cover bottles less than 16 ounces(specifically the bill refers to container sizes 16 oz. to 2 liters).  That is ludicrous.  Smaller bottles represent a majority of the container people walk around with daily as well as being the most common container sold at special events because they are easy to hold and store.  Exempting beverage companies from all sizes lesser than 16 ounces is a fatal flaw.  Why? Because if a bill does pass, they will merely begin promoting 15 oz and less bottles.  Worse 15.9 oz bottles.

Corporations need to have a greater sense of accountability for what human demand and activity has on the environment.  Beverage companies don't want to see(what amounts to a .03 cent increase) in handling fees because of the marginal additional cost, or the perceived added expense to the consumer.  What is most disconcerting is that these very same beverage companies will not hesitate to discover new gimmicks to increase their profits by raising the price.  Apparently they are very unfamiliar with the triple bottom line and within that context, corporate accountability.  Beverage companies just don't seem to care.

A little education in corporate responsibilityA basic notion of accountability in this instance might suggest that an organization profiting from the beverage market ( i.e. wastefully [editorial license] manufacturing and packaging municipal grade or lesser water- and call it pure) in bottled water, has a social responsibility( vis a vis corporate accountability) to give back to that from which I took.  Protecting the environment is an investment not a cost.  Damaging the environment is a cost, clearly greater than beverage companies care to realize, which comes from the manufacturing of plastic containers and the waste associated with them(about 2,500,000).  Profits over people, or profits over preservation, both compromise a triple bottom line.

Here is a good exercise for fellow consumers.  Visit the web site of each beverage company that services your area; find out what there mission statement is( these are the principles that guide their work); call them up and hold them accountable for what they promise or state in their mission if it is at all related to creating a sustainable environment, or preserving our natural resources.  Even if they claim to have a connection to the natural environment- hold them to it.

There is absolutely no excuse to allow beverage companies to escape their responsibility to protect the environment; nor should we as consumers allow them to.  So today, protest:   1. learn how safe your local municipal drinking water is (I have been drinking water from the City of Boston for years and I feel great) 2. buy a reusable water container.  They are relatively inexpensive as low as $4.99 and without harmful chemicals in most cases (read the label).

I don't buy bottled water or soft drinks.  If you have it within you, stop or write your beverage company and tell them to step up their commitment to the environment and to you.  Hold them accountable for the mess they are making- literally.  And tell Rep. Alice Wolf (D-Cambridge) and Sen. Cynthia Creem (D-Newton) 1. do not give up and 2. make the policy stronger.  Let them know that you will work to gain additional support to get this bill into legislation.

Green Note: Cement accounts for 5 to 8% of CO2 output, the 3rd largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. 

Scotland Willis is an environmental strategist, lecturer and advocate.  He is currently a working on a dual Masters at Tufts in Environmental Engineering and Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.  He is a management consulting in systems thinking and large scale change.  You can email him at scotland@clearstrategies.us. or visit the clear strategies web site

iPhone Factor

Corporate Responsibility

By Scotland Willis

iPhones have become an international icon for communication savvy and pop culture. Unfortunately a connection between the iPhone and the hazardous chemical n Hexane, have become linked; it appear a step in manufacturing of the iPhone is resulting in neurological damage to some workers in China. N Hexane is a toxic chemical and on rare occasions can be deadly.

In February 2010, claims were reported that Wintek Corporation a subsidiary of Suzhou had workers who experienced neurological symptoms due to exposure from Hexane. The significance- Wintex produces the iPhone product and the n Hexane is a chemical used for cleaning the screens on iPhones. Hexane has a flash point of -10F and there for evaporates faster than alcohol as a cleaning agent- speeding up production. It is important to understand a few more facts about n Hexane itself.

Hexane if inhaled enters your body through your lungs. A person's liver helps to break down harmful substances such as the gases from n Hexane. The liver makes proteins that regulate your blood, and attempts to neutralize toxins in the blood like those found in Hexane. These toxins that don't get filtered pass through your blood stream and are carried to all of your organs.

Research from NIOSH (responsible for health and safety standards under the Center for Disease Control,) reveals that n Hexane has severe neuro toxins and can lead to a range of debilitating affects from peripheral neuropathy to pneumonitis. OSHA's permissible exposure limits of hexane in a contained workspace is 500 parts per million (ppm). Though proposed limits of 50 ppm were submitted to the U.S. court system, the court repudiated this proposal and its legal limits remain at 500 ppm today as listed on OSHA and CDC's NIOSH. It should be noted that even at 500 ppm neurological damage can still occur.

To provide some perspective OSHA allows 5000 parts per million(ppm) of CO2 (carbon dioxide), per million parts of air. This indicates that n Hexane at an allowable 500 ppm, present a dangerously higher level of risk to human welfare when compared to the allowable ppm for carbon dioxide(U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services).

Hexane is also found in many soy products from baby formula to soy milk. Manufactures use Hexane to extract proteins in these food products. Traces found in food products are often in the low 20 ppm and even less in soy milk. The objective is to explain how common the presence of Hexane is in our food, and put its risk factor in perspective. Hexane is a very harmful chemical and ideally manufacturers of soy products would not use Hexane in processing food at all. Preventable measures would be most ideal but that would most likely require reducing the production levels- as is the case with the iPhone.

Any of the point made here can be verified and are in no way presented to drastically shift public opinion, but hold companies accountable for counter intuitive practices to sustainability. As an environmental strategist the goal is to encourage businesses to look at more effective ways to approach eco-friendly practices, by making alternative recommendations.

From a public consumer perspective, we can influence what happens in the manufacturing process. By letting the company know that we would like evidence within 60 days that their policy regarding exposure this chemical demonstrates significant change; and that we would consider shifting our loyalty to their brand if reasonable steps were not taken. This give the manufacture reasonable time to make changes and does not threaten the disruption of business immediately. Everyone should have time to respond so that they don't react in a nonproductive or less meaningful way.

Corporate and social responsibility extend beyond our boarders. When we decide to globalize our products and services, that brings with it accountability in those new territories; not only for those products and services but to the quality of life that speak to who we are and our regard for people and the ecosystem. For business, environmental priorities should be a expansive part of a evolving green print for success.