Tag: Sustainability

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Home Life

Odds and Ends

Fall Colors
Fall Colors

LAKE MACBRIDE— It is a late frost this year. Oct. 20 and the tomatoes and peppers are still growing, inspiring hope to pick more before the season finally ends. I gave away a bushel of kale on Saturday, confident there will be more.

In between part time jobs there are blocks of time with which to build a life. There are fewer of them, but between interactions with members of the public and spells of writing in public, there is a private life about which I haven’t and won’t write much here.

In most ways, mine is the plain life of a common person. The profound awakening I had as a grader—that Cartesian view about communication with others through media—shaped much of who I am and have been. Realizing it was not unique to me has shaped my life as I moved from school to worklife to homelife. I don’t mind being a commoner.

Part of each week is spent with people in public, and discontent seems to lie below craggy surfaces. Some appear to have had a rough life, and take little joy in human interactions. Others, especially people accompanied by children, are more positive and joyful. Life in society is a mixed bag, and that is not news.

For me there is much more than getting through to the next day. Since Monday is my Friday, I am resolved to get something done during these weekdays. To transform this quotidian existence into something at least as beautiful as the fall colors—or as close as I can get.

Categories
Social Commentary

Inequality in the 21st Century

Blog Action Day“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These first words to the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, and proclaimed on July 4, 1776, are what most U.S. residents think of when considering equality—we all are created equal.

A month earlier, George Mason had written the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which included, “all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights of which… they cannot deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”

As Jefferson and Mason both understood, liberty meant the right to own property, including slaves, something each of them did.

Whatever liberty and the enjoyment of life we have gets parceled out unevenly at birth. We are more alike genetically than different, but the circumstances into which we enter life and live make us more different with each passing day. The cards are already dealt in terms of family, religion, and social and economic status when we are born.

For those who come into a life of wealth and property—an increasingly small portion of the population—life can be good. For the rest of us, it can also be good, but we have to find our own happiness and hope our liberties are not eroded by the government our forbears helped create to protect them. That is hard to do in today’s political environment.

The influence of money in politics favors the wealthiest among us and has been eroding the commons and our well-being since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. We held back the Robber Barons once. It seems unlikely the political will exists to do it again… yet.

On this Blog Action Day, what matters more is not the life we possess at birth, influenced by others. What matters is the way we seek common ground and lend each other a hand in times of adversity.

For if there is inequality in the circumstances in which we find ourselves, and there is, it’s whether and how we come together to fight oppression and get back to the best part of what the founders intended that will help resolve the greatest inequalities among us.

Today is a small step toward that end.

Categories
Social Commentary

Days of Gatherings

Rep. Dave Loebsack Addressing Democrats
Rep. Dave Loebsack Addressing Fall BBQ Attendees

JOHNSON COUNTY— It is possible to fall into a trap of believing that the world and society are about us— our small circle of friends and family and how we live. That would be perilous.

Not only is it impossible to live outside the broader context of global society, believing so isolates us from serving any greater good, and ultimately from taking care of our personal needs. A day’s events can become “all about me,” and the most pressing issues of our time—man-made contributions to climate change, nuclear proliferation, economic justice, food security and public health— can wrongfully be set aside. Not only does this affect society, it filters down to each of us in one form or another.

This weekend, I participated in different ways in a number of gatherings of people in diverse settings. Based on my personal interactions with hundreds of people, the definition of “us” needs broadening before substantial social progress is possible.

Make no mistake, there is a culture of “me.” I see it in everything I do outside our home. At the convenience store people line up to serve their addictions, whether it be tobacco, alcohol, sugar, gasoline or salted snacks. At the warehouse three generation families disperse in the aisles like an infantry squad on patrol exploring a foreign land. At the orchard, large groups of young friends bring along their usage of “perfect” or “awesome” as they head out to pick apples. At the political barbeque, activists gather to hear speeches and espouse judgments of each. At the same time, in the vast emptiness that is Iowa’s agricultural land, soybeans and corn stand ready for harvest and nary a person can be found as they were at home or in town, distracted from the leaching of nitrogen from last night’s rain. The culture of me creates isolation but not loneliness, even as people gather informally together in these settings.

To express my opinion, other than to select what is in this article, would be one more futile voice in the wind, and who has time for futility?

What I saw and participated in this weekend was a reminder of how little humanity has changed since Hieronymous Bosch made the painting below in the late 15th century. In a way we each seek our own giant strawberry to hold and consume. Despite ease of communication, we live compartmentalized and focused on personal delights, eschewing a broader perspective except as it serves our needs.

What to do about this weekend’s observations is uncertain. Figuring it out is important to sustaining a life at risk in so many ways as the days pass, and as people disengage from society.

The Garden of Earthly Delights
The Garden of Earthly Delights
Categories
Living in Society

3 Things about the Iowa Senate Race

Jefferson's Autobiography
Jefferson’s Autobiography

Partisan politics, and the manner in which the founders set up the federal government with its bicameral legislature, yielded an inability to deal with problems much beyond our noses. The founders planned it that way.

“A government of representatives, elected by the people at short periods, was our object; and our maxim at that day was, ‘where annual election ends, tyranny begins;’ nor have our departures from it been sanctioned by the happiness of their effects,” wrote Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Adams in February 1800.

With due respect to a fellow Virginian, the Congress seems unable to solve the most pressing issues of our time and that is becoming problematic. In a choice between Congressman Bruce Braley and State Senator Joni Ernst, Braley is the only choice to meet today’s needs. He isn’t perfect, but who is?

The constant reference to getting things done through bipartisanship by both candidates indicates a failure to understand the nature of what the founders intended in favor of politics of the day. That is not all bad, but it misses the point.

What has changed since the 18th century is humanity’s increasingly global perspective and interconnectedness. I’m not only talking about the Internet, although that is part of it. On any given day, I run into people from most inhabited continents, but from China especially. They are in Iowa to study at the university, but they have an opportunity to make connections that was unlike anything the 1700s. These travelers will take home what’s best about Iowa, and I don’t mean corn, soybeans and pork.

Additionally, business has gone global. When I worked for the oil company, we did business in 89 countries. With their merger with BP, the footprint grew even broader.But that is not all of what is different.

A global perspective on business was evident in the 18th century, and one might say the “discovery” of the Americas was part of business growth. At the same time, the need and desire to comprehend laws and culture throughout the globe and leverage that information for profit has grown to a scale unimaginable three hundred years ago. The U.S. is not isolated from the rest of the world, and it is unbecoming for politicians to assert that we can do what’s best for Iowa without examining a global context.

That said, there are three things I would like to hear from the Republican contender to be Iowa’s junior U.S. Senator, but likely won’t.

I would like to hear something other than that there is a problem with Social Security. Ernst is a parrot of the Congressman Paul Ryan plan for Social Security. In a cynical ploy to retain votes, she asserts keeping the sacred trust to seniors and those approaching retirement, but advocates doing something else, although she hasn’t decided what, for younger people. She indicated privatizing Social Security is on the table, but what she really means is that future retirees will have to fend for themselves.

She recently criticized Braley for not solving the problems with Social Security during his eight years in Washington, but the truth is that Republicans have never been fans of Social Security and have worked to chip away at its benefits since its inception. Ernst is no different and Braley has defended Social Security.

I would like to hear how Ernst would address our nuclear complex. The late Robin Williams pointed out, “remember the big weapons− huge weapons− the ones that really can do us in− are not in the hands of us. Something much bigger. Whether you believe in intelligent design or just a guy named Phil who’s pissed.” The threat of nuclear annihilation is not funny, even if Williams was. Would Ernst have the U.S. join the international humanitarian campaign to abolish nuclear weapons, or is she already under the spell of John Bolton and other conservative hawks that continue to assert U.S. hegemony through a weapon that could end or change permanently civilization as we know it without solving any of our most pressing problems?

Finally, I would like to hear what Ernst will do about the tangible impact on business and society of our changing climate. I heard and previously wrote about her lack of understanding about climate change as stated in the debate with Braley. Either she is incompetent to be a U.S. Senator, or she can learn. If she can learn about climate change, what is she willing to do to protect our common interests in air, water and the conditions that currently nurture life in Iowa and throughout the globe? Bet we don’t hear from her on that either.

The challenge this election cycle is the media and its corporate backers have created such a firestorm of disbelief among voters, that many are expected to skip this cycle. There are more than three things I’d like to hear from Ernst, but I am already confident of where Bruce Braley stands, so why should I insist. That would be time taken away from convincing people to vote for Bruce Braley.

Click here to get involved with the Braley campaign.

Categories
Social Commentary

Pent Up Demand

FencelineLAKE MACBRIDE— While the dental hygienist was scaling, I noticed an odd shape on the upside down computer screen above my head. Leviathan? No. Ink blot? No. It was an image of a jaw bone and the hygienist was recording gingival margins as she poked and scraped with the tool. The screen is used to record information, view X-ray panels, and who knows what else. What I know is getting regular dental checks is one of the few remaining luxuries in life, and when at the dentist’s office, I pay attention to everything that’s going on.

Within earshot, another patient was defending Obamacare, saying the popular conception, that the law was a bad deal, was wrong. All of his children were now covered with health insurance thanks to the law, including one with preexisting conditions. He was grateful and appreciative, and spreading the good news.

For small talk, I chose my warehouse work where I was scheduled for a shift that afternoon. I had my work uniform on so discussion came naturally with the same hygienist I’ve had for a number of years. While we don’t know each other, we chat. She lives in the same town as the warehouse, so we had that in common.

When I changed health and dental insurance policies after implementation of the Affordable Care Act, I cancelled our dental policy because dollars covered were less than the cost of premiums. We have been paying directly for dental care since, and while there is a cost, it’s not that expensive with a successful dental practice.

When people don’t have enough money, dental care is one of the first things to go, especially if there are no symptoms. Right behind that is preventive maintenance on automobiles. That’s where my day of relieving pent up demand to take care of things began.

Motor oil has a useful life beyond the 3,000 miles shops write on the windshield sticker for the next change. My last oil change was in March, so even with my extended interval, service was past due. Partly, the challenge was making time, but partly, I knew from the last inspection some work would be needed, and was avoiding it. I inspect my own tires from time to time, and without a gauge, I could tell the tread depth was well below 4/32nds of an inch, and winter is coming.

The dealer had noted an axle going bad in March, and the local technician confirmed it and gave me a $700 estimate for four tires, a replacement axle and some other necessary repairs. The local labor rate is far below the $100+ per hour charged at the dealership, so it is good business to buy locally.

I declined the offer on the tires knowing my next stop was Cedar Rapids for the dental appointment. I had some time to kill. We have used the same tire dealer for most of the 20 years since we moved back to Iowa. I arrived and he had many options, including one priced much lower than our local repair shop. I bought four tires which were changed in about 20 minutes.

One thing led to another on a day designed to meet existential needs. I stopped at the hardware store and bought a couple of wooden toilet seats. I stopped to eat at a sandwich shop in North Liberty, spending the six dollars in my wallet on an Italian-style sub. I accessed the app for my hair salon and saw there was no waiting. I checked in and drove there to cut the shaggy ponytail beginning to grow in an effort to look my best at the presentation scheduled in ten days. There is a different stylist each time, so no relationship. We talked about my warehouse work.

From there I drove to the warehouse where I spent the shift chatting with scores of people. Afterward, I bought two loaves of bread, a gallon of milk and a bag of tortilla chips, all for $10.51, and headed home.

In the darkness of the drive home through the lakes, I thought about the mash-up that was the fourteen-hour day and about how, except for the Obamacare comments, there was no political talk whatsoever. That is bad news for the candidates in the 2014 midterms. Lack of buzz means lower voter turnout.

Delayed existential errands were checked off a mental list, however, the pent up demand was not for that. What we crave is human contact. In sustaining a life, we need it that way, and appreciate each day of living. Sometimes pent up demand takes care of itself.

Categories
Environment

Outside

Garden Work Day
Garden Work Day

LAKE MACBRIDE— It is hard not to engage in the news from outside Big Grove Township. U.S. and partner states are bombing Syria, the United Nations is taking up the expiration of the Kyoto accord, and more than 100 world leaders will address security issues at the U.N. It has already been a busy week.

Today, the U.N. Climate Summit 2014 convenes on an optimistic note:

Climate change is not a far-off problem. It is happening now and is having very real consequences on people’s lives. Climate change is disrupting national economies, costing us dearly today and even more tomorrow.  But there is a growing recognition that affordable, scalable solutions are available now that will enable us all to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies.

There is a sense that change is in the air. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited world leaders, from government, finance, business, and civil society to Climate Summit 2014 this 23 September to galvanize and catalyze climate action.  He has asked these leaders to bring bold announcements and actions to the Summit that will reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and mobilize political will for a meaningful legal agreement in 2015. Climate Summit 2014 provides a unique opportunity for leaders to champion an ambitious vision, anchored in action that will enable a meaningful global agreement in 2015.

While many states recognize the validity of what Ban Ki-moon has said, in the U.S., a positive outcome in the form of a binding and meaningful legal agreement seems unlikely. Even if some of us are pessimistic about U.S. participation, it will be worth our attention today and in coming days, to see what the Climate Summit produces. It is noteworthy that President Obama will be trying to get a resolution on counterterrorism passed by the U.N. Security Council rather than making any bold announcements on mitigating the causes of global warming.

In the universe of a single life, there can be hope. So that’s how I will spend this day on earth. Believing that we can sustain our lives in peace despite so much evidence to the contrary.

Categories
Sustainability

Campaign Nonviolence Event in Iowa

Field of Yellow Flowers
Field of Yellow Flowers

Many eyes will be fixed upon the discussion of climate change during the debate that begins Sept. 24 at the United Nations 69th General Assembly.

There is another topic of interest to the peace and justice movement.

President Obama is expected to preside over the U.N. Security Council meeting and a discussion of counterterrorism. He will have a draft resolution in hand for consideration and debate by the council. ThinkProgress covered the story:

Specifically the meeting will cover the phenomenon of foreign fighters traveling to conflict zones and joining terrorist organizations, as seen in the surge in foreigners joining ranks with such groups as Jahbat al-Nusra in Syria. “Certainly the problem of terrorists traveling to foreign conflicts is not new, but the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters has become even more acute,” a U.S. Mission to the U.N. official told ThinkProgress when asked about the meeting. “The Internet and social media have given terrorist groups unprecedented new ways to promote their hateful ideology and inspire recruits. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq have highlighted this threat, with an estimated 12,000 foreign terrorist fighters joining that conflict.”

As part of its Campaign Nonviolence, Pace e Bene has organized a series of nonviolent actions to take place concurrent with the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council meeting, including one in Iowa City on Sept. 21.

“To launch this movement, over 100 nonviolent actions will take place Sept. 21-27 in cities and states across the U.S. and beyond, taking a stand against all violence and calling for concrete first steps toward peace, economic justice, healing the earth, and mainstreaming active nonviolence,” according to the campaign website. “These first steps include: an international treaty for swift, verifiable action to reverse climate change and taking nonviolent action for a culture of peace; ending the military drone program; establishing a $15 minimum wage for all; K-12 nonviolence education everywhere; and practicing nonviolence toward ourselves, toward all others, and toward the planet.”

Blog for Iowa contributor and local peace activist Ed Flaherty sent this invitation along:

Please join us on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 4 p.m. on the Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City for the first Campaign Nonviolence event. There will be many organizations involved, including Veterans for Peace, PEACE Iowa, Dancers for Universal Peace, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and several faith groups. Come help us celebrate the ways of non-harming towards self, others and our world.”

Campaign Nonviolence Order of Events:

Welcome (Dorothy Whiston)
Opening Song (Blowing in the Wind)
John Ivens (Veterans for Peace)
Rabbi Jeff Portman (Agudas Achim)
Barbara Schlacter (100 Grannies for a Livable Future)
Gospel Explosion Ministry
Paul Deaton (Physicians for Social Responsibility)
Yasur AbuDagga (Iowa City Mosque)
Ed Flaherty (PEACE Iowa)
Virginia Melroy (Dancers for Universal Peace)
Mary Kay Kusner (Ghandi prayer)
Kerry Batteau (Native American Blessing of the Four Directions)
“Peace, Salem, Shalom”

~ Written for Blog for Iowa

Categories
Work Life

Day of Work Photos

From sunrise until sunset I made a retreat, preparing for winter.

Preparing to Open the Garage Door Pre-dawn
Preparing for the Day Predawn
The Door is Open
The Door is Open
First Tracks in the Dew
First Tracks in the Dew
Sunrise
Sunrise
Fog Burning Off
Fog Burning Off
Foot Tracks
Foot Tracks
Moving the Cars Out of the Garage
Moving the Cars Out of the Garage
Variegated Leaves
Variegated Leaves
Work Gloves
Work Gloves
Former Tomato Patch
Former Tomato Patch
John Deere Tractor
John Deere Tractor
Serrano Peppers
Serrano Peppers
First Red Delicious Apple
First Red Delicious Apple
Categories
Social Commentary

Turning on the Television


LAKE MACBRIDE— It took a bit to remember how to operate the remote controls for our old-school tube television last night. I was loathe to hear President Obama’s plan “to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL.” Information about the speech had been leaked during the day, and there was plenty of commentary in social media about what Obama would say. It is always best to hear bad news directly from the president.

There is little to say, except view or read the speech for yourself. Although the following comment is more significant than its introductory nature indicates:

As Commander-in-Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people. Over the last several years, we have consistently taken the fight to terrorists who threaten our country. We took out Osama bin Laden and much of al Qaeda’s leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We’ve targeted al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, and recently eliminated the top commander of its affiliate in Somalia. We’ve done so while bringing more than 140,000 American troops home from Iraq, and drawing down our forces in Afghanistan, where our combat mission will end later this year. Thanks to our military and counterterrorism professionals, America is safer.

Because of the work of government officials, there is an unprecedented level of security in the U.S. People feel secure from external terrorists, if not from the occasional gun-toting sociopath who opens fire in public places. There is a price for this security, and it is not only monetary.

The U.S. is becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of the world despite our substantial footprint in almost every country in the form of diplomatic workers, non-governmental organizations, businesses and tourists. It is as if by creating the homeland defense security bubble we have built the equivalent of the Great Wall of China. It serves to protect, but also to isolate us. The latter is an unintended consequence.

American tolerance for an intrusive government is high. While the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation keep an eye on us, that doesn’t seem to bother most people. It is accepted as a price of freedom and we are free to do what we will in society, more than in most other countries.

There is another price. The isolation created by a strong homeland security gives us a false sense of comfort— that we can avoid political discussions and participate in a consumer culture without regard for externalized costs like CO2 emissions and exploited workers. In an increasingly connected world, where we can receive reports about what is going on all across the globe without leaving home, this is ironic.

Maybe people just don’t want to think about the rest of the world. There are plenty of personal struggles that can eclipse external affairs, but consider this: if we don’t engage in a global society it will leave important matters to politicians, our government and the military. We all know the regard in which we hold those institutions presently.

I’m glad to have a television, and a connection to some channels. I’m also glad most of my time is spent in the real world, talking to and working with people, trying to make a difference in something bigger than myself. It’s also why I don’t turn on the television very often.

Categories
Home Life

Days Full of Life

Kitchen Work Station
Kitchen Work Station

LAKE MACBRIDE— As I pulled out of the parking garage at the warehouse, my mobile phone rang. It was the orchard calling to say the family event was cancelled due to the rain storm so I wouldn’t be working. Unhesitatingly, I redirected the car, considering what to do with newly found time.

The first option was to attend the fundraiser for my state senator. He and his wife had visited the warehouse to gather provisions for the event. I had asked for the address to send a check since I would be working. Having given my regrets, I headed home.

A few weeks ago the newspaper published a story about a cupcake baker who set up shop on the road to the warehouse. Years ago, a trucking firm sold their large terminal on a corner lot to a developer, and a commercial strip mall has been expanding there for a number of years. The cupcake purveyor located in some of the new space.

There were young children with parents at the counter and tables. The din was so much I could barely hear the person at the counter ask if it was my first visit. It was. She explained the offerings, and I picked tiramisu and vegan which I expected from proofreading the newspaper article. The cupcake had a very thick layer of butter cream frosting— too much really. A return seems unlikely, but I wish the company well. They aren’t going for the cranky writer crowd anyway.

What I needed was sleep. Upon arriving home, I headed to the bedroom for what was to be a nap. I woke three hours later, having slept soundly.

Fruit flies showed up for the first time this season flying above the kitchen compost bucket. They have been a long time coming, beginning to appear only a couple of weeks ago in the enclosed garden compost bin. Whatever the delay, they weren’t missed. I need to empty the bucket daily.

 After making a snack, I returned to bed and slept through until I could sleep no more. I awoke realizing there is life to be lived, and had better get to it.