From five miles above the earth, southern Georgia looks like a jigsaw puzzle. Compared to Florida’s more formal grid of square and rectangle shaped property boundaries, it was easy to spot a change from 36,000 feet up as the plane flew over into Georgia. The aligned angles of Florida fields melded into curves and loops with ruffled riparian edges in Georgia. I like Georgia, especially from up here. It means I’m on my annual spring trek to Nebraska.
I’ve relied on the latest issue of Sky, Delta’s in-flight magazine, to pass the first hour of flight. April’s issue has the annual Earth Day article, this time featuring the actress/environmental spokesperson Daryl Hannah with some of her thoughts on the hard work of saving the planet. She says:
“. . .sometimes keeping my spirits up can be a challenge, but I’m constantly refueled by absolute rabid love for this planet and the beauty I see when I find it.”
(I sometime have trouble finding the planet also, so I definitely understand. Not so sure about feeling rabid; I have a strong commitment, but maybe I just don’t know the symptoms.) I’m teasing, Daryl, you’re a passionate advocate, if not articulate spokesperson for the environment, and I do know what you mean about the fight to keep your spirits up. Discouragement is the side affect of working so hard to make a difference and not seeing results.
But there are results. The gentleman in the seat next to me on this flight was embarrassed when he confessed that he’s not very good about recycling. See? There was a time when he wouldn’t have known enough to be embarrassed.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Climate Action Conversations - Fish or Cut Bait
Our city is joining the National Conversation on Climate Action on Earth Day, April 22. I’m certainly up for the occasion, and I have fingers crossed for success. The goal is to have dialogue about practical steps our region can take to stave off rising sea levels that may result. It’s pretty important here, you see, because it’s predicted our town will disappear under water.
I serve on the steering committee that organized the local event. As one might expect, the organizers are a group of committed individuals who are passionate. Passion can shake the status quo toward change. However, there is the pitfall to passion that can destroy the common purpose. That pitfall occurs when partisan political barbs catapult into a meeting.
Early on our group laid a ground rule against sending up political lobs during our discussions. For the most part, we’ve kept to it. Occasionally a zinger spews, maybe someone has a zinger habit. When it occurs in our small group, we immediately remind each other what we all have agreed: No party lobs. No party zingers. No political jokes.
The national discussions on Earth Day are about climate change and our communities. If you have the opportunity to participate in one of these discussions, please do. As a word of caution, watch out for the red herring, that darting political zinger. Don’t let the splat of a political affront distract you from the mission. Likewise, take care you don't chum the waters with baited comments yourself. The zinger is bait. Baitfish are small. We have bigger fish to fry.
I serve on the steering committee that organized the local event. As one might expect, the organizers are a group of committed individuals who are passionate. Passion can shake the status quo toward change. However, there is the pitfall to passion that can destroy the common purpose. That pitfall occurs when partisan political barbs catapult into a meeting.
Early on our group laid a ground rule against sending up political lobs during our discussions. For the most part, we’ve kept to it. Occasionally a zinger spews, maybe someone has a zinger habit. When it occurs in our small group, we immediately remind each other what we all have agreed: No party lobs. No party zingers. No political jokes.
The national discussions on Earth Day are about climate change and our communities. If you have the opportunity to participate in one of these discussions, please do. As a word of caution, watch out for the red herring, that darting political zinger. Don’t let the splat of a political affront distract you from the mission. Likewise, take care you don't chum the waters with baited comments yourself. The zinger is bait. Baitfish are small. We have bigger fish to fry.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Bang for the Buck with Plant Tray
This morning in honor of my countdown to Earth Day, I harvested a bucket of gorgeous black crumbled dirt from my compost, scooping it from the bottom with my hands. Totally earthy. I’ll add it to the soil when setting out the 18 vinca plants that have cheered me in the kitchen for the past week. The tray of plants, with blossoms of amazing magenta with white centers, has moved around the house. It has been a dinner table centerpiece, a coffee table decoration, a window sill box and overall my kitchen’s ode to spring.
While I love bringing home a perfect bouquet of cut flowers from the market, the budget these days won’t let me do it often. For $9.95, a tray of 18 blooming plants provided as much cheer and bang for the buck, plus they’ll keep on contributing through the season with cut flowers later. Just a thought that you might enjoy doing the same thing.
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