Community & Education Blogs

From today's Boston Globe:

Greenbuild International Conference opens in Hub

The trade show, which ends tomorrow, is sponsored by the nonprofit US Green Building Council and highlights environmentally friendly businesses and services. » read more

Greenopolis earned a special mention in today's Boston Globe! IN an article on the front page of the business section on GreenBuild, I'm quoted describing Greenopolis as "Facebook on green steroids" ! 

While we are so much more than that, it's great to get the sound bite and mention in the Globe- right after Desmond Tutu!

I'll be cruising the Expo today and reporting on all the cool innovative products here- like a concrete mix that let's water through for natural percolation- no runoff! So if you must pave at least let the soil breathe!

When I was a young child I was very entrepreneurial.  At about age 6 I hit upon a scheme whereby I would take grass clippings grind them up with water and sell the resulting green solution as “grass juice.”  And I had even tested my product by pouring it on a portion of lawn and watched it grow greener than the surrounding area.  This was long before I knew anything about chlorophyll and photosynthesis or experimental design.  I sus » read more

We are living in interesting times. Each day we pick up the newspaper or computer and read about another set of looming catastrophes. I am hoping that on the heels of this historic election that we might look at these situations with more creative vision. For example, if the auto industry wants a bailout the answer might be: Yes, if you start building cars that meet our future needs rather than our past unsustainable desires. » read more

- We need to exchange the industrial revolution for the restoration revolution (What are we restoring? Human and natural communities and systems)

- We need to invest in those entities that will enhance our lives in the future (e.g., renewable energy, water and waste water systems, localized agriculture) and stop dumping money into entities that jeopardize our survival (e.g., stock market, consolidated banking, auto makers, etc.)

- We need to understand or relearn that the best things in life are not things. » read more

In these final days of the presidential campaign we are hearing a lot about tax reform proposals--but it is only about shuffling around income taxes and capital gains taxes among different income groups.  No one is talking about fundamental change, like » read more

“Eachtime a man stands up for an ideal,or acts to improve the life of others,or strikes out against injustice,he sends a tiny ripple of hope,< » read more

We live in a part of the world that allows us to enjoy access to the best of everything. We can easily drive down the road to the nearest store and items from all around the world are arranged beautifully on the shelf for us to purchase at a low price.

Unlike our grandparents, who lived through times such as the Great Depression and World War II, we have grown up in an environment of plenitude, ease and abundance. » read more

The EcoTipping Points Project's neverending search for environmental success stories led us to a goldmine of such stories at the Goldman Environmental Prize website.  Each year individuals from around the world are chosen for their outstanding efforts in protecting the planet.  Here is one example:

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By Gawky Green @ twogirlsgogreen.blogspot.com » read more

• Denial, Despair, Determination- The stages of embracing sustainability.

• I've found that many people get stuck in denial or drown in despair when facing the enormous challenges of creating a truly sustainable future for us all. My former colleague Dana Meadows, who passed away nearly 8 years ago, had a few words to say about it:  » read more

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Monday morning is like no other morning at my beach. Only Monday has such a diverse mountain of paraphernalia left behind by yesterday’s crowd. Who are they that walk off leaving their $49 chaise lounge in the sand? Or their shoes? It would cross my mind to ask myself, “Wasn’t I wearing shoes when I last walked across this parking lot?”
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The 1000 Acre Island

In his groundbreaking book, Collapse, Jared Diamond describes two islands, Tikopia and Anuta in the South pacific that despite their remoteness and small size have been continuously and sustainably inhabited for over 3000 years. Tikopia is only 1.8 miles square, (roughly 1000 acres,) and it supports 1200 inhabitants. It has a population density of 800 people per square mile of arable farmland. Despite that density, Tikopia has sustained its population for almost 3000 years. » read more

The city takes a multi-sector approach to sustainability.

This is Blog #3 in our EcoTipping Points Project series.  Our topic today: Ecocities. » read more

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I worked in Washington DC for nearly 12 years.  Too long by any count, but my mind will still grabs at threads of my old life.  It is seductive to wrestle with the scandals and see certain folks get their just desserts, but it is no longer were the action is or should be.  These are distractions that push us away from dealing with real issues in our very real lives.  Soap Operas is what they really are and they mesmerize and captivate us into a suspended state of virtual unconciousness. » read more

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