not another climate change video

hydraulic fracturing

in this article, the effectiveness of governor of new york andrew cuomo in relation to new hydrofracking policies is discussed. the major question is not the capability of cuomo's leadership, but the decision to make major inroads against hydrofracking.

unfortunately, loads of money and lobbying efforts have been made to communicate with the public that the economic and environmental effects of fracking are entirely beneficial. the real issue is figuring out the steps that our leaders must take in order to ease our inevitable transition to a fossil fuel-free society.

common threads initiative

i don't have a lot of money to spend, but i like to make sure that the items i do purchase are good quality. sometimes this means i can afford a jacket or pair of gloves from patagonia. what i like about patagonia is their honesty in regards to what it means to be sustainable. in their latest sustainable endeavor, they encourage their customers to reevaluate the things they think they need.

the common threads initiative urges consumers to think more deeply about their needs and weighing those against their environmental impact. it is highly important to take into account how much we produce and how necessary this is. i couldn't agree more. oftentimes i find that consumerism manages to be the root of many problems in our society. at the very least, we need to consider what we truly need and realize the impact (according to this video, we are currently using the resources of one and a half planets) of living beyond our means even if we technically can afford it financially.

conclusion

hopefully over the course of these past months this blog has been able to effectively communicate the importance of living sustainably.

preservation road is a blog that not only brings to light ways to live more sustainably, but also calls attention to current and relevant events that deal either with increased consciousness of the environment or a blatant disregard for the well-being of the earth. at the very least, calling attention to the issues that have the potential to massively alter how we live. 

here are some websites that i've used in the past to stay updated and informed on important and influential sustainability issues:

ecogems
huffpost green
inhabitat
sustainable earth
conservation magazine

capitalism vs. the climate

here's an interesting article from the nation. essentially it addresses the phenomenon of global warming as a conspiracy. the content of the article is fairly infuriating, seeing as the real ploy is to convince americans that global warming is farce. it is hard to believe that there are actually people putting their time, money, and effort into fueling this rumor.

the heartland institute pours hundreds of thousands of dollars into essentially falsified scientific reports and studies. i think my favorite reason that global warming is not harmful is because "warmer is better" i sincerely hope that their supporters and followers are rapidly dwindling. 

the article itself is very lengthy, and even delves into occupy wall street territory, which is important as it is controversial. but in short, the article allowed me to see and understand better the true political and selfish motives of the deceit in the denial of global warming.

the sustainable prisons project

this project takes sustainable practices and  to an area that i've never really thought about. taking strides towards sustainable prisons. the sustainable prisons project is a self-described partnership between prisons and nature by beginning with education, then implementing sustainable practices, and finally research and science projects.

personally, this idea/initiative could not be more useful, helpful etc--primarily because prison reform is a major issue in the US and much like sustainability, is chosen by most to be ignored (out of sight, out of mind, essentially). i think it is truly a shame that the vast majority of inmates are given little to no responsibility yet expected to better themselves in prison. with the help of programs such as the sustainable prisons project, it is possible to reduce our impact on the environment and care for the forgotten members of our society.

greenpod sustainable homes

here's a bit on sustainable architecture and design via greenpod intelligent environments. designer ann raab builds compact modular green homes with an emphasis on indoor air quality, environmental impact, and durability.

the "intelligent environment" aspect comes from a respectful use of resources, environmentally smart design, concern for health, safety, and the future, utilization of a closed loop cycle, encouragement of local sustainability, and lastly savings in construction cost, maintenance, and use of utilities.

this may not be a feasible option for everyone, but greenpod homes claims to be much more affordable than other custom sustainable options.