My journey

Soka University Pictures

I would like to continue my journey by going to Soka University and major in Liberal arts with an option in environmental studies. Later on, I would like to go to law school and become an environmental lawyer, not working for big corporations but for non-profit organizations and represent the needs of ordinary people.

I think that now we need people with a good knowledge of legal information who can protect the environment and the lives of common citizens. Reading "An inconvenient truth", I just realized how indulgent and negligent we have become in terms of protecting our surroundings. And right now, the earth is so uncontrollable that it is very difficult for us to predict what is coming next. Scientists and researchers keep on warning us of the dangers but in the eye of politicians environmental affairs are not important.

Check this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdDSw4EeC_o

The role of education is to foster role models who can benefit society at LARGE, not just a tiny bit of people. Education should also foster leaders who hold humanistic values for others and the environment. I believe there is an interconnectivity between the self and the environment, and I would like to include the ecosystem in it. If we stop treating each other like strangers, maybe we will start recognizing the humanity in us. As a result, we will take better actions to help others and to save the earth...Maybe it sounds like an utopia but a true philosophy of living is necessary to make those changes become true one day.

What I did today to help the environment - Part 3: Bagasse

Has anybody heard of "Bagasse"? Today, for the first time I bought eco-friendly writing pads made of bagasse. Bagasse is the name for the plant fiber remaining after sugarcane is processed and crushed to make sugar. What a great invention??? If poor countries could make profits out if it, it would be even greater. Sugar cane is found in the Carribean, in Africa and I guess some parts of Asia. My pad is eco-friendly for my use here in the United States. However, I wonder how the workers who made these pads were treated...well I will check it out next time.
More info about bagasse now. Normally, bagasse is burned after pulping, thus creating air pollution. But this fiber can be re-used - by being made into disposable products normally made from plastic or virgin paper. We can make paper, cups, plates and much more with it. This is so cool. I remember eating sugar canes when I was little and throwing everything away. I mean, if a lot more people knew how to transform bagasse into goods, I think that this could help a lot of poor countries. However, these countries should be the ones making profits and also the ones producing these products for us all, not just North America.

Please, go to this link to see some pictures:

http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/photos.html?print
You will see what bagasse look like.

Now, chech this link to see a plate made of bagasse:
http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50318421/Sugarcane_Bagasse_Products.jpg

I hope to find out more info about the companies using bagasse in their products and see their working policies abroad. I will not be shocked to find out a lot of disturbing info....

What I did today to help the environment - Part 2: The Earth Charter

Being a Buddhist, I was wondering today what the SGI (Soka Gakkai =value creation society) was doing in terms of helping the environment. I remembered the exhibition "Seeds of Change" that I was part of in London, which was a exhibition to promote peace through stopping environmental destructions and poverty. The exhibition was initially created in 2002 by the SGI and the Earth Charter Initiative for the World Summit on sustainable development in Johannesburg. I then focused my interest on the "Earth Charter" which is a king of international declaration of rights to build a peaceful world for all individuals by respecting the environment. By the way, some governments, religious groups, organizations and environmental groups signed this charter. In the future, I will try to find who they are. Let's see some of the key points of this charter:

1. Respect of Earth and Life in all this diversity
2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion and love.
3. Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable and peaceful.
4. Secure Earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations.

I really find these principles humanistic and inspiring for building better communities that respect each other and that respect their environment. These principles may be just "ideals" right now, because we know what's going on with the environment and to be honest, as a nation, the United States is not giving the right example....We may be recycling plastic but we still impose our superiority through war...The Iraqi war is an example. This war has already had catastrophic human and environmental consequences. I remember that the U.S.A did not sign the treaty on greenhouse emissions. What kind of Leadership are we demonstrating? To me, the U.S government acts with a lot of hypocrisy. I just hope that change will come if Obama is elected...although I have lost trust in politics. I think that the power of ordinary people or individuals working together for the betterment of society will have much larger influence in the future.

What I did today to help the environment

I have found an online organic store and bought for $200 worth of food, essential oils and hair products. The delivery is supposed to be on the same day...we'll see. The name of the website is organicdirect.com or something like that....This morning, Khalif and myself took the subway to Day Hab. Khalif is the 28 years old mentally disabled young man that I work for. Normally, every morning, Access-a-ride comes to pick us up but this week, I have started taking the subway with him. To be honest, the environment was a concern, but not my first one. I want Khalif to become independent and I want him not to be lazy. Taking the subway was still a good cause for the environment, I know that! I also unplugged the A.C at Khalif's house and the television!!!! God grace! these are good ways to save energy...I just just hope to be able to do more, but I think that the process is very gradual. I would love to become 100% vegetarian b/c meat blocks my chi...(flow of energy) and I do not digest meat pretty well. I usually eat more veggies that meat but when it comes to ordering a burger, I still do it! Next week, I will replace my light bulbs with energy saving ones or environmental friendly ones. I hope they'll work pretty well b/c I do not want to be without light when using the internet or doing my homework.
Right now, to care for the environment, I already recycle my trash, use a lot of organic products like essential oils, hair products, I shop at Whole foods or Trader Joe's when I have $$$$ but really having the awareness about how to treat our environment is what counts first b/c without that, it is impossible to start making the changes needed. Reading Al Gore's book was enlightening!!!! It made me more conscious about the causal relations of our actions and I think that it is time for me to put some of the reading into action.
Well, that's it for this week....See you next Tuesday!
Clem