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An Update on my Low Carb Diet
Some of you might remember my blog post from when I joined the slate green challenge and found out about my atrocious carbon emissions rating. In one year, I (shamefully) used an estimated 59,999 pounds of carbon dioxide which is equivalent to 5.89 passenger car emissions. Since then, I have been living in Arusha trying to reuse all bottles, waste less, walk lots of places instead of taking a vehicle (except at night), and be more aware of my energy use. I am sure the frequent involuntary power outages help to diminish my pollution rate. On a street where most people do not have electricity for their mud and stick built houses, I feel lucky I have electricity at all.
Going to England last week for the Acumen Fellows mid-year meeting and the Skoll Forum really darkened my good efforts toward better energy use. The airline flight alone was equal to 2235 pounds of carbon dioxide. This one trip was almost the equivalent to one person’s carbon emissions for an entire year if he/she lives in India. Looking at the nearly 600 names on the delegate list of the conference I was attending, I thought about the irony, “Wow, the airplanes delivering us all to Oxford surely are making a dent on the environment. Even after Al Gore spoke about climate change at the same conference last year, we all still justify the flights to get to the UK to talk about changing the world.” Do we have to bang our heads against the wall to finally understand what consequences we are facing? In this video below, even the Blue Man Group thinks so (click arrow below to hear their message on the environment).
I will continue to update you on my carbon emissions challenge, and if you want to find out more about what you can do, click here.
carbon emissions
Daphne, thanks so much for the comment. Your work sounds equally exciting. I hope we do bump into each other surrounded by good music!
The bigger challenge is to commensurate the environment concerns with practical life
Hi stevenson ,being a student of geography , i have been following the whole debate on climate change very closely.i share with u similar concerns and try to be environment conscious as much i can and in even smaller things like re-using the polythene bags and plastic bottles,so much associated with our present lives.But at times i get lost. i don't understand how i would manage this economics of reusing ang recycling.everything is connected in such a vicious circle. i don't know but are we moving too ahead in our growth process that it is no more manageable. the entire process needs a rethinking .thinking alone that by travelling in aircraft u are using or rather adding to climate change would not serve he purpose.we need a full-fledged debate and strategy on the international level to work out against the menace, before "limits to growth"actually becomes a reality
The bigger challenge is...
K_Anchal, You are right, and given your geography studies I really appreciate your perspective. We (the global community) have to take much more aggressive and strategic action to rethink and redesign the system. It is obviously not working.
I couldn't help but identify with your comment when you said: "But at times i get lost." I still believe that while we are "rethinking" that the little things matter, but often get lost myself. We have to just keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing what we can (since we can't do it all immediately). I once was told "You are not smart enough to be pessimistic" and I think it reminded me that the little things count (alongside the big decisions we make).
Click this link to read my post from Oct titled "You are not Smart Enough to be Pessimistic" http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/from-tribeca-to-tanzania/archive/2006/10/08/you-are-not-smart-enough-to-be-pessimistic
Anyways, I am sure you and I both think its possible, but what can we do to push such a full-fledged debate at the international level? Would love to hear everyone's thoughts.
the human touch
Ms. Keely,
Last week, during a meeting, in Los Angeles, an attorney had a discussion concerning the Skoll Foundation. I had mentioned the mission of this foundation. He noted to me, the Skoll Foundation is prodominantally concerned with environmental issues and less concentrated on human issues. Although the two are related, is the present condtion of human life less important than that of the future of mankind? How does the foundation take one presidence over another? What is the true focus of Social edge?
Warmest regards,
Ramiro Flores
human touch...what skoll supports..what is social edge's focus
Hi Mr. Ramiro, Thanks for your good comment. I like that you remind us of the human touch as a priority. I have not worked for the Skoll Foundation for several years, so I can't speak directly on its behalf, but I can give my personal opinion and interpretation of its priorities.
Skoll supports social entrepreneurs...the people who see critical problems with systems and who see where human potential is being blocked and then find ways to unblock it. If you look at their list of Skoll Entrepreneur Awards, they in no way prioritize the environment over human development (although some argue that these are one in the same). They are more interested in the entrepreneurial approach and scale of the people the Foundation supports than in the industry it will impact.
I think the true focus of Social Edge is to be a community of people who care about changing the world. When we were building Social Edge, Jeff Skoll had just seen the financial success of eBay happen primarily as a result of the community chat rooms where people found expertise, friendship, etc. that led them to commercial engagement on the website. The other thing that Jeff valued so much about eBay was how it empowered the individual person to be able to engage more directly as buyers and sellers in ways they had not before--all centered around the trust in their new community.
Jeff's vision for Social Edge was the same: create a platform for the community of people who care about social and environmental change to exchange ideas, resources and networks. Social Edge has grown to have a particular focus on providing resources which are useful to the entrepreneurs who are waging everyday for societal change by building enterprises (for-profit and non-profit). Again, all of this is my opinion and the foundation could clarify if I am wrong.
In many ways, Social Edge is our community and can be anything we want it to be. What do you think it should focus on? What would be useful practical things Eocial Edge could provide to make you more effective?
carbon emissions
hi stevenson, this is daphne from DC also living in Arusha for now- I've never yet owned a car and appreciate your carbon consciousness! maybe we'll bump into eachother here- your work sounds interesting. I work with bio-intensive agriculture, food security, nutrition and HIV awareness mostly in tengeru.wasn't at the stadium at easter, but spent the night before at the band's place in Maji ya Chai!