Current Green Blog

This week’s “Green Caption” photo:

It was another hard decision, but we decided to go with: “Nautica? C’mon, I specifically asked for North Face!” – by BYoung

Runner up is: “This jacket with my color fur? What a fashion faux paw!” – by keithjoforever.

Every Friday we’ll announce the next weeks “Name this Picture”! We have already picked it out and can’t wait to throw it up on the blog to see what you all come up with! And remember, if you see a photo you’d like to see in this contest, send us a link in the comments section and you just might see it on our blog in the coming weeks.

Sometimes…I just need to give in and summarize trends. And when I saw the beard picture this morning,  knew the time had come to do a post on about the freaky things people do with bees.

Let’s begin with the post by chandu about 25 people with bee beards. I’ll be frank and say I prefer my men with soul patches thank you very much. But not to worry, since apparently there are women out there more than happy to marry bee loving extremists, and to prove the point, abhishek25 posted an article about this chinese couple that got married in an outfit of bees (we liked that image so much we used it for our weekly “name that picture” caption game). Our obession with bees is rightly placed as they are a key element to the food chain since without pollinators, there is no food. Perhaps Samual Jackson didn”t want Scarlett Johnasson and Ryan Reynolds to go hungry, hence his awesome wedding gift (you guessed it..10K bees).

But what is on the top of many people’s minds these days is that bees are disappearing:

And it would seem people can’t resist making, “art” with bees:

And finally, I leave you with my favorite videos on Current Urban Honey, which chronicles Jon Rolston’s adventure as a young urban bee keeper living in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, anyone know where that expression, “that’s the bees knees” originate from? I’ll send a t-shirt to the first person who can tell us~

Related content:
Bluefin Tuna On The Edge Of Extinction Due To Overfishing

Swimming with dolphins (or trying)

Thinking outside the box and the pixels: The gamers are here to save the planet!

Guy Toyama, executive director of  Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii Authority gives an introduction to the sustainability issues and innovations on the big island. It’s a fascinating weaving of science, innovation and “techno-tourism” (aka eco geek vacation destination)

Where does Hawaii stand on the sustainability? It’s all about geothermal on the Big Island:

Water and desalination:

The future of NEHELA shows us the solar focuser:

A few reflections after a busy day on the Big Island. I went out on the boat with Captain Nancy of Dolphin Journeys with high hopes to swim with a dolphin but came back with reflections on relationships:

This footage is not from Dolphin Journeys, but it is of dolphins swimming in Hawaii, so enjoy!

Video footage of dolphins swimming with the boat:

A brief intro to sustainability efforts on the Big Island at the Hawaii Gateway Energy Center:

On a daily basis we are bombarded with information that tell us that we need to heal the planet. And yet, I find one of the reasons I have come to love the wilderness is because it (the natural world) heals me.  So while in Kauai, I wanted to take some time to connect in with some of the local healers and learn about their relationship to healing and if their is a practice of healing with the land. I ended up getting introduced to Kahuna Valley and  aqua craniosacral therapy.

The I worked with Kristen Lukus who worked in a natural salt water tub, who describes the technique below:

So how did it feel? What did Krsten do? She had me wear floats so I floated on the surface of the water and gently moved my body through the water. It was very different, and incredibly relaxing. We had been rushing around at full speed trying to interview as many people as possible about sustainability issues and I had wound myself up into a little anxiety ball and the next thing I knew I was grounded and had a deep sense of calm. I think the thing I remember most was this moment when I was breathing and all of a sudden I was taking a deep breath in and I could continue to breathe in and in, and in, and in, and it seemed like was no limitation to the amount of air I breathe in, it’s hard to explain to be true.

At the end of session, we talked about her teacher, Rebecca Geoff, who has special permits to work out in the open ocean and practice this healing technique in the presence of whales and dolphins (it is usually required that you leave the location and are not within a specific distance of whales). She authored the book, Kissing Whales Healing Dolphins. I was fascinated by the idea, and later met an amazing woman on the big island, who takes people out to swim with dolphins. The stories she told me were amazing stories about the healing abilities of dolphins (more on that soon).

Related content:

Eco Travel in Hawaii: the difference between being a tourist and a guest

What lies beneath: Diving into the belly of the planet

I was sitting at a conference designed bring the usual and unusual suspects who innovate and fund and lobby for renewable energy together to cross-pollinate their ideas. While watching, two things struck me: the first is that the people who had conflicting viewpoints did not have a platform to converge and publicly articulate their opposing viewpoints (making it challenge for anyone trying to understand the pros and cons of the various sources of alternative energy). And then, as I watched a room full of people sitting in circles, all I could think about was battle strategies. Eco battle strategies.

Now, I don’t think about battle strategies. I think about the state of the environment, I think about environmental news and information. I track how media makers tell the stories about the environment, I watch for new innovations, and where we are as a culture are relating to the theme of “green.” But I think it’s fair to say that most governments, and businesses that have a goal to achieve have clear and focused metrics, strategies, and tactics.

However as the sustainability movement continues to develop, there is not one leader, we have various goals, and the participant defines the direction.

My definition of living sustainably is to live a life in balance. To explore deeper it means not to over consume, and it means the things I do consume: food, products, and experiences, do not cause harm and are not tainted with the sweat labor of inequality, that means (Gulp) working less, living more, a focus on relationships, it means (gulp x2) a new definition of success that has more emphasis on quality than quantity.

For someone else, it might mean starting a new business that incorporates sustainable practices and business models as a way to catch the newly emerging green trend, for someone else it might mean making small changes in their lives.

Either way, the opportunity of the moment is before us. The challenges that we are facing can appear insurmountable (the oceans are emptying of fish, freshwater sources are polluted, mining and deforestation is continuing to take place, record levels of dumping of toxic waste and garbage into our water sources…etc., etc., etc.) when you realize that the interests to make huge amounts of money (a quantity that has no tangible or real connection to the natural resources that are utilized to gain it) is in direct conflict with the interest to live sustainably on the planet, and most definitely doesn’t jive with the basic principles that are taught in every Outward Bound and Nols wilderness course: “leave no trace.”

The challenges of the times are upon us:  we are living on a planet that is sending the message loud and clear that we cannot continue at the rate we are going and expect it to continue to sustain us. The need to act decisively and quickly is calling people around the planet into action. I have a Google alert for “eco hero,” and enjoy waking to seeing that this search is becoming more and more populated each day as more and more people are answering the call to action.

So who do you follow and which message do you take on as your own?
William McDonough discusses sustainability concepts via cradle-to-cradle, Annie Leonard talks about the story of stuff, and Bill McKibben is talking about 350, David de Rothschild is talking about plastics, Ask Umbra is in support of civil disobedience, Share table is promoting a culture of sharing, many people are promoting eating less meat as a way to conserve resources and energy. Everyone has a different date and amount they say we need to reduce CO2, and there are even more voices speaking about Copenhagen.

Yet the question arises, when there are so many people leading, and leading in so many different directions, who do you follow? Who do you listen to? With so many varying issues to address all at once which issue do you choose and why?

Inquiring minds want to know. Meanwhile, I’m keeping my eye on this kid: Alec Loorz, founder of Kids Versus Global Warming.

Today we are starting a new segment: Green Captions! Here’s how it works: every week we will throw up a weird, random, crazy, and/or interesting photo that has appeared on Current Green and it is YOUR job to think of a creative, fun and hilarious caption. This week’s photo is brought to us by abhishek25:

Leave your ideas in the comments sections and we will choose a winner by the end of the week! Have fun!

(and of course…submit a photo for next week). The prize? No prize! Just the thrill of the game (oh, and you know we’ll feature the caption we fall in love with on the Green Page)

Waikik reminds more of Miami than Hawaii… but I’m here! And so is the ocean~ so life is feeling pretty sweet. And the exciting news to this nature lover, is that right around the corner are the mountains.

I was hoping to get a real sense of place and get the stories of the land and of the people when I was here, and yet it takes time to gain a true sense of pace, so I figured I would cheat and hook up with a local expert.

When I heard about Hina Adventures I was beyond excited: they promise to take you on hikes, talk about the local plants and their medicinal meanings, and best of all, tell the local lore and legends.

I remember when I worked as a naturalist in Alaska and how people would go from elated to slightly deflated as soon as they realized I was their guide. They were expecting a rough and tough macho man with a big beard and a checkered shirt and gun to protect them from bears. Instead, they got me and a can of bear spray.

I experienced a bit of that same deflation when I opened the van door to discover my guide was a young white woman. I had been fantasizing about an older Hawaiian native medicine man with tattoos and hula skirt

But founder, Ena Sroat won me over in two seconds flat with her authentic interest, sensitivity, love of the land, extensive knowledge, and  knack for story telling.

Ena introduces the local gardens (a native plant restoration project): Na Pohaku o Hauwahine (The Stones of Hauwahine = a lizard/dragon shafeshifter goddess/ protector water-spirit of the marsh & ancient fishpond), on the edge of Kawainui Marsh outside of Kailua town on the Oahu.

Taken at the Ulupo Heiau, and aquaculture temple (heiau = place of worship), outside of Kailua on Oahu.

Ena tells the legend of the at Na Pohaku o Hauwahine (the tree you are looking at in this video)

Of all of the travel I did, this was one of the most connective days I had to Hawaii. It provided me a sense of place…total random side bar, but the experience reminded me of this story:

I worked on one of the first environmental expeditions on Everest a few years back. During that time I spent three months coordinating service projects in the Solu Khombu valley, and spent my time toggling between Namche Bazaar and Everest base camp. I mention it now because I was sitting in a tea house talking to another American as she trekked through the area. When she discovered that I was spending my entire three months in Nepal in this one valley she asked with authentic surprise, “How could you spend all of your time only in this valley?” and my response was, “How could you not?” I had gotten the opportunity to participate and get to know the people, experience the culture of sitting in the kitchens rather than just sit on the outside. It changed the way I wanted to travel forever, understanding that less (travel) really can mean more (experience).

Related links:

Coconut! Build with it, eat out of it, heal hang overs…and more~

[re]Thinking sustainability in Hawaii

Video Postcards of Hawaii

This week in review. So much happened!

Well for starters, the largest climate event in history happened. Plenty of discussion ensued. It felt like it unified people around the planet around a common goal, and created plenty of healthy discussion about the state of the environment and activism.

Given that 350 was designed to make sure that the Cop 15 negotiators knew that their countries were behind them as they prepare for negotiating an ambitious global agreement..now I’ll stop here: it there was language in there that didn’t make sense, you are not alone. Much of Copenhagen, the process, and the issues at stake are minimally understood, hence we bring you 360 degrees of Copenhagen. AKA as Copenhagen in plain English. This week, Joshua Weise, affectionately referred to as a climate stalker (by Karl Burkart of Green dig.net), gives us a brief update of what happened at the recent Bangkok climate talks, and whats to come in Barcelona this coming week (the last round of talks before Copenhagen).

Twitter was a flurry this week (oh~ that’s not news) but there were plenty of hashtags to watch if you wanted to watch bloggers report out from the Senate hearings. @BeThatChange took on the twittermission to bring @Barackobama 2 copenhagen  via the #hope2cope hashtags. You can also follow #cop15 for all things Copenhagen on twitter.

A very fun call out was placed on our site by award winning photographer Ian Shive: he has said that he will review anyone’s photos and provide feedback about how to make them into work that you can use to preserve the land you love so much. Deadline in November 3rd.

Two reports of interest came out this week: American’s are getting better at conserving water and apparently bloggers are haters…or at least, hate on the climate science according to Pew’s latest report.

David de Rothschild and his co-skipper Jo Royale came by our office to talk about the adventure they are planning to take across the Pacific on their boat made of plastic. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed that hard while talking about depressing facts about the state of the ocean (David nick named me Debbie Downer between a long string of off colored pirate jokes and explanations of how men are getting limp fin sydrome after eating shark) and yes of course, we discussed the state of plastics, garbage, the ocean, vertical gardening on the ship, and how to undress a rabit. Stay tuned for the interview. (Oh! And they answered everyone’s questions, so thanks for asking!)

Lots of discussion about how to present the message of climate change to the people. So step right up and pick your viral messaging! Sexy images of young supermodels undressing:

or heart wrenching music and small children getting beat up by policemen (anyone else wonder if the children in this video will be permanently damaged?) A nickel goes to the first person who guess which video has 240K views and which one has 5K views.

Janforgore wrote a beautiful guest blog post on biodynamics. And life would not be complete if we didn’t leave you with a few puns inspired by the news that cow farms are converting manure into electricity (and bless every single one of you who wrote in comments that included puns and jokes. You made my Friday!)

Next week~ Hawaii! (Someone had to take one for the team). I’m very honored to be asked to lead a pannel at the Re:Think Hawaii conference on sustainability and report back on the sustainability efforts of Hawaii. More on that….soon. Have a great weekend, and take care.

On December 7, 2009, the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy will gather delegates from all over the world to meet in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, (aka COP15). The goal of the event is to result in an “ambitious global agreement” that will include every country of the world.  The event is complex, at times confusing, so we figured the least we could do is provide a 360 degree perspective of the conference via  leading up to the event.

Joshua Wiese, program director of Adopt a Negotiator, webcams in from England to provide updates on the climate talks that have taken place in preparation for Copenhagen. As acting director of The Adopt a Negotiator project, Joshua coordinates a group of 12 dynamic young people from around the world as they track their climate negotiator throughout the process leading up to this December’s COP15. Here is what they’ve been up to.

The latest update from Bangkok – what’s new?

An update on some of the good news out of Bangkok, and, of course, some of the bad, as we get closer and closer to Copenhagen:

Lastly, Joshua talks to us about what YOU can do to pressure our world leaders to act on climate change in Copenhagen:

Joshua and his envoy are off to Barcelona for the next round of climate talks,  there are  five sessions left before the World’s leaders meet in Copenhagen for climate negotiations. To track Joshua, and his envy, you can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and of course at Adopt a Negotiator webbsite.

Related Posts:

360 Degrees of Copenhagen: Guest Post Joshua Wiese

Bangkok Climate Talks: The No B.S. Youth Report