Without water we wouldn't have gardens. We wouldn't have waves, physical health by hydration, or any kind of development and progress. Water channels through the earth, making pathways and generating life. The biblical Garden of Eden represents a lush vision of perfection, an oasis where abundance of plenty grows and prospers.
Yet how often do we in the time of modernity and technology take this essential element for granted?
As surfers, we are magnetically attracted to water. The way it smells, sounds, looks and feels, we yearn for it as lovers do. The calm, the power, the girts, water both gives and takes lives and inspires awe and fear.
Is it finite or infinite?
Some work to desalinate the ocean, creating drinking water for humans, irrigating crops and feeding wildlife. Humans build fountains and dams, harvesting the power of water, humans enjoy its soothing beauty, and use it to create cities. But is there enough water to go around? Living as if it is a predictable resource, a commodity that is limitless, may be morbidly foolish.
The way I see it, water is both limitless and limited. Fresh water is harnessed in aquifers, purified in forests, stored and released by the earth. Water is bottled and sold for money. In biblical story, there were great floods cast upon the earth to cleanse it of evil and divine deviation.
Water is a potentially destructive force we cannot take for granted or underestimate. Rains without organic green matter, create floods and drown everything to its inevitable fate. Fires create slippery slopes when the rains hit. Dangerous predicaments for humans and societies.
We must open our minds to thinking bigger. Thinking and behaving as if things, elements, life matters. With a new view comes a new way of being. A Way that comes from discovering how water behaves naturally, enabling it to penetrate, be absorbed and restore rather than stagnate, destroy and be wasted.
The idea of waste proliferates in our society more than any other time, I think.
Landfills are real. The idea of wasting time, thoughts, ideas, and resources is real. Wasting a life, a soul on things that don't inherently matter is a fact and more commonly experienced. When was the last time you felt completely alive and present? When whatever you were doing you felt fully engaged and focused, grateful and complete?
These are big issues to consider. The use and production of water; the satisfaction of engaging our souls; the efficiency of time properly spent, and life properly designed and supported.
Landscapes have been designed with gardens and habitats. Landscapes deserve thriving ecosystems and integrated boundaries. Their presence or absence dictates what is possible.
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Saturday, May 24, 2014
Friday, December 6, 2013
the OCEAN, the MOTHER, our HOME
If the ocean could talk what would she say?
If our species depends on the well being of the planet, then is it not our responsibility to protect her and defend her?
If our species depends on the well being of the planet, then is it not our responsibility to protect her and defend her?
http://deepseanews.com/2013/11/true-facts-about-ocean-radiation-and-the-fukushima-disaster/
Deep Sea News:
Mission Statement
Demystifying and humanizing science in an open conversation that instills passion, awe, and responsibility for the oceans. (Read more)Core Values
- Direct from the bench and the trench. We believe in directly communicating science to the public without barriers and intermediaries. (Read More)
- Saying things others do not. We will move the conversation forward by providing ocean science content from the obscure to the controversial.
- Reverently irreverent. We will be true to who we are in real life, leveraging humor to keep the science dialogue informal and accessible. (Read More)
- Promoting ocean literacy. We will help the public make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources by interpreting the essential principles and fundamental concepts of ocean science. (Read More)
- Perspective through a plurality of voices. We believe the conversation between the public and science should not be one way. Vision, growth, and intelligent progress can only come through an open conversation that includes all stakeholders. We strive to provide a platform for diverse voices to be heard.
- Awareness through scrutiny, not negativity. We believe that a critical assessment of ongoing ocean issues and science is vital, but that open conversation is hindered by negativity. We will strive to be professional, diplomatic, empathetic, and rational in our evaluation. (Read More)
- Expanding the culture of ocean science. The ocean and our lives as scientists are part of the larger fabric of human culture. We will highlight areas where the ocean touches our society, and seek to provide a window into our lives both as scientists and a member of the public embedded in ocean culture. We will strive for a future that allows for scientists and the public to be partnering stakeholders in sustaining and preserving our oceans. (Read More)
- Call to Action. We believe that an open dialogue is just the first step, and seek to turn words into action.
Our vision of the future is
- a public craving ocean exploration and knowledge,
- ocean scientists eager to be the guides for both,
- resulting in a global commitment for protection and restoration of our oceans.
Deep-Sea News will become a leader of open conversation about ocean science both on and offline. Our five-year goals aim to rejuvenate our blogging core, integrate our social media, and leverage our knowledge and experience to expand into on- and off-line opportunities.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Mediums of Exchange
"Bilateral exchanges of goods would be impossible because of an absence of what economists call a 'double coincidence of wants': A wants B's rice but can't barter with A because B doesn't care for A's wheat; and so on" (54) Dasgaupta's Economics: a very short introduction
The use of money as a medium of exchange enables people to do business with one another without a a means of want otherwise.
People hold money because they want to exchange goods and services without possessing the goods and services in which to barter. "so money is not only a medium of exchange, but also a store of value." The value is in the fact that people rather>>> being self sufficient
You either trade in the market, or become self sufficient with a sense of reciprocity within your immediate society, community.
Lives constructed around the world differ significantly. Facing different futures due in a great deal to where you are born. Different opportunities and obstacles greatly determine your believe of what you are able to do and who you can become.
"Economics in great measure tries to uncover the processes that influence how people 's lives come to be what they are." (7) Economics also tries to identify and influence those processes; How are things allocated? By age, gender, status, role, history...
"In various degrees, the millions of individual decisions shape the eventualities people face" (8) Ah, Consequences! The millions of small contributions (whether driving or burning dung for fuel) add to the whole. They create the whole picture. Actions create feedback loops. Positive or negative cause and effects.
A role: economists try to uncover reasons why events in a specific place unfold the way they do; identifying key drivers.
I want to uncover why the standard of living is so much lower in some parts than in others, and if a balance can be designed and created. Why I care so much about balance? Survival of the fittest, or compassion for everyone?
there exist a multitude of alternative models on social phenomena. In Buddhism we are encouraged to cut out the delusion, and see phenomena clearly.
Monday, May 7, 2012
The Real Wealth of Nations, wisdom from Riane Eisler
Economic Sectors:
Household economy (is the core inner sector)
Unpaid community economy
market economy
illegal economy
government economy
natural economy
an economic system where "human needs and capacities are nurtured rather than exploited, our natural habitats cared for and conserved rather than destroyed, and our great potential for caring and creativity is supported rather than inhibited." 14
The values of caring p. 16-21 the six Foundations 21-23
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Blind Spot of Economic Thought, help with language by our friend Otto Scharmer
in Capitalism 3.0 (term used by Peter Barnes) the state of awareness is different from that of 1.0 and 2.0. In 3.0 "there is a shift of awareness that extends the nature of self-interest of the players to the entire eco-system [why use the dash?]. Eco-system awareness means having the ability to operate with a mind that perceives a problem from all of the perspectives in a given system or community (rather than only from one's own) and to internalize the concerns and issues of the players in one's own decision making"
paraphrase above. go:
holistic, integrated thinking. define these words.
Example: Scharmer uses: sustainable supply chain projects. Patagonia, Coca-cola(?), Carpet co.
fair trade branch of the system
ego-system of self interest shifting to an eco-system awareness that includes players from the entire value chain.
Example: Sustainable Food Lab.org multi-sector initiator with over 70 organizations
p.7 Scharmer makes a nice summary of Arnorld Toynbee's (historian) perspective of the interplay between societal progress and evolution. Toynbee uses the terms "challenge and response".
challenges present themselves (inevitably), the old order is threatened to evolve or collapse, always transforming, and the new form(ations) replaces the old.
Transforming the core of economic thoughts:
attention and consciousness as the means to structural change. As the leaders for design and creation. Realized!
both-and integration. instead of debate of duality and difference, conversation about holism and working together. "which would allow it to cope with the new challenges of this century better, faster, and with fewer catastrophic side effects." (11)
Scharmer believes in 3.0 the framework will be a "paradigm of collective leadership, deep systems transformation, and collective action that arises from shared awareness and common will." Buddhism theory anyone? Loving kindness, interconnectedness, no separation, basic goodness and compassion. The "new" World Order. Respect of differences, tolerance around viewpoint and thought processes.
Acupuncture points: look up the way they work.
1. Coordination: how will you navigate global distribution?
p. 12 he talks about how we (humans) need a collective shift, or as he puts it-- "a massive transformational shift"-- in awareness that will redirect our attention to where it really needs to go, a feeling of collective accountability and responsibility in all directions, locally, regionally, "nationally", and globally.
SL- can you define those terms above? What do they mean to you?
coordination around entire value chains, from sourcing raw materials to the end consumer. Attention to these chains, holding appreciation and keeping clean design. Creating "transparent and reflective (open-minded), more empathetic and inclusive (open-hearted), and more action oriented and willing to lend a hand (open-willed)" relationships (12). The web of connectedness built on values of truth, love and beauty. The web knitted by participation and respect.
Scharmer is good at looking back with history as how things work now and where they need to go because of the past.
this will be facilitated by institutional intelligence and innovation. The I's. (as how it was from the leap of 1 to 2).
Local economy --good-- but transform to bio-regional economies and design.
2. Evolution of property rights.
zero externalities
natural commons. common property rights (you know what this can look like. design it)
private and social costs equate. No poisoning. no negative emissions. Organic and creative design.
Peter Barnes: one person, one share. Trusts: receive rights and funds (cap and trade $$)
government would also receive a percentage of these funds for public infrastructural investments, not military greed.
TRUST-BASED OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE: gain connection to others. loss of financial power. Gain "better resources, investments, and partners who were interested in pioneering new social, economical and environmental practices." (14)
3. Basic income and access to health, education, other opportunities
But how will people make a profit?
"As a global economy, we currently have an oversupply of products and production capacity in most industries. WE have more stuff than we sell." Ah, yea. He said. Not me, although I agree in thought and language.
(people don't have the cash to buy all this crap. And some very expensive and vital products for technological evolution, sustainable living, and ease) People "don't have"
What do we have? What do they have? Moving from a mindset of lack to that of assets. Assets based self-practice, emanating out to the community. One love, one heart,
"conventional labor is just another form of dependence: you don't sell your body, but you sell your time" (16)
4. Open+Transparent+Aware movement of capital
economics becomes aware of externalities and transparent about creating them.
financial bubbles and reality based on falsity p. 17
what is the real function of money? 17
"money gives us the right to buy and consume a certain fraction of the value (goods and services) that the real economy has generated in a given period." 17 Sharmer
body must do globally distributed divisions of labor... Who was all about the division of labor back in the 1800's? Keynes?
he compares money to the circulatory system
p. 18 gives example
better serves 1944 Keynes was not a bad guy.
Writing about systems theory
5. Technology. what is it doing? Functions of the web compared that to a program (like Micrsoft Word or Open Office); One holds it all together through a connection and system, the other serves as a tool, a systematic and mechanical design.
When more and more people are looking to connect and hope for the future (although with an (opposite of idealistic) with a bleak view)
Setting ourselves free. mobilize investments
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Biomimicry explained
Excerpts from the Bioneer's Conference: Janine Benyus
http://vimeo.com/biomimicry/biomimicry
has shared wised words of wisdom and logic. IUNC has found that the red list contains 7,500 conservatives who are holding on to the last of what is left of the old paradigm. There are clouds of worry on peoples' faces as they come to terms to the destructive forces that have worked to vanish over 90% of species on earth. They recognize that the economic quake that has soon to hit will be the largest in human history, with smaller quakes already proven to reek havoc on societies and the human web.
What they have forgotten to look at is the inherent wisdom of Nature's power and experience. Rather than fighting against Nature, we must look to become Nature's apprentice. Her pupil, student, and child.
We must return to the source of creation and stop fighting against it. Surrender is on its way, with resistance close behind her.
The failed paradigm of the old design is catching up to the modern world.
The failed paradigm of the old design is should not be cast aside as a failure, rejected from consideration and acknowledgment. No the unraveling paradigm of the past is merely a showing of our young, often times proud and stubborn, species. We fumble and forget how much is put into the system. How much work is needed to create the structures and plans for the future.
Did you know, cement makes up six to eight percent of the world's CO2 emissions? That is a large contribution if you think about it.
http://vimeo.com/biomimicry/biomimicry
has shared wised words of wisdom and logic. IUNC has found that the red list contains 7,500 conservatives who are holding on to the last of what is left of the old paradigm. There are clouds of worry on peoples' faces as they come to terms to the destructive forces that have worked to vanish over 90% of species on earth. They recognize that the economic quake that has soon to hit will be the largest in human history, with smaller quakes already proven to reek havoc on societies and the human web.
What they have forgotten to look at is the inherent wisdom of Nature's power and experience. Rather than fighting against Nature, we must look to become Nature's apprentice. Her pupil, student, and child.
We must return to the source of creation and stop fighting against it. Surrender is on its way, with resistance close behind her.
The failed paradigm of the old design is catching up to the modern world.
The failed paradigm of the old design is should not be cast aside as a failure, rejected from consideration and acknowledgment. No the unraveling paradigm of the past is merely a showing of our young, often times proud and stubborn, species. We fumble and forget how much is put into the system. How much work is needed to create the structures and plans for the future.
Did you know, cement makes up six to eight percent of the world's CO2 emissions? That is a large contribution if you think about it.
The total contribution of aircraft emissions to total anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions was considered to be about 2 percent in 1990 (IPCC, 1990).
The point is, ground asphalt and buildings made of cement are a significant contributor to green house gases and rising CO2 levels. The point is, the architectural designs of the past, especially through mainstream construction have greatly been poor and incomplete. If people were wise they would realize how designing using principles and patterns in nature, is the smarter and more effective way of constructing reality.
Benyus offered an extensive list of examples in how learning the patterns and designs created by nature can have a leading influence in the designs and scientific efficiencies in the future. She says, the beauty of the scientific path is that we have found the knowledge in the study. This knowledge, or wisdom, tends to reduce friction. This wisdom lets things flow. What some wise people call, the state of harmony. Benyus inspires by reminding us, there is still abundance left and the wisdom of the Earth is waiting for us to re-enter the conversation.
The dialogue is beginning.
Break down
Cleave halogens from organic compounds (0)
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