Green light, green-stamp, greenback…we know green is Go! Yes! Yay! How does one color carry so much good-to-go feeling? Connotations are actually something interesting to think about – at least for us wordsmiths. Perhaps you have to go to the literal “root” on this one…the botanical bottom of this story.
Nature provides the process of chlorophyll production which sustains our whole planet. The birth of every leaf portends the future of our food and air. Of course, you need both sunshine and water (yellow & blue) to make green, a formula that works on a color palette as well!
Bombarded with headlines, organizations and catch-phrases that include the word green, I began to ponder green-ness again. Has it become an overused jingle or moniker today? I think so - but very rightly so, I decided. Green does mean LIFE, a color coding for everything most natural and necessary for our survival.
Even our Mendocino County Promotional Alliance is compiling a list of “green” businesses – those who use sustainable practices, in hopes of bringing our county’s 52 local conservation groups together and helping to sell the idea of Mendocino being a Green county, according to a recent Daily Journal article. Our county is green in more than its valleys, trees and plants – including medicinal herbs. Julia Conway of the Alliance admits, “We were green before it was fashionable.” Solar energy know-how and organic wines and ales put Mendocino on the map.
When researching for a column early last spring, I found that many people were involved in huge undertakings of localizing, an effort to conserve our “green” status by going a step further. And, actually, it means NOT going more than 50 or so miles, perhaps, to find essentials for our lives or businesses. The statistic that rocked me, after talking to Arky Ciancutti from Brewery Gulch Inn on the Coast last March, was that 20% of all fuel burned is a result of “moving food.”
The Greater Ukiah Localization Project (GULP) encourages local purchasing and sustenance within our area. The Coast Economic Localized Link (CELL) and Willits Economic LocaLization (WELL) are others in our county marching forward with a strong “green” message.
A seasonal opportunity to buy local is our Farmer’s Market at the Alex Thomas Plaza on Saturday mornings and Tuesday afternoons. Once the nice weather is gone, though, local produce may not be so accessible. We would hope there are indoor gardeners that can supply our local markets with fresh, organic products as much as possible, but we may need more work to achieve that.
GULP also invites interested citizens to help at the Cleveland Community Gardens and asks any other community or shared gardens to keep the group advised on local food production. How - or what does YOUR garden grow? Contact Maureen at moski@pacific.net to get on their mailing list.
Participation in the Ukiah Valley Area Plan (UVAP) allows us a voice in what happens to our communities in more ways than its food sources. Efforts to conserve and preserve will help ensure the viability of our area.
We’re not talking secession or radical politics here; we’re looking at self-reliance and self-sustenance. Can we possibly find everything we need right here in Mendocino or within our region? Possibly, but it may cost more. The price is critical or prohibitive to many, but the philosophy may have a greater impact on us in the long run. What is your future worth? How about the legacy we leave our children and grandchildren?
When I look back on growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, I recall the excitement and convenience which plastics, polyester, pesticides and food preservatives offered our parents. These were developed to eliminate their drudgery and hard work, potentially giving them more time to relax and enjoy life. Who knew those improvements would greatly affect our mindset, making us ignore questions of long term effects on our bodies and our planet?
One local songwriter Kristine Robin (also a wonderful musician who warrants her own feature article in the near future!) produced a powerful and inspiring video to accompany her song “One is the Sun.” Link to her presence online at http://www.kristinerobin.com/.
I found myself writing some lyrics over ten years ago – as a concerned parent and questioning adult – wondering what to do about correcting the misguided actions of past decades. I imagined handing my child a gift – our abused planet, which she receives with tears.
I ask her,
“Can’t you ignore a few shortcomings, ozone holes and global warmings?
Just needs a few more landfills, naval graveyards and toxic dumps.
Every world struggles through time and picks up a few bruises and bumps.”
Of course, she takes it, but without gratitude, as I leave the scene.
“Sadly I go, looking o’er my shoulder to watch her.
Working with love, she restores and waters her wildflower lawn,
caresses a cloud, protects her wood.”
Perhaps with music and poetry, as well as policy changes and hard work, we can eventually heal our world. We must try.
Showing posts with label Mendocino County. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mendocino County. Show all posts
Friday, July 6, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
On the Winning Side - or Not
No, I’m not focusing on the recent Mendocino County's District Attorney election, in case my headline reflects ballot blues (well, maybe a little). As Albert Einstein said, “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” Don’t know if that makes Keith Faulder feel any better, but he related to me some positive words a couple of days following the election - when he could’ve been “down” for the count.
Though his unsuccessful campaign was brief (compared to his main opponent), Assistant District Attorney Faulder paid the people of Mendocino County huge compliments. Since his career puts him more often in the path of those detained or accused of alleged crimes, he rarely spends much time in the company of such large groups of dedicated, upstanding citizens who respect his position. He enjoyed that immensely.
Faulder ran the race, he said, to “have the opportunity to pay back the people of this county for all the years of training and confidence” they’ve invested in him. Maybe next round, Keith.
“It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.” We say that about politics, yes, but for many across the globe, this famous sport philosophy is played out – or not – on fields and courts where physical prowess reigns. Could you or your parent be called a “good sport” or does ump-blasting and tongue-lashing brand you as a “bad sport?”
Only the tragic or shocking news stories ever make the big headlines, but there are a lot of “bad sports” who are reported to the National Association of Sporting Officials. You can check out some of the sordid details on this webpage: http://www.naso.org/sportsmanship/badsports.html.
In our local news, a positive headline on a recent sports page was balm to the injured eyes…Our local South Valley Falcons won the City of Ukiah High School Division basketball championship, thanks to a motivated group of young men.
In only their second season, this team has no gym or covered practice area – and with new coach Chris Miller coming onboard just three days before the first game, they were able to beat the odds. Theirs was a perfect season with 11-0. Kudos, guys! The rest of us should be inspired.
For students in need of good role models, healthy exercise or fair competition, being on a team like this is priceless. Too much negative rumblin’ has been souring the pool of young people in our area. Wearing red or blue on some of our streets can produce anything but a patriotic response. Unfortunately, several of my high school English students are riding the thin line that keeps them out of the jailhouse or the coffin. It’s sad.
A local home where friends were mourning the death of a recently shot twenty-year-old (whose “blues” have been rumored) was allegedly pelted with beer bottles hurled by young men “seeing red,” you might say. A concerned mother witnessed this and confided to me. Not even a hint of respect.
What makes it worse is the young man’s death involved local law enforcement rather than street enemies. How can this loss of young life not sadden the hearts of other young lives, no matter what color they wear?
Maybe we need to put every teen on a team of some game, proud of their “color” and play against each other with onlookers, coaches and umpires. It’s been said that as a species we still need to satisfy that hunter/gatherer role…win the prize to take home. But, there’s not a safe, legitimate way for all of us to do that now.
Some have parlayed the “good sport” philosophy into a more universal application, like Australia’s Social Justice Commissioner Dr. Bill Jonas did in his 1999 speech at a Sport and Human Rights Conference down under.
“We need to ask ourselves, first, what exactly is it about sport that we would wish to transfer to social and civil life? I want briefly to suggest two reasons…Firstly, sport is an arena where competition is governed by the rule of law. The laws are in general respected and…enforceable.”
Jonas’ second reason resonated with me as I read the papers and scoured online while monitoring the Masters Golf Tournament (had to watch Tiger – a good role model). We can take this lesson from Dr. Jonas and put it to good use in our justice halls, on our basketball courts and in our neighborhoods:
“Secondly, let me draw attention to the geometrical configuration of the Olympic symbol. Five circles of equal size yet of different colour; circles that overlap yet remain distinct. A fitting symbol of equality and difference. In sport, competitors start out at the same point - they are given equal opportunity.”
That should be our goal. We need to do more to move everyone up to the same starting point and give everyone a chance to win. Otherwise, we all lose.
Though his unsuccessful campaign was brief (compared to his main opponent), Assistant District Attorney Faulder paid the people of Mendocino County huge compliments. Since his career puts him more often in the path of those detained or accused of alleged crimes, he rarely spends much time in the company of such large groups of dedicated, upstanding citizens who respect his position. He enjoyed that immensely.
Faulder ran the race, he said, to “have the opportunity to pay back the people of this county for all the years of training and confidence” they’ve invested in him. Maybe next round, Keith.
“It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.” We say that about politics, yes, but for many across the globe, this famous sport philosophy is played out – or not – on fields and courts where physical prowess reigns. Could you or your parent be called a “good sport” or does ump-blasting and tongue-lashing brand you as a “bad sport?”
Only the tragic or shocking news stories ever make the big headlines, but there are a lot of “bad sports” who are reported to the National Association of Sporting Officials. You can check out some of the sordid details on this webpage: http://www.naso.org/sportsmanship/badsports.html.
In our local news, a positive headline on a recent sports page was balm to the injured eyes…Our local South Valley Falcons won the City of Ukiah High School Division basketball championship, thanks to a motivated group of young men.
In only their second season, this team has no gym or covered practice area – and with new coach Chris Miller coming onboard just three days before the first game, they were able to beat the odds. Theirs was a perfect season with 11-0. Kudos, guys! The rest of us should be inspired.
For students in need of good role models, healthy exercise or fair competition, being on a team like this is priceless. Too much negative rumblin’ has been souring the pool of young people in our area. Wearing red or blue on some of our streets can produce anything but a patriotic response. Unfortunately, several of my high school English students are riding the thin line that keeps them out of the jailhouse or the coffin. It’s sad.
A local home where friends were mourning the death of a recently shot twenty-year-old (whose “blues” have been rumored) was allegedly pelted with beer bottles hurled by young men “seeing red,” you might say. A concerned mother witnessed this and confided to me. Not even a hint of respect.
What makes it worse is the young man’s death involved local law enforcement rather than street enemies. How can this loss of young life not sadden the hearts of other young lives, no matter what color they wear?
Maybe we need to put every teen on a team of some game, proud of their “color” and play against each other with onlookers, coaches and umpires. It’s been said that as a species we still need to satisfy that hunter/gatherer role…win the prize to take home. But, there’s not a safe, legitimate way for all of us to do that now.
Some have parlayed the “good sport” philosophy into a more universal application, like Australia’s Social Justice Commissioner Dr. Bill Jonas did in his 1999 speech at a Sport and Human Rights Conference down under.
“We need to ask ourselves, first, what exactly is it about sport that we would wish to transfer to social and civil life? I want briefly to suggest two reasons…Firstly, sport is an arena where competition is governed by the rule of law. The laws are in general respected and…enforceable.”
Jonas’ second reason resonated with me as I read the papers and scoured online while monitoring the Masters Golf Tournament (had to watch Tiger – a good role model). We can take this lesson from Dr. Jonas and put it to good use in our justice halls, on our basketball courts and in our neighborhoods:
“Secondly, let me draw attention to the geometrical configuration of the Olympic symbol. Five circles of equal size yet of different colour; circles that overlap yet remain distinct. A fitting symbol of equality and difference. In sport, competitors start out at the same point - they are given equal opportunity.”
That should be our goal. We need to do more to move everyone up to the same starting point and give everyone a chance to win. Otherwise, we all lose.
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