Awareness

The title and the pictures speak for themselves, though can't capture the beauty of seeing it in person. Also, when you see a rainbow, pointing it out to people creates fun and connection. I was in Washington Square Park and I saw not one person see this rainbow except people I showed it too and the people who saw the joy and amazement in the people I showed it to. I saw a 360 degree rainbow from my rooftop a little over a year ago, also on a sunny day. I saw a beautiful rainbow near my home over a decade ago. How much natural beauty are we missing, too busy looking at our screens? I hope I didn't blow out my camera pointing straight…

I was talking to someone who pollutes more than most people while being aware of environmental problems. She bought a luxury SUV and flies around for fun. She compares herself to people who pollute and deplete more and says, "I'm not as bad as them" and concludes that she's one of the good ones---which doesn't follow, logically. In the course of conversation, she said about her unsustainable practices, ". . . I don't do things the way you want me to." What a bizarre way to put it. I don't want people to steal or murder, but I hope the reason people don't steal or murder is to avoid hurting other people, especially innocent ones. It would be weird to avoid stealing and murdering to…

On June 24, 1988, the New York Times posted in its front page: Global Warming Has Begun, Expert Tells Senate You can say corporations and governments hid the problem from us, but not after June 24, 1988. From then on, we had no excuse to say we didn't know. We already knew of habitat loss, deforestation, plastic pollution, and tons of other problems. I'm curious, though. What are your excuses for not acting, even though they don't hold water? Why still cling to them? You'll feel better when you stop buying packaged food, air conditioning all the time, living in a bigger home than you need, and so on.

I've been trying to decide which pollution is worst. I pick up litter daily so I participate actively with it. Have you picked up litter regularly? When I do, I can't help speculate what in a person's mind and heart led them to decide putting a given piece of litter where they did. It leads me to see a dark and selfish part of humanity. That people claim not to connect their litter with the world drowning in it . . . How else can I put it? They're acting stupid. Air and water pollution are similar, just less tangible. Still, even on clear days, looking to the horizon in New York City, I see the air's yellow-brown tinge, and New York City doesn't rank…

The problems of racism, sexism, and environmental degradation existed before we were born. They will persist after we die. I've never heard anyone say about racism that they'd like to help but individual action won't solve it so they might as well keep doing racist things, that only governments and corporations can solve it so they shouldn't try, or that if we don't keep pursuing on racist paths we might revert to the Stone Age so we should keep doing racist things. I've never heard anyone say about sexism that they'd like to help but individual action won't solve it so they might as well keep doing sexist things, that only governments and corporations can solve it so they shouldn't try, or that if we…