I recently reread Frederick Douglass’s What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, which he delivered on July 5, 1852—a celebrated condemnation of slavery by a man born a slave when it was legal in this country. You’ll do yourself a favor to read it if you haven’t recently. Here’s the passage where he turns the corner from praising the nation: I am not included within the pale of[…] Keep reading →

I think I’ve accidentally led people astray, sharing how much I enjoy acting in stewardship. I would prefer doing anything I wanted whenever and wherever, on my terms—that is, if I didn’t have to consider how my behavior affected others, especially those powerless to stop my effects from hurting them. Today’s episode shares how I’m doing on the personal level what science suggests—no magic, nothing personal, just following the advice[…] Keep reading →

Talk about pollution, and people point their fingers in different directions. Many people point to Asia as polluting more. For example, this chart says Asian countries pollute the ocean more. Look at where all the so-called mismanaged plastic waste comes from—that is, plastic that makes it into the ocean. East Asia looks horrible! But look at the plastic waste per capita. The US dominates, with a few countries in Europe[…] Keep reading →

Frankly, I don’t see many signs of hope for us to handle the environment. Walking around my neighborhood, I’d say maybe 20 percent of people are wearing masks. Bars and restaurants are packing people within six feet of each other. Headlines about Texas, Florida, and Arizona show people’s cavalier attitudes leading to opinion over nature. Still, here are a few signs of hope. Ozone: humanity banded together to ban CFCs.[…] Keep reading →

Here is a list of specious, fatuous, self-serving beliefs driving behavior degrading the environment. We’ve all used some to justify inaction. If you find yourself using one, you’re only fooling yourself. I won’t show why they don’t work. You can figure them out. Then get over them and act. Our minds don’t look for logic. They look for any excuse they can to justify the conclusions they want. Now you[…] Keep reading →

I feel honored that Kosmos Journal’s Summer Quarterly 2020 published my first piece for them, Our Finest Hour, If We Choose. Kosmos Quarterly | a peer-reviewed e-journal of transformational writing, spoken word, video, music and art. Each Kosmos Quarterly is a deep dive into a special theme through the lens of transformation. Kosmos convenes a new Editorial Circle, each season to cross-pollinate ideas and share the fruits of their practice around the emerging theme[…] Keep reading →

Search for “adult praising youth on climate action” and you’ll find lots of quotes like this one from UN Secretary-General António Guterres I encourage you to go on, I encourage you to keep your initiative, keep your mobilization, and more and more to hold my generation accountable.  My generation has largely failed until now to preserve both justice in the world and to preserve the planet. I have granddaughters.  I[…] Keep reading →