Generation Fix
By Our Green Team | Oct 9 2009, 10:39

Your children want to clean up after you.

You might view that as a good thing; after all, that shows you've taught them well, right? But have you really, if there's a mess to clean up at all?

Unlike past generations of Generation X or Generation Y, today's crop of teenagers has been called "Generation Fix." It's a term that's been used by authors like Elizabeth Rusch, who's written about inspiring stories of real young activists who overcame obstacles to work towards creating a more perfect world. It's also been used by The Vancouver Sun, which recently featured a front-page article about the We Day assembly and the 16,000-some young people who attended the event.

The assembly, which included an appearance by the Dalai Lama, was by the Free the Children organization, which empowers children in North America to take action to improve the lives of fellow children overseas. The initiative's international projects and "adopt a village" program have brought over 500 schools and water projects to communities around the world.

These are the children of Generation Fix, who - unlike previous generations - show they are more than willing and eager to clean up the mess left by generations before.

Generation Fix is inspiring because it's made up of young, energetic and motivated children who want to bring about change on a global scale. These kids raise funds to help the poor and underprivileged. They raise awareness about ethical living. And they see the importance of freeing other children from poverty and exploitation.

We could all learn a lesson from them.

Children are empowering other children, lifting one another to great heights. Young adults are making a difference, inspiring us "grown-ups" at the same time. Their actions should motivate us all in the GlobalForce Community to make similar commitments to support their beliefs: That there can be a just and sustainable life for all. That we can save the Planet. That we can be Change Agents.

In the recent We Day assembly, the Dalai Lama encouraged children to "leave behind the past 100 years of violence."

"This century," he said, "should be the century of peace."

If today's younger generation can take this message to heart so earnestly, we too should feel a responsible obligation to make this world a better place. To give our children a safe environment for them to bloom and grow and prosper. You've heard the saying "do it for the kids", so can you "do it for the kids who are doing it for everyone else"?

You Are The Solution!
By Our Green Team | Oct 16 2009, 17:39

Throughout history, there have always been a few people who really "stepped up to bat," so to speak: They've taken on the grand task of not only reversing the damage we've done to Earth, but also to work in harmony with nature to ensure the survival of all living things. In other words, to honor the web of life. They're our forward thinkers, visionaries, eco-warriors, philosophers, inventors, the boldest innovators and "Natural Capitalists."

Some of them, sadly, fought against popular belief during their time, never to see the fruits of their labours. Others still fighting today are more fortunate and able to see their efforts take root and begin to flourish.

They're people like Buckminster Fuller, the godfather of environmental, ecological awareness and practice, and sustainable global architecture. He believed the Earth should be viewed as a whole, as a sum of its parts and resources. That we as humans should look at the overall world resources we have - land, water, air, all living things, etc. - and find a way to evenly share those resources to "Make the World Work for Everyone."

Fuller asked, "How can we make the world work for 100 percent of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological damage or disadvantage to anyone?"

Then there's Viktor Schauberger, who devoted his life to studying the forces of nature and how humanity must learn to work in conjunction with nature. A natural scientist, Schauberger's insights about vortex energy, implosion and other concepts made possible a whole new range of products for sustainability, increased agricultural growth, water vitalization and healing our environment.

Although greats such as Fuller and Schauberger have passed, they have forever propelled the idea of our coexistence with nature, and continue to inspire others who are still here. Those thought leaders today are committed to helping others view the world in a way that will help all to benefit through nature-based solutions.

Paul Hawken, for example, is an accomplished author, speaker, has been featured in "The 11th Hour" (Leonardo DiCaprio's 2007 environmental documentary) and has been actively involved with Bioneers. He has extensive experience researching the organizations that are dedicated to restoring the environment of impaired ecosystems and human social justice.

Hawken has documented a movement that starts "from the bottom up" and builds ever larger until it can eventually demand and bring about global change - thanks to the unrivalled power of its numbers. There is no central base, there is no central religion, it's not government controlled. It is simply a universal movement based in diversity.

As we look from past innovators to those leading the way today, we can find a common thread: the possibility of advancements and technologies that are one with nature. If we focus on and invest in that possibility, we will take this world to a better place. It's already happening, in fact. The "meager" sustainability thoughts of Bioneers, once compared to UFO-seekers and other fringe movements, have become a grand assembly of hundreds of thousands of scientists, visionaries and local organizations, all working to do what needs to be done.

Fuller believed that things like war, greed and dis-ease stemmed from our long-held, but mistaken, belief that there's simply "not enough to go around" in this world. The idea that scarcity is nature's plan has left us feeling insecure and driven us to create ways of dealing with that insecurity. Until we overcome that wrong-headed thinking, we will never be able to build lasting, global peace, he believed. (Read "TetWorld - Scarcity vs. Plentitude" to learn more.)

Could it be that we’re - at long last - on our way to eliminating that wrong thinking and insecurity? As more and more citizens collectively work toward finding solutions to scarcity, to find ways to restore nature’s plentitude, we might ultimately find ourselves on a path that guarantees our survival as a species and benefits our planet as a whole. Perhaps, we might one day even build lasting peace.

As said, "The Things to do are: the things that need doing, that you see need to be done, and that no one else seems to see need to be done. Then you will conceive your own way of doing that which needs to be done - that no one else has told you to do or how to do it. This will bring out the real you that often gets buried inside a character that has acquired a superficial array of behaviors induced or imposed by others on the individual."

It is our hope that GlobalForce will provide a way for individuals to connect on this level, and to contribute to this movement and to the survival of all.

Understanding Your Own Power
By Our Green Team | Oct 23 2009, 16:48

You’ve heard the terms “buyer’s market” and “supply and demand” but do you really understand how you can use both of those to your advantage? Last week, we looked at groups and organizations forming around the world to build a better future. This week, let’s look at how we as individuals can use our consumer buying power to strengthen the groups we belong to.

One way to flex your consumer muscle for good is to recognize the importance of buying responsibly, in a way that supports your personal values and beliefs. You first need to determine what is important to you. Then, consider the side-effects of your purchasing choices. In that way, you can be sure you’re choosing the items and services that best support your values.

According to Provictus Consulting, which created a series on Ethical Consumerism, learning to understand what matters to you is key.

How do you decide what’s important? Ask the following questions:

• How should companies treat their workers?
• Is animal testing ever acceptable and, if so, under what circumstances?
• What is a company’s responsibility regarding climate change and the environment?
• Does this company openly report its environmental impact?
• Is this company contributing to climate change, or attempting to reverse it?
• Does this business contribute to environmental destruction, degradation, over-exploitation or pollution?
• Is this company using resources sustainably or unsustainably?
• What social issues do I care about the most?
• What is a company’s responsibility to help solve the world’s social problems?

Other questions to help you decide might also come to mind.

You can also base your decisions on whether the company in question has a “higher purpose.” For example, is the company interested in making the world a better place and is it acting on its claims? Does it support local charities and/or global projects?

The easiest way to find out if the places you shop comply with your consumer ethics is to ask the employees who work there. There are also sites like buyresponsibly.org (see below) that will send a prewritten email on your behalf, or give you one to print out and mail, so you can ask companies what they are doing to prevent certain issues.

It really depends on your determination. That doesn’t mean you have to be hard-nosed or give up on quality or convenience. In fact, most of the time, companies that make or sell ethical products are often better on both those fronts because they are new and eager to share the benefits, and really want to provide options that are easy to switch to.

"Consumerism" in itself is not "bad" – it’s usually beneficial to society. But we have to look beyond how it impacts us personally in the here and now, and consider instead how it impacts society and the world … now and into the future.

Changing your consumption patterns doesn’t have to be hard. You can start slowly and build on your efforts over time. For instance, begin by focusing on just one thing – whether it’s recycling your paper coffee cups or buying local organic produce only. Buy just what you really need, and recycle, sell or trade the "stuff" you don’t need. Just be consistent. You will see your choices effecting change: certain products will become obsolete, companies will flourish or fail based on your decisions. By doing so, you’ll understand your own power, along with the fact that you can Make a Difference.

Copenhagen Climate Change Summit 2009: Questions & Answers:
By Our Green Team | Oct 30 2009, 14:56

What is the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit? Starting on December 7, climate negotiators from around the world will gather in Copenhagen, at the Bella Center, for a United Nations Summit on Climate Change.

Such gatherings first began with the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio (where young Severn Suzuki spoke: see video link in Newsletter #4). This time around, though, leaders are meeting with a growing sense of urgency. They hope to adopt a new climate treaty that’s tougher than the previous Kyoto Protocol (the first phase of which expires in 2012) and set the world on a course of coordinated, international action to combat or reverse climate change.

What does COP15 stand for?
It's the official name for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The COP15 is the highest body of the UNFCCC and consists of environment ministers who meet annually at the convention to discuss developments.

Which countries are taking part in the Climate Change Summit, and how many people will be there?
192 countries have elected to attend, with the Summit expected to attract more than 15,000 officials, advisers, diplomats, campaigners and journalists, as well as heads of state and government.

Who are the main players?
Both wealthy industrialized countries and emerging economies/developing nations are taking part. And each has its own unique perspective coming into the talks.

For example, developing countries like China and India believe that wealthy industrialized nations like the UK and US should set a strong, clear example on carbon emissions reductions. Under former President George Bush, the US rejected the 5-percent reductions called for by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and made no demands on emerging economies. So many countries are waiting to see what commitments the US is prepared to make before they agree to emissions cuts of their own.

While President Barack Obama has stated he intends to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, the US still has no legislation to that effect in place. That needs to change, according to Connie Hedegaard, Denmark's minister for climate and energy. During a recent visit to Washington, Hedegaard forcefully warned that the Obama administration must pass laws with interim targets for reducing carbon emissions quickly.

What does the Summit hope to achieve?
Any agreement reached in Copenhagen must address four essential questions, according to Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UNFCCC:

1. How much are industrialized countries willing to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases?
2. How much are fast-developing economies like China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their emissions?
3. Where will the money come from to help developing countries reduce their emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change?
4. How is that money going to be managed?

What are the major points?
The keys, according to Connie Hedegaard are: set targets, reach decisions on funding and find ways to help the least developed countries in greatest need adopt the necessary technologies and strategies for tackling emissions and adapting to the climate change that's already under way.

Another major issue will be finding a way to "share the burden."

While developing countries continue to see their emissions increase, most of the burden for reductions will fall on wealthy nations like the US and UK. By 2050, for example, that could mean Britain would have to cut its emissions by up to 95 percent.

Such steep cuts are needed to limit global warming to no more than 2 degree Celsius, which scientists believe is the threshold for catastrophic climate change. In fact, the latest research indicates the world as a whole must start seeing emissions fall somewhere between 2015 and 2020, and must bring emissions down by 80 percent (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050.

The challenge lies in deciding which countries must make cuts, and how large those cuts should be.

For instance, China - with its rapidly expanding economy - recently overtook the US as the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide. Yet the US has historically emitted far more emissions than China, and its per capita emissions are still about four times that of China's. For those reasons, the Chinese government argues it has a moral right to develop and grow its economy, meaning its carbon emissions will inevitably keep rising for a while.

There's also the fact that industrialized nations have effectively "outsourced" some of their carbon emissions to developing nations like China by buying so many of the goods manufactured in China's carbon-intensive manufacturing sector. Chinese leaders say the consumer countries, rather than the producer countries, should take responsibility for those manufacturing-related emissions.

Money, of course, is also a major issue. Because developing countries don't always have the resources to adopt carbon-cutting technologies and adapt to climate change, the world's wealthy economies know they'll be called on to help out financially. Earlier this year, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said such climate funding would have to total $100 billion a year by 2020. With the recession likely to make rich countries less willing to part with their cash, this could raise tensions in Copenhagen.

All these potential problems have cast doubts on whether COP15 can succeed. Others are expressing concern that any action we take now on climate change might already be too little, too late. A recent Guardian poll, in fact, found that nearly nine out of 10 climate scientists don't believe political efforts to prevent "dangerous" (more than 2 degrees Celsius) climate change will succeed.

Click here to see what's at stake.