As I was writing about the eco-friendly careers, I wrote a section on translators/anthropologists. At first glance it doesn't seem like they really have anything to do with greening the world, but I think they play a very important role. And it doesn't have to be people who have actually studied some odd number of years and have PHD's. Basically it's about getting out there, living amongst a people who you never would have dreamed to live amongst before. Learning a language and spending time in a place with a culture completely different from your own.
All of our stuff is completely interconnected, not to mention a few common foods routinely shipped from respective parts of the world to every other part of the world. We've connected ourselves through transportation, tourism, computers, STUFF, food. The one last thing we haven't seemed to manage is understanding. Understanding what it is like to be living in a place other than where you actually live. Understanding the real issues behind the scenes of all of the items we routinely buy from the store without even thinking twice about what is inside of them and what kind of destruction happens half way around the world due to this product's production or extraction.
Of course, maybe environmental pollution or destruction may seem small to some, compared to much scarier things in the world like war, and the atrocities which go along with it. But actually, it's really all connected. In the end, it's a lack of understanding, what it means to be in someone else's situation. I know this is quite oversaid.. but at the looks of things, it still hasn't been said enough. Those who have the ability to ship off the pollutants to some other country, haven't connected that country as a part of their own world. That same person who chooses to fight against that other country for some reason or another, hasn't connected that country as connected to their own world in any way. In reality, it all comes back to haunt us. That division between countries is completely made up. It's completely non-existent. The more we can learn about it's non-existence.. the more we can actually live in harmony.. together.
The more we can get out of our comfort zone, or the more we can volunteer for a great cause either in our town or half way across the world and the more we can take the time and effort to be interested in other cultures and ways of the living, the better off we will all be.
After all, it's not my country against yours. It's not one person's wealth against anothers. It's one world. One people. Our problem is your problem and vice versa. Pollution has made it's way to all of the corners of the earth. Over fishing has negatively affected all sorts of remote wildlife. Filthy waters have found their way to places, people haven't even had the chance to explore. Your forest helps our air quality, and your lack of forest debilitates every individual on earth's ability to breathe, period. The same holds true with any other forest or lack of forest throughout the world, we all benefit from forests on earth, and we all suffer in their disappearance, no matter where they are. It's all the same.
We can't continue to think of a "globalized world", of course it is, but the meaning of these words are completely diluted of an essence which we ought to be grasping for. the word currently has both negative and positive connotations depending on where you are from and what your values are. The meaning I get from these words, is somewhat negative, a watering down of tradition while taking on a culture of waste and a lack of understanding.
Not to say that it is all bad. Bad doesn't come alone, no matter how dire a situation, there will always be some glimmer of light. The beautiful thing about this world is the persistence of people. The persistance of people in trying to get it right, not giving up, and continually facing their fears, hopes and dreams. Re-thinking systems and societies to be more fair and as safe as possible. I just believe that if we are going to be globalized, it can't be without understanding. Many may not have access to teachings of the value of local foods and not letting go of culture and language, but for those of us who have seen the impact of processed and industrialized foods and goods on a society, we can at least know to choose healthier options for ourselves and our planet, by avoiding these "goods".
And maybe many of these eco-costly products we are already addicted to. Which sucks. But the more we can learn about the effects of our actions not only in our 'own' country but in all of the other countries that our addiction affects the easier it will be for us to make healthier decisions, for our own sake and our world's. For example it's possible for us to learn about the effects of these industries in the places that aren't near us, to get out of a comfort zone and volunteer across the globe to be involved with issues we perhaps would have still been contributing to, had we not gone out and seen for ourselves the effects. We have this amazing opportunity to learn languages not our own, and the more we dedicate our time to doing so the more likely we will to visit the places where they are spoken, and the more likely our world view will open up. And we will feel more connected. The more connected we feel, the less likely we will to designate a difference between,' my problems' and 'your problems'.
There it is, another dream.
I pray that we all continue to learn from another, and we never stop expanding our borders and our hearts to include everything that happens in our world. I pray that one day we will not only consider the effects of all people and places in every decision we make (especially purchases) but also animals, plants and the general health of soils and water as well. How do the decisions we make effect everything which surrounds us? How do those things come back to haunt us? And how we can most effectively change so we do as minimal damage as possible?
More than seeking for solutions which have minimal damage, we need solutions which have positive inputs for our surroundings.
I think it's possible.
We just have to think bigger, expand our borders, expand our hearts.
All of our stuff is completely interconnected, not to mention a few common foods routinely shipped from respective parts of the world to every other part of the world. We've connected ourselves through transportation, tourism, computers, STUFF, food. The one last thing we haven't seemed to manage is understanding. Understanding what it is like to be living in a place other than where you actually live. Understanding the real issues behind the scenes of all of the items we routinely buy from the store without even thinking twice about what is inside of them and what kind of destruction happens half way around the world due to this product's production or extraction.
Of course, maybe environmental pollution or destruction may seem small to some, compared to much scarier things in the world like war, and the atrocities which go along with it. But actually, it's really all connected. In the end, it's a lack of understanding, what it means to be in someone else's situation. I know this is quite oversaid.. but at the looks of things, it still hasn't been said enough. Those who have the ability to ship off the pollutants to some other country, haven't connected that country as a part of their own world. That same person who chooses to fight against that other country for some reason or another, hasn't connected that country as connected to their own world in any way. In reality, it all comes back to haunt us. That division between countries is completely made up. It's completely non-existent. The more we can learn about it's non-existence.. the more we can actually live in harmony.. together.
The more we can get out of our comfort zone, or the more we can volunteer for a great cause either in our town or half way across the world and the more we can take the time and effort to be interested in other cultures and ways of the living, the better off we will all be.
After all, it's not my country against yours. It's not one person's wealth against anothers. It's one world. One people. Our problem is your problem and vice versa. Pollution has made it's way to all of the corners of the earth. Over fishing has negatively affected all sorts of remote wildlife. Filthy waters have found their way to places, people haven't even had the chance to explore. Your forest helps our air quality, and your lack of forest debilitates every individual on earth's ability to breathe, period. The same holds true with any other forest or lack of forest throughout the world, we all benefit from forests on earth, and we all suffer in their disappearance, no matter where they are. It's all the same.
We can't continue to think of a "globalized world", of course it is, but the meaning of these words are completely diluted of an essence which we ought to be grasping for. the word currently has both negative and positive connotations depending on where you are from and what your values are. The meaning I get from these words, is somewhat negative, a watering down of tradition while taking on a culture of waste and a lack of understanding.
Not to say that it is all bad. Bad doesn't come alone, no matter how dire a situation, there will always be some glimmer of light. The beautiful thing about this world is the persistence of people. The persistance of people in trying to get it right, not giving up, and continually facing their fears, hopes and dreams. Re-thinking systems and societies to be more fair and as safe as possible. I just believe that if we are going to be globalized, it can't be without understanding. Many may not have access to teachings of the value of local foods and not letting go of culture and language, but for those of us who have seen the impact of processed and industrialized foods and goods on a society, we can at least know to choose healthier options for ourselves and our planet, by avoiding these "goods".
And maybe many of these eco-costly products we are already addicted to. Which sucks. But the more we can learn about the effects of our actions not only in our 'own' country but in all of the other countries that our addiction affects the easier it will be for us to make healthier decisions, for our own sake and our world's. For example it's possible for us to learn about the effects of these industries in the places that aren't near us, to get out of a comfort zone and volunteer across the globe to be involved with issues we perhaps would have still been contributing to, had we not gone out and seen for ourselves the effects. We have this amazing opportunity to learn languages not our own, and the more we dedicate our time to doing so the more likely we will to visit the places where they are spoken, and the more likely our world view will open up. And we will feel more connected. The more connected we feel, the less likely we will to designate a difference between,' my problems' and 'your problems'.
There it is, another dream.
I pray that we all continue to learn from another, and we never stop expanding our borders and our hearts to include everything that happens in our world. I pray that one day we will not only consider the effects of all people and places in every decision we make (especially purchases) but also animals, plants and the general health of soils and water as well. How do the decisions we make effect everything which surrounds us? How do those things come back to haunt us? And how we can most effectively change so we do as minimal damage as possible?
More than seeking for solutions which have minimal damage, we need solutions which have positive inputs for our surroundings.
I think it's possible.
We just have to think bigger, expand our borders, expand our hearts.
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