While kudos are due to the many millions of global citizens who loudly protested the proposed SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) legislation, which resulted in the bills being shelved, it is likely that similar bills, with similar restrictions on our freedom to communicate, will come to light after the presidential elections.

“Congressional leaders on Friday indefinitely shelved two antipiracy bills that had rallied the Internet and rocked Capitol Hill, dealing a major defeat to the traditional media industry while emboldening a new breed of online political activists.”  San Francisco Chronicle, January 21, 2012

If you are unsure why these bills were so dangerous, please take a moment to watch this Khan Academy video!

But many Internet companies, including Google, Facebook, Twitter and Reddit, saw the bills as a threat, and said they would stifle creativity on the Internet while forcing search engines and social media to become police officers for the Justice Department.  San Francisco Chronicle, January 21, 2012

Make no mistake, while there is a need to protect intellectual property, these bills as written are so draconian that any of us could be arrested for copyright violation just by writing a blog post.  It’s extremely important that all of us pay attention to this critical issue – the freedom of the internet itself is at stake!

I often ask people just how long we’ve know about climate change / global warming. Those folks who have been following the topic have an answer that’s in the ballpark, but at least half of those questioned reply along the lines of, “Probably 7 or 8 years.”

“Current human activities – such as the widespread burning of fossil fuels to run power plants and vehicles – are releasing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere (gases so named because they trap heat much as the glass in a greenhouse does).

If present trends continue and these gases effectively double in concentration during the coming century, a committee of the National Academy of Sciences predicts that global average temperatures would rise between 3 and 8 degrees farenheit (between 1.5 and 4.5 degrees centigrade), leaving the Earth warmer than at any time in human history.” – From the preface – Fred Krupp, Executive Director, Environmental Defense Fund, and George Langdon, President, American Museum of Natural History

The quote is within the preface of Global Warming, Understanding the Forecast, by Andrew Revkin. What is quite surprising is that this book was published in 1992, 20 years ago, and based on scientific research that was conducted before publication.

At the time this book first came out, in tandem with a traveling exhibition on climate change sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and the Environmental Defense Fund, the general feeling was that action was called for to reverse the trends.

Andrew points out early on that climate change is nothing new, and has been in play throughout humankind’s duration on this planet, but the other point he makes, some two decades ago, was that scientific evidence had already indicated human activity was having a profound negative influence on global climate.

The Story That Needed Telling

Since global population has risen from less than 5 million, at the end of the last ice age, to our current level of 7 billion (a 1,400 fold increase) it’s not so surprising that our planet would experience some sort of imbalance, but what had scientists worried back then was the possibility that this imbalance could potentially threaten all life on the planet.  That realization prompted more and more climate scientists to speak up.

Thus an era has begun in which humans are no longer simply polluting a particular lake, or cutting down a certain forest, but changing the composition and dynamics of one of the essential components of the planet.

The book is relatively brief at under 200 pages, but rich with examples of how the earth evolved from its formation some 4 billion years ago, and most importantly, how the greenhouse effect works and CO2′s role in changing our climate as levels rise.

The challenge now is to find a way to act that will make geologists of the future look upon this age as a remarkable time, a time in which a species began to take into account the long term impact of its actions.

What I love most about the book is its accessibility; a teenager, with a modicum of science background, can easily grasp all the concepts presented.  What’s perplexing is why, some twenty years later, such an easy to understand problem, backed up by thousands of pages of scientific research, is denied and attacked by a small, though very influential, slice of our society.

The answer lies in two fundamental motivations: Greed and Ideology

Stay tuned, as the next Global Patriot blog post will cover the history of those liars and deniers who set about convincing us that tobacco was safe to use, the ozone layer was doing just fine, and now tell us climate change is nothing to worry about.

It’s become a common practice at the beginning of a new year to re-evaluate where we’ve been and set our sights on the upcoming twelve months.  My forward focus is always the same, how to make the world a better place, but as the saying goes, the devil is in the details, and that means evaluating just who we are on the inside, what makes us tick, or tock, and think about how we might change our behaviour.

Beyond my own soul searching (damn I need to be far more focused and productive!) I spent some time looking at what others were posting with regards to their plans for 2012 and encountered two quotes that I’ve taken to heart on day one of 2012.

The first quote comes from the renowned writer, muse, catalyst and force of nature Shanna Trenholm.  Instead of turning your life into a checklist, which is how we most often set goal and priorities, Shanna proposes that we give ourselves the latitude to go where life takes us and evolve in the process.

“Your life is not a friggin’ to-do list of tasks and goals. Your life at its most rich and rewarding is an organic journey, an opportunity to nurture your whims, a path without a destination to travel. In fact, life lived as it unfolds–without so damn much exertion–is a life to consider, and one that I suggest you try. Instead of striving for resolution, I propose evolution. Resolve to evolve. Be, rather than do.” ? Shanna Trenholm’s blog post on Resolution: Evolution

The second quote comes from American writer and philosopher Terence McKenna by way of my Facebook friend Dawn Parker-Waites, founder of San Diego Loves Green.

“Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering its a feather bed.” ? Terence McKenna

After reading Shanna’s article my immediate reaction was, “that takes courage”, so I had to smile at the serendipity of discovering this quote.  How often have you come up with an idea that was quickly discarded as being unrealistic, impossible, or fraught with obstacles?  Knowing there’s a feather bed at the bottom of the abyss, instead of a pile of rocks, has a way of minimizing perceived obstacles .

As Global Patriots, how will you change (on the inside) during 2012?

A close friend once said, “To be human, is to have ailments.”  This wasn’t meant to be a depressing statement, but rather a simple reminder that the human body has a tendency to break down over time.  Some of us don’t give the matter much thought, choosing to live a life of indulgence, only to live out our later years paying the price.  Many others spend considerable effort attempting to mitigate the process by eating only organic foods, consuming the latest supplements or adopting very strict diets.

In this fascinating video, Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael’s Hospital, reveals one simple habit that can produce the most positive effect on our health.

Nine Minutes = Healthier Lifestyle

The nine minutes referred to is the length of Dr. Evans’ visual lecture, “23 1/2 Hours”, and if you watch it till the end and follow his sage advice, you may very well change your life…for the better!  He lays out a few basics first, none of which are a surprise:

• Eat less
• Drink less
• Smoke less
• Watch cholesterol
• Watch blood pressure

Dr. Evans then asks a question, “What makes the biggest difference to our health?”

The answer may surprise you, yet the statistics cited with regard to potential health improvements are quite convincing.  So here’s to a simple change in our lifestyle that can significantly improve our health and well-being!

Improving the health and well-being of all humanity is of vital importance!

For generations, the expression, “Tis better to give than to receive” has resonated with most of us, regardless of our nationality, ethnicity or religion.  Not because we were told to think that way, or because we read it in a holy scripture, but because the selfless act of helping others nourishes our soul in such a fundamental way.

Within Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen provides an update on the nature of giving, and the art and science of philanthropy.  A brilliant book indeed, Laura offers much more than I expected, moving beyond the mere nuts and bolts of charity by tapping into the heart of the giving process.

“Giving is a journey, a calling, a way of living.  It’s not a separate part of life – it IS life, turning your beliefs and values into action and impact.”

The impact of Giving 2.0 lies in how Laura weaves a wealth of practical advice & information with examples from her own life of philanthropy as well as other generous givers she’s encountered along the way.

In the process we come to discover a continuous interplay between our ingrained passion to do good in the world and the serendipitous events that arise to feed our philanthropic desires – a most magical process.

Laura also spends considerable time addressing the benefits of giving as an integral part of a compassionate relationship, and a way to teach our children that helping those in need is an important function of our society.  Including the entire family within the practice and ideology of philanthropy is a true gift to future generations.

Beyond Money – Giving Your Time & Skills

Often times the cash side of philanthropy becomes the highlight, but as we all know, time is our most precious commodity.  In this context Laura reminds us that donating a portion of our time and unique skill-set to a worthy cause represents so much more than can be explained by a dollar figure.  Our volunteering makes it personal, for the giver and receiver, as it represents a raw exchange of humanity in which the act of giving is performed live instead of through a financial proxy.

Whether someone is seeking a hot meal and warm bed in a homeless shelter, dealing with the results of a natural disaster, or spending their remaining days in a hospice, there’s no substitute for human contact, someone who cares for your well-being, and offers a smile, handshake or a much needed hug.

But finding the best match for your skills and passion can be a journey unto itself.  If you’re lucky, you may already know someone who is working with an organization you admire and is looking for someone with your particular skills, but there are also a number of online services that specialize in matching people and needs based on place, time commitment and talent.

“When it comes to volunteering, recognizing what you have to give is only part of the equation.  The other part is finding out what’s needed and how your particular skills, knowledge and experience can help fill the gaps.”

Explore Volunteer Opportunities

Senior Corps – connecting today’s 55+ with the organizations that need them most
Global Citizen Year – an international experience between high school and college
UniversalGiving – helping people volunteer with organizations all over the world
VolunteerMatch – provides great tools that make community involvement easy
Taproot Foundation – business talent for organizations working to improve society
Crowdrise – is about having fun while volunteering & fundraising online for charity
DoSomething.org – one of the largest organizations for teens and social change

Mapping Your Philanthropic Future

If you’re like me, the process of giving is both emotional and unstructured, but in a chapter titled Charting a Course, Smart Choices with Your Checkbook, Laura talks about the wisdom of crafting a strategy for our donations of both time and money, as well as the steps required to make it happen.  Are you giving out of a sense of obligation, or from a place of passion and commitment?  Do you know what your donations are used for, or do you not give it a second thought?

Figure out what feels right for you and stick by it – but base your choice on knowledge.  We put a lot of effort into getting the best return on our personal financial investments – we should apply the same approach to our philanthropic investments.

In closing, I can only say that the impact of this book cannot be underestimated.  As we enter a time in our planet’s history when record numbers of people suffer from a lack of food, health services and education, the need for those of us who have the power to give has never been greater, and Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen has done us all a great favor by writing Giving 2.0!  Buy It – Read It – Live It!

It’s not often that we get to spend an entire day immersed in intelligence, inspiration and insights, but that pretty much sums up the comments I heard during Saturday’s 2011 TEDx San Diego.  Billed as The World In Our Grasp, 26 esteemed speakers took the audience down a winding path of discovery, from Self, to Community, then Global viewpoints before wrapping up with Seeds of Change – how we can all get involved.

No Shortage of Incredible Ideas

• There’s no can’t, just will or won’t
• The magic of music as medicine
• The world’s coral reefs in jeopardy
• Understanding our lucid dreaming
• Apply horse whispering to your life
• The value of personal storytelling
• How engineering empowers youth
• Curing early stage breast cancer
• Dive into 3D chalk art surrealism
• Creative climate change solutions
• Visualizing the entire solar system
• Advances in synthetic genomics
• Real-world biomimicry applications
• Current need for civics education
• Feed a growing world population
• Prevent the use of child soldiers
• Employ veterans in disaster relief
• Nature inspired technology ideas

Words to Remember

While a blog post could be written on each of the presentations, I was captivated by Martha Beck’s insights on ancient wisdom while she confronted an African rhinoceros, and offered up the notion that what we often think of as magic, is simply a matter of tuning into nature, and in that way, described the Technology of Magic in 4 words:

• Wordlessness (silence allows for perception and focus of attention)
• Oneness (recognition that everything on the planet is connected)
• Imagination (we need to envision that which has never occurred)
• Forming (the process in which we finally manifest magic in life)

(yes, you had to be there to fully appreciate the totality of this life-changing story)

So much more to share, and I promise to post some of the videos when they’re available, but for now, I’ll leave you with a few quotes that resonated with me.

Notable Quotes (From the Self Session)

“When ready meets able, our will be done.” – Sekou Andrews

“Ready is the intersection of Passion, Priority, Preparation.” – Sekou Andrews

“Jump off cliffs all the time, develop wings on the way down.” – Sekou Andrews

“Play until we need rest, then rest until we need play.” – Martha Beck

“Dissolve fear and listen to your instincts.” – Koelle Simpson

“We make the world we experience.” – Kurt Gray

“Everyone is a media empire.” – Suneel Gupta

Haven’t been to a TEDx event, go, it will change your life!

I’m in London at the moment and paid a visit this morning to the Occupy London encampment outside St Paul’s Cathedral.  Since the Occupy Wall Street protest began, and subsequently spread to dozens of other cities around the world, I’ve tried to get my mind around the intent, purpose, idea, and end game of it all.

That hasn’t been an easy task for anyone,  as this groundswell phenomenon occured without any leader, organization, or defined manfesto.  It’s really been about venting anger and frustration at a system that systematically takes advanage of the folks on the bottom (the 99%) in order to further enrich those at the top, the infamous 1%.

But in the video below, Charles Eisenstein, author of Sacred Economics: Money, Gift, and Society in the Age of Transition explains the heart of the matter; that when you pull away the layers of outrage in order to understand what’s really at stake, at that point you can begin to explore what a just & equitable future could actually look like.

Please watch this – it will change your perspective on life!

Click here to view the embedded video.

What we want to create is a more beautiful world our hearts tells us is possible; a sacred world, a world that works for everybody, a world that is healing, a world of peace.

Occupy London at St Paul’s Cathedral

“You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.” – Occupy Wall Street

The Story of Stuff Project is legendary, and once again, Annie Leonard and the folks at Free Range Studios are about to share some insights on our tough financial crisis.  It’s just one point of view, and as such I encourage all of you to seek out additional information on a critical topic affecting millions of Americans, but Annie does present some interesting views on the current state of this country’s dire monetary situation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What are your thoughts on this video, or better yet, let us know what you think about how we can remedy this national / global financial downturn that is, most importantly, forcing millions of honest people into unemployment?

Further Enlightenment

If you haven’t kept track of Annie Leonard’s exploits, do yourself a favor, and check out the videos listed below.  Use them as a basis for further exploration and personal discovery, as the only way we will solve our problems is through education & action!

• Story of Stuff
• Story of Broke
• Story of Citizens United v. FEC
• Story of Electronics
• Story of Cosmetics
• Story of Bottled Water
• Story of Cap & Trade

The world has enough resources to serve us all, not just the wealthiest 1%. 

In a previous post Mark Goodkin talked about why We Need a Conversational Shift - explaining how our society has, to a large extent devolved into an ‘us against them’ situation instead of both sides working together in order to solve critical problems.  In this followup article, Mark discusses the notion of creating solutions that bring together the best ideas from both sides – similar to how a symphony is created by utilizing the unique attributes of all the instruments at hand.

We Need Symphonic Solutions

by Mark Goodkin, publisher of Conversational Shift

Up to now, the story of how liberals and conservatives engage in political discourse and problem solving has been marked by polarization, with questionable outcomes. Each side pushes its own agenda, thinking it has the answers to all the problems.

The question is whether this story has served us well? We face mounting problems, including the debt crisis, unemployment, environmental issues, energy dependency, food and water shortages, terrorism, war, and many others, which some have said will eventually lead to a perfect storm, if it hasn’t happened already. It becomes ever more doubtful that we can solve these problems within the context of our polarized, divisive mindset, which has led to much of the present paralysis in Washington and has perhaps contributed to the problems.

The Energy Debate

Take, for example, the issue of energy. Both sides agree that we need to become energy independent. However, each side pushes its own agenda, while disagreeing on an effective, long-range strategy to actually become energy independent.

In the energy debate, the main dividing line has been between the liberal concern for the environment and conservative concern for the economy.

Liberals want to wean us off of our dependency on petroleum, nuclear, coal, and other energy sources that pollute the environment and are limited in supply, preferring cleaner, more sustainable energy sources that support the environment, like solar, wind, and geothermal. They would also like to see such a shift to cleaner energy sources done within a relatively short time frame.

They push for an increase in government funding and programs, which will support this endeavor, and are willing to tolerate higher energy prices and perhaps even some rationing as temporary measures during the transition.

On the other hand, conservatives want to exploit the conventional energy sources that already exist in our country. They feel that we can make a transition to energy independence much quicker if we invest in conventional energy, since it is already proven and economical. They argue that this approach will minimize the risk toward higher energy prices and rationing.

Conservatives believe that, perhaps some investment in alternative energy might be a good idea, but it will take years to develop it into a reliable and economical source to meet our growing energy needs. In fact, they argue, alternative energy will most likely never completely replace conventional sources, but instead will only serve to supplement the existing energy infrastructure.

Each side pushes forth its own agenda, without giving much thought to the other side’s merits or concerns.

And if both sides did decide to work together, we learn from history that the likely outcome would be a middle of the road compromise, which lacked the necessary punch, while pleasing no one, except perhaps the special interests.

In fact, the debate on energy independence has been going in one form or another, since at least the energy crisis of 1973. The ongoing debate reflects the story, previously mentioned, as to how each side pushes for its own agenda, without giving much, if any, consideration toward that of the other side. And in the end, with few exceptions, our problems never really get solved, but linger or incarnate into “new” problems. It’s apparent that this story has not served us well and is no match for the mounting issues we face.

But what if we could change our story, the way in which we solve problems, from one of polarization and divisiveness to one of collaboration and synergy? In fact, is that possible? I believe it is.

Symphonic Solutions

I would like to introduce the idea of the Symphonic Solution. A Symphonic Solution is a meeting of the minds between liberals and conservatives on a particular issue. However, it does not limit its choices to the middle range of the political spectrum, as seen in middle of the road compromises, but is open to ideas across the board.

A musical symphony, or almost any melody for that matter, would be pretty blasé if its notes were limited to the middle range of the scale.

A Symphonic Solution could be characterized as an effective plan, which takes into account the main values and concerns of both sides.

When both sides work together constructively to find solutions, and feel that their voices have been heard and accounted for, they will likely come up with more options, including innovative ones. Both sides will also be more likely support the plan in the long run.

The old band-aid measures and watered down compromises that passed for solutions will give way to fresh, creative approaches, which result from a synergy of both sides working together.

It doesn’t mean there will be total agreement on every point. There will still be disagreements, which is natural in our diverse society.

So, returning to our example of the energy issue, how might the two sides work toward a Symphonic Solution for energy independence?

Such a solution would need to address the main values and concerns of both sides. It would have to take into account the liberal values and concerns for clean, renewable energy, which would have low impact on the environment, like pollution. The solution would also have to account for the conservative values and concerns for reliable energy sources, which are both cost-effective and affordable.

Coming up with a Symphonic Solution for energy independence, or for that matter, any issue, will require innovative ideas, creativity, and a spirit of working together, and good will. We have a choice. We can continue with the current story of political polarization, paralysis, and ineffective solutions.

Or we can change our story to collaboration, synergy, and effective solutions, which have a much better chance of meeting the challenges of our mounting problems. The choice will take courage and require a shift in our thinking in how we work together to solve problems.

It’s time for both sides to work together and create Symphonic Solutions!

While counting the world’s population is an extremely difficult thing to accomplish, and various organizations publish different numbers, according to estimates coming from the United Nations, the world reached the 7 billion mark on October 31, 2011. How we got to this lofty number, and what the future holds, is an interesting tale.

• 1 Billion by 1800 (250,000 years)
• 2 Billion by 1930 (130 years)
• 3 Billion by 1960 (30 years)
• 4 Billion by 1974 (14 years)
• 5 Billion by 1987 (13 years)
• 6 Billion by 1999 (12 years)
• 7 Billion by 2011 (12 years)
• 8 Billion by 2025 (14 years estimated)
• 9 Billion by 2050 (25 years estimated)

As you can see, it took quite some time to hit that first billion, and with high fertility rates and longer life expectancy the years required to hit 2, 3 and 4 billion was much shorter.  But the trend has leveled out at 12 years per billion, and with falling fertility rates the trend is expected to reverse itself in the coming decades.

How has the composition of humanity changed since 1960, when the population was just 3 billion, to today with more than double the number of people upon the planet, and how will the dynamics change as we head toward 9 billion mid-century?  In just 10 minutes Hans Rosling describes how our population might evolve along the way.

Click here to view the embedded video.

On a final note, from a Global Patriot perspective, I found this video to be most appropriate for this moment in time, as in the end, we are all in this together!

Click here to view the embedded video.