Sites That Sustain Us http://www.publicradio.org/columns/sustainability/sites/ en-us Copyright 2008 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 18:44:29 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss No-Impact Man soul-baring, detailed, well-researched and often hilarious blog, the New York City resident details his everyday struggle to reduce his family's impact on the environment to as close to zero as possible — "no trash, no carbon emissions, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no plastics, no air conditioning, no TV, no toilets...". That's a pretty tall order for any modern consumer, and especially so for a resident of America's biggest city. It's a challenge Beavan set for himself in February 2007, and it's netted him book and movie offers. His quest has also created not a small amount of tension between himself and his "Prada-wearing, Four Seasons-loving wife" who toys with fad diets and loves pre-packaged food. The blog is part confessional, part how-to guide and entirely honest. Here's one of his earliest posts:

"If everybody on the whole planet decided to commit suicide, which in a way, they have, would it be the right thing to do to not join in? What’s so great about trying to be right if it keeps you separate? It seems like there is something precious that has to do with holding yourself above or not just joining in and being part of. I don’t know. I’m suddenly realizing that this whole project could be pretty damn hard."

But if anything, his posts over time reflect his growing dedication to his self-imposed cause. He gradually realizes that, while he may never attain his goal of getting down to nothing, even the smallest changes in his behavior could have profound effects. He finds connections in every object and action in his life with the processes and industries that provide them. And he details just how aware he is of the choices he makes. In one wonderful post, he describes the daily life of his family (wife, precocious daughter, pet dog) from the moment he wakes (wind-up clock, no electricity) to getting ready for bed by brushing his teeth by the light of a homemade beeswax candle. It may be just one person's examination of his role in the consumer economy, but it's an eye-opening lesson for anyone following his journey to zero.]]> http://www.publicradio.org/columns/sustainability/sites/2007/09/noimpact_man.html http://www.publicradio.org/columns/sustainability/sites/2007/09/noimpact_man.html Fri, 14 Sep 2007 18:44:29 -0600 WWF: Panda.org WWF (formerly the World Wildlife Fund, but like so many organizations these days has become an acronym, like ESPN or CNN) works tirelessly to make sure the rest of creation at least has a place at the table when it comes to charting the future of the planet. The organization has advocated for — and in some cases helped save from extinction — animals big and small, including the giant panda, a stylized version of which has become WWF's iconic logo. (It's URL is even www.panda.org.) WWF worked with the Chinese government to help save the panda, found naturally only in China, through habitat conservation. Not one to rest on its laurels, the group currently has about 2,000 conservation projects going on in more than 100 countries, targeting other animals like African elephants and marine turtles. Anyone visiting its well-designed, user-friendly Website can find the latest information on these and other projects, along with a comprehensive database detailing where WWF has been and where it wants to go. Hoping to establish cachet among a generation weaned on computers and video games, the folks at panda.org recently created a WWF destination in Second Life, the growing virtual world where visitors guide computer-generated personalities down digital streets in impossibly chic cities, interacting with fellow visitors and even shopping and attending concerts. These days, they're liable to come across WWF's Conservation Island on Second Life, where an orangutan will sell you ice cream and a floating panda keeps visitors up-to-date on the latest environmental news. With marketing and messaging instincts like that, it's hard not to think WWF will be able to push it 45-year mission of protecting wildlife far into the future.]]> http://www.publicradio.org/columns/sustainability/sites/2007/09/wwf_pandaorg.html http://www.publicradio.org/columns/sustainability/sites/2007/09/wwf_pandaorg.html Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:10:53 -0600