Sustain-a-Links #4
August 31st, 2006 by Vihar Sheth | Posted in Recent ReadingsFore! Watch out, issue #4 is here to represent. Good stuff today. Well, it’s not all good news but it’s educational, and that’s what I’m here for. Happy reading.
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Alternative Fuels | Environmentalists Burn Ethanol Hype as Empty Promise | The Bush administration’s give-away to ethanol producers leaves critics saying the “green” gasoline creates a host of additional environmental and political problems. | Michelle Chen, The New Standard
Building | New House Residence Hall | Environmentally friendly co-ed interaction is definitely better than non-environmentally friendly co-ed interaction. I actually don’t know if this dorm is co-ed but “over 50 ash and serviceberry trees are a main feature of the landscape”, and if that doesn’t get you in the mood . . . to learn, I don’t know what will.
Capitalism | Is Capitalism Growing More Socially Conscious? | I hope so. How amazing would it be if people were enlightened to change their behavior instead of being forced? It would take (most of) the politics out of doing what’s right. | Corey Tarrazza, Worldwatch
Equality | The Gap is Getting Wider | Oh man. I’ve felt for years that we’re stressing the net that holds the (growing) poorer part of our society. The evidence is mounting and the future looks grim . . . happy Thursday! Take this article with the insanely good news presented in the Labor article and you have no choice but to be all smiles. Good luck. | Isaiah J. Poole, TomPaine.com
Global Power | Why India will overtake China | “For all the advances in personal freedom in China over the past 15 years - and these have been enormous - the Communist Party’s clenched grip on power has not relaxed. It’s a whole lot less traumatic for a democratic country to open its economy, as India is doing, than for a dictatorship to open its politics, as China is not doing. And that’s why, a generation or so down the line, it is India that is going to be the Asian tiger that everyone watches.” The article details the pluses and minuses of both countries . . . where they’ve improved and where they need to. The conclusion is interesting. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. | Cait Murphy, Fortune
Labor | Devaluing Labor | Two friends sent me this article. I’ve been having interesting discussions regarding the importance and priority of ethically fair labor standards. This piece doesn’t relate directly to that topic but it gives a very direct analysis of what’s happened to labor in the U.S. over the past few decades. | Harold Meyerson, Washington Post
Longevity | Live Long? Die Young? Answer Isn’t Just in Genes | How long should we live? This article explores the factors that drive long life. It got me thinking about practicality in long life if we do in fact find ways to live well into the three digits. What impact will it have on our planet and its resources? That’s a lot of Viagra, that’s all I’m saying. | Gina Kolata, New York Times
Organization | The World Conservation Union | “The Union’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.”
Product | Style Limited | Floors even a koala would love!
Solar Power | In Nevada, Solar Power on a Massive Scale | Learning while showering has to be the epitome of multi-tasking. Downside - you spend more time in the shower, thereby wasting hot water. BUT, if my water were heated by the sun that would be less evil, no? | Ted Robbins, NPR
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What did you think? Any suggestions? Please send me your thoughts.
