Tag: sustainability

So much trash, so much waste

Carl Setzer

Wow, I just tossed out a bunch of expired food. Boxes of stuff that’d migrated to the far reaches of my cabinets. I’m bothered by the waste. One thing in particular got me, though: packets.

Those little packets if sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, all that. I put in the trash so many. I never use these, as I always have my own at home and my office.

They’re placed in the bag automatically. Along with forks and napkins, which I also have.

These items are pure waste, given for “convenience sake”. Good customer service, I guess, but not environmentally sustainable. Plus, I expect most folks are like me and have no need.

This is an area I need to give some kudos to McDonald’s. They ask if you want ketchup packets, etc, before dropping them into your bag. It saves the company money along with slowing the rate we fill those land-fills.

I’d like “asking before giving” to become the standard. Until then, I need to start telling the good folks who own my favorite take out shops that I don’t need sauce packets, chopsticks, or forks.

Addicted To Debt?

Carl Setzer

Came across this article recently:

Americans Feast on Debt

Of particular concern:

  • Debt is reaching new highs: “total household debt achieved a new peak in the first quarter of 2017, rising by $149 billion to $12.73 trillion-$50 billion above the previous peak reached in the third quarter of 2008”

Now, I’ve also read some pieces about the effectiveness of various policies in convincing people to incur more debt. I am left to wonder, as I was back about a decade ago, at what point does all this collapse? There comes a point where servicing debt load consumes all available income. Or, in the case of a sudden economic shift, drops below and things fail.

America currently only is able to see as far as the next quarterly earnings report, if that far. Our lack of vision and inability to see citizens as people instead of just consumers to exploit, helps drive this phenomena further.

At some point, we need to step away from a consumer-driven economy. It is not sustainable, and is only going to cause long-term pain and, for many, calamity. We’ll need to learn, as people, as individuals, to value things other than purchases. Don’t use shopping to alleviate boredom, or loneliness, or…. We need to balance spending with saving, find value in something other than things, than accumulated stuff.

Let’s not wait for policies to incentivize savings. Nor for marketing campaigns. Here’s the time to innovate, for ourselves and for our families. Perhaps, by making long-term thinking cool, we can truly change the world.

A fine day on the shore 

Carl Setzer

Late morning my wife and I made our way down to our favorite beach in Edmonds. It was an exceptionally low tide, which is always a delight to explore. These tides expose much that’s hidden, leaving amazing creatures in the tide pools. Below are just a few examples of all that was there. 

The view of Edmonds’ Brackett’s Landing at low tide

Normally, where all the seaweed is on the sand is below water. Rather deep water. 

I’m pretty sure this is a sea spong
An ochre star amidst the rocks at the jetty
Gobs of sea cucumbers
Grays Moon Snail egg casing

The first time we saw these, I thought they were some kind of gasket. 

Loved this kelp crab. 

I’ve never seen a crab crawl into a piling. 

And the evening ends

The Lexicon of Sustainability

Carl Setzer

Stumbled upon this site today: Lexicon of Sustainability. A great series introducing so much of the work I valued at Starbucks. One of the deepest privileges of my life: Corporate Social Responsibility. Working with the greatest minds on the cutting edge of societal change transformed me.

One constant issue we faced, clarifying such terms as Fair Trade, Organic, and, ultimately, sustainability. I appreciate what these folks accomplished with these videos.

These folks have developed a clever transformational campaign. Ultimately, this project revolves around community engagement, discussing our who were are, and who we want to be.

Considering Sustainability

Carl Setzer

Sustainability has been a significant part of my journey for years. Perhaps the most obvious element was my time at Starbucks working in environmental affairs, but that’s really only a piece. Also, my time with the Episcopal Church, where I interacted closely with the Earth Ministry greatly expanding my learning. Just two of the more significant parts of my life. I’ve been exploring this idea for decades.

My goal is greater than just understanding sustainability, but finding ways to live it. Really, defining it is the easy part. It’s living it that’s tough. I’m paraphrasing my friends Brian and Mary Natrass with this definition: a sustainable society is one that takes no more then it returns to the ecosystem. Balance. And though the term “sustainble” gets thrown about a great deal nowadays, I’m not aware of any element or system in modern society that meets that description. Our consumer economy is, actually, the exact opposite. Continued exploitation returns nothing to our systems. Single use and dispose fails, too. There’s so much opportunity to progress and grow.

All may be distressing, but not cause for despair. Humans are highly adaptable. We will adjust and survive. My goal is for something beyond survival. Rather, thriving; with a new definition of thriving. That what I shall explore now.