As the calendar year comes to a close, our society prepares for the upcoming challenges (which in reality are no different in 2009 as they were in 2008) by generating lists and "countdowns" to determine how great, or poor, the year has been. That being said, you will find no such lists in this post. Admittedly, the end of 2008 does have some superstitious meaning for the author, however we must keep in mind that only we (as individuals and as communities) control our own destiny, possessing the ability to have a "good year" or "bad year" through the decisions that we make.
If the popular media would focus on the decisions and choices which lead to the most news-worthy events of the past year, we would most certainly grow as individuals, as communities and as a society resulting in a better world for all.
So, nostalgia aside, here is a rough outline of some of the topics that will be discussed here on enVisionGreen over the coming weeks;
- revisiting the concept and practice of greenwashing (featuring our favorite home improvement greenwashers),
- Our American Architectural Heritage (or what would the Romans think of our civic buildings),
- the development and implementation of Big Ideas versus the celebration of details (or what does it all mean versus what makes it so pretty),
- Wii and the destruction of link between you and the outside world (or why go outside for a run when you can stomp around in your living room on a tiny piece of plastic while your family and friends sit on the couch stuffing their faces with high fructose corn syrup based snacks while watching a cartoon version of your human form run around a virtual landscape),
- a closer examination of the bailout of the auto industry and how our government once again missed the boat by helping the hyper-capitalist cause as opposed to grasping an opportunity to make our nation a better place to live and work,
- the case for Cuba (a sustainable paradise versus it's potential destruction by the forces of hyper-capitalism).
Our adventures in the new year will begin with a more detailed exploration of greenwashing, as the notion of "being green" has been used to death over the holiday season to peddle everything from cellular phones to automobiles.
"A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues." -Theodore Roosevelt
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