When people talk about climate change, they talk about hope. They discuss prospects, ifs thens, and perceived inevitabilities. In the end or from the very beginning the chatter settles around two questions, asked as synonyms: Do you have hope? Are you hopeful? Around two months ago I was couchsurfing with a woman in Guilin (桂林）, … Continue reading Hope in the Discussion of Climate Change
In the eyes of its residents, Guangzhou runs different. Where the last century saw Western influence purged from the buildings of South China, Guangzhou’s opulent colonial homes and old embassies stand repurposed into businesses, restaurants and galleries. People wistfully tell of the time Cantonese was almost chosen over Beijing dialect as the basis for Mandarin. They are quick to point out … Continue reading Rice Harmony: Growing an Organic CSA in the Pearl River Delta
I arrived in Hong Kong yesterday, on the very last day of my visa. The road from Hezhou was a little rough because of the pacing–136 km/85 miles a long day for me at this point. I’ll spend the next week working out visas, enjoying unfettered access to Google, and meeting local advocacy groups. Pictures from the … Continue reading 贺州 （Hezhou) to 香港(Hong Kong)
Justine Zhang’s (张婷) workshop is well hidden. In the middle of downtown Jishou, the bustling capital of an autonomous minority prefecture in western Hunan, China, her converted garage-door storage space is tucked away in a shaded side alley. Set back from the chattering masses of vendors and pedestrians, its presence barely registers from the street. … Continue reading Rosaries, Small Business, and the Environment: Justine’s Story
Make it this one: http://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/may/27/why-india-is-captured-by-carbon David Rose demystifies the seeming hypocrisy of India PM Modi’s Environmental message. As with many developing countries, enforcement of environmental protections is an open question and the obvious weak point in any potential environmental advances for India. The biologist in me is highly skeptical that covering exhausted coal mines and replanting … Continue reading If you read one piece of climate-related reporting this month…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/05/07/the-gops-widening-effort-to-stop-environmental-policies-by-targeting-science/ http://www.npr.org/2015/05/11/404200241/two-guys-in-paris-aim-to-charm-the-world-into-climate-action Continue reading GOP targets science (WP); “Two Guys In Paris Aim To Charm The World Into Climate Action” (NPR)
The manifesto itself can be found here. More reality-based and coherent, a reply from the founder of Make Wealth History, Jeremy Williams, is here. Main points from the reply: “There’s a lot to like in their vision. They rightly point out how far we’ve come, and how many of the fears of previous generations of environmentalists … Continue reading An Ecomodernist Manifesto, and a Reply More Grounded in Reality
360 by bike 