All Is Optional

I abhor it when those who are not petite decide to assume all those who are of a small frame must not have any “meat” on their bones. Check out the rest of the world, obese America, some of us have small frame coded into our DNA.

This post on the New Yorkers community on Livejournal set me off.

First, it was uncontrollable sneezing: five or six in a row. Then, I was all stuffy and snotty. Now, my eyes are red and burning. Really, Thursday cannot come soon enough.

If I can call 2007 the year of anything, I would have to give it up to Al Gore. His award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth really got the ball rolling on the popular media’s coverage of global warming (or as the conservatives like to say, “climate change”).

Environmental groups and scientists have been preaching what Gore brought to us in consumable bits for years. Regardless, finally, people are paying attention. Included in those people is yours truly.

I have yet to see Gore’s film. It’s waiting for me at my apartment in Brooklyn. It was actually the April 09 double issue of Time magazine that really got me thinking.

The penguin on the cover might have piqued my interest but it was the survival guide inside that kept me reading. Global warming is huge. And there are so much information (and misinformation) that it’s really tough for the average, relatively un-informed person to figure out where he or she can start addressing the problem. On the bandwagon is musician John Mayer. About a year after his hit song, “Waiting on the World to Change,” John has realised that he needs to be part of making that change. So, he’s working on a new project, which entails teaming up with manufacturers to make products that are alternatives to using plastic.

Plastics are a big thing to tackle as we all know “plastics make it possible.” But, now, plastics are also making it impossible (for our Earth’s ecosystem).

After reading an article on the No Impact Experiment in the NYTimes, I began reading the blog. No Impact Man’s June 04 post, Plastic in the Food Chain, linked to this article, Plastic Ocean.

Doing all of this reading prompted me to come up with a list of ways I could live a less exploitive life. While I’d really prefer that John Mayer give up his SUV (switch to a hybrid?) and learn how to spell Karl Rove (it’s with a K, not C), I definitely appreciate his “panic-free approach to environmentalism.” The last thing we need here is more fear mongering. It’ll only lead middle America to go out in droves and buy everything organic or everything local. That’s not the point.

We consume at unparalled levels. For me, helping the Earth is about re-evaluating my consumption in all aspects. Am I wasting food? Am I buying unnecessary clothes? Am I driving around aimlessly?

And, of course, I need validation. I checked out my ecological footprint quiz. My score was 18; the average score of someone living in the U.S. is 24. If everyone lived like I do, we would need 4.2 planets. Clearly, I need to lower my score but so does everyone else.

This is what I plan on phasing in so I can give back to the world that gives me everything.

1. Bring my $0.59 ikea blue bag with me when I go shopping for groceries (or other things that require large bags).
2. I’m going to make an effort to do grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market as often as I can. This is mostly because they identify local and organic products. I’m also going to check out green markets for fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. I bought a bike and I’d like to ride it as often as possible. Besides that, NYC gives me the advantage of public transportation. But, when I’m home, I’m going to minimise unnecessary trips to Walmart (that take place out of sheer boredom). If I’m hanging out with people, I’ll make an effort to car pool. And, unlike yesterday, really make an effort not to sit in an idling car while waiting for someone.
4. It’s summer. And summer in New York City is heinous. It’s hot. It’s humid. And I hate it! This year, unlike last, I have an air conditioner. However, that certainly doesn’t mean unlimited cold air. I bought the energy-saver kind with a timer and I only plan on using it on unbearably hot days and nights. Otherwise, I can open windows and I have an awesome fan.
5. I’m going to turn off my Powerbook because being away message stalked on AIM is really not that important.

If you know of anything else I can do, float it to me. I’m willing to put forth a real effort. But I’m also not going to lie to you or myself by taking on changes I know I can’t take on instantly. It didn’t take us that long to screw things up, but it’ll certainly take us a while to put things back on the right track. Instead of judging each other on who is doing a better job or whether or not each of us is doing enough, let’s just try to do what we can.

And George W. Bush, just saying you will and not setting some hard deadlines on it isn’t known as trying.

Related G8 news:
U.S. Compromise on Global Warming Plan Averts Impasse at Group of 8 Meeting
Bush says role of India, China crucial to fight climate change

I have regularly read throwingstardna’s LiveJournal for quite some years now. Most people associate LiveJournal with whiney emoness but here is an individual doing some excellent blogging on serious sociopolitical issues. I offer his latest for all of you: The Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations

Dear Gwen Stefani,

You have seriously awesome abs. And back in the day, you were part of a band (No Doubt) that made a good tune or two.

But, now, you have become a seriously bad role model. I don’t mean just for females either. You’re a bad example to any human being. Here, let me point out exactly what I mean.

In your song, “Sweet Escape,” [lyrics / video] featuring Akon, you say,

First of all, let me say
I must apologize for acting stank and treating you this way
Cause I’ve been acting like sour milk all on the floor
It’s your fault you didn’t shut the refrigerator
Maybe that’s the reason I’ve been acting so cold?

Not only are these statements uncreative, you are apologising to your “man” despite citing him responsible for being hurtful to you. Let’s review: he messes up, you apologise. See anything wrong here?

Later, in the chorus, you croon,

If I could escape and recreate a place that’s my own world
And I could be your favourite girl (forever), Perfectly together
Tell me boy now wouldn’t that be sweet? (sweet escape)
If I could be sweet, I know I’ve been a real bad girl (I’ll try to change)
I didn’t mean for you to get hurt (whatsoever)
We can make it better, Tell me boy wouldn’t that be sweet? (sweet escape)

Yes, it would be sweet, if your relationship were healthy. He messes up, you apologise, try to re-create yourself into a form acceptable for him, and you’re the one that’s been a bad girl?

Get real, Gwen. I once identified you as the alternative to all these glammed up diva pop stars because you seemed like a genuine person. You had your own identity and your own style. It wasn’t what I preferred but at least you were trying to be you.

Now, you’re just a disgrace.

Peace.
Neelofer Qadir

Lots has happened since my last post: I have graduated from college, moved apartments, and begun a short vacation in the Mississippi/Arkansas area. I travelled home today only to meet these guys as I neared baggage claim to pick up my one suitcase.

I offer just one other graphic for the sake of context before going on what will probably be characterised as a “psuedo-intellectual, liberal, anti-war, hippie rant.”

Let’s face it. The military is a business. It is a global business that exploits everyone regardless of his or her political stance on it. Google war good for economy and you’ll get a slew of results from the right and the left, both pushing their agendas.

And here I am, pushing my agenda.

To me, the military is a business. The only pure way to avoid viral marketing is to state your product, state where it is available, state how to acquire it. I certainly don’t need military recruiting stations located at baggage claim at a small town’s international airport. List yourself in the yellowpages. Take out billboard ads. Pass out flyers if you so wish. But don’t look so alarmed if I look at you in disgust.

Time magazine published a story about six military men killed in Iraq on the same day as the Virgina Tech shootings. Here I found my favourite argument for joining the military, the most heartfelt and sincere (or so its speakers claim). The justification is I am fighting this war (or every other war ever fought) to defend your freedoms.

Well, when you sign your name on the dotted line that asks you to do whatever the commander in chief says, regardless of whether or not your personal morality supports it, remember my freedom of speech – you know the one you claim to be defending for me.

I don’t support the troops. Maybe I’m just unsympathetic. Maybe I’m just too driven by my political agenda to be a “decent human being.” Or maybe I don’t want to be forced to care about a war I don’t believe in. Supporting the troops doesn’t have to mean supporting the war. Yes, I’m aware. I’m also aware of the grave economic situations that drive people to sign up for the military, the fact that people think they’ll never end up in face-to-face combat. But, still when you choose the military, you make a choice to fight, potentially, in a war you don’t support. There are other ways. If, I, as an immigrant, can attend college at a four-year private institution with my mother working around the clock, so can anyone else.

I think it’s obscene of the politicians who ushered the world into this War on Terror^TM to leave you there without equipment, training, proper vacations, but you and your fellow Americans chose this government. I didn’t. You chose it. You signed up to fight on its behalf and support its values in a fight I don’t believe in. So, try and give me a reason I should support you when you didn’t support me.

Yes, I know it’s a changing world and terrorism is real. I read the news. I’m on the ball. But, the fear-mongering across the world is reaching epic proportions. Who in their sane mind feels more secure and/or comfortable when they see someone toting around M16s? when they have to take off their flip-flops to pass through security at an airport? when they have to consider and re-consider if a certain blog post or tapped phone conversation will lead to being charged with treason (if you’re a citizen) or deportation (if you’re not)?

Seeing your gun-toting, brainwashed youth doesn’t make me feel safe and it certainly doesn’t make me feel free, America.