We are still sitting at the back of the bus

This weekend I attended an event called Women of the Green Generation. It focused on successful women who are passionate about the environment and have made a career out of their passion. I met the founder of EcoStiletto.com, a website that focuses on all things green. I met the author of Hot, Rich, and Green who is also the producer of a film called FUEL. On June 28th she will be leading a march in New Orleans to protest BP, the devastation in the Gulf and our addiction to petrochemicals. I sampled food from raw and natural chefs, browsed clothing and accessories that were vegan, recycled or created from found/reclaimed materials. I was inspired to hear that woman make 84% of all purchasing decisions spending 5 trillion dollars a year. I was convinced that women can and do have an enormous impact on the country and the planet. But sadly, I could count on both hands the number of faces of color at this event. And only 1 of the speakers I saw was ethnic.
So where are we? What are we doing? Or what aren’t we doing? The planet is in peril and our community is seemingly doing nothing to help. We are effectively sitting at the back of the bus on environmental issues, as if they don’t effect us.
I have spoken to a number of people in the environmental arena and they admit they’re not targeting our community. But we can’t wait for someone to spoon feed us information. We must join in the fight to protect our earth, and we must make our presence felt. Let’s be honest, we are a community of trendsetters. When we wear something, it becomes a global brand. Our music is now the most listened to genre. More products are being targeted to us because once our community approves, it will go “mainstream.”
So let’s take this knowledge and this power and start using it for good. It’s time to get involved in environmental causes and stand up for the planet that supports us. We cannot continue to sit at the back of the bus with this one.

Meg Whitman, here’s how you win my vote

Dear Meg Whitman,
I’m a democrat and supporter of Jerry Brown, but I have come up with a way you can win my vote.
I’ve been following your campaign, particularly your spending. I believe, as of today, June 12th, you’ve spent 71 million dollars of your personal money and have pledged to spend a total of 150 million dollars.
Here’s my proposition:
You are well aware of the financial issues California is facing. We are looking at school closings and teacher lay-offs. As it is, California students already have half days every other week due to the budget deficit. If you take 50 million of the remaining 79 million you’ve already pledged to the campaign and use it to pay teachers, buy computers and keep schools open, I’ll vote for you in November.
You’ve stated that you are using your own money so that you aren’t beholden to any special interests, and I respect that. But I think using those funds to help will say to California that you are running for governor because you care about the state. You’ve had an illustrious business career, but a weak voting record. If we simply look at your history, the well-being of Californians doesn’t appear to be at the top of your list. But a huge donation to the state education system, well! There is no way your critics can continue to say you are buying your way into the Governor’s mansion.
I’ll be blunt, Mrs. Whitman, you CAN buy my vote. If you donate or invest your 50 million into our schools, I will overlook your non-existing voting record. I’ll overlook your pledge to cut 40,000 state jobs but somehow create 2 million private-sector jobs. I’ll overlook your pledge to promote investing in the agriculture industry, knowing the industry is run by companies who don’t need additional money on top of the subsidies they already receive. I’ll disregard your plan to eliminate the capitol gains tax and your pledge to build more prisons. I’ll even disregard the year-long moratorium you plan to place on AB-32 to “ensure California climate change law does not become a dangerous job-killer.” I’ll let all of these things go. I’ll even go so far as to promote you to my social network.
Of course, the caveat is that the money has to be sent to the schools who need it the most. I know you are working on plan to financially reward schools with the highest test scores. And you’re offering tax breaks to businesses located within a specific radius of the above mentioned schools. Your plan essentially gives money to people who already have money and offers tax breaks to people who can afford to open businesses in prosperous areas, but in order to win my vote, you have to give to those who need it most.
I realize that once you are in office, California is going to face even more financial trouble. Once you fire those 40,000 state workers the drain on our state budget will continue since those people will now receive unemployment benefits. I’m assuming you won’t be hiring any of those people for your Economic Development Sales Force whose sole mission will be “selling the states positive attributes to new businesses and existing ones.”  Presumably this sales force is going to do a lot of traveling for their job. They probably won’t be flying commercial economy class, right? But maybe some of those state workers can be hired to build the prisons your promising. With all of those people out of work, and your staunch support of the 3 strikes law, those prisons are going to come in handy.
Mrs. Whitman, I hope you seriously consider my proposal. I realize that my tone occasionally veered into sarcasm, but I’m very serious. I will absolutely tout you on my social networks and vote for you in November, provided you give 50 million dollars to the neediest schools in the state. I recommend re-hiring teachers first, then hiring more teachers so classes don’t have to be so big. Next, schools should be retrofitted with solar panels so they can create their own electricity. Then buy computers. I bet you can even find a company to match the amount you buy so you’ll get twice as many. Invest in creating local gardens on school grounds so schools can either provide their students with food, or sell it at local farmers markets. If there is any money left over, invest in retrofitting all school buses to bio-desiel so they no longer have to pay for gas. They can use either the grease from the school kitchen, or from local restaurants, who you could incentivize with tax breaks.
This clearly isn’t an exhaustive list of ideas. I’m sure there are people who can advise you on this. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need more suggestions on how to spend the money. I’m here to help. Every vote counts.

Dear Mr. President, please help me help us.

Dear Mr. President,

Like millions of people I am sickened by the current environmental disaster in the Gulf. Also like millions of other Americans, I’m unemployed and want to help.  I’ve looked into various volunteer opportunities to assist with the clean up, but oddly enough, I cannot afford to volunteer.  So, Mr. President, I want to offer you a solution that may kill 2 birds with one stone.  Help me help the country.

When I consider volunteering in the Gulf I have to take a few things into account.  Yes, I have the time and the strength to commit to the clean-up, but where would I live?  And what about paying my bills in the meantime?  It be great if I could put a hold on my bills while I go do good work.  It be even better if I were provided a place to live and a decent salary.

I know this sounds like a crazy solution, Mr. President, but please hear me out.  I would like to work, to clean up, to build new houses, to plant flowers and trees-anything!  I will commit to 40 hours/week for a year.  In exchange, I would like to have my credit card payments put on hold, interest free.  I’d like my car payment put on hold, interest free.  I would like my cell phone company to continue to provide me service, for free.  I would like decent housing at a low cost.  And I’d like to be paid about $17.00/hour, pre-tax.

I realize that this seems like a far better deal for me then for the country, so let me explain.  The companies who have loaned me money or provided me a service should be rewarded with a small tax break.  And I will resume payments after my year commitment.  I’m assuming that there are some empty homes and apartments in these areas.  I’m a single woman and I wouldn’t mind living in an empty, foreclosed home with other single women and paying rent.  That would allow the banks to collect some money even if it isn’t the entire mortgage.

Basically, Mr. President, I’m asking for help in return for helping out.  This year long reprieve would give me the opportunity to to get back on my feet.  This solution would provide me with work and provide the manpower/womanpower needed in the Gulf to assist with the clean up.  But it would also support the Gulf region economically.  They depend upon tourist dollars that we know aren’t going to show up now.  However, if a huge contingent of employed people are able to live down there, we can help stimulate the economy.  It might not be to the degree that the region is used to, but something is absolutely better than nothing.

And when I and hundreds of thousands of other Americans descend upon Louisiana, Texas, and Florida, who knows what could happen?  I’m trained as an actor, maybe I can also teach theater at an elementary or middle school as part of my service.  Or maybe I can teach an improv class in the evening to other service workers.  Imagine what the teachers, web designers, realtors, artists, landscapers, etc can contribute aside from labor.  Who knows what could be created from this opportunity.

I know the naysayers will quickly attack this idea, Mr. President.  They will say that this solution will lead to corruption, to people taking advantage of the system.  They will say it will be too difficult to organize and keep track of the workers.  And they will say this country cannot afford it.  These naysayers are absolutely wrong.  Is corruption possible?  Yes, but it won’t be nearly as devastating as the corruption that caused this environmental atrocity.  Will it be difficult to organize and track?  Yes, but if a university can track and organize 60,000 students, this can be done.  Can this country afford it?  That is debatable, although I do believe the bill should be sent to BP.  But this solution makes a lot more sense then simply paying unemployment and getting nothing tangible in return for it.  At least this way the country will benefit, as will the workers.

And frankly, Mr. President, I haven’t heard of a better idea thus far.  So consider this one.  Give me the opportunity to be a productive member of society.  Allow me an interest free break on my bills and a place to live at a reduce rated

in exchange for restoring a community.   I would love to commit a year of my life to serving the environment and my country.  I just need a little help doing it.

BP execs shouldn’t go to jail

Fam,
Now I know this title is going to be controversial, but wait for it. BP execs shouldn’t go to jail, that would be too easy. Plus, jail costs taxpayers, and I think we’ve paid enough.
Instead, I have a plan for all of the white collar criminals that I think could be both effective and productive. Lets start with BP. Any executive who is found to have had knowledge of the safety issues BP was ignoring should have to spend their time cleaning up the Gulf. And I don’t mean 200 hours or anything ridiculous like that. Instead of spending 20 or 30 years in prison, they should be sentenced to that amount of time doing community service.
Think about it. They can start with cleaning up the wetlands. Once that is finished, they can get to the task of replanting. They can assist with repopulating the wildlife they decimated. And if all of that doesn’t take 20 years, working 5 days/week, from 8am until 6pm, I’m sure there are other tasks they can assist with. How about helping revitalize the local industry; helping fisherman and small business owners with any manual labor they need. Or, what about helping small businesses apply for loans, which I think they can use some of their personal items as collateral.
Imagine if all of the Wall Street folks were forced to spend their days and weeks focused on the upkeep of all of the houses that were foreclosed upon due to their negligence. Or running after school programs where they teach according to their specialty. Or if you’ve had to downsize due to the economy, how about they come clean your house and do laundry so you have time to work on your resume of new job idea.
We could pay them the same rate a person gets paid in jail…$.7 or $.11 cents/hour seems fair to me. And of course, when they aren’t working they would be on house arrest, unable to use computers or cell phones, but would have access to television.
I think the punishment should fit the crime. SInce the crime involves destroying lives and livelyhoods, to repayment should involve rebuilding those lives. It’s only fair.

Drill, baby, drill

Fam,

You know I couldn’t go another day without writing about the oil currently gushing out of a deep sea well that is quickly approaching the Louisiana coast.  In fact, it may have already hit land.  And who is responsible for this major disaster?  BP, also know as British Petroleum or Beyond Petroleum, the moniker they adopted roughly a decade ago to show they were moving beyond simply being a oil company.  And they have moved beyond petroleum into the realm of destruction and devastation.  Congratulations BP, you have succeeded in your goal.

The history of BP is long, starting in 1909.  The names and holding have changed a number of times over the years.  In 1998, BP acquired Amoco and sold petrol under BPAmoco.  Over the next decade slowly phased out the Amoco name.  In 2000, BP acquired Arco and moved the majority of their petrochemical business to a new company, Innovene.  Their desire to float Innovene in an IPO failed in 2005, and instead was sold to a private chemical company in the UK.

In 2005, the BP oil refinery in Texas exploded.  It was the 3rd largest refinery in the US and was responsible for roughly 3% of domestic oil production.  That explosion killed 15 and injured over 170 people.  BP took responsibility for the spill, saying mismanagement contributed to the explosion.  However, the CSB found that BP failed to implement and follow safety regulations.  Which means the spill was preventable.  2 other safety issues were sited that same year, with a 3rd brought up in 2008.  The Baker panel, led by former US Secretary of the State, James Baker III, found the Texas site to have the worst process safety culture amongst the 5 domestic refineries held by BP.  Apparently, BP had “gotten confused” about the various types of safety hazards they faced.  It seems their occupational safety issues were improving.  They were experiencing less falls, slips, and driving issues.  So they didn’t take into account design safety, equipment maintenance, or process upset reporting.

In 2009, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration imposed an 87 million dollar fine on the company, which they promptly announced they would challenge.  They did offer to plead guilty and pay a fine of 50 million dollars.  In 2006 the Chemical Safety Board acquired internal BP documents from 2002-2005 that revealed the company had knowledge of the extreme safety issues at the Texas refinery and 34 other units around the world.  And try as I might, I can find no hard figure of the amount they paid for the clean up of the 2005 spill.  But as of 2006, the US federal government had spent 2 million dollars investigating BP.

In 2006 an oil line in Alaska sprung a leak, releasing over 1 million liters of oil into the Alaskan tundra.  And now this.  The spill is currently gushing 200,000 gallons of oil per day, or a total of 1.8 million gallons since the explosion.  If it takes the estimated 3 months to plug the leak, the spill will far surpass the 1989 Exxon-Valdez spill, the worst spill in history.

So what does all of this mean?  According to the New York Times, Tony Hayward, who runs BP, said to his executive “What the hell did we do to deserve this?”  My feelings exactly, Mr. Hayward.  What did WE do to deserve this?  I’m assuming all of the people on the Louisiana coast are asking themselves the same thing.  These are the same people who survived Katrina in 2005.  These are the people whose livelyhood depends on a successful shrimping and tourist season.  And these are the people who will now have to deal with effects of destroyed wetlands.  Wetlands that offer protection from floods.  What did they do to deserve this?

It’s very simple to believe that this spill doesn’t effect you if you don’t live on the coast.  Think again.  BP is rapidly losing hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil, a non renewable resource.  In order to recoup some of their costs, BP is going to have to increase the price of oil.  That increase will hit you at the pump.  The thousands of people who won’t be able to support themselves this season and next-those people will need government assistance.  That assistance comes from your tax dollars.  The shrimp scampi you have for dinner will have to be shipped in from another area.  The price of shrimp will rise due to scarcity.  The price of transport will increase due to higher gas prices.  You will pay for all of this.  And who will pay to clean up this disaster?  BP has already stated they will take help from anywhere they can get it.  The US coast guard is working to stop the spill.  The State of Louisiana has been declared a national disaster.  The money will have to come from somewhere.  And if history is any indication, BP will challenge any fine they are levied.  Which will cost even more money.

I’m angry.  I’m angry at BP for cutting operating costs in the early part of the last decade so they could save some money.  I’m angry at BP for their slow response to this spill.  I’m angry that people have died and they are destroying a natural habitat.  I’m angry and I don’t know what to do.  But I’ll no longer support BP with my money.  I’ll no longer by gas from BP, Amoco, Arco or Ampm.  I’ll take my dollars elsewhere.  I hope you will too.

BP announced earnings of 5.6 billion dollars for the first quarter-double the profit they made in quarter 1 2009.

Happy meatless Monday

Hey Fam,

I just made the most amazing dinner for meatless monday, so I want to share it.  I even took a picture, but I’m not sure it looks as good as it tasted.

Started with sliced onion, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add thinly sliced potatoes, more olive oil, more salt and more pepper.  I will admit right now that this is probably not the best thing to eat if you have high blood pressure.  I like my potatoes nice and soft, so I cooked them for about 15 minutes.  Just don’t forget to stir.

I had frozen green beans in the freezer, so I dropped them in some boiling water.  But no salt.  I added thinly sliced red peppers to the potatoes and grabbed eggs which I cooked over medium.  I like the whites cooked completely but the yolk runny.  If you are brave I would recommend poaching them, but I’m not there yet.  Throw fresh cilantro and parsley in with the potatoes, but only for the last 3 minutes or so of cooking.  Put the potatoes on a plate, add green beans and top with the eggs.  Sprinkle a small amount of cracked red pepper and enjoy.  It’s an amazing meal!

Crazy caprese

The recipe below is a combination of caprese salad and bruschetta.  Change whatever doesn’t excite you.  Also, if you fall in love with this, I recommend investing in some good aged balsamic, the older the better.

2 organic tomatoes, perferably from your locals farmers market.

1/2 an avocado sliced any way you want

A handful of fresh cilantro and parsley

Burrata cheese

Salt and pepper to taste-but lots of pepper

Olive Oil

Aged Balsamic

I’m madly in love with Burrata cheese right now, so that’s why I recommend it, but any cheese you like will work. I often do feta, sliced parmesean, and occasionally a good chedder in the winter. Depending upon my mood and what’s at the farmers market, I also add cucumbers and red peppers.  And on my meat eating days, this is killer with shrimp.  Don’t go overboard with this olive oil.  For an extra kick, a little cracked red pepper.  Serve with or without bread, depending on your carb policy.

Me want shoes!

A close friend is having a birthday soon, so I’m searching for presents.  Do I get her jewelry?  Something for her house?  Clothes?  My friend has super cute style, a boyfriend and a love for the planet.  So I started searching online for eco-friendly lingerie.  Something fun, flirty and environmentally friendly.  I found some good stuff, and I’ll post a few links for you ladies who love to be sexy and save the planet.  But nothing spoke to me.

One of the links led me to an insanely cute pair of boots that were vegan.  HUH?  What the f are vegan boots?  Who cares, they were adorable!  Then I realized I could use a new pair of shoes.  Of course I had to start shopping for myself.

As I looked around all of the eco-friendly, environmentally responsible sites, I discovered they all had one thing in common.  The shoes were butt-ugly.  Now, that’s rude.  I know.  Any of those shoes would have been great if I were climbing a mountain, or walking in rainy SF or seattle, or if I was 70.  But I’m not, and I just want a pair of cute shoes that won’t hurt the environment.  Why can’t I find them?  Now, I should add a caveat: I’m not looking to pay $300+ for shoes, frankly I won’t even to spend $200.  So that did eliminate a couple of pairs I saw that I liked.

But on the whole, there aren’t a lot of options for a bbg who wants to look and do good.  I hope someone steps up and changes that.

Does the environment play a part in any of your decisions?

Meatless Mondays

Hey All,

So I know, meatless monday. What’s the point?  Well, I tried being a vegetarian and I simply don’t have it in me.  I felt woozy, and annoyed all the time.   I know vegetarianism is healthy for my body and for the planet, and I care very deeply about both of them. But, I want my meat.  So instead I’ve opted for meatless mondays.  It saves me money and gives me the feeling that I’m doing my part to help the planet.  And it’s only one day a week-I can handle anything for one day.

But wait, why would I want to give up meat for a day if I don’t have to?  Well, it takes 200 times more water to yield a pound of beef then a pound of potatoes.  It takes 60 gal of water to yield a pound of potatoes.  Why so many numbers!?!  It’s too much.  To make it simple, I eat less meat, I save drinkable water.  Easy.  And doable.  So check out the recipes section for great meatless monday ideas.  And when you’re eating your meatless meal, take a moment to revel in the fact that you are helping to save the planet.