BIG OIL, personal responsibility, call for change

To all world citizens' of the Auburn and USA,
What are we thinking? We are a good hearted people. How have we been labeled so greedy by the world? I am a reader and I am pissed. Even though I do not like the politics of BIG OIL I still supported them with my life style. I live in a beautiful town (Auburn, CA) where for most of my time there I have always driven 60 miles/per day for work. I am guilty of excess. And what did that excess buy me. I am responsible for BIG OIL and not holding them responsible. I know I am not alone. There are hundreds if not millions of people who are guilty just like me. I am responsible for the plastic garbage patch in the ocean that is a big as the United States1, I am responsible for Exxon (now part of Chevron) not being held accountable for the Alaskan Oil spill-and all the oil spills that happen all over the world costing uncounted environmental damage,. I am responsible for the drilling that is happening off the Gulf Coast of Louisiana by Chevron which has done nothing to help the victims of Katernia, I am responsible for the citizens of Nigeria Delta for their suffering because of my need to have oil and not know that their government was not even providing basic health care and education instead receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from BIG OIL without out benefiting the people. 2 I am responsible for Canada’s increase in green house gases at the rate of 30% a year so they can extract oil from the sands in Alberta3. Yes, I am guilty as is every red and blue blooded American. And I am MAD. I don’t know about you but this world and it’s people and the environment are too precious to lose to BIG OIL. So I am asking you to join me in getting off my addiction. I am asking you to hold BIG OIL and governments accountable. I am asking you to become responsible to the earth and her inhabitants so that life maybe sustained in a healthy and life affirming manner for all by all. What am I doing:
1) I have changed all my light-bulbs to CLF. In Australian the government supported this action and made it a goal to have all Australians be using CLF .
2) I have all but eliminated plastic bags from my life. (China’s government4 dictated this to the people saving over a billion gallons of oil a year-Oakland CA tried to do this and is being sued by the manufacture)
3) I am walking or using an electric powered bicycle for most of my short errands in and around Auburn. ( Average (car) MPG is 22.9 MPG. Carbon emissions are 19.2 pounds per gallon) 5
4) I have taken course work in nonviolent communication and have taught myself that being hostile and negative does not pay but being angry, thus energized, and positive brings much greater results.
5) I am starting my own campaign to save the world. One person at a time. Please join me and together we can do so much.

Kathleen Hering
Lay Community Minister for Peace
cm4peace@gmail.com

1 http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/great_pacific_garbage_patch.php
2 See http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/14/10341/
3 http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/16/7101/ http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/12/10318/
4 http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/china_plastic_bag_ban.php
5 http://www.apta.com/research/info/online/climate_change.cfm#cc19

building community to save the world

OK so I am very new to this blog thing.  But I am not new to networking.  So I have an idea and need lots of help.  I want to save the world working in groups of four.  I figure if we can work in groups of four there is enough diversity among us to help us deal with challenges we come up against.  So what I need right now are at least 3 people who want to help me save the world.  One community at a time.  I want it to be an action oriented, idea generating group.  

Please let me know which of these four ways of moving thru the world is how you relate to the world (Taken from InterPlay tm and Move to Greatness: Focusing the Four Essential Energies of a whole and Balanced Leader by Ginny Whitelaw and Betsy Wetzig.

 Swinger: or the person whom connects people to people, places etc.  Also know as a collaborator

 Hanger: A person who gets lots of ideas by reading and taking to others.  Doesn't act very fast at times but when they do it is usually when the time is right. Sometimes called a visionary.

  Thruster: This is the person that has to have their ideas and be heard.  They are out on the forefront before anyone has figured out what they are talking about. (Whitelaw calls this person the driver)

   Shaper: Ok so this is not my strong point.  But these are the folks that just are able to put things together to "make them work".  I am talking procedures, policies etc. 

We have all of these parts to make who we are in the world.  But some of these parts are stronger than others.  Since my first way of operation is one of collaboration I see the importance immediately of working with others.  I do not want to do it all and I want others to join me.  So please join me my campaign to save the world-one group of 4 at a time.   

Thanks for you input

Kathleen 

Lay Community Minister for Peace

My thoughts on doing laundry

Well this is my first post and I have to say I am not sure what I am getting into.  But I think it is kind of neat to "talk" to others about what we have learned in saving this world.  I have been hanging my clothes on a laundry rack for years.  Started washing most of my clothes in cold water and now reading about how the sun disinfects will start doing my sheets in cold water also.  But I have a question.  I tried to use the gray water from laundry to water the grass and it killed the grass and I was using an eco-friendly soap supposedly.  What does one do?  And can anyone tell me why my grass died?