Tropical Island Getaways… Made Of Human Waste.

(Sung to the tune of Gilligan’s Island)

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale,
a tale of some gruesome shit,
about what happens when you load some trash
atop a mighty ship.

In all seriousness, what you’re about to hear is absolutely disgusting. Roughly 1000 miles north of Hawaii, islands are developing from the trash and waste that humans generate. These islands are created by objects such as toothbrushes and bottle caps that have accumulated in the ocean over the course of modern history. Trash accumulates in these islands, it seems, due to ocean gyres – “an area of heavy currents and slack winds that keep the trash swirling in a giant whirlpool.”

And how big are these islands? Roughly, double the size of Texas. We think. See, there’s a big problem. Scientists don’t really have a way as of yet to determine how big it is, or if there are others like it. It’s not quite as fabled as the Loch Ness Monster, but at least as dangerous. Plastic, a core element of these trash islands, takes in toxins such as DDT “like a sponge”. Sea creatures eat it and it becomes a huge wrench in the food chain.

So what are people doing to reverse this? Good question. Cleanup groups are developing creative ways to get rid of the trash that has developed in these islands. One of these efforts has the goal of turning the plastic from these islands into diesel fuel. All the groups agree with one factor though: this trash is getting stinky and we’ve gotta do something about it.

Check out more about the tropical trash islands over at the New York Times.

Posted by:

Steve Romain

Green Your Job = Green Yourself?

We tend to do a lot of talking here about greening yourself. Let’s face it, it’s not easy.

A lot of the time, people perceive greening their lifestyles as difficult, financially cumbersome with negligible returns. To reverse a societal norm is damn near impossible, so we’ve got our work cut out for us. This raises an eternally interesting question, however. Does working in an ecofriendly workplace or a green job help one develop a greener personality?

According to a recent NY Times blog, there seems to be no conducive evidence as of yet – research is still relatively new on the subject – but there are many case studies of this actually happening. Take – for instance – a graduate of Solar Richmond, Wayne Gatlin:

“I’m getting greener,” said Mr. Gatlin, who earns far more as a photovoltaics installer for the Berkeley-based Sun Light & Power than he did working security or selling shoes at an Adidas retail store.

“I recycle now,” Mr. Gatlin said. “I ride my bike. This was stuff I wouldn’t do before.”

I can personally say that ever since starting to work at 99Problems.org and The League, I’ve been trying to green my lifestyle with little things: using public transportation whenever possible, bringing my lunch to work in plastic containers rather than paper bags, trying to buy sustainable products… things like that.

What about you? Is your work life conducive to a greener lifestyle?

Posted by:

Steve Romain

Iran: Defying Death By Speaking Up

In Iran, a student named Mahmoud Vahidnia was heralded as an unlikely hero last week, for a stunning act of bravery that shook the country’s youth to the core. His action? Speaking truth to power, in person.

That’s right: he’s being lauded for his bravery for speaking up and dissenting with the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a public forum event. According to a report by the Huffington Post, openly criticizing the Ayatollah is a crime in Iran, punishable by imprisonment. Vahidnia openly lambasted the state-run media’s perspectives on the Ayatollah as well as the Ayatollah’s history of violence against youth protesters.

He faced significant resistance at the event:

“Vahidnia, a gold medalist at the country’s National Math Olympics two years ago, told the pro-opposition Alef Web site that officials at first barred him from speaking, but Khamenei apparently allowed him to go ahead. He said he was interrupted several times by the event’s moderator who insisted they were out of time.”

In the echo-chamber of critique that is the political blogosphere, it’s easy to lose the plot and forget how valuable our right to speak truth to power is. Vahidnia is definitely an inspirational figure and we hope that he stands in no danger after his heroic act. Check out more about this incredible story over at The Huffington Post.

Posted by:

Steve Romain

Jon Stewart Smashes Glenn Beck!

Last night, Jon Stewart managed to dedicate ten minutes to making fun of Glenn Beck… as Glenn Beck. Here’s the deal: Glenn Beck has appendicitis, but Jon Stewart thinks there’s something deeper there. There’s more than just his appendix pulling the strings… perhaps a conspiracy!

This is a MUST watch video: check it below.

Posted by:

Steve Romain

Ration Your Carbon: One Coupon At A Time

For the 350 Day of Action – that our friends at the League participated in over at ShutUpWindmill.com – The Ministry of Trying To Do Something About it have.. well.. done something about it.

In true clever form, they created a Carbon Ration Book for distribution, kind of like what was done during World War 2 for various resources such as milk, butter, eggs.

You’re given a set number of carbon credits per month and when you use them up – by, say, driving around or taking a flight – you’re done. It definitely can be an aid to help us put our waste in perspective.

Also, they look pretty awesome. Check out a quote from the creators below:

Here’s something. The Ministry of Trying to Do Something About It have issued ration books so you can play your part in transforming our world into a cleaner and more equitable place – and make yourself a good deal happier along the way. Whilst small actions can lead to change, our ration book shows that a significant shift in the way we live our lives and reducing the sheer amount of stuff we consume is needed. …

Make active choices and change your habits. You might even find that consuming less opens a whole new world of possibilities. With determination, good cheer and your help we can create a safer, fairer world. A planet we’re proud to pass on to future generations.

Check out the Ministry Of Trying To Something About It here.

Posted by:

Steve Romain