Changing the Collective Thought Process

After my dad pulled to my attention an article in the New York Times (January 23rd 2009 issue) titled: Environmental Issues Slide in Poll of Public Concern. The findings said that because of our economic situation the environment has become dramatically less of a concern to Americans. I found it unbearable to hold back and not try to shed light into what I call 'The Collective Thought Process'.

The World is ONE system. Our economic and environmental health are sub systems of the larger biosphere. Our natural environment provides humans with food, shelter, fuel, and many other natural resources which feed our economic system. One can only harvest enough resources to allow the natural ecosystem to grow back for the following years harvest. If one harvests too much, not enough will grow back the following year. Instead of focusing in the exact volume to consume in a given year or its capabilities, one should focus in on efficiency. Getting more from less.

Our society consumes more than is needed to sustain and grow, inadvertently waste is produced. Recently, due to the economic situation Americans has begun curbing their buying habits. Focusing their dollar spent on more useful and lasting purchases.

Global warming: It is happening, but is not the main topic of environmental concerns. Our global temperature has increased over the past few decades, believed by the majority of the scientific community. This is not my biggest global environmental concern.

Global climate change: Seattle is getting wetter & drier, New York warming in the winter but some years colder, hurricane larger & disappear for seasons, desertification growing along with the monsoons in India. Our climate is changing around us. So fast that we are beginning to not to see it. Two days ago I was working at the New York International Gift Fair, while selling a great company's mission in ECOBAGS.COM; I met a middle aged woman. She came up to me, she being from the south and said 'boy is it cold out there!' I concurred with her. It was very cold out there approaching the teens for god know how many consecutive days. Compared to last year which was very mild with little snow, this year New York City has been hit with a lot of cold, snow and in particular ice. The change from last to this, has been very dramatic. That volatility is what the majority of educated scientist and intellectuals call global climate change. So I turned to this lady and said 'your right it is very cold, but our warming planet doesn't mean that winters will be warmer, summers hotter and every cold front that much more bearable'. She looked at me in confusion and smiled and kept on walking. Our collective thought process has been brain washed on the word 'warming'.


I don't fear the heat (unless I live near an expanding desert) but I fear in my and chilren's life time the increases rainfall, floods, topsoil erosion, loss of farming capability, desertification, and all the rest that a warming planet does to our climate. Our collective and ignorant thought process connects global warming with simply heating and whether it is hot or cold outside.

If some believe it is as simple as this, let them attempt to live their lives in bliss.

Beauty in the World

It's time to change the direction of previous. I thought that adding a few pieces of art will help expand this blog and offer the people reading something. I have been taking pictures since I went on a trip to Spain and bought a old Cannon SLR. I was probably 13 at the time, but once I started looking through a lens, I learned that you can capture a moment in time. When I look back at that first roll, maybe 1 shot worked out. But I see how far my passion has developed. Throughout the year I will begin to unravel insights about a moment of beauty, clarity and understanding.

The picture at the top titled "A Brooklyn Morning", was taken in a late summer morning in August 2008. Living in the Bronx, Brooklyn is a far travel to meet friend for brunch. IT means waking up pretty early on a Saturday morning. Being my first time in Williamsburg, I decided to bring my old beat up Cannon Rebel XT along. After a long drive my beautiful wife points out this beautiful iconic New York City image of a clothes line. Click. We found a very tranquil moment in the city that never sleeps. They are sparse, but when one finds them they bring a sense of calmness and peace into a hectic way of life.

New York City holds so many cultures, traditions, and history within it's borders. To think that Queens speaks more than 132 languages, more than any other place on the planet. Brooklyn where the picture was taken above harbored Washington's troops as the siege on Manhattan took place. You can wander through the neighborhoods around Park Slope and find old armories, fortresses, and brownstones built next to ancient cemeteries. Obviously these are drops in a river of culture that NYC possess. Look to Wikipedia if you already haven't to get a taste. If you are interested in more of my photos just email me.