How can/are local communities to use civic power to create laws that promote sustainability?
7 comments:
Anonymous
said...
April 17, 2008 Dear Letter to the Editor, I recommend that Mendocino County stop selling filtered cigarettes to the public because the filters are being thrown on the ground and winding up in the ocean where the fishes and seagulls eat them. It takes many years for cigarette filters to disintegrate. I urgently suggest all fellow cigarette smokers to switch to non-filtered tobacco products as an enjoyable means of killing ourselves. It is better for the environment and us. Besides, there is nothing worse than seeing butts all over the sidewalk and forest floor. It is also considerably unattractive. This issue is an ethical and moral duty because filter less cigarettes make the landscape and environment more beautiful and sustainable for our children, us, and other living creatures on planet earth. Thank you for reading, Sincerely Crystal Brodeur
The letter to the editor, Since we are all thinking about going green and cutting back on using our resources would it be possible for the City of Ukiah to turn off some of their streetlights. I am amazed on how much electricity the City of Ukiah is wasting. I understand why we need streetlights because the public needs to be safe, but I don't understand why the streetlights are on after 11 o'clock at night. I counted seven streetlights from Gobbie to King’s court, this is about two blocks. Do we actually need that many lights on, especially after 11 o’clock? Why can't we shut every other light off to conserve energy? Is there any way possible that these streetlights can be put on a timer? Just look at all of the electricity that City of Ukiah is wasting, even if they are worried about safety you don't need all of these lights on that late at night. Who do you think is going to pay for this electricity, you guessed it the homeowners.
One way is to join a group, which has the same interests as you do. Getting together and making the public aware of the environmental problems we are facing. Besides thinking global we also need to think local. We can start in our own backyard by cleaning up some of the problems that we have in our city. First, is the overuse of electricity that the city uses? Second, we can get more recycling garbage cans, so people can think before they throw their trash away. Third, we can get local businesses to start recycling more and buying local product. Fourth, we can elect a politician that has the same views as we do on our environments. Encourage and support him to make policies that will protect our planet. There are so many more things we can do, we just need to get the public together and focus on them.
Why are we allowing outside interests to come into Ukiah and tell us WE need a mall so that the people in Mendocino proper have somewhere to shop besides Santa Rosa. Does anyone take into account how much shopping has transferred to the internet?
People with a serious shopping Jones can find anything they need on the internet. And if its exercise they need, a trip to Santa Rosa should prove refreshing.
Why do we have outside interests coming in to OUR town telling us that we are expected to offer minimum wage jobs and foot the social services bill to employ the people who will serve people from other areas? THEY decide we should be the doormat to Costco and Target?
Ukians don't want more designer plastic. We don't want more hot pink and neon green. We don't want the rattle of shopping carts on asphalt to wake us from our slumber.
Go away. Leave us alone.
Sincerely, Shirley U. Gest
WHAT TO DO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO GET LEGISLATORS TO PASS SUSTAINABLE TYPE BILLS?
One thing I learned by talking to a candidate at the Earth Day celebration was that organizing politically isn't very hard at all.
Find a candidate you like, and have what is called a "house party" where you invite neighbors to hear the candidate speak.
You can also donate money, which is the easiest way to participate, but least satisfying.
You can call the candidates headquarters and volunteer to make calls, go door knocking, or you can help with mailings.
If you really like your candidate, a house party could be quite pleasant. Regardless at what level this official is hired, they will eventually affect legislation on your behalf.
Excuse the harsher than normal tone in this message but.... Your letter is sarcastic?
The "democratic" process, broken as it is, is the only voice we have. Communicating to our representatives our desires and dissatisfactions is the only tool we haver other than voting. It is under used, and as shown be your letter, not taken seriously.
Your letter is asking something of the county? Or Cigarette smokers? This could be a compelling issue, but this letter doesn't make a compelling argument.
Also this was an assignment not the discussion topic. The only one who addressed the discussion topic was Christine.
Are community can use civic power to create laws that promote sustainability by the people of the community meeting together once a week to brain storm ideas of the areas of our community they would like to turn more green. After the brain storming of ideas the people can have a majority vote of which issue they think is the most important to implement. Citizens combining together to educate other citizens and start local civic organization can change our town’s infrastructure from the inside out. But, the key is the majority of the community to make a change. The best way to influence the community it to persuade them through education.
I think that people and organizations can effectively promote civic responsibility and change, through an engaged process of education and communication that also emphasizes the economic viability of sustainable practices.
The mission of my service learning group, CELL is to provide an educational forum to influence personal and governmental actions and move coastal residents towards first realizing the boxes we've gotten ourselves in to, and then delivering solutions that lead to sustainable practices.
I also believe in the concept of civic virtue. Just as soldiers accept their assignments in war, citizens are being educated and then accepting responsibilities as global citizens, to honor and protect their earth and environment.
Time Magazine's trademark RED cover was replaced just this past week with a GREEN border - the whole issue was devoted to going Green.
This class is SO timely! We are standing at the beginning of a revolutionary and cultural change that is of global concern to all citizens and governments.
7 comments:
April 17, 2008
Dear Letter to the Editor,
I recommend that Mendocino County stop selling filtered cigarettes to the public because the filters are being thrown on the ground and winding up in the ocean where the fishes and seagulls eat them. It takes many years for cigarette filters to disintegrate. I urgently suggest all fellow cigarette smokers to switch to non-filtered tobacco products as an enjoyable means of killing ourselves. It is better for the environment and us. Besides, there is nothing worse than seeing butts all over the sidewalk and forest floor. It is also considerably unattractive. This issue is an ethical and moral duty because filter less cigarettes make the landscape and environment more beautiful and sustainable for our children, us, and other living creatures on planet earth.
Thank you for reading,
Sincerely Crystal Brodeur
The letter to the editor,
Since we are all thinking about going green and cutting back on using our resources would it be possible for the City of Ukiah to turn off some of their streetlights.
I am amazed on how much electricity the City of Ukiah is wasting. I understand why we need streetlights because the public needs to be safe, but I don't understand why the streetlights are on after 11 o'clock at night. I counted seven streetlights from Gobbie to King’s court, this is about two blocks. Do we actually need that many lights on, especially after 11 o’clock? Why can't we shut every other light off to conserve energy? Is there any way possible that these streetlights can be put on a timer? Just look at all of the electricity that City of Ukiah is wasting, even if they are worried about safety you don't need all of these lights on that late at night. Who do you think is going to pay for this electricity, you guessed it the homeowners.
One way is to join a group, which has the same interests as you do. Getting together and making the public aware of the environmental problems we are facing. Besides thinking global we also need to think local. We can start in our own backyard by cleaning up some of the problems that we have in our city. First, is the overuse of electricity that the city uses? Second, we can get more recycling garbage cans, so people can think before they throw their trash away. Third, we can get local businesses to start recycling more and buying local product. Fourth, we can elect a politician that has the same views as we do on our environments. Encourage and support him to make policies that will protect our planet. There are so many more things we can do, we just need to get the public together and focus on them.
Dear Letter to the Editor,
Why are we allowing outside interests to come into Ukiah and tell us WE need a mall so that the people in Mendocino proper have somewhere to shop besides Santa Rosa. Does anyone take into account how much shopping has transferred to the internet?
People with a serious shopping Jones can find anything they need on the internet. And if its exercise they need, a trip to Santa Rosa should prove refreshing.
Why do we have outside interests coming in to OUR town telling us that we are expected to offer minimum wage jobs and foot the social services bill to employ the people who will serve people from other areas? THEY decide we should be the doormat to Costco and Target?
Ukians don't want more designer plastic. We don't want more hot pink and neon green. We don't want the rattle of shopping carts on asphalt to wake us from our slumber.
Go away. Leave us alone.
Sincerely,
Shirley U. Gest
WHAT TO DO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO GET LEGISLATORS TO PASS SUSTAINABLE TYPE BILLS?
One thing I learned by talking to a candidate at the Earth Day celebration was that organizing politically isn't very hard at all.
Find a candidate you like, and have what is called a "house party" where you invite neighbors to hear the candidate speak.
You can also donate money, which is the easiest way to participate, but least satisfying.
You can call the candidates headquarters and volunteer to make calls, go door knocking, or you can help with mailings.
If you really like your candidate, a house party could be quite pleasant. Regardless at what level this official is hired, they will eventually affect legislation on your behalf.
Really, it could work.
Dear Crystal,
Excuse the harsher than normal tone in this message but.... Your letter is sarcastic?
The "democratic" process, broken as it is, is the only voice we have. Communicating to our representatives our desires and dissatisfactions is the only tool we haver other than voting. It is under used, and as shown be your letter, not taken seriously.
Your letter is asking something of the county? Or Cigarette smokers? This could be a compelling issue, but this letter doesn't make a compelling argument.
Also this was an assignment not the discussion topic. The only one who addressed the discussion topic was Christine.
Are community can use civic power to create laws that promote sustainability by the people of the community meeting together once a week to brain storm ideas of the areas of our community they would like to turn more green. After the brain storming of ideas the people can have a majority vote of which issue they think is the most important to implement. Citizens combining together to educate other citizens and start local civic organization can change our town’s infrastructure from the inside out. But, the key is the majority of the community to make a change. The best way to influence the community it to persuade them through education.
I think that people and organizations can effectively promote civic responsibility and change, through an engaged process of education and communication that also emphasizes the economic viability of sustainable practices.
The mission of my service learning group, CELL is to provide an educational forum to influence personal and governmental actions and move coastal residents towards first realizing the boxes we've gotten ourselves in to, and then delivering solutions that lead to sustainable practices.
I also believe in the concept of civic virtue. Just as soldiers accept their assignments in war, citizens are being educated and then accepting responsibilities as global citizens, to honor and protect their earth and environment.
Time Magazine's trademark RED cover was replaced just this past week with a GREEN border - the whole issue was devoted to going Green.
This class is SO timely! We are standing at the beginning of a revolutionary and cultural change that is of global concern to all citizens and governments.
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