There are voices in the chorus of the world that are stilled or silent from lack of opportunity, lack of education, lack of fair treatment, lack of employment; who struggle to find food and clothing and shelter rather than raising their voices in joy and harmony. You can hear the emptiness if you listen; you can help lift those voices if you take the moment to move outside yourself to think of, and act on behalf of others.
Even a small step can make a difference, especially if many participate and try to make a difference.
Reuse – If you look around your home, you may find that you have many possessions that you haven’t used in years, and are unlikely to use. Consider boxing them up, and bringing them to your local thrift shop or Good Will or Salvation Army, so that they can be used by those who will use them and who need them.
Teach – Many cities, towns, counties, and communities provide free or low cost classes. If you have a specialized skill or knowledge, sharing with others may provide someone with an opportunity to turn an interest into a vocation. Teaching, being a mentor, sharing your knowledge and experiences in places like the Web; these are all ways that we can use to lift a hand out to others, and give them a hand up.
Houses are built to last, at least most are, for a few years.
But what happens when someone decides that a home should be replaced, and the property it’s upon should be used for another building? Usually, homes in that situation are demolished, and pieces of the building finds their way to a landfill. Much of that material is reusable, at least until it is torn apart by a bulldozer.
A New York Times article, This Old Recyclable House, explores the topic of deconstruction of homes, where the materials that make up a house are salvaged so that they can be reused.
The article follows the efforts of the President of the Building Materials Reuse Association, Brad Guy, and his efforts to train a crew on how to deconstruct houses for a pilot project in Cleveland. The deconstruction industry is in its infancy, and Brad Guy is one of its biggest proponents.
Guy presents some great arguments for the growth of the deconstruction industry. According to him, approximately 300 homes were deconstructed last year. The article tells us that the EPA estimates about a quarter of a million homes are demolished each year. Yet the local reuse of building materials from a deconstructed home may end up ultimately costing less than demolition, and also create jobs.
Some stories on the environment that caught my attention today.
Smarter Housing Development with Eco-Towns
Shelter England, a housing and homeless charity, is one of the leaders of a coalition of organizations in the creation of a number of eco-towns spread around England. These eco-towns aim at affordable housing with a zero carbon impact as a whole. I hope that this is an idea that will spread to other places.
Where has the Sea Life Gone?
A video comparing the ocean life seen on two trips across the Pacific, from California to Hawaii, titled Empty Oceans.
The first trip took place in 1958, and the second in 2008.
Loss of Biodiversity Illustrated in New Stamps
The Australia Post is working to raise awareness of the loss of biodiversity in Australia with a new series of stamps, which were issued today.
One of the MegaFauna stamps shows a Kangaroo weighing 200 kilograms (Procoptodon goliah). Another features the Tasmanian Tiger. Four other ancient animals fill out the set. The artist, Peter Trusler, has created other stamps for the Australia post, including a series on birds of prey to support conservation, and dinosaurs.
