BK Recycles

In Oregon most homes are provided with, and make good use of a few plastic boxes in which you neatly separate all your recyclable goods, even plastics. Then, once a week you put your boxes out on the street and the Recycling truck swings by, smiling, and takes them away. It feels good. It's a system you can have faith in.

Needless to say, when I moved to NY three years ago I was horrified by the notable insufficiency of Recycling here. For my first year in Lefferts Gardens I was one of the only tenants who placed my bottles and tins outside, separated from the rubbish. Then I moved to Bushwick, to an old industrial hood in an expeditiously developing area. My landlord promises me that the private garbage company separates recyclables from trash - but my conscience just can't take the mindless mingling of garbage, paper and bottle all in one place.

Asf I settled into living here, gradually noticing the depth of my ecology - I started to uncover a very productive recycling system at play. New York City's garbage sector is run by private enterprise; thus, it operates very much like a business - and is quite difficult to grasp. However, there is a folk system occurring on the streets. Intricately run by immigrant families, and those who have caught on and need the extra dimes to make ends meet. NY's garbage piles on the streets and in rubbish bins provide a plethora of potential petty cash.


Immigrants make up 37% of New York's population and 48% of its labor force. Earlier in August a report was released that the effects of the current Recession are effecting immigrant unemployment at a greater rate than Native citizens. The unemployment rate among immigrants in the country was at 4% at the beginning of the recession, and rose to 8.8% during the first months of 2010.

I decided to follow the system at play in my own neighborhood and found staggering results. Each night and early morn people from all over the world walk the streets of their communities in Brooklyn and collect recyclable materials from garbage heaps. Families will separate around neighborhoods, then rejoin, like flocks of birds - ending at places like the 'Redemption Center' on Flushing Avenue. It is a processing hub for old cans and bottles to be separated and amassed with corresponding brands; the result is a stockpile of thousands of cans of Red Bull, Bud or Papbst bagged together, which will actually get returned back to their respective corporations. The people congregate there, separate their goods and are redeemed for the work with a 5 cent bottle return. Some families come with vans full of industrial size garbage bags, containing thousands of bottles and cans.

We must each analyze the system at work in our own neighborhoods and decide the best way to take part. We can all separate our recyclable items, and even make them more readily accessible to the people whom are using the system to all of our benefit.

The Right to Speak

Language is our soul.
(Aunty Rose Fernando, Gamilaroi Elder, 1998)

Image by Alex Simpson, flikr

Thousands of Tibetan Students gather in Western China to protest the proposal to eliminate Tibetan language from schools. From Beijing to the Western, Tibetan Plateau students and activists are gathering peacefully, in the name of preservation. The curbing of indigenous languages in schools is not a new, nor novel occurrence -

The sheer elevation that makes up the Tibetan plateau makes it the highest region on earth, often described as the 'roof of the world.' It is home to the indigenous Tibetan people, among an increasing diversity of others - and operates as 'autonomous areas' within the People's Republic of China. Invasions of this antiquated, culturally astounding home to Tibetan Buddhism and way of life have been occurring for centuries - and from many directions. Prior to and throughout the span of the 20th and into the 21st century the Tibetan people have been subjugated by outside forces. Despite proclaiming Independence in 1915, China has kept a strong-hold rule on the region's people, culture, and now, economy.

The decision to wane the use of Standard Tibetan in schools is just another incarnation of Chinese cultural domination. It is a gradual removal of the very heart of the Tibetan People. To speak your mother tongue is to be empowered. China has been making efforts to strengthen the economy with greater expanse, throughout more regions. However, we live in an era in which the knowledge economy is a deep component of economic development. Thus, the perpetuation of mother-tongue languages in schools could actually empower the people themselves, within their own communities. Issuing freedom is a profound passageway to development - whilst fostering self-determination.



This is a very unshrinking Tibetan blogger's view.

Kahil Gibran; On Teaching

by Kahil Gibran of Lebanon, 1883-1931

No man can reveal to you aught but that
which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge.

The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple,
among his followers,
gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness.

If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom,
but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.

The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space,
but he cannot give you his understanding.

The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space,
but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it.

And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither.

For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.

And even as each one of you stands alone in God's knowledge,
so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God
and in his understanding of the earth.

A New Kind of Placement Testing

A view of Manhattan from Bushwick, Brooklyn, by Rebecca Thom.

I'm currently reading an amazing book that my best friend, an environmental educator, bestowed on me years ago -
'Deep Ecology; Living as if Nature Mattered.' It provides great breadth to notions of ecology through exploration of 'the philosophical, psychological, and social roots of today's environmental movement.'

I like this self-scoring test on basic environmental perceptions of place. Though, it may be more complicated for the average urban inhabitant, it is nevertheless a very good idea for all of us to ask ourselves...

Where you at?

1. Trace the water you drink from precipitation to tap.
2. How many days until the moon is full (plus or minus a couple of days)?
3. Describe the soil around your home.
4. What were the primary subsistence techniques of the culture(s) that lived in your area before you?
5. Name five edible plants in your bioregion and their season(s) of availability.
6. From what direction do winter storms generally come in your region?
7. Where does your garbage go?
8. How long is the growing season where you live?
9. On what day of the year are the shadows shortest wear you live?
10. Name five trees in your area. Any of them Native? If you can't name them, describe them.
11. Name five resident and any migratory birds in your area.
12. What is the land use history by humans in your bioregion in the past century?
13. What primary geological event/process influenced the land form where you live?
14. What species have become extinct in your area?
15. What are major plant associations in your region?
16. From where you are reading this, point north.
17. What spring wildflower is consistently among the first to bloom where you live?
18. What kind of rocks and minerals are found in your bioregion?
19. Where the stars out last night?
20. Name some beings (nonhuman) which share your place.
21. Do you celebrate the turning of the summer and winter solstice? If so, how do you celebrate?
22. how many people live next door to you? What are there names?
23. How much gasoline do you use a week, on the average?
24. What energy costs you the most money? What kind of energy is it?
25. What developed and potential energy resources are in your area?
26. What plans are there for massive development of energy or mineral resources in your bioregion?
27. What is the largest wilderness area in your bioregion?

(The test originally appeared in CoEvolution, no. 23, winter 1981 - and was adapted for 'Deep Ecology, 1985)

Unaffected beauty

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am grateful to the images posted around New York City; they are riveting, prepossessing and raw. Exposing the truth is transcendent.

If you know someone who has been diagnosed, there is a beautiful and courageous duo of women in Oregon, Sharon Henifen and Becky Olsen who started a non-profit called Breast Friends which is an immeasurable fount of support to women and families who are facing a diagnosis of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and other women's cancers.

Local, Organic and Sun Powered

"Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people." ~Elizabeth Berry

I recently visited Hepworth farms in the Hudson valley. It is 400 acres of pristine, storybook farmland overlooking the Hudson river. The family has been tilling the soil there since 1818; that's seven generations. Amy Hepworth is now at the helm, and has been transforming the tradition of the farm since the early eighties when she returned from Cornell with a more holistic view of agriculture. Amy and her partner Gerry now run the most flourishing independent organic farm in New York. Amy has aptly been named a 'rockstar' farmer.

Amy and Gerry Hepworth with one of their employees.

As we drove through the fields on her tractor it became clear to me that for a vision of this propensity and courage to work; the farmer must be dedicated to her people, to the integrity of organic farming - and she has to be willing to work hard and against all forces of weather and mainstream agriculture. Hepworth is all of these, and she eats maggots as well as sharing her softer side to the three men I am visiting with; the founders of Brooklyn Salsa - who source most of their ingredients directly through Amy.

Hepworth is at the forefront of sustainable, organic and local farming.

In the field outside her simple processing office there are three enormous solar panels, tilted toward the beautiful early-October sun. Amy has been exploring solar power since the eighties. She is a fount of knowledge, with a wide understanding of where the food industry has been, and where it must go. She is a real woman holding strong to her creed in REAL FOOD.

Brooklyn Salsa Guys; Matt, Rob and Casey get excited over Solar Power.

The Hepworth family story is an inspiring one, and would be a great lesson in science or understanding food source, the interrelations of people and place. For example, if we take two pieces of fruit; An apple from Hepworth and a pink lady apple from New Zealand and traced their stories back - asking questions of source - What would we find? I believe that by tapping into our local folk and food sources, we are able to learn more about the industry that feeds us and how it effects the greater ecology. At Hepworth it's all about ecological sustainability; refusing to sell more of just one thing because she persists on diversifying her crops.

Amy Hepworth's personality style is not for the faint at heart; she is hardcore, intelligent and brazen (and loves operating big machinery). I believe she is an amazing teacher. A handsome rendition of the modern farmer. Of course, she doesn't have time to teach kids about what she is doing, but I do ..and you might too.

You can read more about their farm and story here. Or buy her unbelievably inspiring produce at Whole Foods or the Park Slope Food CoOp in NY.

Inter-generational exchange of Ideas

The Economist is currently running a series of Conferences that duly make up the Ideas Economy, 'bringing together the top thinkers, and you to discuss the most important issues of our time.' Most recently there was a conference in New York City, which centered on the theme of 'Human Potential.' The speakers and debates were focused on ideas about human nature, education, entrepreneurship, technology and economy. You can read more about the Economists' 'Ideas Economy' here. Or read my post on the new Economist Ideas blog.


One debate, on education in NY especially piqued my interest. It was a flavorful exchange from the esteemed education historian Diane Ravitch and the Charter School Queen Eva Moskowitz. It was especially interesting because Diane speaks from a perceptive historical background, while Eva is on the ground, trying to make things work in the city. Both can agree that education has gone too far astray with the test-based system, and that in order to manage, education must become more individualized. Change must begin with the teachers. More cooperation between teachers and unions is needed. But the real change, Ravitch said, is changing the idea of prescribed learning, a return to learning before bureaucracy.

At lunch the talks continued, and people had the opportunity to share ideas they had - then everyone voted.

Most of the debates and speakers were representatives of the boomer and X generations. However there was a visible presence of the work-force-emergent Y-generation. The topic of one debate concerned Generation Y and questions of Social Media and cultural trends with this wave. The panel included such Generation experts as Tammy Erickson, the author of 'What's Next, Gen X,' and Linda Stone, a Writer and 'Generalist.' I love this term, Generalist. Both of these women were intelligent, engaging and inspirational. What's more, they both spoke as if they understood and celebrated Generation Y - which wasn't the case with the majority of the speakers. Various other speakers had referred to the Y-gen with all the blanket myths, they're 'lazy,' 'without talent,' 'too casual' etc. Stone was pleased with the confidence that 20 and 30-somethings have today.

It was important to have a few Y-generation representatives on the panel - Which both challenged and affirmed different beliefs about the group. But in reality, there is a broad spectrum of people and ways of living within each generation - Yes, there are some trends and historical alterations, but generations must not be held as something determined. This was illustrated within the group, in the great range of values within and between us.

That is why is it so essential that the dialogue involves many voices, from across generations. Especially in idea-harvesting, we can really benefit from the diverse talents and belief systems of all ages and upbringings. I was very grateful for the opportunity to speak on the panel, to be part of the dialogue surrounding the cultivation of Human Potential.

We live in Brooklyn

Exploring Place-Based Education in Schools.

I met a vivacious Science teacher this weekend. She is a biological anthropologist, and thus roots her curriculum in the all-pervasive notions of ecology. Tisa is an inspired and passionate science educator at the Green School in Long Island City. You can read more about her impassioned teaching style at her blog. She described to me how she uses recycled, locally made salsa jars from the Brooklyn Salsa Company as pen holders in the classroom. These recycled wares actually kick off further conversation with her students about such movements as local food, organic, and direct trade - which can also all be integrated into a science lesson. What better way to start talking about place than with food? Understanding the local, which is real to the students - is a prime way to go on into discussing the global.

Ecology comes from the Greek words : οἶκος, meaning "house" or "living relations"
and -λογία, the study of.
It is the scientific study of the relation of living organisms to each other and their surroundings.

Understanding ecology is at the core of understanding life. So what a better place to start than with place-based learning? Most school text books do not employ the study of place, or go on to paint a picture of the land when teaching history. But, the land where the war was fought has everything to do with what happened there. Ecology teaches us that nothing can be so neatly compartmentalized, that locale has everything to do with everything. We look to place as a relic of the past and an indicator of the future. What does the area look like? What is the health of the soil? How old are the trees? What kind of trees are they?

Times square used to be a beaver pond. What was the course of events that transformed it into one of the busiest, electricity-powered places of the 21st century?

National Geographic compares Manhattan in 1609, before Henry Hudson with Today.

“The goal of the Mannahatta Project has never been to return Manhattan to its primeval state. The goal of the project is discover something new about a place we all know so well, whether we live in New York or see it on television, and, through that discovery, to alter our way of life. New York does not lack for dystopian visions of the future…. But what is the vision of the future that works? Might it lie in Mannahatta, the green heart of New York, and with a new start to history, a few hours before Hudson arrived that sunny afternoon four hundred years ago?”

You don't need to venture far to offer students a picture of place. Even in some areas of Brooklyn, where there are few trees - any shrub or tree hosts an abundance of life. If students have the opportunity to work with the soil in their neighborhoods they may access a story layered beneath what, at the onset, looked just like 'dirt.' Students will feel a greater sense of ownership to their learning if it involves their own turf - a story that they can access with their senses. Everything, however far-fetched or global in nature, can be traced back to basic ecological insight. Even global fashion trends and business transactions are affected by place. All you have to do is look! And you probably won't find it in [text] books, unless it is literature, poetry or art written by people about places. And those are some of the best ways of uncovering history, through the wide-ranging voices of the people themselves. Not just white men, about white men, which tends to be our text-book tendency.

Dewey sees the need to integrate geography, history and nature study, for human events unravel in particular times and places. He writes:

"When the history of work, when the conditions of using the soil, forest, mine, of domesticating and cultivating grains and animals, of manufacture and distribution, are left out of account, history tends to become merely literary - a systematized romance of mythical humanity living upon itself instead of upon the earth."

You don't have to go far to break down notions of 'mythical humanity,' just look up from the American History Text, shift the gaze toward one another and outside.