New Buoya! Blog

I’ve created a new blog as part of my Buoya.org project. This will include some tech and web tips geared towards nonprofits as well as regular updates regarding Buoya itself.

Check it out.

My internat attention has been pointed towards setting up Buoya – as well as 3 current website projects (not including sites for friends and family).

Not only that – but I’ve had some serious issues at home with my internet and phone for almost a month and my ISP has been pretty careless in their technical support – hence why I have not been active here. I do apologize.

Not that I have many readers to begin with.

Armchair (In)Action: Don’t clean dishes before putting them in the dish washer [Lifehacker]

Boy, I’m on fire today. Here’s a good article from Lifehacker that just popped up in my Google Reader.

I always thought it was silly when people did this – here’s an environmental/financial reason not to.

http://lifehacker.com/5270197/dont-clean-dishes-before-putting-them-in-the-dishwasher

Armchair Action: Volunteer Remotely

Want to make a difference in your community but either you lack the time or are allergic to other human beings? Maybe you’re just lazy like me – but still have an aching desire to contribute positively to the world. Think about volunteering remotely for a local non-profit.

Many organizations have work that can be done from home at a computer or with a phone. Maybe you can provide basic printing services or if you can stand to venture from that comfy chair – you can pick up some mailings and stuff envelopes at your kitchen table and drop them off at the post office.

Those are a bit bland – but honestly it’s the kind of work that many organizations need done – if you can do it to the rhythm of your favorite tunes or a classic movie running in the back ground right at your couch – great! It’s also a wonderful way to contribute if your proficient with online applications, programming, graphic arts, and/or web design.

Personally – I have Buoya! 

Jeremy – I’m allergic to links, what the heck is buoya?

It’s a service that I offer – working from my home (though I am willing to meet with people nearby) for non-profits in Maine. I have a little talent for starting websites through online applications and with a little graphic arts skills I can put something pretty slick together. I offer it free of charge and encourage many non-profits without a website to take advantage of it.

So not all remote work has to be bland. What are you good at? Is it something you can offer do-gooders who may lack that ability? It’s also a great opportunity to refine your own skills, build a portfolio and resume, or learn something new. 

To find non-profits in need, try a volunteer solutions website. Each state should have a website set up through the United Ways offering online volunteer recruitment tools for non-profits. For my community, I go to VolunteerMaine.org. Maybe your state has a dial 211 system set up. 

You can also find non-profits through FaceBook’s Causes app or Change.org.

Armchair (In)Action: Don’t eat animal stuff: Part Deux

Just an update from a previous post really. Here’s a great post over at the Oil Drum about Ecological Economics and the food system. There’s some relevant information supporting the decrease of animal product consumption. That’s a pretty cool chart too.

Any ways – I thought I’d take a moment to share my personal accomplishments regarding this (in)action to help motivated others. I have substantially cut down my meat consumption (as well as dairy) and am doing well. It has been surprisingly easier than I anticipated and at times very fun and rewarding.

First, I feel better about myself. My conscience is high and it’s so nice knowing that I can do this. It was intimidating at first but actually… pretty cool. I’ve also lost 15 pounds and am feeling better physically. 

This foray into vegetarianism/veganism has also been fun and I think to be successful – it has to be. I’ve discovered a lot of new foods – and am turning into a pretty handy cook. What helps the most are “meat substitutes.” I don’t mean veggie burgers – though those are pretty good too. Beans, mushrooms, peanut-butter and other savory staples with a little salt quickly kills any cravings for meat and soon enough you start losing the cravings anyways.

The only downsides – I can’t commit fully to going without meat/dairy. At least not yet. There were a few times I ate some chicken and once some ground beef. But slip ups are ok – you move past them and keep on going. And one last thing – if you notice you’re a lot more… err… flatulent, it’s because you’re body is not quite used to the change of diet and you’re probably taking in a lot more fiber. It will pass. How long? Different for each person and each diet. Some get over it in 3 days. For some it might be a couple of months.

I’ll share with you a really easy recipe that got me through the first week without meat. My bean wrap/burrito. (In case you’re eating too many PB&J’s) I think I found something similar on youtube but it has evolved so much since then into something really my own. It’s very customizable so mess around with it as much as you want.

On medium heat, warm up some olive oil with some minced garlic. Just as the garlic starts to darken, add one 16oz can of black beans (or any bean you prefer, really. Pinto beans work well too, but I think black beans are the healthiest.) Add a dash of salt. I also add a dash of red pepper and a bit more cumin. Maybe some more garlic – you can never have too much garlic.

Warm that up for a while (3 minutes? or until you get impatient as it starts to smell really good) then add a cup or two of your favorite salsa which is really good for you. For something a little heartier, cut up some extra tomatoes and peppers into small pieces and throw that in. Let that cook for another 5-ish minutes. Throw it onto a whole wheat wrap that’s been warmed up in the micro-wave for about 20 seconds. You’ll have extra left over for about two more wraps. Or you can eat it over rice or from a bowl on its own. They refrigerate and freeze well for leftovers too which is great for when you’re on the go. Slap it in the microwave for a minute or 2 and voila!

Find the stove top intimidating? I also mash up the beans right from the can into a thick paste – but leave some beans whole. Add the salsa and other ingredients throw onto a wrap cold. Eat it as is or throw in the microwave for about 45 seconds.

Oh – also… rinse the beans. Running them under water for a few seconds will get rid of some of the junk that contributs to gas build up.

Have fun with that – mix things up. I also squirt a little lemon juice on it when it’s done. It’s easy, cheap and most especially … delicious.

Armchair Action: Contact your Government – they really do listen.

 

Courtesy of vasta - Flickr.com

We live in a democracy. Duh. But what does that mean? What does it mean to be free? It means responsibility. Democracy means the people decide and therefore you – as a person and member of the democracy – must make decisions and let those decisions be known. Otherwise you surrender yourself to the whims of elected officials – or more likely – the special interest groups and big businesses that spend millions (if not billions) of dollars lobbying (against you.)

That sort of competition does sound daunting. How can I – an individual – compete with corporate interests? Well, they don’t have a vote. (Yet.) So – in the interest of self(job)-preservation – elected officials do have to take into consideration the interests of their constituents. Many really do listen.

Contacting your elected representatives and senators is wicked easy. While phone calls are the most influential – followed by physical letters (but that would mean leaving the comfort of your desk/armchair) – you can email them. To find the contact information of your US Senators – use the drop menu at the top right of the Senate’s website. To reach your Representative in the House – enter your zip code into the field on the top left of the House’s website. If you have no idea what I’m talking about – go back a few chapters. 

Odds are you’re not going to actually correspond directly with your senator/representative. Their constituence probably includes hundreds of thousands of people – many of whom would also like to speak to them. BUT – like I said – it’s not a waste of time. They all have very friendly staff who will gladly note your opinion and compile it into a report for the congress(wo)man. It’s like voting or taking a survey. 

Stay up to date on current issues and subscribe to your congress(wo)man’s newsletters to make sure they’re doing a good job representing you on the hill. On the local level, visit your state’s website. No doubt contact information for your local legislators will also be available. It takes 2 minutes to write an email. It can be as simple as saying: Vote NO on Proposition X – thanks!

Honestly – if you don’t care, and don’t participate in YOUR democracy – think about the alternative. People fought and died to bring you the power to steer your country in the direction that is best for you. Appreciate it, and take advantage of it.

——————-

As for representative democracy in general – I think it’s a bit antiquated. The bundling affect of people’s opinions is a hindrance. The electoral college gives more or less value to some peoples’ votes depending on what state they’re in. Pure democracy tends to be the fairest system. I recognize – historically – there are many arguments against it, particularly regarding inefficiencies and the logistical nightmare of fitting all 300 million of us on Capitol Hill. But I’m optimistic about democracy’s future. As information technology launches forward – we’ll soon realize that a purer democracy is possible.

FairVote.org has some nice info on alternative voting methods. Granted I haven’t read much about it – but I find proxy-representation very attractive and worth looking into.

Armchair (In)Action: Don’t eat animal stuff

gooey, vegetarian goodness!

 

Who has two thumbs and is a hypocrite? This guy! … well… that works better in person… cuz… you can’t see that I’m… pointing at myself with my … thumbs…

Anyways! This is another action, or in-action, that we can do to make the world a better place. Reduce your consumption of meat and other animal products. How does that help? 

You can find almost any excuse to cut down on meat. If you take the selfish route – it’s healthier for you and often times cheaper.If you take the bambi-ist approach – you don’t have to worry about mistreating and killing animals. From an environmentalists standpoint, meat production accounts for most of the water pollution and land degradation in the world. Not to mention the affects on the atmosphere from cow-burps to the loads more tractors and trucks and processing that sustains our meat consumption. If you’re an economist/business kind of guy – feeding people lower on the food chain is much more efficient and cost-affective. If you’re a humanitarian, consider that we produce more food to feed the cows, pigs, goats, chickens and other livestock animals than it takes to feed the entire human population – while millions die every year from starvation and billions more suffer from inadequate diets and hunger.

It’s also surprisingly delicious.

Here are 101 (slightly outdated) reasons to go vegan. Another great resource to get you started on rationalizing a vegan/vegetarian diet (or at least the personal reduction of meat consumption) is the PB&J Campaign. They do a much better job illustrating the inefficiencies of a meat eating society. From an Armchair-Activist standpoint, at least go check out their website.

No, cutting animal products from your diet is not easy – in fact I have yet to succeed in doing so. But cutting down is a step in the right direction. Here’s a nice primer on how to get started.

At the very least, commit to eating one more peanut-butter and jelly sandwich a week.

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” —Albert Einstein

Another view of Somali Pirates

I just read a great article on treehugger.com about the recent hostage situation off the horn of Africa.

By now, you’ve surely heard the engrossing story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by pirates off the coast of Somalia, and freed by a swift Navy sharpshooting operation that left three dead. But what you probably haven’t heard is that the true root of this crisis isn’t bloodthirsty pirates—it’s overfishing.

Read the rest here.

What’s so wonderful about it has nothing to do with what happened but really about how quickly there are responses to the crisis with sympathetic analysis regarding the “bad guys.” In my book, there are no bad guys, only people who do bad things. This article is important because it exemplifies the mentality we should have when trying to solve conflict.

A knee-jerk reaction to a pirate crisis might be to assume that by doing something evil, these people must be evil and that the only option is to retaliate violently – but this is problematic. It doesn’t solve the problem. First, these pirates aren’t inherently evil. Born in another place and time – they could be harmless armchair activists like me. Second, killing a pirate today doesn’t stop people from becoming pirates tomorrow. You have to address the source of the problem – which in this case is desperation. In no way do I condone the horrible crimes of these pirates, but the problems they face that have driven to this evil are worth addressing.

Compassion is the answer. They need opportunities to live respectable lives. This can be accomplished with targeted humanitarian aid. It’s a win-win situation: coastal Somalis get the lively-hoods every human being deserves and the western world gets safe shipping routes. Before the conservatives jump up afraid about spending money on other people – bad people – just think of all the resources and money that will be saved from an anti-pirate war.

Me, the Anti-Imperialist.

Funny but true:

500,000 American soldiers on over 700 bases in over 150 countries around the globe?!  

I just finished Howard Zinn’s book – or rather graphic novel – called The People’s History of American Empire. It’s a wonderful illustration of America from the world’s point of view. If you don’t have the time to read Zinn’s lengthier Peoples History of the United States – pick up this comic – it’s fascinating and will only take a day or two to read. If you don’t even have that much time… watch this 8 minute summary narrated by Viggo Mortenson (pretty cool guy.)

What’s my point? Well – I was recently prompted to label my political philosophy or orientation – no doubt being expected to define it in left vs. right, Liberal vs. Conservative, Democrat vs. Republican manner… but I couldn’t. While certainly not affiliating myself with Conservatism – particularly in social matters – I just couldn’t find my self aligned with liberal-Democrats either. 

I’m not sure what to label myself as. To me, saying I’m a liberal feels like I believe liberal governance within the current system is the best way to go – but I don’t know what the best way to go is. I can’t begin to imagine – I’m just not that clever. But I do know what doesn’t work. Through the ancient scientific process of elimination – I believe we can find our way. So – I think it’s important to recognize that imperialism isn’t working. This capital driven, neo-liberal, militarily enforced model doesn’t work and it’s time to embrace change. So while it may be a bit amiguous… I think if I had to label my political stance… I might have to call it Anti-Imperial.

Is There Such a Thing as “Bad” Food When You’re Hungry?

As mentioned before I have had the great privilige of writing a guest post on Change.org’s Poverty in America. As expected when faced with a real audience – the writing is far from my best – but here’s what I had to say:

Just the other day I was handing out food from the back of a large truck. Not to hungry people, but to the volunteers and managers of various food pantries, soup kitchens and homeless shelters. The products we were distributing included chicken, potatoes, bread, lettuce and pastries. Many enthusiasts grabbed as much as they could of everything, stuffing the trunks of their station wagons or the back seats of their church vans. A few others turned stuff away, more often than not, the pastries. Free calories for the hungry were turned away. Not because they didn’t have the space to store it. Not because their entire clientele was diabetic. They specifically told us that they didn’t want to hand out unhealthy food to their guests.

My initial thoughts varied – I didn’t know what to think. On the one hand, I wanted to praise them for seeming so responsible and I pictured little kids munching happily on apples and carrots. On the other I thought someone might be going hungry because of how picky her local soup kitchen manager was. Handing out cupcakes, especially on a regular basis, is definitely going to cause problems down the line, especially for children. At the same time, you’re not just handing out healthy food versus crappy food, you’re handing out value.

When you give them something of value, you help them save money elsewhere. It’s not easy to get free food for the hungry – so if you have potato chips or any other less than healthy substance, give it to them anyways and they can use what little money they have to get some fruit and veggies instead. Or maybe they can trade or find some other use for the food. Pastries and soda are also a luxury, especially for those of us who can’t afford wine and caviar – but that gives it a high value. In moderation it’s important for the livelihoods of those less fortunate.

This is an issue raised at many hunger ending agencies and even recently on Leigh’s blog. The question: healthy food vs. no food at all is a complex one and we humans in our eternal effort to understand and simplify things have the tendency to pick a side of the debate and denounce the other. This is very common, but I don’t think that’s the best way to approach it. You can’t write a Do’s and Don’t’s about feeding the hungry, but you can set priorities:

Give food to the hungry.

This should be a human right (and some places it is.) Starvation is worse than a sugar high. People need calories and you have to make do with what you’ve got sometimes. This is neither bad nor good, but it’s better than alternatively letting people starve. It’s like a medical emergency and this is the first aid – you may not be able to sew someone’s limb back on, but you can slow the bleeding and dull the pain.

Give them nutritious food when you can.

Obviously nutritious food is better. If you have the capacity to make this choice then you must make the choice that is best for them – just like how a paramedic doesn’t send a heart-attack victim home with a bottle of aspirin because it’s easier than bringing them to a doctor.

Do more!

If after meeting those initial hunger priorities you’re still capable of doing more – do it, the job’s not done. Really, you don’t want them to have to rely on this service. Help them get out of poverty. Teach them to catch that proverbial fish. Sticking to my metaphor – at the hospital the doctor creates a regimen for the patient to follow to prevent medical emergencies in the future. You don’t get a pat on the back and a cheerful “see ya next time!” after a heart attack, do you?

I hope the people that turned down the pastries from our Food-Bank truck were capable of providing healthy alternatives to their guests. There’s no excuse for letting people go hungry when some sort of food is available – at the same time, I commend them for thinking beyond the immediate needs of the hungry.

Now you can argue all day about the best practices of feeding the hungry but ultimately they shouldn’t be hungry at all. It’s wonderful those of us in the hunger-relief industry care so much about about feeding people properly and have the time to debate about it – but I think we get stuck on that too much. Food-banking is a tourniquet for a much bigger problem. Hunger is a symptom of poverty and poverty is caused by something else.

The first step to truly ending hunger is to define what causes and perpetuates poverty and address it.

That was posted on March 19th… I need to stay caught up with this stuff. Click here to see the article on change.org.

Blog Reply: Your Tax Dollars at Work

Leigh Graham, the author of the blog Poverty in America at Change.org, has generously offered me a chance to guest post at her blog. Naturally – when faced with a great opportunity I freeze and can’t think of a damn thing to write. C’est la vie. Mean while I’m still able to make comments such as the following in response to a nice piece about tax dollars. She paints a prettier picture than I do:

This is a graph of federal spending which includes funds from more than our taxes. Trust funds such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security have their own dedicated revenues. Income, gift and estate taxes are not used to fund them. If you take those very large slices of pie out you find out that many more taxes – percentage wise – goes to the military budget – about 36% now.

This graph also stacks some coins that could fit in the military slice into other slices. The discretionary fund is bloated with military spending – so much that peaceniks like to only show the discretionary fund to illustrate how too much money goes to the military – but unfortunately it’s an exaggeration and lie used to make an otherwise sound argument.

This chart also only reflects the budget of current military operations and does not illustrate the amount of money spent on past wars that we continue to pay. A large percentage of the interest we pay on debt goes to debt accumulated from military borrowing … err… “spending.” Veteran administration and health costs are also not included in the military operations (defense) budget.

In the end, the FCNL estimates that almost 43% of tax money (not the federal budget) funds war. http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=2336&issue_id=19

If you prefer to view the entire federal budget and not just spending from tax dollars – which you can argue is a reasonable view (though I don’t) – then it’s still important to realize how we compare with the rest of the world. In 2008, US military spending accounted for 48%(!) of the entire WORLD’s military spending. We spend more on our military than Europe, China, East Asia (excluding China), Russia and all of the Middle East and N. Africa COMBINED! 

… and yet with our high and mighty military we still fail to bring stability to places like Iraq and Afghanistan or solve global issues. (Infact we make them worse.) You are what you do most – and right now that idiom makes us warmongerers. 

I’ll try not to divert too far from the topic of poverty in America but it is VERY closely related to topics of War and Peace (and another blog here at change.org) Ultimately, we’re wasting money on destruction which could be allocated more towards creation – relieving poverty. 

I still liked her piece and hope she continues to do good work. Hopefully I can snap into productive mode and finally get something worth writing about on her blog.