The winter holidays are upon us - that's quite a turn of phrase, isn't it; sort of like being set upon by something voracious and dangerous and seriously unpleasant. And it's true that a lot of people are overwhelmed and under-satisfied by the season of thanksgiving and giving and giving....
But this year I'm feeling lighter hearted and fuller-hearted than I would have predicted. Yes, there's a lot to worry about - war, energy prices, global climate change, the silliness of the media during an election cycle, the neighbors who cut down several red pines because the pinecones were "messy," and the water shortages that could have been foreseen - not to mention the daily anxieties of family and community life and earning a living.
Despite so much falling apart going on, there is plenty of reason to believe humankind may yet have its best day. The environment is being considered by other than the usual suspects: evangelical Christians are speaking out about environmental degradation from aquifers to surface mining as worse than just bad ideas; Midwesterners have responded to damage done to local community supported agriculture by fall flooding by contributing dollars and actually subscribing to the farms unable to fill tables until next year's recovery; MBA students from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management are working on an energy monitoring business competition; Casey Trees is restoring the urban forest in the nation's capital city; politicos across the partisan spectrum are waking up to the potential for political and security instability if environmental degradation goes unhindered; my elderly neighbor has cheerfully accepted CFL replacements for her outdoor security lighting.
In the Midwest, we are seeing lots of evidence that individuals are willing to commit time and treasure to changing the way we do business. We're glad to see giants like Wal-Mart attempt to turn their practices greener - but it's also encouraging to see that lots of entrepreneurs, from poultry farmers to builders are seeing that there is life in greener lifestyles.
For instance, Do It Green, purveyors of Minnesota's Twin Cities Green Guide is featuring more environmentally friendly artists, businesses, non-profits, and recreation listings than every; Damschen Woods has been awarded Live Green, Live Smart's Integrated Green Vendor commendation; families across the country are finding shopping in keeping with their values around sustainability at retailers like Peapod's and ReGifts and Peace Coffee ; locavore habits are made accessible by venues like the Saint Paul Farmers Market and Glacial Ridge Growers and Harmony Valley Farm.
And organizations like the US Green Building Council and Neighborhood Energy Connection and The Green Institute are helping people be more mindful of the 30 - 60% of our environmental footprint we can control by managing our homes and the way we build, furnish, and live in them. In February, Live Green, Live Smart, in partnership with the Customized Training Program of Saint Paul College will launch Integrated Green, a program to train and certify green housing contractors and designers.
We baby boomers are now acquiring elder status: we have an opportunity to demonstrate the principles of sustainability: to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. What better time than this season of traditional light-seeking and lighting, to take stock of how we've addressed the needs of the future, whether we over-represent the present "need" at the risk of our posterity's well-being. The great thing about this season of giving is that it needn't be about shopping and getting: it can be about pledging that we will help turn the world out of the dark, into the coming light.