Way to spot sustainability in Boston!

When global warming happened, people started paying attention to what´s involved to do their part. Marketers and the media got ahold of it, but I still try to spot little moments that mean the world is getting more sustainable:

– Boston Bikes! Bikers are the coolest group of nalgene-using, hope-and-changers, save our parks type of people here. Cut global warming and beat the T, it also a great community that really rubs off on you. Not only do they have their own rides, events, and music, the philosophy of change starts just enjoying biking around Boston.

– The Red Sox sustainability events! The Green Monstah is not the only green of this mainstay in Boston’s culture. It´s a little-known fact they have a solar panel on the roof behind home plate, use all biodiesel and compost their grasses (!), What more without it you couldn´t find such a great people-watching area. The highlight in my sustainability hunt was seeing a (drunk) pair of dudes waiting for the T in Kenmore going outbound. It was after the red sox had just lost, and so the one guy was tired. He moves to throw his chip bag to the ground… but his bro stops him. “Dude, you have to recycle!” He says menacingly. He snatches it and, self-consciously, puts it in his bag. Aw, Priceless.

– Meeting crazy earth people who put reconnection as their first goal. This is a good one. I see a big subculture in Boston who are tired of the same, from all walks of life. For them this change means wearing organic flowy clothing, following traditional practices, or just walking a little differently. All people are like this really, just to degrees. Touch a tree today, it might change you.

– Around BU: People sitting on the Beach, walking home instead of taking the cab, coming to class with a nalgene, wearing organic converse.. it´s not just fashion but really makes a difference! It makes me happy to see people starting to make the difference that shows up and spreads like a field of flowers.

Remember to spot out for greenwashing in your sustainability pursuits! A lot of it does help people or the environment, but find the facts behind what happens in the life you live. Start by looking in your environment! Start here, in class, on the internet… then sustainability takes you.

Bonus quote: “what will happen when all the trees are gone? …not that kind of tree silly!” -Black girl at the Fenway quick-mart

People watching in Costa Rica! Woo!

The people are so very different here! After 5 and a half months, I can successfully say I´ve watched most of CR. It´s a unique challenge to watch abroad, and even harder to blend in.

If you´ve ever been abroad, you´ll know what I mean when I say that life really moves at a different pace. The people are more tranquilo, calmer somehow. It could be because they have less to do. My theory though is that it is a more laid back atmosphere and culture that makes them so.

They are really smart! In common knowledge, these guys have us beat. It´s often just the communicating with gringos that gets lost in translation. Just ask a coffee farmer about what he does on the farm for his plants. Or ask a kid a bicycle mechanics question. They know well their field.

Costa Rica is a small country, and just a part of this wide wide world! I´d love to see it all someday. For anyone reading this… GO ABROAD IT MAKES YOU A BETTER PERSON.

Cheers, live well = pura vida in Costa Rican.

Pura vida,
-Eddie Miller
my blog: http://eddiemill.wordpress.com/

Things that need fixing

Don’t know what you want to do with your life yet? Consider solving a social problem.

Here are a couple that need fixin’, plus good components that might be taking off. Add comment.

1. Health solutions for vast numbers of poor people. Access to blood, medical technology, training of doctors, rural areas. Here in the US, all about increasing health care availability. I respect anyone who works on this.
2. Apathy! This is the route of the organizer. Unfortunately not something you target via an education campaign, but something that happens on the way to involving them– what happens when Obama volunteers put in 3 hours? So then you just need a campaign and a group.
3. Climate Change. There are tons of jobs right now in clean energy, building design efficiency, sustainable retrofits, efficient transportation, organic agriculture, and all aspects of society which are going to be necessary for us to adapt. It starts with you doing things for your immediate life, then if more interested go to a group meeting or training.
4. Food. We have built an entirely unsustainable, unbeneficial system for feeding ourselves. The same root cause of climate change is also causing soil burnout, oil consumption, fast food culture, increased food miles, empty calories, and is destroying the livelihood of other countries. Internationally, organic farming can bring development. Here in the US, more organic starts with renewed interest in the rural sector.
5. Urban planning for developing countries. Huge movement here- do it.

That’s all! Not really.

There are even things around BU that need fixing. But the surprising thing is it’s not hard to create change. It’s really easy. You just need the right idea and the right tools put themselves into place.

And we’re in a time of change. Those of us that are going to get jobs are those with an idea of where we’re going. ON these issues, once you can specialize you have the strongest advantage of any undergraduate.

Keep thinking,

-Eddie Miller

BU ‘10

A global organic mindset: http://eddiemill.wordpress.com

Busses

I just got in now from Cleveland by bus– what an interesting trip. About 11 hours by car, the bus involved 15 hours and 3 transfers. It seems though you can always meet interesting people on the bus; it’s a much more personal system than the airlines have become. Definitely a different crowd.

In general, I’ve found that the travel to a destination with a good group can actually be a good reason for going itself. You always learn more about the people you’re travelling with, and end up with a really good community. It’s really getting to know two or three people well. Want to admit it or not, we don’t really talk about things very much unless given the specific chance. I miss that.

Try not to let public transport here get you down. Meet people, say comments, make community wherever you go. Because Boston winter is coming!

Who’s watching you? The internet

Little do you know, that the internet is people watching you! I just caught google on something big: for anyone who has a gmail account, your credit card data is all stored on a common database. I was able to access my credit card number and any purchase information I’ve made through google checkout, all with only my email account I’m always signed into.

Does it bother anyone else, or is google’s internet becoming our souls? Just google anything is now a reference to life. Or even facebook, creepy status update comments! I just feel like the internet community is watching…

The only spot BU People Watching Club ever needs

I found a way to get to the CAS West roof– overlooking Marsh Plaza and Commonwealth Ave. (answer= try unmarked doors, be an urban explorer)

I watched for a good hour and a half on this fine Friday. Check out these pics!

Peak your interest? There’s about 6 other roofs with explorer access- email/comment!

People and Me

Sometimes it’s interesting to watch from the outside. I often find myself above and beyond the average level of awareness, whether it be the T or Commonwealth or Allston late at night (probably in a tree).  In a position to observe, and put together pieces of what I know and observe.

Self-reflection of our species

One of the main gifts of humans is the ability to self-reflect, and watching our society these days I can’t see how one would fail to do so. There’s so much unsustainable consumption around us, so many built-in assumptions that people take for granted, sleeping awake that we as a society have shockingly failed to address. Cars, AC, Newbury Street, Starbucks, and Radio Shack, for a few.  We are entering a big time of reckoning, and I am sure that the ability to self-reflect is going to determine who gets jobs and whether we can save our planet.

The lens we view with:

It is our responsibility to keep this as clear as possible.  A little mindfulness goes a long way!  Live your life with quiet determined passion, as if it REALLY MATTERED.  It’s too easy to loose large swaths of it to unconsciousness and automaticity, for it’s deeply conditioned in people.  Your life depends on it!  Let’s keep those practices to the people we’re observing.

Actually here

Usually, we see what we want to see, not what is actually before our eyes.  We look, but may not comprehend. We have to tune our seeing as we would tune a musical instrument, to bring accuracy, vision, and clarity.  The goal here is to see things as they actually are.

Conclusions

Don’t be another BU student! Beat the bell curve, walk a little more confidently, take off your ipod and climb a tree. Enlighten the T, talk to random people, think about how you WANT to spend your free time. And be sure to seek out the unusual, it’s what makes life real!

-Eddie Miller

BU ‘10

A global organic mindset: eddiemill.wordpress.com

Watching people… from above?

I’ve taken to climbing trees lately. Pretty addicted, actually.

The act of climbing is very mutualistic and almost zen-like in its simplicity. To be so close to such a fantastic presence… and at the least a relaxing escape from the 2 dimensions we usually work on. Daily life, talking about parties and people and work just seems a little less important when one is in a tree.

You can also see a lot from above. It’s the ideal vantage point for impartial observation of people and places.  Group interaction, in particular, is always interesting to watch: how do people walk in relation to each other? Usually one person or a few are dominant, while others are leaning in to be a part. The sense of place is also compelling.  Most people don’t relate too much to their surroundings, but in a tree the natural beauty of the cityscape is amplified quite well.

If you don’t look out for opportunity, you’ll never see it.  You also might not see the person up in the tree watching you…

Technology Escape!

The other day, on the T, I was marvelling at the disconnected “zone” that people go into when they’re sitting, waiting for the ride to stop.  It seemed like most people were lost in their favorite music, phone conversation, or web browsing and were often not even interacting with the people around them.

Then I realized that I usually just do the same thing– get on the T and watch out the window or dive into whatever reading is on my mind.  “Why does it have to be that way?” I wondered, and looked around my immediate vicinity.  Sure enough, there was a girl standing next to me who looked bored enough (and kinda cute), so I started talking to her.  A simple comment is often enough to start a conversation.

I’ve since met some really interesting people on my T or bus ride, and now try to have one of those interactions per day.  It’s important not to take escapism over the opportunity for human interaction, for the benefits of reaching out are far greater, and leave a story to tell. Who knows, if you can convince one person on something they didn’t used to think, that’s how the world becomes a better place.

Try it next time.  Or, refute me!  What is your opinion on ipods?

Late night hanky-pank at the study lounge

So was in the midst of a long organizing-working-studying grind this Monday at the Late Night Study Lounge.  (In the General Classroom Building aka Guitar Center Building, open 10-2 every day)   I was in my nook, a special spot that lets one see people without them seeing me– perfect  for watching the goings-on of the late night lounge.

Not going to be too explicit, but you may want to watch your step in the men’s and women’s (both) restrooms.  That’s right, two couples from different regions of the building, two noisy encounters to keep me chuckling during my problem set.

If you haven’t been to the Study Lounge (GCB) or find yourself looking for somewhere to sit with wireless… try the late nite lounge, always an interesting scene and great for getting work done…  Just watch where you sit.