Monday, December 7, 2009

In response to my previous post on the upcoming world environmental conference: The UN's Environment Program is now calling for the U.S. and China to improve their plans for the upcoming environmental conference. Their plans were described by Achim Steiner: “I still think the numbers put forward by some countries are not the ceiling, they are more like the floor, of what they can offer.”



http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/un-environment-chief-calls-on-china-us-to-raise-offers/

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Inspired by the Montrose Beach phenomenon of the 1990's, the Chicago Park District is planning on restoring the city's southside line of beaches. This will help the city's lakeside ecology and bring about native plants and new wildlife. This is a huge move for Chicago as the city's beaches are unique to such a large metropolis.




http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-lakefront-restoration-06-bddec06,0,2175646.story

Saturday, December 5, 2009

"If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen."

Henry David Thoreau

Friday, December 4, 2009

I came across this article and found it interesting how the UN is making a strong effort to create a UN-centered world government. This would only lead toward progress as in our current environmental crisis the earth has become a major issue in politics. With climate change and the natural damage we are responsible, it is crucial for government to become involved and see to it that we can become more environmentally conscience. My favorite quotes out of this article was as follows:

"The environment should compete with religion as the only compelling, value-based narrative available to humanity." While the official strategy does not call for a global environmental religion, it does posit, "We must spare no effort to free all of humanity ... from the threat of living on a planet irredeemably spoilt by human activities..."


Government leaders are realizing the importance of the environment for healthy mental and physical condition. It's comparison to religion is extrodinary as society is globally caring and responding toward its restoration effort. I have always made a spiritual connection with the environment as I've found religion to exist the most within nature. It is good to know that world government recognizes that and wants to make sure that people can enjoy and further that experience.


http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/environment/2435-un-ready-to-lead-environmental-world-government

Thursday, December 3, 2009

"Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God."

-George Washington Carver

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."

-John Muir

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Nature is interpreted in many different ways...some see it as ordinary and some see it as spectacular. Though for the people with a great imagination, nature is a never ending mystery and provides us with great illusions:



"The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity . . . and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself."

-William Blake