A Sustainability Blog
A Chico Sustainability Blog. I am sure that NorCal Blog readers knew it was simply a matter of time. So whether you are rejoicing, wincing, or simply curious, let me at least start by telling you what you can expect.
First of all, “sustainability” is a big word (14 letters, 6 syllables), and an even a bigger concept, with plenty of room for debate, argument, soapboxes, end-of-the-world laments, and how-to tips. Sustainability is often said in the same breath as “sustainable development,” which are two big words together that to some appear to border on oxymoron status. The term came into its current meaning when it was defined in a 1987 UN report as follows:
“Sustainable development meets the needs of the present
without compromising the needs of the future”
From here we get a whole host of related terms, all equally as broad: Sustainable Living, Living Lightly on the Earth, Living a Low-Impact Lifestyle, and Reducing One’s Footprint (my personal favorite, it always make me think of foot reduction surgery). The question to be explored in this blog is how these terms can, and some might say should, apply to life in Chico in a logical, thoughtful manner.
In the definition above, the key word for me is “needs.” What are my needs? Food, water, and shelter, of course, but these are also the needs of my dog, and don’t do much to define who I am. I believe a better question to ask is: What are my values? So, in brief, here is the short list: I value my family, my friends, and the people with whom I interact on a daily basis. I value their health and wellbeing. I value air, water, and soil--I like knowing that I can breathe the air, drink the water, and walk barefoot on the soil without worrying that doing so will keep me, my family, or friends from having a long, healthy life. I value knowing where my food comes from. After all, I put it into my body. And finally, I value knowledge and the use of it—The ability to gather information, learn, weigh all sides of an issue, and make informed choices.
Many have stated that this sustainability thing is nothing new, and they are of course quite correct. In essence, living sustainably is simply an extension of the Golden Rule: treating not only others, but also future generations, as we would like to be treated ourselves. Similarly, the well-known statement attributed to the Iroquois is so often quoted that it is now a major brand of household cleaning products: “In every deliberation, we must always consider the impact on the seventh generation.”
Yet if sustainability (or at least the concept behind it) has been around for so long, why is it making headlines only in the last few years? Perhaps it is the newest fad, and it will soon be replaced by a “newer, better” media-driven slogan of the times. Others however, believe that the term will stick, if for no other reason than necessity—“If we aren’t sustainable, than many nasty things will happen to us.” (i.e. hurricanes, toxic air, rising sea levels, etc.) In many parts of the world, folks argue that they already have.
I am not one to say that the end is imminent, but I will contribute this one anecdote: Growing up in California, summer smog and haze in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys have always been a given for me, but at least there was always the comfort of seeing the Sierra rising above the grey-brown air – an island to retreat to in case there was ever the need. Recently, however, I took a flight from San Diego to Sacramento, and as I looked out the window of the plane, I saw to my horror the human-caused mists of the valley extending all the way up the slopes of the high peaks of Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite Parks, turning my view into a blurry photograph. I was tempted to ask the pilot to keep flying until he found a location where the air was clear; but I knew that, for better or for worse, my home was somewhere below.
I am not interested in living with the attitude that “The End is Near.” This is far too depressing for me. However, I do believe that much work needs to be done if those things that I value (like clean air) will be around for future generations.
So finally, we come to what this blog will be about: tips, ideas, thoughts, and anecdotes about how to live sustainably in Northern California, and specifically Chico. The contributors will be myself and others from the community, and readers are, of course, welcomed and encouraged to respond (as many so often do). It will NOT be suggested in these posts that we all go out and buy a Prius, boycott all businesses south of 20th and east of the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, or erect a barbed wire fence around Bidwell Park and restrict access to all but the condors and wild salmon. Nor will we be cutting and pasting from the Sierra Club magazine or “101 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Planet.” It is our hope that the words written herein will be both informative and relevant to us as Chico residents, and that any ideas presented will promote discussion and take note of cost and time as well as ecological benefits. Making sustainable choices is not as simple as watching the last 5 minutes of “An Inconvenient Truth.” There are always infinite shades of grey, and different answers for different situations. “Paper, plastic or ChicoBag?” A sound argument can be made for all three.
And on that note, in the interest of time (mine and yours), I guarantee you that all of my subsequent posts will be shorter than this one.