Monday, November 30, 2009

why American doesn't have good healthcare yet?

[How Much People Pay for Health Care Around the World, GOOD. 2009]

GOOD came up with visually and statistically attractive and informational graphics that make us wonder what (the hell) is wrong with this country with big money and so many smart people. Comparing your child to others is not a good way to raise a child (as Japanese say) but to establish an decent, at least fair, healthcare in this country, I think it is essential. [GOOD Sheet: Bill of Health, GOOD. 2008]

Monday, November 16, 2009

addiction to maps

[Interactive map can be found here]

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Green(ish) Festival

After 3 (or 4) bars worth of Clifbar, a couple months worth of raw and fair trade chocolates samples, and multi-little-compostable-cups of organic soy milk, shade grown coffee, acai and unknown good-for-you liquids, I am finally back home from so called Green Festival which is "the largest sustainability event in the world" (according to the Green Festival website) and aims to educate and to share the skills and solutions to build more sustainable future for the communities - well, sounds like a pretty good thing, doesn't it? Truly, theme of "green" has become new black in this country - it never goes wrong with any occasion - and of course, I, as an environmentalist, am very supportive for this movement though the level of impact of each "green-ing" can vary.

And, this Green Festival, I think, is a great idea to introduce what can people do to reduce there negative impact on the environment to those "green" beginners. However, I felt something very uneasy about this tactic most Americans believe in. Yes, it is better buying an organic cotton t-shirt than one from Old Navy. It is better eating a vegetarian dish than a quarter pounder from McDonald. It is better using reusable shopping bags than getting plastic bags every time you go to Safeway. All is true, but the question is that "does this really make a sustainable future?"

Many food/beverage vendors had thousands and thousands of disposable cups, plates and napkins for tasting - of course, almost 100% are made with compostable materials that is "so green to be true". But, wait, didn't we hear about some problematic issues of producing and disposing of compostable materials?

Some were selling "sustainable bamboo fabric" products such as clothes, towels and bags. Many people know that bamboo is more sustainable resource than cotton because of the growing of bamboo requires less chemical, less labor, and less environmental impact. But the manufacturing of bamboo fabric is a totally different story. And they still sell bamboo fabric products as sustainable products?

Many eco-product vendors give away thousands of their samples in tiny packages and color printed materials. Some even come with free shopping bags with their logo on. Most had deals such as "buy one get one free," "50% off from retail price," and others all shoppers always love to hear. But wan't it the over-producing and consuming and what made our society so unsustainable?

Green has become new black - and is it just another way to roll this capitalism society? Isn't there something we need to think more than making and consuming alternatives? Though our civilazation has been developped dramatically by always finding and inventing something "better" to replace the old ones, we ended up having this fatal environmental crisis which we cannot do anything to reverse, but to slow down. Since when we stopped thinking, but buying? Can we live sustainable without changing our unsustainable life style? Is "choose Green-er things" the only solution we come up with? If so, The Day After Tomorrow is just around the corner.
[Image from The Day After Tomorrow (2004)]

Monday, November 09, 2009

nature knows the best

[Image by James Hayden]
We tend to forget where we came from and what to respect. We think that we created such civilization, technologies, culture and art - but don't forget, we are just a part of this enormous universe. Yes, we humans are pretty awesome, but so is the power of universe.

Friday, November 06, 2009

‘If I spend $150 to $300 on shoes, this is my car.’


[Photo from Lanvin Spring 2009]

Of course, women know how to be behave during recession. But there is something you cannot take from gorgeous ladies - shoes.