The Reminders project cover image/photograph copyright Abir Abdullah and published here with his permission and The Reminders Project.

Often it’ my colleagues who fan the flames of inspiration within. Their acts of dedication, perspiration, and commitment render me speechless.
Such was my experience, when I viewed the images on Climate Refugee’s by photographer Abir Abdullah. Stunning and quiet his images reminds me of our humanness and of our collective agreement in this era called “Global Warming.” With all the facts and figures surrounding “Global Warming” I find that it sometimes makes the issue a little too painful to the ear and the urgency growing a little deeper under the skin. Then, the strong speaking quietude of his photographs brings the point further home and meeting no resistance… such is the power of the still image.

The Paradox of Our Times

“Is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers

Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints

We spend more, but we have less

We have bigger houses, but smaller families

More conveniences, but less time

We have more degrees, but less sense

More knowledge, but less judgment

More experts, but more problems

More medicines, but less wellness

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often

We have learnt how to make a living, but not a life

We have added years to life, but not life to years

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back

But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour

We have conquered outer space, but not inner space

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted our soul

We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice

We’ve higher incomes, but lower morals

We’ve become long on quantity but short on quality

These are the times of tall men, and short character

Steep profits, and shallow relationships

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare

More leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition

These are the days of two incomes, but more divorces

Of fancier houses, but broken homes

It is a time when there is much in the show window

And nothing in the stockroom

A time when technology can bring this letter to you

And a time when you can choose

Either to make a difference…. or just hit, delete.”

– His Holiness the Dalai Lama

photograph of HHDL during a teaching on the Heart Sutra
copyright Ana Elisa Fuentes
Quote provided by Abir Abdullah
To view more of Abir’s images, please go here
To subscribe and/or view The Reminders Project, please go here
Reminder project design by Youme

One day my intuition lead me to the Bürgerhaus where I found information celebrating the 150th birthday of German inventor Rudolf Diesel. Yes, Diesel is the inventor of the diesel engine. He first tested his engine using peanut oil. The city of Augsburg, Germany is hosting a city-wide event museum exhibits, German Technology Day, films etc.. It was in Augsburg that Diesel and his team of engineers developed the diesel engine. It’s no wonder that Raps as a basis for alternative fuel, known as Straight Vegetable Oil and for bio-diesel would thrive here in Germany. To see more photographs on Biofuels, please go here

Yes in my former life in California, this is the transportation that took me on many an assignments that ran on biofuels made from soybeans.

Haiti Update from Democracy Now: The Reverend Jessie Jackson visits Haiti

I woke up from normal deep slumber this morning and poof! An image of this farmer came to mind. Taking a rest in the shade, he is a member of the Kopa Koton Collective, Central Plateau, Haiti. Why him? Who knows? But I am of the school of:

“Think often of the bond that unites all things in the universe and their dependence upon one another.”

I started thinking of him wondering how is doing? What is he doing? Is he surviving the current food crisis in Haiti? So many convergent views came to my mind at this wee hour of the morning. Questions of sustainability. Corporate genetic farming? Food crisis? How is this possible? How is it possible, in this day and age that people do not have food to eat? My colleagues and friends say, “Oh Biofuels” Biofuels are to blame.Okay, but as far as I know, people here are not eating Raps, which is the primary source of biofuels here. The Raps here is utilized for biofuels, cooking oil, soaps and as an alternative to plastics.
Scientists at Friends of the Earth created this magnificent Biofuel data bank and you can learn about biofuels – which bio resources are used and upside and downside of each. The table is pretty straightforward. Please go here.
As you will read there are many sources for biofuels including Castor Beans, Algae, Sunflower Seeds etc.. Unfortunately Biofules is becoming equated with Palm Oil, which, mind you , is just one of many biofuel options. Slash and burn policies don’t help either. This is just poor land management. I think there is a place for biofuels in the Green/or Environmental toolbox, it is not the solution, it’s one of many tools necessary.
IMHO.
But somehow the fossil fuel prices continue to rise and so does the confusion.
Despite global warming.
And
Biofuels are to blame.
And
people are starving.
Hmm…
Maybe it’s my confusion, maybe its just a dream. But I saw this farmers face today..But maybe it was somewhere in the waters of my subconscious mind reminding me that today the cherished Goldman Environmental Awards were announced today..and just three short years ago this man and his collective were given the same honor – accepted by it’s founder Agronomist Chavannes Jean-Baptiste.
What a dream!
Words/Photo: Ana Elisa Fuentes/AefPix

Mural at the MPP educational center.

These inquisitive playful creatures, called Humboldt Penguins, originate from South America. Like other animals on our planet they are a threatened species, due to habitat destruction and over-fishing.
You can learn more about Humboldt Penguins here.
An update – A Penguin has been Knighted. Read here

The Hands of Sustainability is something I put together and thought appropriate to post on this first day of Spring, Good Friday March 21, 2008.
What is sustainability? Here is a definition I refer to.
Added is a quote from the 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai, during an interview on Democracy Now!
” …. this is the biggest message of the Greenbelt Movement: empowering local communities so that they do not wait for local authorities, wait for government, wait for development agencies, but to encourage people to take action, no matter how small that action may be.”
Happy Spring!