Sandy and Karma

 Sandy - and How We Got Here

(Pardon typos, written by person in a hurricane disaster zone)

So, I usually post about jobs in and out of the industry, but I felt a need to voice some frustrations/observations.  Firstly, I am not political, but I have to give credit where it's due.  Thank you to the politician for mentioning, flat out, that Hurricane Sandy and the 100-year storms that we have been having every two years, are a direct result of climate change (global warming).

I'm not a scientist, so I can only speak from what I know, and what seems like common sense.  When people talk about global warming, they are usually talking about climate change and more drastic and unpredictable weather.  And that's what we've got.  And that's what we've earned by our pure neglect of our environment and the laws of karma.

I'm a huge believer in karma. I know that what goes around, comes around. And I know that when it comes around, even if we feel that the person deserves it, we are then accumulating our own karmic debt for rejoicing in another's misfortune.  Tricky, right?  In my quest to understand and live with good karma, I question my intent about most of my feelings/actions.  Do I want to do this because it's the right thing to do, or because of what I will reap if I do it (ego driven) - it can make a person dizzy!

Let's get back to the environment.  Mother Nature is pissed, and rightfully so.  We American's love our creature comforts, and that's fine - but do we respect the price paid for them?  And here's what I mean -

1) Pick-Up Trucks/SUVs - Do we really need those monster pick-up trucks that use tons of gas?  You might say, "why, yes I do.  If there's an emergency, I need to get to safety."  But do you really mean, "so that "I" can get to safety, even if I have to run over all those in MY way?"  If so, not cool.  We're all in this together.

2) Smoking- I know it's a touchy subject, and there are addictions involved, but, if you must smoke - why on earth are you throwing your cigarette butts out of the window of your car??? You don't want to dirty your car, but it's okay to throw your crap out into the street?  What's wrong with you?  This is OUR earth, stop that now!

3) Littering - there was a real push to stop littering when I was in grade school.  Remember the native American with the teardrop looking over the soiled land?  Have we given that up?  Maybe we should bring it back.  You really can hold onto your trash until you reach a garbage pail - really.  Seriously.  Keep a bag in your car, throw it out when you get home.  Put it in your pocket or bag till you see a pail.  Simple.

4)Energy. It's very possible that solar, hydro and wind energies are more expensive then oil, gas or coal.  You know what else, sometimes money is not the most important issue.  We've got to wean ourselves away from foreign dependency and from depleting our resources, especially ones that add to the pollution level which in turn adds to global warming - because we see how well we're doing with that.  Don't just think about what we are going through, think about seven generations down.  What legacy will we be leaving them?  Oh, and if you believe there's even a chance of reincarnation, you might be the one suffering in the future for what you did today. We have to invest in wind, and solar, along with gas, and oil and coal.  Haven't you learned anything from the stock market? Diversify, diversify, diversify.  The only thing I can't advocate for are nuclear power plants.  The problem with those is that they are run by humans.  Humans make mistakes.  When you deal with something that powerful, it's not an eraser we're dealing it, it's poisoning our citizens, and the environment for decades.  Oh, and hydrofracking and excessive drilling? Stop that. Stop that right now.  Does anyone think that maybe the more common earthquakes we're having might have something to do with drilling deep into the layers of the earth?  Forget about all the pollution and damage from oil spills etc.  Okay, don't forget those.  Everything has consequences, everything has a karmic debt.  Think, think, think.  Err on the side of clean air, water and good will in all cases!

5)Conservation.  Yes, we love our toys, we love our conveniences, and a lot of us are acting like spoiled brats. Do we really need everything we buy? I have a friend who has a couch in her basement piled with clothing that needs to be pressed.  She wanted to hire someone a while ago to help her iron as she works very long hours.  I suggested someone who could help her, and her response, "I don't have anywhere to put them anyway, so why bother?"  But she keeps on buying new clothes.  Insanity, and I can write about it here because she doesn't use facebook or the internet much.  Do we need these megamansions, McMansions, newer, bigger, less efficient homes?  If we're building new homes, we should have building codes to go along with the new homes demanding that they be built using alternative energy capabilities.  And if we're building new developments, put the wires etc underground, will you?  I know it's expensive.  As a homeowner, I know this - but it has to be done.  Eventually, the infrastructure will need to be revamped, and man, will it be expensive and a major pain, but necessary.  This weather is the new normal, and it's not getting better any time soon.  Power underground, means less outages in cases like Irene and Sandy. Less outages, less clean-up, less repair. EVENTUALLY, less cost.

6)Money.  Money is important, money is good.  Money is NOT the most important thing in the world.  The idea of money is not to get as much as you possibly can, even if it means poisoning the environment and hurting people. Stop that. What's wrong with you? 

and while I'm at it:

7) Telling the Truth/Personal Responsibility.  We can all do this, really.  If you screw up, take responsibility, correct it, and move on.  Everyone makes mistakes.  I know it's hard to believe, but even I do, as anal as I am.  Keep your dignity, accept that you did it, forgive yourself, move on. Your mistake does not define you as a person.  Other people may try to label you, but you live in your skin.  Know that "YOU" are okay. And if you have dignity, everything else will be fine. 

7)School system - sorry, have to get this in here.  Stop bashing teachers.  And stop teaching subjects no one (at least with regards to 99% of the population) needs.  Whose idea was this anyway?  Teach towards a students ability and learning style. We do not all learn the same. Some need to read, others to see, some to hear, some - two or three of those at once.  I don't know the way to do this, but you torture kids by teaching them things of little value because you have to teach to tests, because how else can you evaluate a school's performance - because it's harder to track if they've just become creative, productive beings.  Some of us are a little odd, that's okay, use it.  We're all different for a reason.

I'm sorry about the gazillion typos, but I'm tired, and I had a need to vent.

What makes you crazy, and what do we need to change?  And, most importantly, how do we do it?

Namaste,

Debbie