19 Comments

1. It is enough that I have claustrophobia, but the PBS special on the megatower in Shanghai has me a little sick to my stomach. I own a Cessna 162, a light sport airplane, that is much like a very light version of Cessna’s most popular trainer, the 172. This light sport plane was designed to let the “average joe” learn to fly, inexpensively but safely, in a totally modern computer based cockpit. Instead, to save money, Cessna had the parts made in China and then assembled here in the US. As a result, the plane has had nightmare problems: wing strut root deficiencies, motor mount deficiencies, etc. It is not the result of poor design, it is the result of poorly manufactured parts.

   Envision yourself 1/3 of a mile in the air based on China manufactured parts. Typhoon interrupted electronics? How about an earthquake? You are getting down, how? Opening a window for fresh air… oh yeah, you are in Shanghai. I don’t really know the answer to trying to cram 20 million people into Shanghai, but this tower? Well, it just makes me very concerned.

2. Ok. Me, again. This is my addition to the article, “Coping: Is There an Honest Environmental Movement?
   Urban Survival | 01 April 2014”.

   I am a retired landscape architect, MLA, taught at the U. Georgia, and then started a design/build firm in the Adirondacks. I have an undergraduate degree (BS) in conservation (forestry and wildlife management) and environmental education, naturalist curriculum, U. Michigan. Since I couldn’t get anyone to install my designs, I bought property (which included a wetland, an AMAZING bird sanctuary) and created an organic garden center. We were NYS certified (that takes 3 years) and in the interim, a regional convenience store decided to put gas pumps next to us with NO Adirondack Park restrictions (it took me 2 years to get the proper approvals due to the wetland of which I was the STEWARD) so I started a 501.3C to gather the funds from our community to sue the Adirondack Park Agency for letting gas pumps potentially pollute the wetland. Since there was the usual political shenanigans, the result was considered “a draw” but at least the local community was able to put restrictions on the convenience chain and the retention of potential disaster was contained. This is all verifiable, including an article in the NY Times.

   So, with that as a reference, I read the article “Is there an Honest Environmental Movement?” and was pushed to write this comment. I very much wanted to attend the Organic Conference that Catherine is leading in Palm Springs in May, but when the fact that it was being headlined by Ed Begley, Jr., for one, I threw in the towel. Good gosh. These people with absolutely NO credentials other than their money and “good intentions” takes me totally back to Catherine’s blog when she talked about being next to people who thought they were important. Sorry.

   THAT is precisely why there is no honest environmental movement. If you start with Hollywood, you might just get a bit of propaganda…. Good intentions, better yet, the “right reason” is often railroaded by the wrong people. I simply can’t be a part of that.

3. Jane:

   Th event in Palm Springs is a lunch, not a conference.

   Ed Begley is not scheduled to be there. However, I am very familiar with Ed’s work. It is quite extraordinary and I recommend him to you. I think you would find that he is quite serious and has been working at this for many years, making quite a contribution.

   I posted the article from George Ure as he does a good job of pointing out the hypocrisy of things. The environmental activists are often used as fronts by a variety of groups. Happens all the time to lots of activists groups.

   I sympathize. I have to often seen my work and the work of other honest people be used too.

   Which is not to say that there are not a lot of accomplished people such as yourself doing very important things. They are.

   Apologize if you were felt drained by our postings. We aim to give energy, not drain it.

   Thanks for making your feelings known. I appreciate it!

   Catherine

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