the Higgs boson and A Course in Miracles

Really trying to wrap my head around the idea of “Reality” lately.  As I’ve come to understand it, the Higgs boson only exists for a billionth of a billionth of a second, in order to attract particles into forming mass.  So, that raises a million questions.  Why is its existence so short?  If it exists only for a tiny flash, does that mean that all mass also exists only for a tiny flash?  Of course, there is the argument that mass does not exist, and it is just our perception.  What triggers the Higgs to spark mass, (or the illusion of mass)?  Some would say that since everything is created by the observer, it is “we” who trigger the Higgs.  But hasn’t the universe existed for billions of years more than we have been around to observe?  Or, as someone in my study group said, there is no time, and everything is occurring in one instant.  We are just experiencing it as a long duration as “I” go through all the iterations of being “separate” from God. 

 Had an interesting discussion with a couple of people in my study group that if everything is an illusion and we are supposed to distance ourselves from it and accept it, then aren’t we allowing fracking and global warming to “win?”  We can’t just sit back and not do anything while these forces destroy society, even if society is not real.  One woman pointed out that Monsanto has spurred a lot of awareness about our food and farming, and that many people are now gardening and raising food.  Another woman, who used to work for Greenpeace, says all the activists she knows aspire to be farmers.  Maybe it took the “evil empire” of Monsanto to motivate people to grow their own vegetables.  And maybe it will take oil spills and fracking to motivate people to find alternative energy sources.    But again….why is this all so complex and oppressive, if it isn’t real?  One woman in our study group says the Course explains that it is complex and growing increasingly more so, by design.  That doesn’t make sense to me yet.  I think I could learn the same lessons with more pandas and less people in the world.  And if this is “my” reality that I’m creating with my perceptions, why can’t I make it so?  Snap!  Poof!  More pandas. 

 

Manufacturers should steward product disposal/recycling

Wouldn’t it be great if manufacturers took responsibility for the disposal/recycling of their products?  Too many products, especially kitchen appliances, are designed to break quickly and require replacement (planned obsolescence).  Since the company doesn’t have to pay for the disposal of the product, they have no incentive to make products more durable or design them so they are more recyclable.  This is inexcusable–wasting resources in order to make more money.

Waste is a function of poor design.  Companies used to take pride in the quality of their workmanship.  They should be accountable for making substandard products that go into the landfill within a few years.  And we, as consumers, should stop buying these things just because they are cheap.

I laughed a few years ago at a yard sale where someone was selling a nice old iron with a fabric cord for $1 because she “got a new one.”  I have been through several irons in my life because they didn’t last.  I eagerly bought the yard sale iron, and it still works better than any iron I’ve ever owned.  I wonder if that woman’s new iron is still functioning, or if it has ended up in the landfill with so many others.

I have read that Caterpillar recycles diesel engines and rebuilds them, making a good profit.  Patagonia clothing, I also understand, recycles polyester garments, saving energy and keeping fabric out of landfills. Boeing and Airbus reportedly are very thorough in dismantling and recycling their aircraft parts.

Japan has made this concept law.  Rather than allowing people to throw out old air conditioners, TVs, computers and washing machines, Japan requires these items to be disassembled in special facilities. Here is a powerpoint on a recycling facility by Mitsubishi, showing the disassembly of air conditioners. 04.pdf application/pdf Object.

 

Addressing climate change through architecture

The 2030 Challenge states that the building sector is currently the primary consumer of energy and source of greenhouse gas emissions, and so by changing the way buildings and developments are planned, designed and constructed, can make a big difference for the environment.  Think passive solar, eco-friendly materials,  and walking-friendly neighborhoods.  And of course, recycling materials when possible.  The program is urging all products for new buildings, developments, and renovations reduce their carbon-equivalent footprint, from flooring to paint.

A test city for this idea is Seattle.   The project aims for  property owners, managers, and tenants to reduce environmental impacts of facility construction and operations.

Architecture 2030 Founder and CEO Edward Mazria of New Mexico is one of five winners of the 2011 Purpose Prize, an annual award for social entrepreneurs over 60 who are using their experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on some of society’s biggest challenges.

During normal economic times, the U.S. tears down approximately 1.75 billion square feet of buildings each year.

 

Every year, our country renovates approximately 5 billion square feet and builds approximately 5 billion square feet of new space.

 

This transformation over the next 25 years represents a historic opportunity for the architecture and building community to be a leader in reducing greenhouse gases and averting a climate crisis.

via Addressing climate change through architecture.

Wangari Maathai

While today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I think it’s appropriate to honor other people whose spirit and activism reflect that of Dr. King.   Wangari Maathai is one of those people.   She founded the Green Belt Movement, which seeks to plant trees in de-forested areas of Africa.  (http://www.greenbeltmovement.org. )    Her efforts at mobilizing and empowering people, especially women, so threatened the leader of her country that he made a speech urging people to tell her to back off and “behave.”  I admire her courage and tenacity.  She received the  2004 Nobel Peace Prize, and was elected to Kenya’s parliament after an upheaval of Moi’s regime.  Sadly, she passed away in late 2011.

Maathai drew a strong connection between women, the environment, and spirituality,

Image by Global Crop Diversity Trust via Flickr

saying “While a certain tree, forest, or mountain itself may not be holy, the life-sustaining services it provides — the oxygen we breathe, the water we drink — are what make existence possible, and so deserve our respect and veneration. From this point of view, the environment becomes sacred, because to destroy what is essential to life is to destroy life itself.”

 

Save the Bees

Bees are such amazing creatures.  Not only do they work hard to pollinate our food and flowers, but they give us honey and are even being trained to sniff for explosives in airports.  Yes, crazy, but true.

I watched a fascinating documentary called Vanishing Of The Bees. (You can watch on it on Netflix online, or pay a small fee to watch it on the vanishing bees website. )  It explores Colony Collapse Disorder, in which millions of bees have vanished.  The documentary follows a few American beekeepers as they search for the answers.  Shockingly (to me) they meet with French beekeepers, who determined ten years ago that systemic pesticides (which stay in the plant) were killing the bees.  France banned the chemicals, and the bees have rebounded.  It seems pretty straightforward that the U.S. should do the same.  However, in a  Congressional hearing, panel members barely listened as the beekeepers presented their findings. Beekeepers said that although the systemic pesticides were deemed “safe,” no long-term study was performed.  Indeed, beekeepers said that after being exposed to the systemic pesticides, the bees seemed fine for a few months.  Then they succumbed to mites, viruses, and other things. Because of the time-lag between exposure and death, it was difficult to prove causation.

I see as of November 2011, pesticide manufacturers have voluntarily withdrawn ” imidacloprid” from usage on almonds, which are pollinated by bees. Imidacloprid is widely blamed as contributing to the honeybee die-off around the world.  This sounds like good news, but one “insider” quoted in a blog says that other systemic pesticides, such as “spinosad, emamectin benzoate, fipronil, thiamethoxam, clothanidin,imidacloprid, and dinotefuran will likely be used instead.  These insecticides have a high potential to get into the nectar, pollen, and fruit of plants.  If any of these pesticides are used as a substitute for imidalcoprid, bee losses will continue.”  (source: http://pierreterre.com/blog/bee-killing-pesticide-imidacloprid-voluntarily-withdrawn-almonds).

So, what can we do?  The vanishing bees website suggests planting a garden in your yard (with no pesticides) to nourish bees.  Consider keeping a beehive (there are lots of books and resources to help you do this.  The only difficult part to keeping bees is harvesting the honey, and other local beekeepers will probably come help you with this if you ask.)  Most importantly, purchase food from growers who don’t use pesticides.  This doesn’t mean they have to be certified organic, but they should be committed to sustainable practices.  And, instead of swatting at bees, or running away from them, let’s take a moment to marvel at their industry, design, complex social structures, communication methods, and of course, all the good they do for us.  Thank you, bees.

Make joy a priority

In the book Joy of Appreciative Living, Jacqueline Kelm suggests that when we make joy a priority, look for small ways to increase joy in our day, and be aware and appreciative of our blessings, then happiness increases, especially for those who do not recognize themselves as being particularly happy.

Kelm urges us to notice at least three things each day to appreciate.  Then ask ourselves, “What small thing can I do today to increase my joy?”  She also recommends spending 15 minutes weekly visualizing an ideal life.  I advocate visualizing larger issues in the world, not just one’s immediate surroundings.

Kelm points out that when people are asked about their priorities, few list joy at the top, yet nearly everyone says they want to be happier.  If we truly want to be happier, why not try making the state of joy, and the things that cause that state, a priority?  People often say “family” is a priority, but what is it exactly about family that makes one happy?  I know women who say their families are the most important thing, but yet they feel drained and exhausted, not happy, even though there are moments of contentment.  Kelm says if we can be more specific about increasing joyful experiences in our lives, and spend time appreciating them, then we are more likely to see ourselves as content, joyful, happy, or similar positive condition.  Many books say that God and our relationship with Him should be top priority, but how does one KNOW one’s relationship to God, other than through emotion?  Love, joy, etc.