Green Options

While the U.S. Postal Service bleeds red with billions of dollars in financial loses ($3.8 billion in 2008), they keep earning environmental accolades for their green roofs and energy conserving initiatives. Today, some post offices are even LEED certified by the US Green Building Council. As I wrote about last week, the US Postal Service has always been on the leading edge with respect to experimenting with fuel efficient vehicles – even if they’ve been unsuccessful in garnering the widespread adoption of these alternatively fueled vehicles outside their test markets.

So what gives? How could the US Postal Service be in such dire straits with all their green initiatives and their “fleet of feet” making deliveries door-to-door on foot?

Failing to Adapt to Change

This shouldn’t be new news: For years, Americans have been moving away from hard copy to electronic forms of communication. Many of us have gotten fed up with the piles of unwanted mail solicitations and catalogs by the pound by getting our names and addresses on “Do Not Solicit” lists with the Direct Marketing Association. We’ve opted out of banks’ direct marketing schemes for credit cards and insurance. We’ve signed up for electronic bill pay. So, I would have thought that US Postmaster John Potter would have recognized these changes, having grown up with the US Postal Service and having been at the helm since 2001.

4 million fewer vehicles. This is the first year there was such a large decline in automobile ownership since the US Department of Transportation (DOT) began modern recordkeeping in 1960.

How did this come about? What were the main causes?

Tough economic times have caused one school in Ireland to ask students to bring their own toilet paper. Parents received the following request last week from principal Catherine O’Neill:

Dear parent, from time to time we will request your daughter to bring in a toilet roll to her class teacher. These rolls will be specifically for your daughter’s class and will be dispensed by the class teacher. We would also request that your daughter has tissues in her sack at all times.

Sustainability is the great new green buzz word in our society - but what does it really mean? Does it mean that a business can use sustainable materials, treat employees well, but not turn a profit? Or does it mean that a business can make all the right noises, recycle products, give to high profile organizations and yet treat its employees like expendable commodities? Most definitely not!

Wyoming Senator John Barrasso believes that fossil fuels like oil and coal are the future and should be used to power the American economy while the scientific studies clearly state otherwise. American policy makers should accelerate investments in renewable energy.

Although much of the controversy around HR 1388 has been around mandatory service requirements for American youth, the larger issue is tying federal dollars into public service. The act will actually create government funded jobs making participating states and organizations permanently dependent on federal funding for their service activities.

Experts predict that this recession could lead to reduced carbon dioxide emissions because people will be driving less and working less. But has that always been the case in our nation’s history?

The National Audubon Society, like so many other businesses and organizations in the United States, is struggling with the current economic recession. So much so, that they have made a significant push for contributions from their own employees.

I want to be a homeschool parent, and my daughter does too, but unfortunately I am one of those working mothers (part time) who has to work in order to provide her family with health insurance. If there was another option (my son is considered “uninsurable” by private health insurance companies due to his congenital heart condition), I would do it in order to provide my daughter with the individual education she deserves. I’m a credentialed teacher: I know I could do a good job.

For many families facing tough economic times during this recession, both parents need to work to provide enough income to survive. What does this do for homeschooling?

Apparently, nothing. Parents who homeschool are choosing night jobs over giving up homeschool. Homeschool mom Judy Aron of West Hartford, Connecticut explains:

Homeschoolers are pretty self-reliant. They’d rather cut back on other things…. They very vehemently don’t want to see themselves as victims.

How will the market for ‘green products’ be affected by this recession?

While President Obama makes strides towards dealing with the issue of climate change, many prefer that he focus on fixing the recession first. Republicans like Rush Limbaugh have been quite vocal about it but other political figures like Tony Blair say that climate change must not fall victim to the recession.

Can President Obama realistically fix both the recession and climate change?