Santorum's Anthropocentric Worldview

“Man is here to use the resources and use them wisely. [...] We’re not here to serve the Earth. The Earth is not the objective. Man is the objective.” -Rick Santorum

Santorum: People Mistook My Comment on Obama's Christianity

Santorum's quote epitomizes exactly what is wrong with the destructive, anthropocentric Western thought paradigm. He may believe his god endowed him and the other "good" Christians with some sort of moral superiority, which equates having license to treat the Earth as a resource that we may use and abuse freely. That attitude is precisely the problem. Even if you are a Creationist, shouldn't you recognize that god created all humans/animals, and gave us the Earth as our home, and therefore we should honor and respect that home? We should honor god and live as inhabitants of a global home, not the owner and benefactor. I consider honoring the Earth the ultimate form of worship.

It seems Santorum believes "progress" (development, wealth, power, domination, imperialism, colonization) is the objective of man. He's making statements like this from a platform that is supposedly informed by Christian virtues. It is difficult to see where Christian doctrine ends and capitalist rhetoric begins. It's a shame because it really makes Christianity look bad. I don't think the intention of Christianity is to become wealthy by oppressing those with less power, exploiting the Earth in the process, and then claiming you are doing so in the name of god. From early imperialist conquests to Manifest Destiny to the current neocolonialization taking place all over the world - these mindless displays of greed are not compatible with the teachings of Jesus. If we want to achieve environmental sustainability, we must address the cultural framework that assigns privilege to the desires of man at the expense of our natural world (which is paradoxical, as the desires of man contradict human interest). We shouldn't even be taking Rick Santorum seriously.

His comment is absolutely too much for me. I don't expect a politician running for US president (especially a conversative, evangelical Christian) to make any statement suggesting that environmental sustainability is more important than a "functioning economy" and the perceived needs of the human Earth-dwellers. I am shocked, however, that anyone could make a comment that directly affords man with the right to use the Earth's resources as we please, and then claim to be called by god to run for office. That doesn't align... We cannot honor god and at the same time claim that we are free to abuse the planet. The small amount of humans who actually benefit from the rampant pillaging of the Earth's resources are a very select, privileged few; so overall, exploiting the Earth's resources is not even serving the needs of man, but, in fact, doing the very opposite.

The way Santorum is weaving Christianity into his political campaign is simply misguided. God may have endowed us (humans) with "certain unalienable rights." Lets take a moment to reconsider what those rights are.

Shit Vegans Say...

This is my life!

This is the near year! 2012.

My digital designer friend, Paul, is helping me bring a great idea to life. We are working on a website that will be a resource of all things related to sustainable living in the Cincinnati area.

Coming soon to: SustainingCincinnati.com

I have always found a new social media obsession: Pinterest.

Feel free to check out my account, pinterest.com/annatree

Junk Swap

This Sunday I am hosting a junk swap at my empty apartment. I have invited my friends and neighbors to come over with all their unwanted items. The goals of the event are: 1) to get rid of things I don't need so there is less clutter at the cabin, 2) to possibly acquire some new gems from my friends, 3) to give items to my friends that they may need or want, and 4) encourage renewal culture by providing a fun alternative to shopping.

Basically, I'm hosting a in-home yardsale, and everything is free! I have piles of clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories, kitchen items, bath supplies, books, toys, and furniture to give away. Lots of friends have told me they are cleaning out their closets and preparing boxes of old stuff to bring.

Whatever is left will be donated.

I'm excited to this opportunity to give and get without any exposure to tradition retail.

No Impact Man

No Impact Man is a documentary that follows a journalist, his wife, and their daughter on their quest to live without any environmental impact for one year. The couple's lifestyle underwent a transformation into sustainability - it wasn't over night, but rather a process.

According to the project's website: "For one year, Colin Beavan and his family unplugged from the electric grid, produced no trash, traveled exclusively foot or bike, and bought nothing except food (all of it locally grown). By the end they discovered something surprisingly: living simply wasn't just good for the environment; it made them healthier, happier, and richer in ways they'd never expected."

Since they lived in New York relying on walking and bicycling wasn't too extreme. They did use public transportation on a few occasions. The family only ate seasonal foods that were grown within 250 mile radius of their home. That meant they were primarily relying on vegetables from upstate New York (lots and lots of roots in the winter!).

Many of the lifestyles changes the family underwent were things I already do. Though I was inspired by many of their habits. For example, I already bring my own bags with me to the market, but now I'm going to star bringing empty containers to fill with bulk items.

One of my most unsustainable habits is consumerism, so I admire the family's buy nothing approach. Since quitting my retail job at Urban Outfitters I have drastically reduced my consumption. Though I have set a goal for myself to stop buying "I want" items all together and only buy "I need" items or second-hand items. I will discuss this more in a future post.

In addition to being environmentally sustainable, there were socially sustainable benefits of the Beavan's project. By eliminating use of electric - thus, selling the television - the family started interacting more and their relationship improved. They began entertaining guest with conversations and games rather than mindlessly starring a box.

At one point in the film the wife became very upset that she was not allowed to have coffee and ended up storming out of the house to go buy a quad espresso from Starbucks. I understand the importance of buying local, but rather than deprive oneself of coffee I think an alternative would be to buy sustainably-traded coffee from a locally-owned establishment (be aware of the fair trade trap!) - not Starbucks!

What I found most interesting was how others reacted to the couple's lifestyle. The wife discussed how many people were hesitant to interact with them, fearing they must be dirty. Others encouraged her to divorce him for forcing her to participate in his crazy experiment.

The family lived without toilet paper. Admittedly, I enjoy the luxury of toilet paper, though I find it futile and pretentious to use fluffy, quilted paper made from virgin forest wood (read: Kimberly-Clark). I always by the septic-safe stuff made from recycled paper. Yeah, it's not the softest, but so what? Think about what you use it for. The amount of toilet paper you use is another thing: I live alone and I typically go through a roll about once every two weeks. Use what you need. I used to have a friend who'd wrap her entire hand in eight layers of t.p. before wiping, which is just wasteful. Soap and water after you're finished works just fine.

I grew up with a cistern so I was taught to be very conservative with water. Growing up my family had the mantra, if it's yellow let it mellow. Certainly you may want to adjust your habits when you're having guest, but constantly flushing a lil pee is silly. Just use your best judgment hear.

Overall, the documentary was very entertaining. Check out more about the No Impact Project




Once I am completely moved into the cabin I am going to join the No Impact Project and track my results in this blog.

100% Chance of Rain

The weather forecast predicted today would be cool and rainy. 100% chance of rain, in fact. Rain was expected all day long. And so it was. Grey skies and puddles all around. It was hard rain too. The kind that soaks your head and feet after only a moment of exposure. I wore rain boots and carried an umbrella and I still managed to get wet. The moisture was inescapable.

Earlier, while at work I was running and errand when a Street Vibes vendor named Dean approached me. We started walking and chatting together. He asked if I knew how long the rain was supposed to last. I told him: all day. I continued to explain to him that I had checked the weather the night before and that I was even looking forward to the rainy day, since we had been experiencing a dry spell.

Trying to spread my optimism I told Dean that I love the rain. He replied that it's easy to love the rain when you have somewhere to go. Dean hated rain.

Though they may have been obvious, his words struck me. I think that's just it - it was so obvious, but I hadn't even considered how different someone with no regular access to shelter would feel about a rainy day. Sometimes I'm so oblivious to my position of privilege.

I gave him my umbrella and thanked him. Yes, I was thankful for the Street Vibes, but mainly I was thankful for my moment with Dean.

It's easy to forget privilege because it isn't something you work hard for, or even something you deserve. Privilege is handed to you. Sure, I work hard to support myself. Sometimes I work 60+ hours a week, but I acknowledged that my path was paved. No one deserves to be homeless. It may make us feel better to attribute the homeless condition to bad decisions, poor work ethic, etc. Certainly those factors contribute to homelessness, but it's naive to ignore the societal factors that put some people in a position of privilege and leave others out in the cold.

Urban Sustainabilty

Moving to the cabin is an opportunity for me to finally reduce my environmental impact and slash my dependency on environmentally unfriendly habits.

Firstly, I will reduce my impact by using less resources. The cabin is heated only by wood stove. Using fires for heat was not plausible in Clifton Heights (a college town). Additionally, poor installation and windows that weren't properly sealed in previous apartments I have rented made me a slave to my heat bill. Jacob and I are learning about the proper way to use of wood stove to effectively heat our home.



We will keep our use of electric to a minimum by continuing to unplug what is not in use. The cabin was designed with natural light in mind, so during the day we will not need artificial lights. We are replacing all the bulbs in the cabin with CFL's (complements of our energy company).

We are going to reduce the amount of water we use by collecting rain to water our garden.


Secondly, I will buy less. Being secluded on the farm will eliminate the impulsive consumer decisions; specifically, opting for take-out instead of cooking at home.

We are going to start growing herbs and food. Our location is ideal for this, as there is a grow room in the cabin, a greenhouse on the property, and a massive lawn for planting when spring arrives. I have registered for courses at the Civic Garden Center in Cincinnati to learn about gardening vegetables and raising chickens for eggs. Jacob recently was hired at Farm Fresh Deliveries, a company that delivers local and organic produce to homes and business. He is entitled to a free basket of groceries each week! A perk of my job is weekly coffee and tea. We will purchase supplementary groceries in bulk to avoid wasteful packaging. Since we will not be walking distance from take-out, we're going to start cooking everyday. This is not only a positive choice for the environment, but also for our health and relationship.

Thirdly, I am going to strive to produce no waste (or as little as possible). Our goal is to compost or reuse all our waste. We are even looking into home-brewing or buying small kegs to reduce the amount of glass bottles in our recycling bin. Because, admittedly, we drink a lot of beer!

Fourthly, I am adapting the DIY approach in practice, not simply theory. It's time to quit talking and start walking.

Moving to the cabin has encouraged me take the DIY approach rather than being dependent on the market. I've always had this mentality, but living in a city makes it easy to be lazy and hit up the store. I have picked up some books (Radical Homemaking and Make Your Place) about making my own cleaning products, health remedies, and other household concoctions.

Transportation is going to be my biggest obstacle. Currently I live walking distance from nearly everything I need. I can ride my bicycle anywhere and I live right on the city busline. The farm is just far enough outside of the city that even bicycling is not a feasible method of transportation for 6 AM mornings at the coffee shop. To counter this I am looking to purchase a gas efficient vehicle - such a motorcycle - to use as my primary mode of transportation. Jacob and I are considering purchasing a Jeep Cherokee Sport or a similar 4x4 vehicle to share for bad weather or in case we need to transport passengers or items. We are working out ways to eliminate unnecessary car trips by carpooling and running all our errands in one swoop.

Farm Life

For the fourth time in my life I am moving. This will be my first experience living with a romantic partner. We have our concerns, of course, but mostly we are just excited.

I lived in my parent's home for the first eighteen years of my life. My first move was into the dormitory on campus at the University of Cincinnati. The next year I moved into my first apartment on Ohio Ave. I spent three years there and had three roommates. Last January I lived alone for the first time and moved into a one-bedroom down the street. Now I have decided it is time to escape the sounds of college partying and instead surround myself with the tranquility and beauty of nature.

Jacob and I are moving to a farm in Cincinnati. It is seemingly our dream home because it has all the perks of being close to the city, but is secluded and surrounded by fields and forest. It is a rustic cabin located on an organic farm. We are thrilled.

There will be plenty of projects to keep us occupied. Firstly, the cabin is only heated by wood burning stove so we are researching how to properly operate that. Thinking ahead, we are planning ways to cool the home during summer months. We are also looking into methods for pest control - specially mosquitos because the house is located right beside a creek.

We plan to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables. We are also going to raise chickens.


Jacob entering our new front door.

FCKH8.com

It Gets Better!

The It Get Better project is a response to gay bullying, specifically in high schools. The project was prompted by a recent rash of gay youth suicides. The project utilizes social networking to reach out to queer youth with a message of hope. People participate in the project by uploading videos to YouTube describing their experience as a youth and offering encouraging words.

There is no place where fitting in is more important than in a high school. It is hard to feel different in high school, especially if you are being labeled in a way that is different from how you choose to identify. Teens struggling to accept a gender or sexual identity that does not conform with mainstream definitions of "normal" are at a far greater risk for depression and suicide than other teens.

The It Gets Better project attempts to reach out to these students - and any student struggling with their identity - with a positive message of reassurance. Things do change. Yes, it may be hard now, but there are people who understand. There are people who care. There are countless other people who suffered, were harassed, and felt isolated and alone because of their sexual or gender identity - and those people went on to lead happier, better lives. As unfortunate as it is, the reality of our society is that queer people are not treated justly. Until things change, this projects intends to let youth know that even though life may never be perfect, it will get better. It's worth living.

Friends of mine at the University of Cincinnati put together a video to contribute to the project. Their video was featured on the university's homepage, various local news outlets, and the Katie Couric show.

Watch it! It's Amazing.

Pretty Things

I bought a new 15" MacBook Pro this week. After nearly 5 years of use and abuse my previous MacBook was slowly deteriorating and I could hear Steve Jobs telling me it was time to shell out some bones and replace it with a shiny new lap top.


It feels good.

By no means do I advocate finding self-fulfillment through material possessions, but I'll admit: it feels good. Instead of copying my hard drive I am selectively transferring important files. A new hard drive is a new beginning. No more junk and wasted space. I'm turning over a new (digitalized) leaf. I am enjoying the user-friendly interface, the faster processor speed, and all the empty gigabytes that will one day be filled with new thoughts, new pictures, and new sounds. I am reconnected to the wonderful world wide web and now have no excuse to delay making progress on my graduate school application process.

Of course, I couldn't afford this computer. I bought it nearly entirely on credit. But I'm content with the debt. What's the point of working your days away to make money if you aren't going to spend it?

Here's to debt, new beginnings, and being impulsive!

Featuring Me!

In the spring of 2010 I was featured on the University of Cincinnati's website for my involvement in a variety of on campus activities. Click on the above screen shot to read the article.

Guerrilla Queer Ball

Last year a group called Guerrilla Queer Bar formed in Cincinnati to bring awareness to the city's queer population. The group describes their method: "Every FIRST FRIDAY of the month, Cincinnati's queer community will flashmob and take over a popular straight bar, transforming it, for one night only, into queer dance-love-heaven." [From: Facebook]

Since June is National Gay Pride month the group hosted a Guerrilla Queer Ball at the Mockabee in Cincinnati's West End. The party was an absolutely fabulous time, but best of all the party was socially responsible. The struggle for queer equality is not isolated - all oppression is connected. There was a photo op tribute to Butler County Sheriff Jones (a notorious anti-immigration presence in the Greater Cincinnati Area). This display was used to promote an Immigration Reform arch that took place downtown the following day.



Unfortunately I was unable to attend the march in Cincinnati, but I did attend the National Immigration Reform march on the Washington Mall in Washington D.C. in March of 2010. Here is my favorite image:

But I Thought Earth Day Was Last Month...

Being environmental friendly not only saves energy, it also saves money! Here are a few simple ways to "go green" without spending money or making drastic changes to your habits. I will elaborate on some of these suggestions in later posts.

Turn off the lights!

Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.

UNPLUG! Appliances and chargers use electricity even when they are turned off. Power strips make this super simple.

Don't overfill your refrigerator.

Turn off the A/C! Open your windows instead.

Set your thermostat a few degrees lower. (It makes a HUGE difference in your bill.)

Cover your windows with plastic insulation and thick curtains during the winter to retain heat.

Keep your house shaded in the summer by closing blinds in the rooms that get a lot of direct sunlight.

Hang your clothes up to dry instead of using a dryer.

If you use a dishwasher, turn off the heated dry option.

Shower only when necessary. Shower quickly. Learn to enjoy a cool shower.

Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, washing your face, etc.

Wash your clothes only when absolutely necessary, and use cold water.

Don't wash your car or water your lawn. Seriously, is that necessary?

Aim to put less trash on your curb. Recycling, composting, and reducing the amount of single-use products you purchase are some solutions.

Minimize toilet flushes. If it's yellow, let it mellow!

Say NO to bottled water. Buy a reusable beverage container and bring it everywhere.

Make your own cleaning products.

Buy used!

Bring a reusable coffee mug to the cafe. Many places offer a discount for doing so.

Say no to one time use items such as plastic bags, styrofoam containers, straws, and plastic cutlery. Bring along reusable items.

Sign up for online billing and direct deposit to reduce the amount of paper you waste.

Grow your own food!

Use a rain barrel to collect water for your plants.

Walk or ride a bike for nearby errands. Utilize public transportation. When you must drive, combine trips and carpool.

Breastfeed (if applicable).

Use a menstrual cup instead of disposable pads or tampons.

Victoria's (Dirty) Secret

Everyone has probably heard the motto, Think Globally, Act Locally. But how does one think globally while acting locally? One way is by making responsible consumer choices. Every purchase has an impact. When you make a purchase you are choosing to support either a locally-owned business or a multinational corporation. You are choosing to support either a company that promotes human rights by using ethical labor or a company that relies on cheap - often child - labor and uses inhumane conditions such as sweatshops to manufacture goods as cheaply as possible.

Sweatshop labor is pervasive, especially in clothing chains. This reality is a huge deterrent in sustainable living. Personally, it was one of the last things I considered as I thought of ways to make my lifestyle more sustainable. When you need/want something it is a huge hassle to first sit down and research the ethical violations of the company you are considering supporting... especially if the purchase you are about to make is a sale item or an impulse my. I'll admit that a lot of the clothes in my closet were not produced ethically.

Last week I was using a Victoria's Secret gift card and wishfully hoping that just maybe Victoria's secret is that she uses organic, fair trade cotton and her products are made in Ohio, where her company's headquarters are located.

Then I saw this tag:

A glimmer of hope! Made with love, just for me!

But the cynic in my prompted me to look a little deeper. The tag on the inside of the garment revealed:


Made in China? Hmm.

So I went home and with a quick Google search determined that in the future I am going to have to look elsewhere for adorable and comfortable underwear. Shame on you, Victoria, and your dirty little secret.

The National Labor Committee’s report titled, “Sewing Victoria’s Secret: Garments in a Hidden Sweatshop,” outlines the human rights violations committed by the Mina Garments Factory, which supplies goods for Victoria’s Secret. The lack of respect for workers’ basic human rights included the following:

Human trafficking and involuntary servitude of guest workers

Confiscation of workers’ passports and denial of legally required identification cards

Routine work shifts of 14.5 to 15.5 hours, with 40 percent of guest workers kept on 19 hour all-night shifts

No sick days, paid vacations, or government holidays allowed

Wages at 8 percent below the legal minimum

Workers denied the legal 25 or 50 percent premium compensation for overtime hours

Sporadic pay

Inadequate and unsanitary working conditions

Workers subject to pay reductions, humiliation, violence, and threats if production goals not met

Forced deportation for any worker who spoke out about factory conditions

[Source: National Labor Committee] and Green America: Responsible Shopper]

The unfortunate reality is that most mass produced clothes are made overseas in low-income countries, and most often under inhumane conditions. It's hard to avoid. Some companies, such as Urban Outfitters, are starting to carry some eco-friendly and responsible items. All American Apparel clothes are made in the United States (though I have other issues with American Apparel - I'll save that for another post). My solution: by used whenever possible. And buy quality items that will outlasts trends so that you aren't replacing your wardrobe every six months.

Take Back America

So, the other day I was cycling behind a middle age white lady in a fancy car with a bumper sticker that said, Take Back America! and featured the Tea Party Movement logo. I pulled up beside her at a stoplight and asked, "are you Native American?" Of course it was a rhetorical question and of course she just starred at me blankly - but seriously, think about that bumper sticker...



Who are we taking back America from? I have seen other, less subtle, versions of the sticker:





The only people in the country now known as the United States of America that have any right to complain about immigration ruining the country are the Native Americans. The history books are so skewed toward the European male bias that we may have forgotten that we actually took this country over from the native inhabitants. We are all immigrants. Immigration is our heritage and we should embrace that.

Nothing makes me cringe more than the word illegal but I do agree that no one should have to be in this country undocumented. The solution is immigration reform, not deportation.

[Images borrowed from Zazzle]

Sustainable Menstruation

The average woman uses about 17000 tampons in her lifetime and uses nearly 600 pounds of paper and cotton during her menstrual cycle, according to AllNaturalMamas.

Single-use Menstrual products are destined to end up in sewers or landfills. Not only are single-use menstrual products expensive, but they require so much packaging - cardboard boxes, instructions, individual wrappings, applicators, etc. Also, the manufacturing process for menstrual products is environmentally harmful, since the cotton is bleached to pristine white perfection only to be a used to absorb bloody uterine lining and vaginal secretions.

As part of my quest to produce less waste I explored alternatives to disposable pads, tampons, and liners. Menstrual alternatives may sound weird and gross to some women, but I think filling our landfills and clogging our sewers with sanitary pads and tampons is much grosser. Get to know your body and empower yourself. Reusable menstrual products are environmentally and economically sustainable.

Menstrual Cups
Menstrual cups or keepers are made from silicon or latex. They catch rather than absorb menstrual fluid. The soft flexible cups are folded and inserted like a non-applicator tampon. The cups can be worn for up to twelve hours.

When removing the cup simply pour the blood into the toilet and rinse the cup. If you are in a public bathroom just bring a container of water in the stall with you.

Where to buy -
Moon Cup UK
Moon Cup US
Diva Cup

Price: $35-40, needs to be replaced about every five years

My experience -
Insertion was much easier than expected. The cup did not leak at all and posed no problem for bicycling or other activities. I am completely satisfied with my Moon Cup and recommend it to every woman who currently uses tampons or Instead cups.

This video does a great job explaining how to insert and remove a menstrual cup:

Sea Sponge Tampons
Sea sponge tampons are harvested from plant-like sea creatures. The natural fibers are similar in texture to the vaginal wall. They can even be worn during sex! Sea sponge tampons are inserted while wet and are reusable. They can be composted once they wear out. Since sea sponges are simple multi-cellular animals, for this reason some vegans choose not to use sea sponge tampons.

Where to buy -
Jade and Pearl
Sea Pearls UK

Price: $6-15, lasts 3-6 months

Cloth Pad & Liners
Cloth pads can be purchased at healthy living stores or made by hand. Pads typically have wings that wrap around your underwear and are secured with a snap or button. Pads can be worn until they are uncomfortably wet. They can be washed by hand or in a machine; rinsing with cold water is recommended.

Where to buy -
Lunapads
Glad Rags
Make your own!

Price: $5-20, can last 5-7 years.

Here it a template for sewing your own cloth menstrual pad.

Video instructions for LunaPad:

Welcome.

As an ecofeminist I believe social justice and environmental sustainability are connected. We live in a complex world full of beauty, pain, and contradiction. I strive to make decisions that are best for myself and for my planet. I alone may not change the world but my smallness does not justify apathy. I adapt the second wave feminist mantra, the personal is political into my everyday life. I believe that choices such as diet and consumptions habits are political statements, with consequences far surpassing personal satisfaction and budget. I make decisions that reflect my values, though I recognize that I am only human and I live in a world of paradoxes. I still have a lot to learn about sustainable living and I have many bad habits to break. Mindless consumerism is tempting, but I strive to find happiness through living. I am doing the best I can, living with an open mind, and constantly seeking new information. This blog will follow my personal journey toward a sustainable lifestyle and provide feedback and advice to others interested in issues such as feminism, environmentalism, ecofeminism, vegetarianism/veganism, sustainability, social justice, equality, cultural studies, bicycling, eduction reform, and drug policy reform.