Stream Saver Buffer Bill, also

Hello again,
    I just realized the deadline for signing the Stream Saver Buffer petition at I Love Mountains is November 23.  Please check it out too if you get a chance! 
Love!
m

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1741/t/6874/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26041

Wilson Creek!

Dear friends,

   I know lots of y'all have heard me ramble on and on about Bev May's place in Eastern KY.  The time to act to protect it has come!  At this link you can learn more about the fight at Wilson Creek as well as sign a petition and get an address for letter writing, should you be so inclined.  <http://www.kftc.org/our-work/canary-project/campaigns/wilson-creek>  

This is the place that made me want to do this work.  Please sign the petition before December 1st.  This is an important case because the lands unsuitable for mining hearing (Dec. 1) will be filmed for a documentary, so your support not only helps this particular holler but is part of a larger fight against mountaintop removal.  This is relevant not just because it tugs on your heartstrings but for many of you, your power comes from MTR.  To find out where your power comes from visit: http://www.ilovemountains.org/myconnection/

Thanks y'all!

love,

megasus

reflections over a lunch break...

And today I'm moved by many things.  It was a rainy morning so I walked through the alumni fields to work, rather than riding my bike.  Perhaps this slow start is something I should do more often.  I'm still buzzing by the momentum of the work that people are doing around sustainability.  Also, I'm very inspired by the group of folks who I met in the open space session who shared perspectives and goals about environmental justice. 

On my lunch break today I went to the spiritual seekers gathering.  The focus today was on the Baha'i faith.  There were things I was surprised to learn.  It was news to me that the Baha'i faith views homosexuality as a state of spiritual sin.  This stands out particularly in contrast to the recent e-mail I got from RVUUC that they've just officially become a welcoming congregation.  Also, this stands out to me in news of California's recent overturning of same-sex marriages.  I find it so hard to believe that as a heterosexual I have access to marriage and the legal benefits thereof (even though I respect a variety of relationship models/arrangements which differ from mainstream culture) and my homosexual friends do not.  I know that we, as a society, have a long way to go towards equality.

Another side note is that on my walk back to my office I was, as I always am, in absolute awe of the plants I saw.  The ginkgo is in full color, about to drop leaves any day now and I saw many maples flaming red, even on this overcast day.  I'm so moved by plants that I question my choice of work.  I wonder if I ought to pursue something botany focused, agricultural, or something outdoors to pay my bills after this position.  In the search for my vocation I wonder if I should seek that which brings me absolute joy (knowing that my allergies would be more aggrivated by outdoor work), or if I should seek the work that supports that which I'm most grateful for.  I wonder what role my work should play in my life and to what degree it should be connected to my spirituality.  I wonder if the best way I could show my appreciation would be work in environmental advocacy... potentially growing up to be some sort of a Lorax.  Who's to say?  Either way, I'm so grateful today for the blooming African Violet (it's the most bizarre one I've ever seen, it looks a lot like a Dr. Suess character) that is in my office. 

...and this day of hope. 

love to y'all,
m

ps-the grateful list:
-missy darling, and her recent visit which included a long rambling wander at the Pinnacle
-Environmental Justice pioneers and leaders such as Van Jones
-people everywhere who dedicate their lives to becoming catalysts for positive change, however they understand that (even the folks who have ideas about what positive means that contradict my own!  I respect their passion)
-plants!!!
        -flowers that surprise me after a week out of the office
        -my giant asparagus fern with new shoots last week
        -the nearly popping bloom of the Christmas cactus in my room
        -the ordinary yet stunning beauty of Appalachia in the fall, particularly on this quiet rainy morning... with fall colors-peaked and peaking--and misty foothills
-clean water to drink
-continued access to food
-music, mason jennings song "darkness between the fireflies" 
-the seasonal nature of it all... I'm grateful for the time I had with Vince as well as the time with the Boone St. kids (alix and eli)... and too I'm grateful for this new time of transition to different kinds of friendships with folks (here's to hopin' that we're all able to adjust to these new relationships and find balance that is fair to all involved).

Van Jone's speech

Van Jones rocked the house... read notes from his speech here!

http://www.edcc.edu/afterwords/?p=198

Al Gore's energy plan...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/opinion/09gore.html?_r=1&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink&oref=slogin

Check it, y'all.  Rad.  The AASHE conference was really good, we are working to get them to support Environmental Justice work more as an organization... and that adventure has a fun little story that I hope to get around to sharin' soon.  I'm at work right now, so I've got to skidattle.

more to come soon...
love!
m

ps-movin' party next weekend (Nov 22)!  Woot!

Time Magazine Article

Hey folks,

   Here's an article in Time Magazine about recent direct action to stop a new Coal-Fired Power Plant.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1856987,00.html