It’s Earth Day, or Earth Month as I like to think of it. Every publication I’ve touched has a “green” theme – even my husband’s car magazines. The Sunday New York Times Magazine this week is no exception, and I thought it would be great for my fellow Long Beachers to benefit from what it has to offer.
Instead of the usual trio of long articles, this week’s magazine features a series of short vignettes on a wide range of environmental topics, including innovation, technology, policy, and just plain useful information. They’re grouped under the headings ACT, EAT, INVENT, LEARN, LIVE, MOVE, and BUILD, so you can go to your area of main interest, or drink from all the wells.
Don’t get me wrong: you won’t find crystal-clear answers to all your environmental questions here. A lot of the issues are so complex as to defy conclusions. For example, the question of whether to buy local or long-distance produce is addressed by the managing director of the Oakland-based Global Footprint Network, my good friend Susan Burns (how great to see her quoted!). She explains that to make this evaluation, you’d have to know how a fruit or vegetable was transported and how it was grown – data not generally stamped on a banana.
However, apparently it’s basically a wash between using disposable or cloth diapers! Who knew? Donella Meadows, another sage of sustainability, once observed that the truly important decision was having the baby.
Other highlights of the magazine include an eco-profile of LA resident Bill Nye, “The Science Guy,” and Michael Pollan’s article arguing in favor of individual actions to reduce environmental impact. I was surprised to read in Newsweek’s “green” issue that their science writer, Sharon Begley, believes only large-scale government policy can have much effect. I think the only way such policy changes will ever occur is when enough people (voters, that is) are willing to act differently. Hence the influence – and necessity – of numerous individual actions.
There’s much to learn from in this magazine. Read it for information, read it for inspiration – but read it.