Time for America to Lead Environmental Change

First appeared on April 21st, 2012
in The Lebanon Reporter

Some would argue winning World War II was America’s high water mark. And for you kids too busy for a history lesson, it’s true your great-grandparents helped save the world sans the cape and tights. And for our efforts, or more to the point those of your great-grandparents, we became honorary Captains of the World.

And while we wore this title with great pride and paraded our values around the globe with the noblest of intentions, shoving freedom in every open craw we came across, somehow the America heading for the twenty-teens, the same place that gave the world the airplane, computers and the Internet, suddenly finds itself an oil-splotched, coal fired dinosaur, defecating mountains of garbage and farting ozone depleting gasses.

If we are still to be the world’s Go-To-Guy on everything then the greatest fight perhaps lies ahead. Once again the world needs rescuing; only this time it’s from itself. If you please, swallow the urge to belch “This sounds like an Al Gore rant”, I’m not here to browbeat you for driving to work alone while drinking your coffee in Styrofoam cups only to turn around and hop on my private jet bound for the weekend shack I bought in Cannes using the money I earned by investing in a Styrofoam coffee cup start up.

But be it an addiction to oil, phobia of renewable energies or the unfathomable amount of garbage we create daily, there are problems the world needs to address. And before Dick Cheney tries to convince you there’s a military option, it starts with us (as in me the person who wrote this and you, the person reading it right now).
From its inception America has been a leader, and it’s this punch first hope for the best style that makes us the beautiful tragedy we are. Today it’s time for us to lead the world in a new direction however. One that will bring us a longer life and our children a healthier planet.

To date recycling is the easiest method we have for saving the world and yet, just like soccer and the Metric System, Americans are yet to fully embrace it. Jennifer Lawrence, Executive Director of the Boone County Solid Waste Management District, says inconvenience is the number one reason people give for not recycling.“(Boone County offers) alternatives such as curbside pick-up, the Lebanon Street Department, (and) County recycling drop locations,” Lawrence explains.

Many of you already recycle to which the Earth, wheezing for oxygen and fighting a bad case of garbage-induced indigestion, says thank you. Jennifer points out that those of you who do recycle have already helped create new materials from your old garbage. “The list of items that can be produced directly from recycled materials is endless,” Lawrence points out. Everything from Picnic Tables and Park Benches to Rubber Playground Mulch, Bicycle Racks, Clothes, Stuffed Animals, Pens, and Pencils can all be made from recycled materials.

Lawrence advises batteries can be tricky. “Rechargeable batteries and cell phones are probably the least recycled,” She explains, “Alkaline household batteries are not recyclable nor hazardous.” The BCSWMD also wants people to know they have a local office in Lebanon where residents can either leave items or find help determining the best destination for taking them.
Still, with so many alternatives, far too much goes unrecycled.

Packaging is a notorious culprit. And while some Americans have done it, working around packaging is not a viable option in many cases. Nobody is asking for you to move up into the mountains, put out a self-sustaining garden, grow a beard and build a bi-level out of rocks and moss; rather the idea is to simply take a second look at what the family puts in the garbage bin.

The website “how to make a difference now” reminds us there are many ways we can reduce packaging. The 2 easiest methods being to take our own reusable bags to the grocery while also buying items in bulk whenever we can.
For some it’s about a lifestyle change. But not a stop cutting your hair and pay $50,000 for a 3 cylinder car that runs on a mix of switchgrass, sunflower seeds and used Q-Tips kind of change. Rather it’s simply a second look at what gets purchased and what gets tossed away.

Perhaps it has another use besides becoming archaeological fodder for some team of scientists 2,000 years from now who are left only to ponder why individual packs of Capri Sun were necessary if people drank them in their homes anyway.
The time has come for America to take the lead in building a greener world. But for those of us worried about getting Johnny to soccer practice on time or making sure the local utilities don’t shut the lights off at home anytime soon, developing new alternatives to fossil fuels and reducing carbon ozone emissions may be lofty goals.

But to take a second look at what we purchase and what we throw away isn’t asking all that much; and what better time to start than on Earth Day? And if you’re still unconvinced, or want the complete rundown of what is and is not recyclable or where to take them, give Jennifer a call at BCSWMD; she is nice and they can be reached 8-4 Monday through Friday at 483-0687.

© 2012 Eric Walker Williams

Even in the midst of Snowpocalypse, the All Star game looks bad

First appeared on February 17th, 2010
in The Lebanon Reporter

Well it turns out Snowpocalypse was the monster they said it would be. Few could have predicted the level of collateral damage we would see in the snowmaker’s wake however. Turns out it grounded thousands of flights, stopped Washington D.C. in its tracks (insert joke here) and even forced some people to do the impossible; yes we’re talking about watching the NBA All Star game.
With interstates closed, airports shut down and milk flying off the shelves of every 7-11 from Chicago to Long Island, there was little reason for people to get out; so the NBA All Star game became the next logical choice (and yes, I can’t believe I just said that either).
Of course Snowpocalypse couldn’t stop everyone as Al Gore was reportedly spotted in Vancouver over the weekend selling An Inconvenient Truth T-shirts out of the trunk of his car.
Seeing the NBA All Star roster tells you immediately everything that’s wrong with the internet. At one time players were chosen by fans who actually ventured outside of their homes and paid good money for terrible seats just to curse out officials while watching their favorite teams. These were people who at least understood one of the main objectives in basketball is to put the orange ball through the round hoop looking thing. Enter the internet. Where anyone with a laptop, internet access and a half hour to kill can literally vote for the worst player in the league 11,000 times.
Alas this is the world NBA Commissioner David Stern has created. Sunday however, Stern was forced to take an uncomfortable backseat to Jerry Jones and his own personal attempt at redefining the old adage “Everything’s bigger in Texas”. Of course we’re talking about Cowboys Stadium.

Over 108,000 fans turned out to watch the East take on the West in Sunday’s 59th NBA All Star game. In case you’re wondering what 108,000 fans at a basketball game looks like, just imagine someone spilling an ant farm into a cereal bowl the size of New Jersey.
108,000 people. That’s like having the entire city of Gary, Indiana attend the same game at the same time; twice. If it weren’t for a scoreboard the size of Swaziland, those sitting in the upper decks of Cowboy’s Stadium Sunday would have had to rely on internet updates just to know who scored. Perhaps most amazing of all is the fact that we can hang a scoreboard larger than a basketball floor but McDonalds can’t make a lid that will stay on their coffee cups.
But back to the game. Reluctant All Star game viewers have grown accustomed to some All Stars being wheeled onto the floor because they’re so old and past their prime. Watching aged, former stars trying to stay up with younger, rising stars is perfect fodder for a Scooter Store commercial. Come to think of it, the game would have been more interesting if they would have been riding scooters. It’s billed as the world’s greatest pick up game, though I’ve seen more competitive and interesting games at recess.
The All Star get-togethers of every major sport are quickly losing their charm. To mixed reviews, baseball and football have both experimented with changing formats. The case to keep the NBA All Star game unchanged is perhaps strongest from those high school and college coaches who secretly pine: “If only there was a way to show players how to make terrible passes, take awful shots and play absolutely no defense”. And if this is what Stern was shooting for Sunday, then 108,000 plus got their money’s worth.

What does Football on Hardwood, Al Gore, old Chevy Impala's and the Cold War have in common?

First appeared on December 1st, 2009
in The Lebanon Reporter

Well it’s that time of the year again; the proverbial “Most wonderful time of the year”. For Big Ten fans however, the ACC/Big Ten challenge has not been a wonderful time for anything. For far too long, or since its inception whichever you please, the Challenge has ended with the Big Ten finding itself in a familiar spot; safely strapped to the ACC’s whipping post.
There is a saying in Slavic cultures about whipping posts which goes “Nothin’ seems to change, bad times stay the same”, or maybe that was the Allman Brothers, either way for 11 years the numbers don’t lie. The ACC has been dominant winning all 10 challenges with an overall advantage of 62-35.
In years past one got the feeling the Big Ten had about as much chance of winning the Challenge as that of an Aztec prisoner escaping a ritual sacrifice. And for those of you who didn’t major in World History, that chance would be zero. The only thing more amazing than the ACC’s dominance in the Challenge is the fact that ESPN continues to pay for the rights to broadcast it.
The Big Ten’s inability to win the Challenge has been a harbinger of their performance on the national stage as well. For the last 20 years, rare has been the number one seed or Final Four. In fact since 1989 the Big Ten has notched only 2 National Champions while the ACC has seen 7 teams cut the nets down.
But this year is different. This year there is something in the air. Al Gore would tell you it is too much hair spray or the exhaust of a ’78 Chevrolet Impala, but I believe it to be the winds of change. This year the Big Ten seems to once again resemble the power basketball conference it once was.
To be clear, this is the year the Big Ten will finally win the challenge for the first time. Write it down, fold it up and send it in, there is no way the Big Ten loses for an eleventh time (at least not this year).
Currently the Big Ten boasts 5 ranked teams with 2 in the Top 10. Conversely the ACC has 3 ranked with only 1 being a Top 10 squad. While a few of the match ups may appear to be one-sided (see Maryland vs. Indiana), Sparty (the only Big Ten team with a winning record in the Challenge) facing UNC on the road and Illinois going to Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum are just two games that should prove extremely interesting.
Purdue’s “football on the hardwood” should be enough to manhandle Wake Forest while both Penn State and Northwestern have opportunities to open some eyes with tough road wins.
In a week where we should be discussing which undefeated college football team will wind up where, the BCS has once again reminded us that hers is a system born of that rare combination of indecision and incompetence. With this in mind, the Big Ten/ACC challenge moves to the forefront of our attention. So roll the balls out and let’s go.
For three days Purdue fans root for IU and Buckeyes cheer for the Maize and Gold. For three days the Big Ten is the United States and the ACC is the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. It’s corn-fed beef and combines versus shellfish and sailboats, the black and blue bang’em up style of the Big Ten versus the wide open play of the ACC. On second thought, maybe this is the most wonderful time of the year.

Around the World and back-by hybrid car?

First appeared on July 29th, 2009
in The Lebanon Reporter

The next time your job seems impossible or painfully repetitive, take a moment to think of Oliver Hicks. This Englishman, who was first to row a boat solo across the Atlantic, is currently attempting to row solo “around the world”. Of course his definition of “around the world” is highly debatable as Hicks is rowing an extreme southern route around Antarctica. It still bears mentioning that, while his may not be a true “around the world” adventure, it is nonetheless impressive as the seas around Antarctica are notorious for being violent and unruly. In addition to this, rowing a boat can be quite taxing as anyone who has ever done so for any length of time knows, be it five minutes or the four months it took Hicks to cross the Atlantic.
Zac Sunderland knows something about high seas adventure as well. While most teenagers fret about passing Biology or fending off a bad case of acne, the 16 year old Sunderland had larger fish to fry in trying to survive 15 foot seas and pirates in the Indian Ocean. Last week this young American became the first sailor under the age of 18, and the youngest ever, to circumnavigate the world solo. And while circumnavigation may be a large word, it does not begin to describe how massive a challenge going around the world in anything actually is.
Beyond the sheer size of the planet, 24,000 miles around when she’s sporting form fitting jeans, there are so many unpredictable hazards involved with circling the globe that courage surely must prove a fickle companion to those attempting it solo. Whether it be by airplane (American Wiley Post 1933), sailboat (Englishman Robin Knox Johnston 1968) or hot air balloon (American Steve Fossett 2002), being the first to go around the world alone in anything is beyond brave; but to do it as a 16 year old kid is altogether inspiring. Rumor has it Al Gore has found Zac’s story so inspirational he’s going to try to be the first to go around the world in a hybrid car, good luck Al.
Sailing aboard the 36 foot Intrepid, it took Sunderland 13 months to go from Marina del Ray back to Marina del Ray. His most harrowing moments came when he was forced to sail with busted mast rigging and a shaky radar, unfortunate events that forced him to go 60 hours without sleep. Remember this is a kid who should be more worried about getting his learner’s permit so he can drive grandma to the pharmacy instead of searching the ocean in pitch black darkness for cargo ships so massive they could have sliced the Intrepid in two like a warm stick of butter.
With stories like the wreck of the Titanic and those highlighting the horrible fate of the U.S.S. Indianapolis crew, the ocean has long been a point of romanticism and fascination. And while Deadliest Catch may go a long way in reminding us the open ocean and Mother Nature are both formidable foes, with all man has done to conquer the world he lives in, it is far too easy to forget the ocean itself is a mass of deadly potential.
Forget Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, from rogue waves to shifting winds or the tectonic activity that spawn deadly episodes like the tsunami of 2004 (estimated to have killed over 300,000 people), the ocean should strike awe and wonder in our hearts while also commanding our respect. So here’s to young Zac Sunderland and the optimistic Oliver Hicks, may yours be a journey appreciated by all.