4.6: Sustainability and Education

"The challenge of sustainability may be viewed as a major threat/opportunity to existing cultural systems." -Stephen Sterling

My interpretation of this quote is that the idea of sustainability is indeed a threat to existing cultural systems but is also an opportunity for people in a culture to learn the benefits of being part of a sustainable system. Sustainability is a threat to a culture that values and depends on consumerism for social acceptance and self-worth. But, it is an opportunity for those involved in systems that consume to experience social interactions that are community and environmentally based, which allows individuals to understand the importance of communication and interconnectedness with the environment for a meaningful life.

The link provided in our module on "Sustainability and Education" was not working, so I will discuss three aspects pertaining to education that can contribute to sustainability. In John Gatto's book "Dumbing Us Down," he describes several ways in which the U.S. education system is "dumbing down" children. In school, children are taught to listen and "learn" from their teachers. Knowledge is not linear, so therefore teachers are not the only source of knowledge, it is through the interaction of individuals and the sharing of experiences that we can learn from each other, not just from one source. Also, students are graded only on things that are objective, or measurable, so creativity is limited and children are expected to conform to cultural expectations. Finally, children are "prisoners" of school because they are trapped in a building the majority of the day and are unable to interact with people and nature. These three faults that our education system advocates do not encourage creativity, uniqueness, or interpersonal relationships. The system of education that the U.S. has now favors individualism, subordination, and disconnection so that the system of capitalism and consumerism can flourish.

Although Hawai'i is a state where education is not performing to national "standards" there are many programs throughout the state that have schools were "at-risk" students attend and succeed. I am amazed and excited to know that there are charter schools on this island that are culturally based that educate students who might not fit into the "western" schools. It is important to have schools that recognize the importance of culture and the relevance of information that is incorporated in these schools. It is possible to teach students math, reading and writing by incorporating culturally relevant knowledge so students can succeed and feel that what they are doing is not difficult, but beneficiary to the way of their specific life. It is important for children to know that their ancestors were successful in terms of literacy and knowledge that came from experiencing life from the land, and that is why indigenous cultures were so successful. These cultures did not consume more than what they needed, they learned through experience and survival that it is important to have a community that valued the environment.

4.5: Sustainability and Diversity

Westernization is a process that encourages uniformity rather than respecting and valuing diversity. This thought pattern discourages creativity and devalues any cultures that do not value uniformity. It is apparent, during these times, that individualism and capitalistic attitudes do not foster positive relationships with people and the environment in which they live. It is important for the well being of all living and none living systems that we interact with to become selfless and compassionate towards each other and our environment for our overall survival (Omprakash Foundation).

We are currently involved in a process of transforming our system of consumption to a more sustainable, nonpolluting way of life. Van Jones would refer to this transformation or movement as "the green power shift." He believes that the social and economic crisis we are facing is a result of the system of competition and consumption in our society. We devalue diversity, compete with races, ethnicity's, and try to conform to the "western culture." While doing so, we limit the possibilities of interaction, jobs, and a more sustainable interconnectedness with all people and systems in which we live. There is not going to be just one person involved in making our world a better place to live, the hero/in is going to be us, a collective whole. We have the media technology to reach people all over the world, and we can share our ideas and accomplishments easily, which Jones strongly suggests. We have to use the technologies we have to connect with people, communicate and change our culture of consumption to foster a greener way of life by respecting diversity.

I had no idea that there were so many thousands of variations of plants, and that until now we only use just a handful to market and sell in our stores. The whole idea of "patenting" a living organism and then that organism belonging to a corporation is ludicrous! After learning about how corporations actually influence policies within our own government, it is apparent that these corporations are using life to benefit themselves by making money off of products that should not be strictly owned by a company. Altering or poisoning the food we consume is inhumane and unethical. The diversity of plants and organisms that we eat for our health should not be limited to just a select portion, but most of all they should not be "owned" by companies that would in turn say because we consumed them, that we owe them money for it.

4.4: Social and Environmental Justice in Hawai'i

Millions of visitors come to Hawai'i to experience the spirit of "aloha" each year. Unfortunately, these visitors experience the "commercialized aloha" that has no real spirit or cultural relevance. The "commercialized aloha" is a creation by the U.S. government which is used to benefit the government monetarily while lying to millions of tourists each year that they have experienced the true nature of aloha. After the occupation and annexation of the original Hawaiian government, the U.S. forcefully banned the culture. Hawai'i had a prosperous, sustainable lifestyle where human-environmental interaction was balanced. Soon, Hawaiians were banned from spiritual practices, their language and their previous lifestyle, and they had to adapt to the westernization of Hawai'i.

The land was not viewed as something to own, it was viewed as an essential source of life that was and is sacred. The military occupation of Hawaiian lands has been disrespectful and dangerous. Dangerous to the health and spiritual well being of the Hawaiian people. The levels of uranium in the environment due to military bombings is hazardous to the environment and to ecological ecosystems, and to the health of the people who live in surrounding areas.

The displacement of the Hawaiian people and their culture has had a detrimental effect on their lifestyle, and they are still in the process of adapting to the western culture. Fortunately, there are many movements across the islands that encourage Hawaiians to become aware of how their ancestors lived and to incorporate that indigenous lifestyle to live a more sustainable life. The concept of aloha is not lost, it is apparent that native Hawaiians who are spiritual understand the importance of living a life that is relative to sustainability, because that is what worked for thousands of years. Living with people and nature in love has been a part of their culture for centuries, and that is what the western culture is not aware of, but will learn to incorporate in order to survive in the future.

4.3: Sustainability, Health, and Healing

"Healthy Living In Community," written by Cornelia Featherstone describes the importance of having a healthy lifestyle which has a direct affect on the health of our Earth. When we take responsibility of our health and apply it to our daily lives, we are modeling positive behaviors that can empower others to change something about themselves to be more healthy. By connecting with our spirit through meditation, exercising, eating healthy, doing work that is fulfilling, having leisure time, taking care of children and elders we have the ability to change our system, our mode of functioning, to becoming more aware of the importance of sustainability in our communities.

After Reviewing the movie trailer for "Sicko," I am surprised to know that prisoners of Guantanamo Bay receive FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, and they have state of the art medical equipment serving these people! It seems that our government is more involved in participating in wars than taking care of the health needs of American's. Clearly, people in government use communication as a tool to decieve people by using ambiguous language to make money from people who are suffering from illnesses.

I cannot believe that British people ONLY have to pay $10 for perscription drugs! I suffered from sever acne for several years as a young adult and had to pay $500 a month for the medication (nothing else was working and that I had to take it for 14 months)! It is clear that the health care industry within the U.S. does not foster sustainable health, rather, the health industry consumes so much money from us that we are forced to work (forced to be involved in the capitalistic culture) so we can pay for our health. Clearly, working all the time does not foster a healthy lifestyle because we miss out on all the activities that Featherstone describes as being essential to our entire well-being.

The World Healing Institute describes three systems that need to be connected in order to heal the world and they are: being aware of environmental issues, healing and connecting children and their caregivers, and having complimentary, cutting-edge healing modalities.

The organization "Five Mountains Hawai'i" is located in North Hawai'i and is "working to build a healthy community." From viewing their website, the have many programs within the organization that incorporate healthy eating habits, exercise, drug-awareness, and leisure activities. I would suggest that they could incorporate workshops that are culturally relevant that would allow North Hawai'i residents to become more spiritually aware (i.e. through hula, meditation, etc). Also, they could include a program that encourages teens and adults to interact and communicate with the elderly. Not only would they be helping the elderly complete tasks, but the communication and story telling that would take place would serve as a way of connecting the past with the future (ideas of sustainability that they encountered growing up on an island that has changed drastically within the last 50 years).

4.2: Personal Story

After reviewing Dr. Becker's Blog 3, two ideas that she had in her blog reminded me of home: nature deficit disorder and ecovillages. I grew up in a rural town known as Bethel, which is located in southwest Alaska. The only way to get into our town is to fly in (the nearest city is 400 miles away), and there aren't very many road systems in town. Our "roads" were the rivers and vast expanse of tundra that our ancestors had travelled and shared the unmarked paths with their children. I was fortunate enough to have my grandmother to teach me how to navigate those rivers to get to "fish camp" and other neighboring villages, as well as places we went to pick berries during the summer months.

In the winter months (8 months out of the year), my friends and I had many activities that we were involved in outside. As a child, we never suffered from nature deficit disorder, because we were constantly outside! In fact, after school, even though it would be getting dark by then, we would congregate on one of the many lakes in our neighborhood and cleared any snow off of the ice. We would enjoy making designs, making up games as we uncovered the ice, and afterwards ice skated. We would play tag, freeze tag, even hockey when we were feeling competitive. We created snow tunnels, constructed igloos (which is very difficult) and tried to find the best hills to slid on. Our schools didn't incorporate outdoor activities, because they felt liable if a child were to get frost bitten, so we always made sure we utilized our spare time outside. My childhood was amazing, and the friendships and times spent in nature were the most memorable.

Returning to the idea of an "ecovillage," my family participated in "fish camp" during the summer months that strongly resemble the functions of an ecovillage. In June, my family and I would travel by boat to a family established camp where we had been subsistence fishing with other families for generations. As a young boy, I was always eager to see my friends that I only connected with during the summer months because they lived in villages 30 or so miles away from Bethel. We lived in small establishments without running water and electricity. We spent 2 months harvesting salmon, where we preserved and smoked them for food.

At fish camp, we worked together to gather supplies we needed to survive while also taking care of the fish. It was here that I learned to only take what you needed from nature, that being firewood, specific wood that was needed to smoke the fish, and also to obtain the amount of fish we needed to last us through the winter months (which wasn't a lot). During our down time, I connected with many of the other children and we played on the muddy banks of the river, learning to swim, exploring the forested areas, playing lap game, and even making new games up as the days went by. Fish camp was a very social place where we learned to be sustainable and responsible for what we consumed from nature. Everyone had and shared specific tasks (i.e. hand washing and line drying clothes, cutting the grass, collecting wood, hauling water) and we continue to do this every summer. I hope to share this with my children or friends in the future.

4.1: Systems Theory

1.) The film The Story of Stuff is an eye-opening, 30 minute film on the basic structure and culture of consumerism that the U.S. perpetuates. In terms of Systems Theory, the culture of consumerism is a linear, self-destructive force that has exploited natural resources all over the world, as well as the health of the people who are paid poorly by large U.S. based corporations. We are exploiting natural resources quickly, using dangerous chemicals to create products, distributing them at low costs to keep the destructive system going, being pressured to consume products to make ourselves "feel better" just to get rid of them quickly. We need to use LinkThinking techniques to "see the larger picture" of our destructive behaviors. People should be told the truth and feel that our government is in control "by the people, for the people" so we can feel that making changes in our culture can occur.

2.) Three systems that Cornell connects with sustainability to are: Energy (efficiency and conservation), Environment (protecting biodiversity and resource management), and Economic Development (sustainable development, food and H20 systems).

3.) As a culture that does not value our environment, the short film sharing facts with us about our consumerist culture was honest and alarming. I certainly feel that by being exposed to what we are doing to our environment in terms of "the big picture" or "large scale" makes me feel I need to be more aware of my consumptive tendencies. I liked the end of the film when we are reminded that each of us has the power within ourselves to make a difference on our environment, and that eventually with a collective attitude for protecting our environment, we can save our resources and become more health conscious.

Extra Credit: Dr. Meyer's Presentation

I attended Dr. Meyer's presentation on "Deconstructing Capitalism" this afternoon on-campus. She talked about the importance of looking at indigenous practices that sustained human living and interaction before colonialism and how it was successful. She briefly discussed the the system of capitalism that we are in now, which strongly affects our lives and that it is a destructive force of energy that can possibly "end our existence" because of the nature of consumption (capitalism is not a sustainable system).

Dr. Meyer's stressed the importance of interpersonal relationships, as she incorporated dyad work and communication throughout her presentation. It is important to discuss our thoughts and learn with and from others, because that is how we build communities and positive relationships. She strongly believes in the importance of meaningful relationships, and I have known this for a while, because I am taking a class from her right now. She wants us to talk with each other, build relationships and have meaningful exchanges of thoughts.

We also participated in ancient Hawai'ian prayers for being thankful for our experiences. As we sung together holding hands, it felt as if we were becoming empowered within ourselves to take responsibility of being sustainable, but also feeling connected with everyone in the room that we would be becoming sustainable together...not alone. Building a community is important, and that was what Dr. Meyer's was able to communicate to everyone in the room. A vision, shared goal, why it is important, and our responsibility as adults in a generation to create change for the benifit of life.

3.3: Group Contract

Group 2 Contract

The Plant it Forward organization promises to uphold the mission established.  This mission states that the members of our organization work to, “Promote sustainability by creating a movement that teaches others to grow their own food and medicine and pass it forward.”

To organize and discuss the best ways to approach our mission we have agreed to meet every Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in a designated and private location.  Meeting normally last an hour and allow for all members to contribute.

Also, as a group we have exchanged personal contact information.  This allows the other members of Plant it Forward to have access to each other in case there is any discrepancy or problem that needs instant resolution.  In case of conflict, the group will use the techniques developed by the non-violent communication to resolve the conflict in a timely manner and come to a group consensus.

This is a social contract not binding by law.

Plant It Forward members:

Fleming, Patrick M.              x_________________

Gronquist, Katherine x_________________

Meier-Mcgrath, Robbie  x_________________

Neck, Curtis L. x_________________

Rapholz, Jessica M. x_________________

2.6: First Group Meeting

Our team met two weeks ago and decided on a project called "Plant it Forward." We brainstormed and agreed on this project shortly after it was introduced. We like the concept, so check out our minutes under "Group 2 Meeting" and a detailed list of what we discussed can be pulled up as an attachment. 

I feel that our team works very well together, we communicate respectfully and discuss ideas are contributed. Also, we decided to meet every Thursday on-campus  to discuss what is being accomplished. I'm looking forward to the outcome and impact of our Project. :D

1.1: Profile Description

My name is Curtis Neck, and I am majoring in communication. After graduation I will be working full-time as a hair stylist in Hilo (working part-time at the moment due to school), with a goal of building my clientele to it's fullest potential. At this point, I have almost completed my goal of finishing my degree at UH Hilo, while starting my own small business. My next goal would be to settle down in Hilo while enjoying the things I love to do the most, which include: doing hair, surfing and playing volley ball. Those activities are truly what make me happy and have helped me feel like a member of this community. 

My relationship to sustainability stems within the Yup'ik culture I grew up in (southwest Alaskan native). We respect the land and animals by taking only what we need while keeping the environment clean and allowing nature to replenish itself. In my life, I push myself to recycle as many used products as possible. I incorporate organic products in the salon (shampoos and conditioners) and are always on the watch for new eco-friendly products from lower-wattage light bulbs to recycled paper products for salon use. 

The connection I have with Hawai'i would be the land. I strongly feel that I was brought here to settle and call home. Coming from Alaska, I've always been an out-doors person and have enjoyed activities that involve being a part of nature. I feel that Hawai'i allows me to do more outdoor projects such as hiking, swimming and landscaping (my landlord only allows native plants to be grown on the property). 

I live in Paradise Park with my Hanai mother Stacey. I met her years ago through a friend, her and I became extremely close, and she offered me to rent a room in her home when I was looking for a new place to live. 

I would like to know how communication has an effect on sustainable living, and how I can contribute to the global community as a member of our society. 

My area of interest within communication is more human focused, interpersonal/group communication. I feel that I am skilled and knowledgeable in this area. I am interested in the ways in which people communicate and why they communicate the way they do. 

After viewing The 11th Hour a behavior change that I would implement would be to support local businesses such as farmers. Large corporations not only disrupt community cohesion but also add to the waste and consumption of materials that are not environmentally forgiving. 

3.4: Part A Conflict

Marshal Rosenberg's article, "Bringing Peace to the World" was my personal favorite conflict management technique. Rosenberg stresses the importance of mindfulness by asking ourselves what our feelings and needs are and not blaming ourselves or others when our feelings and needs are not being met. Instead, by figuring out who we are as people, and what needs we have, we can learn to connect with others by exuding empathy and connecting with them on a human level. We can learn to let go of judgments and biases by not focusing on blame, but on the person as an individual who has feelings and needs just as we do (we no longer see them as objects). It is important to listen empathetically to others with warmth so they feel heard and understood, and as a result, conflict within ourselves and towards a situation can subside. 

Examples of situations where non-violent communication can have an impact on sustainability in our world is endless. One pressing issue we can address with NVC could be promoting solar or wind generated energy. We would first have to identify the need and urgency of why such energy is beneficial for our community and world, sharing a common vision and goal with others. Next, we would have to communicate to our local, state and national government the vision and goal we need for clean energy. Both the sides of the arguments should be heard with compassion and understanding, and also allowing large companies or organizations (the people they work for) to be seen as humans and not "corporate gangs." It would be important to allow these workers to be asked questions that would allow them to feel human and not representations of what their companies goals are (to make money) but to really allow them to understand the environmental and human need for having sustainable energy (which benefits our existence and environment). Consistency with empathy is key, it would be the driving collective force of humans that would influence our democratic governments to change the climate of our communities and environment. 

Extra Credit #5: Recycle For Cash

I did check out the website, read through their terms and conditions, etc. I have created an account with them (which is mandatory before payment is made). I priced an old camera that may be on the verge of not working but still functional, and they would send me $30.01, BUT they decide upon the arrival of the camera whether or not that is the actual price they would send me. Apparently, under terms and conditions, you have 5 days to accept or deny the price, otherwise they compensate you with what they believe the product is worth and you receive a check within 30 days after the product has been finalized on an agreed on price. 

If I had any electronics that were not functioning at the time, I would try to send one in, but I'd rather wait until my camera no longer works. That way, with their pre-paid postage, I'm not losing any money if it happens to be a hoax, which I don't think it is. I've shared it with members of my household and have decided to use the site when any of our electronics are of no use to them! I will write about the experience of trading in a product when I actually feel the need to do so (when something is of absolutely no use). 

3.2: Group Meeting Number 2

Our group met and posted our minutes under "Group 2" in the discussion board. We assigned tasks for our project to get a head start with our "Plant it Forward" idea. The questions pertaining to this assignment are answered in the attached file which are available for others to view. We are meeting again tomorrow to see our progress of assigned tasks and to help one another if any of us need it. 

3.1: Leadership

After reading the chapter on Leadership, I've thought about the benefit of empowering others to step into power. Hide Enomoto's approach to "ask-and-empower" is powerful because it places responsibility on an individual while empowering them to feel in control of their endeavors. People are able to become aware of their endeavors and seek the motivation to complete them. Having people learn who they are as human beings and what they are capable of doing is helpful for others because they can empower others to take responsibility and become motivated individuals without telling them what to do. 

I also especially enjoyed Robin Alfred's article, "Holistic Leadership." The idea that task, process and relationship are all important aspects of a healthy, functioning community. Leadership and membership within a community is vital and everyone is aware of values and goals through communication, while fostering an environment where people can resolve conflicts to achieve the goals set by the community. 

My idea for a leadership role that I can take in my community would be to become a model by starting my own organic garden at home to promote sustainability at home, and eventually advocating it to members of my community. I can do this by becoming aware of my responsibilities and self-motivation to empower others to do so themselves. Eventually, I can promote holistic leadership in my community of gardeners to work towards a common goal (growing our own food) but also encourage those to take shifting leadership roles so that everyone feels that they are in charge of a certain aspect in the community. 

The Boy's and Girl's Club of Hilo would be a resource of mine which would distribute seeds, educate other's about growing and composting while fostering the connectedness of our common goal. Challenges I would face would be convincing others that there actually is time in our busy lives to maintain a sustainable garden and to show them how to do it. With the proper leadership skill and resources available, I know that this leadership role I can take would be successful.