A Watershed Moment

Imagine if with one action we could preserve and protect nature, improve air and water quality, honor American history, limit urbanization, support recreation and education? It would truly be a turning point of historical, cultural, and ecological importance, a watershed moment! Check out this news.

Last week, the Piedmont Land Conservancy (PLC) announced a landmark conservation partnership with Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Known as the Guilford Woods, this partnership would safeguard one of Greensboro’s last remaining undeveloped woodlands.

When I attended Guilford College in the late 1970’s, we lived in the rural, bucolic countryside with no fast food restaurants, very few roads, no major airport, and a low population density. We frequently walked in the Guilford Woods to relax, listen to many bird calls, and study books. We stayed mindful of the site that has borne witness to centuries of history, from the presence of Native American communities, Revolutionary War skirmishes, and freedom seekers escaping to Canada. A centuries-old tuliptree, known as the Underground Railroad Witness Tree, stands as a silent sentinel to these stories. Estimated to be at least 340 years old, it would have stood during the height of Underground Railroad activity.

Look at the map to see how significant urban development now surrounds the campus including interstates and the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Protecting the 120 acres is now more urgent than ever before! Its towering oaks, hickories, tuliptrees, beeches, and sweet gums create a thriving ecosystem that supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, foxes, raccoons, salamanders, crayfish, snakes, Wild Turkey, Red-shouldered Hawks, Barred Owls, and Pileated Woodpeckers.

I’ve been concerned about protecting the Woods, fearful that more development would occur especially due to the financial challenges of all public and private schools. Guilford Woods is the last remaining unprotected mature forest in central Greensboro. The 120-acre easement at Guilford Woods will connect to the neighboring 100-acre Julian and Ethel Clay Price Park, also protected by PLC, creating a new link to become part of Greensboro’s 100-mile trail network.

It’s very difficult to put a price on preserving nature but we can observe how we feel in an old growth forest compared to a clearcut forest. According to Save America’s Forests, only about 4% of old growth forests remain. To fund the conservation effort, PLC is launching a capital campaign to raise $8.5 million in private dollars that will fund the conservation easement to ensure the long-term protection of Guilford Woods.

Please give any amount you can to this incredibly important activity!

Yesterday and Today

“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” That’s an expression I frequently heard while attending Guilford College in the late 1970’s with the goal of keeping in the present moment by letting go of past and future concerns which is a quote made popular by Charles Dederich. Yesterday, I visited my great friend Dave at Guilford for a stroll around campus which I planned to share in the blog today on this auspicious and arduous day. Auspicious for celebrating the birth and life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and arduous for the many changes occurring on this Inauguration Day.

I left home early yesterday morning with dense fog and misty rain in relatively warm 46 degree temperatures as an Arctic air cold front approached. The 1.5 hour drive from the North Carolina Triangle to the Triad required intense focus looking ahead with only about 500 feet of visibility in front of a wall of misty white fog. Eventually, I relaxed into a more peaceful mood while driving the empty road amazingly wondering if entering heaven would look like this.

Along the way on Highway 421 I reached 60,000 miles on our Rav4 Prime passing Liberty, NC where Toyota is building a multi-billion dollar battery factory with plans to begin production this year. Driving north to higher elevations going past Greensboro, the outside air temperature dropped down to 41 degrees with heavier rain and patches of unmelted snow remaining from the week before. First I visited the Belews Creek area to see the current coal-fired power plant where Duke Energy is proposing to upgrade to a nuclear power plant. The project would take about 10 years and currently the company is conducting surveys and preparing an early site (environmental) permit to submit to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. One contingency I heard last month during a public meeting with NRC and Duke Energy is that to convert the coal plant to nuclear they will needed the tax benefits proposed in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 for nuclear power production. These incentives will be uncertain after today as the new administration favors expanding oil, gas and perhaps coal sources/subsides for heating and energy production.

Located only about 20 miles north of Guilford College in Stokes County, I noticed the area around the steam plant is mostly rural agricultural farms growing tobacco, hay, and livestock. Piney Bluff Boat Ramp allows access to Duke Energy’s Belews Lake reservoir which is used as cooling water and part of the Dan River watershed. The kind lady at White’s Grocery (in Forsyth County) on Belews Creek Road, which is the closest store and gas station in the area (with an old Pur sign) to Duke Power only four miles away along Pine Haul Road, didn’t know about their plans and didn’t sell any local newspapers. She said I’d have to go to Stokesdale six miles away for a local paper. I noticed the coal smoke stack emitting steam and various pollutants is barely visible through the dense white clouds. I saw homes beginning just 0.4 miles away from the plant entrance and the Wither’s Chapel filled for the Sunday services. The closest home contains at least a dozen junk cars around the property but it did not seem to be a junk yard. Mountains of coal fly ash are buried around the power plant and Heidelberg Materials is involved with removal operations.

My friend Dave lives close by and we attended Guilford together with him two years ahead of me. We met through his roommate Tom who dated my high school friend and fellow geology major Becca. Meeting on campus at Founders Hall brought back fond memories of my youthful STUDent life where we could ponder our philosophical values and aspirations. We could joke occasionally using grand, highfalutin words like truculent and recall great professors and classes so long ago. The original buildings like Founders Hall, various classrooms and dorms all hold memories of yesterday’s trials and tribulations. I served on a concert committee and operated the spotlights for musicians including Bonnie Raitt, just 30 years old at the time, and annual serendipity celebrations to exchanging macroeconomics information with Professor Robert Williams about four years ago, to more recently hearing the Native American biology professor Robin Wall Kimmerer speak at Dana Auditorium, construction of the Paul and Evelyn Zopf Gazebo and adjacent coffee shop. Paul taught my sociology class so I donated to his project about two years ago and he, at 90 years old, wrote me a hand written thank you card. Learning for life and adapting to change is essential for our sustainability and I thank Guilford College and my friends and professors to instilling in me the curiosity to explore the world.

Our lives will never the same after today. We’ve enjoyed relative domestic peace and tranquility in our lifetimes with only experienced the civil war and guilded ages through text books, movies and experiences including the Guilford Woods which contain 240 acres of old growth forest where the Quakers, who founded the College in 1837, hid slaves in the “underground railroad” as well as “contentious objectors” against fighting previous wars. The Civil Rights movements led by Dr. King occurred when Dave and I were just young children just starting school and we greatly benefited from integration of races.

Today on the last day of the Biden Administration and first day of the Trump 2.0 Administration we in the American middle class are likely to experience a rollercoaster ride of changing priorities. Just like driving through the dense fog, the new President will blow smoke our way, burn more coal and oil and gas, build more walls and obstacles, help the rich get richer, remove ethical constraints of civil servants along with masses of dedicated employees.

Just as the fog limited my visibility making me much more focused and determined to move forward, perhaps more prayerful, not letting obstacles impede my progress, I couldn’t see far ahead but I wasn’t afraid. We do not need to change our values just as many spiritual and religious leaders have shown us the way. We must hold true to our values and know what we care about most such as: family, friends, peace and love, music and nature. We must continue on our journey. To quote Paul McCartney, “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away…”

Disgusted with Democrats? Repulsed by Republicans? Scared of Socialists? Incensed by Industrialists? Outraged by Oligarchs? What can we do? I suggest we, as the Buddha wisely advised, seek a middle path. No longer taking sides of one political group but to find our own way and identity. What products can we buy that are beneficial to our lives? Can we reduce our consumption of food, energy, water and especially of fake news. Resist temptations and repeat some prayers and mantras. Plan for the best and prepare for the worst. Keep hope alive!

Nature Walks

I met Jim Hood when we attended Guilford College, located in Greensboro, North Carolina as students in the late 1970’s. Jim was one year ahead of me so he became an important guide and mentor. Guilford was founded by the Quakers, Society of Friends, and Jim majored in Religious Studies. We did not share classes together as I recall but we both shared a love for nature. Seems I ran into Jim a lot outside. We both treasured the beautiful campus including the Guilford woods. Sometimes we’d also see each other at the Quaker meetings - traditional unprogrammed meetings where people would feel compelled to speak up in the congregation as well as programmed meetings led by a minister.

I recall coming back to campus after a week with friends camping in the Smoky Mountains when I went to an umprogrammed meeting and after some period of silence I began shaking, like an earthquake (hence the name Quakers), feeling so compelled to speak about my experience in the woods one day. I shared my experience of a full day of hiking and siting in the beautiful mountain woods with friends and by myself where I had long nap (like Rip Van Winkle, but I had not been drinking alcohol or doing any drugs) where I had a vision of a future world like in Tokyo where the air pollution got so thick that people had to walk outside with gas masks. I felt so connected to nature, grateful for the North Carolina woods and determined to work hard to protect nature. Jim gave me positive affirmations after the meeting.

After Jim graduated from Guilford, he continued his studies at Yale and UNC Chapel Hill majoring in English. He returned to Guilford to become an English Professor in 1999 where he took on several related assignments including directing the Studies Abroad international program. My taking a semester in Munich, Germany was a life changing experience that will be the subject of a future blog. Now Jim is the Interim President of Guilford College. The school is facing difficult times financially with declining student enrollment during the pandemic. I trust Jim and many others with strong faith are doing everything they can to survive this crisis.

Another important fact about the Guilford woods is that about two hundred years ago the Quakers actively helped to free slaves by hiding them in the woods to move them out of North Carolina up to New York as part of the Underground Railroad. So nature is always giving and healing and saving lives.

Here is a beautiful video that Jim recorded one year ago at the start of the pandemic to share his meditative connection with nature and going for a walk in the woods!

GOVEROSITY! Say What?

Government Generosity. GOVEROSITY! Doesn’t this violate Say’s Law? Before I get into classical economic theory that has split government parties for decades, let me discuss my “coining” this new word and the import for the world: GOVEROSITY!

With the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the Democrats (except 1 and 0 Republicans) are helping the hardest hit, most impoverished Americans, recover from the health and economic impacts after one year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recall the Trump Administration gave about $1.9 trillion mostly to the wealthy people and companies in tax cuts. As we prepare our IRS taxes, check out the changes in tax rates contained in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 according to the Tax Policy Center.

After Covid hit the United States, Congress and the Trump Administration provided about $2 trillion to help families, airlines, hotels, and other businesses through the Paycheck Protection Plan as reported by CNBC. In December 2020, the government gave out $900 Billion for Covid relief.

When I was a Guilford College stud (uh, student), one of my favorite classes was MacroEconomics, Econ 221. I loved this class mostly because of the brilliance and enthusiasm of Professor Robert Williams, fresh out of Stanford University. Here is his bio from Fernwood Publishing:

“Robert graduated Valedictorian from Shades Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama in 1968. He received a B.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 1971 and a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University in 1978. His work experience includes research economist for the Brookings Institution (1973-75), Guilford College Economics Department (1978-present), and Voehringer Professor of Economics (1993-present).”

Checkout his book: The Money Changers: A Guided Tour Through Currency Markets

Professor Williams contrasted supply side economics known as Say’s Law where supply creates demand (like Field of Dreams: Built It and They Will Come) versus from Keynes’ law, that demand creates its own supply (e.g. Necessity is the Mother of Invention). To compare these ideas, see this article in Lumen. As a result of the 1970’s stagnant American economy with high unemployment and double-digit inflation, the rise of the Reaganomics “trickle down” experiment began in 1980.

My first job in the oil fields and then in the federal government as an environmental scientist were during the Reagan administration. Many loved the tax and regulatory cuts and anti-union fights. Recall the 11,000+ air traffic controllers (fired, i.e. History) who lost government jobs next time you fly anywhere and especially to Reagan National Airport). There should be a memorial!

Here is a great article about these changing political economic forces by E.J. Dionne, Jr. in the Washington Post where Reagan (and his predecessors) made “big” government the problem and Biden is showing that government can be the solution.

Increasingly, I’ve been impressed by the generosity by current billionaires including Buffett, Gates, Bezos and others who can afford millions and even billions towards important health and environmental causes. Maybe we need GOVEROSITY to become contagious, even in the corporate sector to have some CORPORSITY. This would be a radical departure from the selfish approach some ultra-rich people have taken, especially recently. Advertising could be done with reality TV (not just on YouTube) actually helping others!

So for all the people who are receiving free government handouts who do not really need to increase their wealth, please consider following Say’s Law and share with others in need. We needn’t look very far to help needy causes around the world! On this website I have pointed to a few environmental charities and here would like to encourage us all do more to give back or pay it forward.

To quote Mother Teresa from Goodreads:

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”

Update March 19, 2021

Thanks for several comments that I received by email. Professor Williams wrote:

“Bill Dam,
It's terrific to see a former student who is actively engaging the world using tools of analysis developed back in the day. I like how you've included not-for-profit & non-profit organizations in the solutions to our big problems. Government structures can't do it all. Nor can the for-profit sector. Good leadership that brings the three together-- for-profit, non-profit, & government (international organizations, federal, state & local)-- in positive synergies to find solutions may be our only hope.
Thanks for remembering my class.
Robert G. Williams, Economics, Guilford College”

It felt wonderful to reconnect with Professor Williams after 43 years and to receive his great feedback!

I also received a comment from my brother Bob:

“So Bill I have read your latest blog. All good until I get to the government "handout. " Yes people like us don't really need it and I get what you are saying about generosity. Promise ours will go into the economy. Do you feel its really a handout or maybe a hand up to the majority of Americans making less than $75 k? So many people work in the service industry for example. Hotels and restaurants shut down by the pandemic haven't worked in a year. Handout or needed help. My masseuse a true entrepreneur had just bought her little building up the street. I was going once a month, haven't gone in over a year she has seen her work fade. She is self employed not eligible for unemployment. What is a couple thousand dollars from the government. Looks cheap to me Trump gave a big handout to the rich. So many people need more stimulus they didn't choose this pandemic shut down. Sorry to go on but I think you know what I'm saying.”

I agree with him that the majority of people receiving benefits from the American Rescue Plan really need the help! This week President Biden said most of the $1.9 trillion law will help 60% of Americans while the benefits of the Trump tax cuts only helped a small percentage of already wealthy Americans.

So the goal of this Conserve-Prosper blog is to promote sustainability principles with an attitude of gratitude and exemplify how we can improve our world through awareness, education, and generosity. Thanks again to everyone making a positive difference in the world including the participants of this blog and other social media that are enriching our collective consciousness!

Reduce Overconsumption

When Madonna sang Material Girl: Living in a Material World, in 1984, it was all about glamour and not garbage! Given the material world we live in, especially here in the U.S., we need more awareness - including Pop Culture music - for the peril that we’re all in! Just in the U.S., we overconsume the world’s resources and generate too much waste affecting our shared Planet Earth. Just like intoxicated alcoholics, most of the commericals advocate we need more STUFF to make us happy.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA, “With less than 5% of the world’s population, the U.S. was responsible for about one-third of the world’s total material consumption in 1970-1995.” This report continues that the U.S. consumes: 33% of paper, 25% of oil, 15% of coal, 17% of aluminum, and 15% of copper. In addition, the U.S. produces the largest percentage of waste.

The key message of Conserve & Pro$per, is to show how we can do with much less material consumer products in our lives by making the most of what we have which brings more happiness!

While I claim no great expertise about garbage, waste and recycling, I’m just another concerned citizen of the world we live in by wanting to express my opinion. I never gave much thought much about garbage until I attended Guilford College (1976-1980). In 1979, I got a summer job at a waste water (sewer) treatment plant in Greensboro, North Carolina to perform lab chemical analyses. The City municipal landfill existed on the adjacent land just downstream of the water treatment plant. I learned that water pollution coming from the landfill was entering the same river that had just been cleaned up! I wrote a senior thesis and presented my results at a professional conference — they were amazed at what a college kid could learn! I took my results to EPA in D.C. and they were surprised I had access to get samples when they were being blocked by local governments. This made me question how effective EPA regulations would be in solving waste generation and disposal problems.

Also, around this time my oldest brother, a mechanical engineer, showed me his home trash compactor in 1979. This became replaced with garbage trucks that compacts trash.

Plastic waste is especially problematic. I visited India in 1995 and learned that many foods sold on the street had been for centuries wrapped in banana leaves but that plastics were being introduced causing a huge litter problem. In addition, to the U.S. overconsuming materials and products, we’ve been sending lots of waste and recycling to Asia and as China says they will no longer accept plastic this is putting pressure on Southeast Asia! The news is full of stories about plastics in the ocean affecting marine life and washing up on beaches.

I believe that we need a national campaign and grassroots organizations, like Alcoholics Anonymous AA, to fight consumer intoxication and waste in the form of Public Service Announcements. We need to find ways to reduce and reuse material items.

Perhaps companies should be responsible for recycling shipping containers and boxes when items are purchased by consumers. I take recycling to the local municipal center (combined with other trips to town) rather than paying extra for monthly pickups. It became a hassle that the company wanted every type of item separated in separate containers before pickup. A group called Recycling Across America has a great idea to improve recycling where you can purchase labels for each bin.

Please share your comments or send us an email on this or other topics.

How Do We Measure Progress and What is the Opposite?

Evolution is a theory that explains how living species change by adaptation. Humans evolved from hominids, that arrived about 15 million years ago, to Homo Sapiens roughly 200,000 years ago with tremendous intellectual progress. Earliest life forms began in the ocean over two billion years ago as single-celled organisms created from building blocks (elements) of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Evolutionary biologists measure progress in species adaptation to changing environments while extinctions are the permanent opposite. I recall seeing in a German museum an extinct Irish Elk that grew antlers so large that eventually they could not lift their heads. Charles Darwin coined the term "survival of the fittest." Making progress for people may include diet and exercise that makes us healthier as well as improving our safety by making peace with our neighbors. Ironically, too much of anything (food, wealth, sunshine) can be detrimental so we must find a balance in everything.  Western society can greatly benefit through efficient and effective conservation.

So what is the opposite of progress? Considering pros and cons, perhaps it is congress! This is not a political statement on any one legislative body but rather reflective of polarizing partisanship which is off balance, no longer seeking common ground.

Labels have emerged for the “Do Nothing Congress, Gridlock, Nuclear Option, and Drain the Swamp.” Perhaps a deeply divided congress cannot function to make bipartisan decisions. By analogy, if two married people cannot work out their problems then they may need to get divorced. Anyone happily married knows it takes a lot of give and take, forgiveness, and compromise by putting the other person first!

I attended Guilford College, a liberal arts school founded by Quakers who strove to achieve consensus in decision making. Guilford’s website states the school provides, “a challenging academic program that fosters critical and creative thinking through the development of essential skills: analysis, inquiry, communication, consensus-building, problem-solving and leadership.”

Maybe all of us can work harder to understand diverse view points and strive towards building consensus by focusing on our commonalities rather than our differences.