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Cities and the environment

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Cities and the Environment: New approaches for eco-societies

National governments are local, not global, representing their own national populations, not all humanity. Their environmental responsibilities therefore arise in practice from the interests of their national populations, not those of all mankind. Moreover, unique national political systems have their own ways of aggregating the needs and desires of diverse interest group to articulate the "national interest" with regard to the environment. Unfortunately, national policies can responsibly serve the global welfare only when political institutions aggregate the desires of sub-national interest groups in such a way as to require global environmental responsibility in the national interest. We who think it a moral imperative to save the global environment must accept a responsibility to make environmentalist consistent with locally defined national interests.

Cities and the Environment (Takashi Inoguchi, Edward Newman and Glen Paoletto, eds.) points out that the dynamic of preventing environmental damage are different in different countries. In developing countries economic priorities often compete with environmental value while in developed countries a lack of political will" often obstructs environmental progress. i still remember when as a little girl in Indonesia I watched my mother collect glass bottles we had used, and sell them to a local garbage picker who in turn resold them at a profit to a bigger dealer. I didn't think of that as recycling though it was clearly good for the environment; to us it was merely a monetary transaction. Recycling per se is not really a priority for many people in developing countries but income is, and that priority can encourage recycling. In developed countries, the authors tell us, "political will" is lacking. What the authors call "political will" result from the aggregation of interests including the oil, auto, coal and other industries whose local interests often are not consistent with global environmental welfare. Given that we live for better or worse in a nation-state system, it behooves global environmental advocates to formulate policy proposal rendering global environmentalism more consistent with these local interests.

Policy approaches to the environment need to be country-specific. The most effective environmental approach in a country like Indonesia will be different from that in developed country such as the United States. Unlike the US, Indonesia is a developing country with abundant rainforests where illegal logging is rampant, generating large revenues at the cost of floods in the rainy season, droughts and fire in the dry season, air pollution (from fire) that spreads to neighboring countries Singapore and Malaysia. there are laws regulating logging but they are not well enforced. Cities and the Environment notes the urgency of logging regulation enforcement because "regulation" means nothing without government enforcement. it also cites the more general need to develop and implement a coherent policy and practice framework and put it in action together with a comprehensive educational program to elevate people's awareness of the local consequences of environmental problems. Doing so would create an eco-friendly society. This 'eco-societies" concept addresses the global environment by encouraging global thinking and local action.

The "eco-societies" concept views every individual as responsible for environmental damage. each individual can make difference by using energy efficiently: using green products, recycling, and being willing to change his or her lifestyle by sacrificing some habitual comfort and conveniences. To encourage such sacrifice is the challenge government must address by educating and raising people awareness  of their local interests in global ecology. Implementation of this 'eco-societies" concept requires participations of all societal actors and institutions; local & national governments, universities, researchers, NGOs and international organizations, because the "eco-societies" approach addresses not only environmental issues but also economic, social, and political interests. For example, achieving a "low-energy society" requires not just societal attitudes conducive to energy conservation but also local and international political promotion of technological innovation and emission controls. Countries can work together to find affordable yet locally palatable alternative energy solutions consistent with international environmental agreements. The conduct of one nation could produce global ecological destruction, and because we share the same earth we do have moral obligations to one another, but those obligations will be met only in conjunction with each nation's fulfillment of its own self-defined national interests. It is the responsibility of national governments to find policies that satisfy both global and local interests. This doubtless harder than meeting only one of of theses sets of obligations, but it is reality. While all of us must meet our local needs, in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "We must hang together, gentlemen... else, we shall most assuredly hang separetely".

How far do we care about our environment? Happy Earth Day - Yanti

Wonderful Gift

My plane will landed in thirty minutes at JFK. In not more than an hour I will meet Will, who will take me in his arms after waiting  impatiently for me. I reach into my briefcase, looking for my cosmetic bag with a tooth brush, comb and other girly stuff. "Excuse me" I say to the passenger  next to me. "Oh, of course" she replies. Yup, I head to the toilet, wanting to look fresh for Will, comb my black hair into a pony tail and putting some moisturizer on my face. That's it. Still in the toilet, I smile remembering how many times Will told me that he likes my brown skin and my simplicity. I return to seat 37A. "You look nice", says the lady sitting next to me. "Thanks" I reply with a smile. "Do you have somebody to pick you up?" she asks. Yes, my husband, I reply while putting my cosmetic bag back in the briefcase.

"Was he your classmate?", she asked curiously. "No, you would not believe me if I told you that we met on the Internet." I  look straight into her beautiful blue eyes, curious to see how she reacts to my answer. Oops' I was wrong, she looks fascinated. "Really? how come?"

"It's a long story", I said. "Well we still have 25 minutes. Tell me, if you don't mind". "It was seven years ago. I remember it was March 4th, 2001 in the late afternoon. I was in an Australian chat room, curious to know more about Australia, since I would soon spend a year there studying. I bumped into Will, an American planning an Australian vacation, who thought I was an Australian, as I thought  he was. We began to chat, talking about politics, schools, and ridiculous stuff. The next day and the next day we kept chatting until one day, Will told me he'd decided to take his vacation in Bali instead of Australia. He didn't know Bali was in my homeland Indonesia. I told him and we decided to meet.  We adored each other from the first time we met and the next thing I knew that I was engaged him." 

"The really great thing about this story is that the day before I met Will online, my birthday, I prayed for a man who would really love me and my prayer was answered the next day. God sent me someone who brightened my life . We've been married for more than five years and have a lovely son."

"That was a wonderful story" she said. "Thanks, how about you,  will someone pick you up?" I asked softly. "Yes, my son. He lives on the Upper West Side and is going to get married this week." "Oh.. awesome, Congratulations!" I exclaimed.

Out side, snow was falling and I couldn't wait to meet my family. I never stop thanking God for the wonderful gift He sent me, after all the pain, sorrow and a lot of tears that I had before I met Will.  I always believed that God will answer one prayer. HE did, and I am so grateful.

To the love of my life, Bill.

Dr. Parker's Quote

Everything you do is the result of what you are.

People are not changed for the better by having life easy.

In order to solve the problem, must not one first admit its existence?.

Your attitude in life determines your altitude.

There is no situation that is beyond the reach of faith.