Backyard Environmentalist

Evan's story

We started this story last summer.  When Marilyn heard a report on BZ radio about a third grader hiking mountains to help his school go green.  After talking to Evan and his parents we made arrangements to go on a hike with the whole family.

We  leased a camera (almost too quickly) and editing equipment and dove in.  The morning of the hike and a day after getting the new camera we hit the ground running learning to operate it on the fly.

My good friend and cameraman Curtis Bailey became Backyard Environmentalist first mountain videographer and did a great job.  Of course their were a few shots we wanted to delete and sweat poured off me as I flipped pages in the manual and entered the digital world of menus, clips, P2 cards and a host of other high tech features. Not to mention that the High Definition P2 card only stores twenty minutes of video. At a cost of $900.00 each, I only had one.  Delete the bad shots and be very careful with the ones recorded was the rule of the day.
It was a tough very long hike.  

I don't know about you but to me it seems we see too few of these stories and that is why we're out here in these mountains carrying heavy equipment and for Marilyn our financial home base gal it's the added worry about how were going to pay for all this.  You see eAwakening is a for profit business without the profit.  Who else is going to tell these stories? I digress.

When you see the effort put forth by the Whitemyer family first hand hiking along side them you learn that it's not about the money.  This young 3rd grader is raising $5000.00 to give to his school.  A school with hopes of going green. And it's going to take a lot of green.  In an economic time when most of us are guarding every penny not knowing if we'll still have a job or a home to come home to. So this makes Evan's effort even more noble.

Most of our role models today are monetarily successful.  We admire wealth, statis, and power. So here's a young man giving away his energy and time to a worthy cause.  Believing that  you do something you like and giving to a cause that you believe in that you'll be inspired too.

What a great lesson.  I hope that this young man becomes a great leader.  He already is.  As he leads us up and over the Osceola's  we discover that this world is precious and needs our care. We all can help this school to go green.  Imagine a world where an army of young men like Evan care so much for our environment that were prepared to give our money away to make it better.  Not all our money but enough to make a difference.

Evan Whitemyer led me on a journey where I discovered just how many Backyard Environmentalists there are out there.  All the people who helped and believe in this little guy's cause. From the auto mechanic who gave his time to the restaurants giving their oil.  To the teacher and students who showed Evan how his money could be used most productively for their school.

I've watched tears form in viewers eyes as they are exposed to Evan's story and I know that this noble spirit is in them and they are moved into action wanting to be a part of this great effort. I feel so good that Marilyn and I could use our skills and passion to tell this story and it is my deepest hope that we will change the world by seeing it as our backyard and something we will care for and keep green right in our own backyards.

Thank you Evan.

Economic Revival

Encourage and Draw business: By setting the stage to have them prosper.

a.)Clean Tech,  Green Stores, Edison museum/state of the art lighting store.

b.)Research and Development (Partner with Education, schools and Universities)

c.)Arts and Crafts business: Inspiration, enjoyment and Utilitarian resource.

d.)Restaurants and Cafes (business that sustain shoppers)

e.)Bring back the small businesses and farms. ( Community supported agriculture)

What are the regions strengths?

a.) Industrial work force.

b.) Multicultural

c.)Downtown with commuter rail stop

d.)Affordability

e.)Prime for renovation

This area could serve as an example of how using existing infrastructures (an old city) can be rejuvenated Green. The architecture, buildings and infrastructure could be made efficient and state of the art in conservation.  The challenge would be to maintain character and existing materials and renovate them.

An ad campaign could bring throngs of shoppers on the Train.  The slogan could be...

Come Grow with us!

Brockton in Ten Years

The streets are impeccably clean.  There is a vibrant, active downtown that is loaded with state of the art stores.  The clean tech revolution is well underway and there's lots of green to go around, including money.

Another load of shoppers just got off the train and are exploring the shops that line the street leading to downtown.  One steamy window entices with delicious organic treats that are actually nutritious and on our diet.  The smell of coffee wafts into the fresh air and the owner comes out and greets the passersby with a sample of his unique cafe's best and freshest blend. The street is lined with unusual,  family owned businesses that can't be found anywhere else.  It's an adventurous atmosphere.

One of the must see destinations is the James Edgar Museum. He was the first department store Santa and his life story is a lesson from the past where this businessman was more interested in the local children's health than profits. And speaking of children it's amazing to see them deep in the natural wonders of DW Field Park at summer picnic's that honor a man and his age for conserving this beautiful space, Daniel Waldo Field.

Back Downtown the Edison lighting store is next.  A clerk shares the rich history of how James Alva Edison wired the downtown and as you notice there are no wires because there all underground, you are greeted by an energy efficiency expert who can help you save money on your electricity.  Leaving you a little extra cash that you plan to spend on one of those tasty treats you saw driving by in the electric taxi.

Main street is dotted with Green apartment buildings decked out with solar arrays and futuristic looking wind turbines.  Electric Busses take people on tours of the city to show case how this idea has spread. Business abound with video window displays showing off their work and how they helped rebuild this city, and they gladly share their idea's with possible costumers who are here on a visit.

The whole area has caught the clean tech fever and residents are reaping the benefits. The old fashion charm of the past is retained thanks to strong leadership and the vision. A future conservation ethic is built in,  but that doesn't mean doing without. In fact there has never been such bounty because all the natural resources go so much farther. 

Ten years ago the political leaders, visionaries, and concerned citizens created a green council and grew this new clean tech society. And instead of a hyper, hectic pace they now enjoy the relaxed simple prosperity that all their hard work and dreams has created.

Luckily the people of this region saw the Green Wave coming, they caught it, they rode it and they reaped the benefits. It was the Green Wave of the clean tech revolution. 

So everywhere you look people of all colors and cultures are helping to spread the message.  That we can build a better society.  All the elements are here, free fuel from the sun the wind and the earth. The saving of not wasting the natural resources and the lack of pollution from the avoidance of fossil fuel. Why even the lawns and gardens are chemical free, natural and organic.

Sure there are still problems, people are still human.  Special interests are trying to stop us all along the way....but the prevailing weight of doom and gloom that their was just ten short years ago have dissipated. There is still a long way to go and it will never be perfect.  But the Humans in this city have grown in spirit and thought and now realize that harmony with the earth and themselves is very, very achievable.

A World of opportunity

                                                     

If you have watched TARGET ZONE 'What are we breathing?" you know that I am not excited about the idea of putting a power plant in a city not far from my home.

I know that the emissions are not healthy for people or the environment.  Natural gas and diesel fuel will be burned.  Tankers will deliver hazardous material using two lane roads. Homes will lose value,(who would want to live next to this thing?) Sewer Water will cool the turbines and who is studying how this will affect our air.  The more you find out the more you Question.

How much is the health of our community worth?  Will we sell our children's health for a few dollars?  Do the math.  Isn't a power plant a profit machine.  Why else would money be invested in a project that a majority of community leaders are against.  Who will actually benefit from this plant.  Are there other ways to produce or save this electricity?

 

In the next few months the city of Brockton's future will be up for sale.

So what are the alternative's.  Where are the business that could turn this around and clean up the air, water and the earth? It's debateable.  The power plant say's it will clean the air but  the opponents point to the Final Environmental Impact Report where ton's of emmission are listed.  It will burn a Huge amount of gas and oil. Can this clean our air? Who do you listen to? Who do you believe?

What about ourselves? Not taking anyones word for it but researching and forming our own decisions.  When we understand the issue we have a clearer understanding of what will happen and what needs to be done.

       

         Let's figure out financially what is in Brockton's and The Target Zone communities best interest.  

What about Green business.  Can the union start thinking Green!  Can we start building Green, creating Green Collar jobs? There must be grants to make the old buildings more efficient.  Insulating homes.  Wiring alternative renewable energy systems.  Tankless water heaters.

Their are many business opportunity in this new Green economy.  Some area's in the country are working on ways for energy providers to profit on saving energy. We ourselves could profit because a watt saved is a watt earned, a negawatt. Efficiency is the new growth area, a business opportunity. LED lights... Electric cars... Cheaper and more efficient solar panels and wind turbines.  This whole new sustainable movement is the great opportunity.

So how does this help us now? 

        

We are the answer.  If we all started conserving as much as we can, turning off lights, unplugging our electronics, making our homes, schools and building more efficient, starting up sustainable businesses,  building renewable energy infrastructure, we could eliminate the need for this plant, and with the money we save conserving we could keep the country's budget on track.  

Let's move together into a new era. Can you picture what it could look like?

        

Dan Brielmann

Let's Sing Together!

Hello Friends of the Environment, 

 Today is an exciting day!  Marilyn and I are just starting this journal.  It's the start of a journey into the world of the future. 

 Imagine what it will be like.  Will it be clean and healthy with the power of the sun, wind and earth guiding us to a new era, a sustainable age?  We certainly hope so. 

In this future we plan to be active in creating a vision of what this world will be.  For the future generations who will not be able to say thanks,  this is the world we shall build.  A world where those generations will look back and say, "There was something called Pollution. We're so glad we didn't have to experience that."

If you watch Target Zone, I hope you wonder about what we are doing to this earth, to the air we breathe.  I hope you start to realize that there is a better way.  I hope you will get involved, that's if your not already.

 I think of an economy that will flourish from the labor of green collar workers building a solar infrastructure, working at cleaning up the environment after years of abuse.

When the wind blows I see the mills turning to a new day.  A day where fossil means something from the past.  A day where greed and self gratification can be replaced by caring communities that know that true wealth is in how we treat each other.

I may be preaching to the choir, but that's O.K.  You are singing a beautiful song and I love to hear you sing.  Sing the song that could save one species from extinction and that song will have been mystical.  Spiritual.  

Humankind is about to grow up.   Dream.  The world will be a better place because of you!  Because of us.

                                                                               Your friends Dan and Marilyn