Solutions from the Green Economy

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Everyone now understands that the economy is broken.

While many name the mortgage and credit-default-swap crises as culprits, they are only the most recent indicators of an economy with fatal design flaws. Our economy has long been based on what economist Herman Daly calls “uneconomic growth” where increases in the GDP come at an expense in resources and well-being that is worth more than the goods and services provided.  When GNP growth exacerbates social and environmental problems—from sweatshop labor to manufacturing toxic chemicals—every dollar of GNP growth reduces well-being for people and the planet, and we’re all worse off.

Our fatally flawed economy creates economic injustice, poverty, and environmental crises. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can create a green economy: one that serves people and the planet and offers antidotes to the current breakdown.
Here are six green-economy solutions to today’s economic mess.

1. Green Energy—Green Jobs
A crucial starting place to rejuvenate our economy is to focus on energy. It’s time to call in the superheroes of the green energy revolution—energy efficiency, solar and wind power, and plug-in hybrids—and put their synergies to work with rapid, large-scale deployment. This is a powerful way to jumpstart the economy, spur job creation (with jobs that can’t be outsourced), declare energy independence, and claim victory over the climate crisis.

2. Clean Energy Victory Bonds
How are we going to pay for this green energy revolution? We at Green America propose Clean Energy Victory Bonds. Modeled after victory bonds in World War II, Americans would buy these bonds from the federal government to invest in large-scale deployment of green energy projects, with particular emphasis in low-income communities hardest hit by the broken economy. These would be long-term bonds, paying an annual interest rate, based in part on the energy and energy savings that the bonds generate. During WWII, 85 million Americans bought over $185 billion in bonds—that would be almost $2 trillion in today’s dollars.

3. Reduce, Reuse, Rethink
Living lightly on the Earth, saving resources and money, and sharing (jobs, property, ideas, and opportunities) are crucial principles for restructuring our economy. This economic breakdown is, in part, due to living beyond our means—as a nation and as individuals. With the enormous national and consumer debt weighing us down, we won’t be able to spend our way out of this economic problem. Ultimately, we need an economy that’s not dependent on unsustainable growth and consumerism. So it’s time to rethink our over-consumptive lifestyles, and turn to the principles of elegant simplicity, such as planting gardens, conserving energy, and working cooperatively with our neighbors to share resources and build resilient communities.

4. Go Green and Local
When we do buy, it is essential that those purchases benefit the green and local economy—so that every dollar helps solve social and environmental problems, not create them. Our spending choices matter. We can support our local communities by moving dollars away from conventional agribusiness and big-box stores and toward supporting local workers, businesses, and organic farmers.

5. Community Investing
All over the country, community investing banks, credit unions, and loan funds that serve hard-hit communities are strong, while the biggest banks required bailouts. The basic principles of community investing keep such institutions strong: Lenders and borrowers know each other. Lenders invest in the success of their borrowers—with training and technical assistance along with loans. And the people who provide the capital to the lenders expect reasonable, not speculative, returns. If all banks followed these principles, the economy wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in today.
 
6. Shareowner Activism
When you own stock, you have the right and responsibility to advise management to clean up its act. Had GM listened to shareholders warning that relying on SUVs would be its downfall, it would have invested in greener technologies, and would not have needed a bailout. Had CitiGroup listened to its shareowners, it would have avoided the faulty mortgage practices that brought it to its knees. Engaged shareholders are key to reforming conventional companies for the transition to this new economy – the green economy that we are building together. 

It’s time to move from greed to green.

   –Alisa Gravitz

** This article was originally posted at Green America

Motrin’s new ad raises big STINK, for a good reason too!

Motrin has a new ad running on their website…have you seen it??? Take a moment to before you read on!

In case you don’t feel like clicking away just yet…

Here’s the ad word for word:

I mean in theory it’s a great idea.

And who knows what else they’ve come up with. Wear your baby on your side, your front, go hands free.

Supposedly, it’s a real bonding experience.

They say that babies carried close to the bod tend to cry less than others.

But what about me? Do moms that wear their babies cry more than those who don’t?

I sure do!

These things put a ton of strain on your back, your neck, your shoulders. Did I mention your back?!

I mean, I’ll put up with the pain because it’s a good kind of pain; it’s for my kid.

Plus, it totally makes me look like an official mom.

And so if I look tired and crazy, people will understand why.

This ad has moms furious- not just babywearing mama’s but mother’s in general too. The ad has a very sarcastic tone, wouldn’t you agree? It’s condenscending and demeaning toward mother’s. Since when did babywearing become a fashion statement or trendy? Since when did babywearing become such a problem that moms were getting neck, back and shoulder pain… I mean c’mon Motrin (Johnson and Johnson)! What the heck were you thinking??? I’m not even sure the person (s) who came up with this ad was thinking- AT ALL. Why did they have to single out a group in this message? The message could’ve have been done more tastefully and with tact. Instead, they chose to MOCK us! How ridiculous. The fact that Motrin mentions the word “supposedly” like baby wearing isn’t a REAL bonding experience is completely unnerving to mother’s. They obviously don’t know our real pain. The message is outright condescending and the target market they chose was in poor judgement. This message was not only offensive but it’s misleading. It makes it sound like babywearing is a painful experience. When in fact, it’s quite the opposite. I LOVE wearing my baby and cannot wait to wear my baby to be! It has been my saving grace on numerous occassions- in the grocery store, around the house and at numerous public events! Wearing my baby close is something I chose because I enjoy it. I’ve never had back, neck or shoulder pain from it and if I did- I wouldn’t take Motrin- I’d stop wearing it! The more I think about this ad- the more worked up I get. It’s completely disrespectful on soooo many levels. Baby wearing mama’s is a large demographic. Motrin fails to see this.

While on twitter last night, this large demographic of woman were raising a big STINK- and for a DAMN GOOD REASON. Motrin stinks for allowing such a video to air on the web!! Motrin has clearly lost the trust of many moms since viewing or reading this ugly campaign commercial. They don’t realize how big social media is but will very soon! Us moms are uniting and helping to spread the word about this awful and disgusting commercial! Shame, shame, on you MOTRIN.

If this ad angers/bothers you in any way, make sure you let Motrin know how upset you are about this commercial by sending them an email or visit The Crunchy Domestic Goddess site and find out other alternatives to getting the message out there. They’re are a slew of other mom’s who’ve blogged about this also- you can find and read their posts here and here!

Katja Presnal at Ladybug Landings  put together a great video after last night’s hot and heavy discussion of the Motrin ignorance titled Motrin Makes Moms Mad! It’s a powerful message to Motrin- you’ll get to see my tweets as well as many other moms who were distraught by this ad and  pic of myself carrying Tristan in the Ergo Baby Carrier!  If you get a chance click on their link and you’ll find a pic of my husband wearing Tristan on their testimonials page but make sure to scroll down a bit.

On top of it all it’s International Babywearing Week (Nov. 12-18)!!! I find this to be so ironic!!! So, ladies put on your babies and wear them happily. Maybe even send Motrin a photo of how happy you really are wearing your baby!!!

What about you? Did you take offense to this ad, share your thoughts?

UPDATE AS OF 11/17/08

Boy, it didn’t take long for Motrin to find out they were in trouble…they’ve already taken the commercial off their site. Woot! Apparantly, you can find advertisements of this commercial in magazines that went out for publishing…one example is  the Real Simple mag…I have no idea what other magazines have the advertisement as well- I found out about Real Simple at the Mothering Forum at mothering.com! In any case, I decided to embed the video so you can watch it here!!! GAH…..can’t get the video to embed…so click on the You Tube link to watch! Darn….!!!

 watch?v=BmykFKjNpdY