Kurt Archer

Been wanting to post about this for a long while now. When it comes to environmental protection the biggest battle to be fought is that of our perception, the way we have grown up to view this world. So much we have taken for granted, so much we have neglected.

As a political scientist, I have spent 4 years studying about perception and power. And two of the most hotly debated perceptions are that of Idealism vs Realism.

Realists profuse that they see the world as it is, in tangible realities, in circumstances that have quantitative results. Idealists, perceive the worlds potential, what it has yet to become, but has the capabilities to be should the right set of circumstances prevail.

When it comes the environment, we seem to have mixed up these definitions, and therefore come to a standstill on how to proceed. So I would like to spend some time listing some of the idealist and realist notions of the world we live in.

Realism

As mentioned about, the world we live in accord to tangible facts and observable results sees that anthropomorphic climate change is the leading cause of our problem. In other words, of all the bickering we seem to be doing about whether cows produce more green house gases (GHG) or the automobile industry, whether air travel or pet food is worse on the environment. The fine line that is un-debatable is that everything is a result of human activity on earth. With rising populations and rising affluence, the inherent demand for environmentally unfriendly consumptions rise. In the same world, with limited resources, we are seeing a hastening decline of materials output.

In our dogmatic faith in modern technology we are corrupting the one technology that has lasted the longest! Mother nature’s life cycle and bio-sphere. Single crop industrial farms may feed a few now, but in 10 years when the land is no longer arable, it will be no better than a desert. Synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, the thing that was hailed as a solution to world hunger in the 60′s is now killing people, entire species of fish and marine life and creating dead zones in our oceans where no life can grow.

We have mutated our vegetables and fruits to be fit for air travel, but unfit for a proper balanced diet. We have pumped hormones into animals which has resulted in a steady rise in obesity in humans.

Our urban centers which are hubs of the new world, the fashion zeitgeist model of globalization and the desire of all 3rd world peasants who can no longer compete economically with industrial farmers. People want to live in cities, but from a realist lens, people are saying that they want to live in conditions of dense living, breath toxic air from mostly burning coal, gas and petrol, live in conditions where social status is now defined by your online savvyness and ability to speak english. Yet we claim our idealist friends fancy the country house, with wide open spaces, animals, clear skies and a nice breeze.

Idealism

Idealists see the world as it should be, what it has the potential to become given the right set of conditions to achieve it, and it is our job to set those structures up. It is idealistic that our educational institutions train people to believe that growth is indefinitely achievable, and that the existences of business and free markets can only operate under these ideal situations. It is idealistic to believe that if only we start recycling our pop cans and paper, that we can some how fix the worlds problems and therefore carry on our consumptive live styles with a business as usual attitude.

Many believe it is impossible to just give up our petrol based life styles where cars and accessibility and leisure take priority, this is an idealistic perception, because in a matter of 20 years we built the infrastructure for the worlds largest cross communication platform called the internet. No, it does not take long to shift our behaviours given the same excitement, opportunity and unified direction as that of the internet boom. Corporate lobby groups would have you believe differently, but that is the idealism we are talking about.

Now the thing about idealism that realism lacks is vision. Vision of a future that is better and more prosperous than the one we are in currently. So if our vision of the world is this misguided direction based on false notions, then we can only meet our end as so many fear mongers are instilling in our hearts.

However, if we can accept the realist stance of the world we live in, and form a new vision of the world, one where 1000s are already waking up to on a daily basis, and who are saying “we need to do more than just recycle”. Then the ingenuity and human spirit that makes us an incredibly gifted species will overcome some of the hardest challenges we as a species have ever fought in the years to come.

Westjet has long been the flight carrier of choice within Canada. The staff is characterized by their friendly, fun and humorous attitudes that is sure to keep your spirits as elevated as you will be physically, in the air. Westjet has demonstrated exemplar service and is a role model business practice in the aviation community, not only in Canada but all over the world. The difference is that Westjet capitalizes on its people, and deriving the shared value of their people, makes it a employee of choice. Given this type of market leadership, I believe the true potential for Westjet to really take off is on the horizon yet.

When an airline decides to lower their prices, the first things to go out the window is usually food quality (or food period), and then service. In Westjet’s case, the first was scenario was true, and now any food on board must be purchased from a third party provider, beverages however remain complimentary. Westjet’s success in maintaining high quality service is really thanks to their core values as an organization. Humour replaces luxurious pampering, and that is seen through their genuine care and growth approach to staff and clients. It goes a long way to describe what individuals value, and it is not being treated like royalty, but treated like important individuals.

So what then could be next on the horizon for Westjet if they plan to stay the course as market leaders in the industry? Well in order to come full circle as an organization committed to triple bottom line results, Westjet must now complete the circle through their conscious impact on the community and environment in which they operate. Based on my observations, I have made three suggestions that could truly go a long way for an organization like Westjet.

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So it’s been 2 months since I’ve returned from an almost 3 year experience in Pakistan and India. So much has changed for me, that even still I find re-adapting to the Canadian culture difficult.

I suppose some of the experiences I had will never leave me, some truths you cannot just sweep under a carpet. Now that I am back in Canada, the hardest part is trying to share those experiences I had in a way that help people understand these truths that I have seen: poverty, exploitation, corruption, dishonesty. I guess this feeling is shared by anyone in the field of sustainability. The question eludes me, while I find myself stuck between a rock and a hard place. The worst of all, for me, is falling on deaf ears to the ones that are supposed to be closest and most beloved to us: our family.

The conundrum, in which I have befallen, is where to cross the line when on one side of it you know you cannot tell another person what s/he is doing wrong and how to live their life, on the other hand you cannot stand idle watching while ignorance is harming innocent people (and the environment) thousands and millions of miles away.

What would you do if stuck in this situation, crying desperately to be heard, to share some tiny morsel of experience, that may trigger an awakening to just how damaging the majority of North Americans live.

I know, I’m being harsh, accusing, judging. I know, but what would you do? What would you do if you knew someone was doing something that unbenownst to them is harming others, often, many others.

“What makes you so much smarter than us” or “who are you to think you know whats best for us” are two phrases I hear in defense whenever I point out the pointless obessive purpose to an electronic pepper mill. I wish I had all the answers, no one has all the answers. I do have a lot of questions though, like these:

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My Choice! is a project that aims to raise awareness among the youth about Sustainability. We offer a holistic understanding of sustainability taught through a simple model known as Society, Economy and Environment.

The Environment is impacted by our human footprint; this footprint is the result of diverse community interactions (economy, leisure, family) in any given society. Social activism, or civil society, is shaped by embedding values in the people that are part of the society and who will take up responsibility for that society. It is therefore vital for youth to grab this inclusive picture of sustainability to ensure a positive future generation of prosperity and increased quality of life.

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Often in conversation you may hear comments about growing water shortages, or the fact that bottled water is no better than tap water. Of course both of these are true, however the depth of this situation is far graver than we imagine it to be. What seems to miss the media’s attention is the massive protests that are led in against water giants like Nestle, Coca-Cola, Suez, Vivendi and others. All over the world, water privatization is on the increase, and at what cost?

The building of dams around the world have displaced millions of people in the 20th century. Water ways, aquafers, and natural irrigation channels are being dried up or pumped into plastic bottles and sold to us. That is like someone coming into your home, stealing your most prized family heirloom, wrapping it in a nice package and selling it back to you at 10x the price you paid for it in the first place.

Is it so hard to keep water healthy and accessible to everyone? It seems that more and more politicians are failing to stand up for what should be their jobs – to protect the basic security of citizens! There certainly is nothing more basic than water.

I just finished watching “FLOW: For love of water“.

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