This year my blog was a mixed potpourri of news, politics, history revisits, entrepreneurship, design and book reviews. I write this blog both for my own personal enjoyment and possibly to help provide new information or a different perspective on many of the issues happening in the world today.
If you missed any of them, here are the top 10 blog posts based on web traffic metrics, as well as some I thought deserve another read.
There has never been a better time to have the UN Climate Change Conference, or COP21. Climate change is the most pressing issue affecting the planet and its inhabitants. However, all the holiday shopping and consumption going on now creates an even bigger carbon footprint. We all need to do better for our future.
Here are some tips and ideas on making your holiday a little greener:
Buy a real Christmas tree: I know it’s easier to just get a plastic tree that can be reused every year, but they are not sustainable. Real Christmas trees are more environmentally friendly than artificial trees. Fake trees usually have a lifespan of 6 to 10 years and are made from polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which is not biodegradable. This is problematic when they are tossed into a landfill, where plastic lives forever. Consider not only buying a real tree, but a potted, live tree that can be repotted, replanted or turned into mulch and chippings later.
Reduce holiday lighting: Everybody loves looking at beautiful holiday lights on homes, but those lights can be a strain on your electricity grid and your wallet. Consider a smaller light display by using LED mini-lights, and instead of keeping the lights on all night, maybe turn them off before you go to bed.
Recycle wrapping paper and gift bags: Carefully open all your gifts so you can reuse the wrapping paper next year! Also, if you have to buy gift wrapping, try to find paper that is environmentally friendly.
Reduce, reuse & recycle technology: This is the time of the year everyone buys new electronics and toss old electronics still in working order into the trash. If your old television or computer still works, consider donating it to a local nonprofit in need. Many homeless shelters and domestic violence programs are always looking for gently used mobile phones. Also, when you are not using your tech gadgets, don’t just turn them off, but unplug them to reduce vampire energy. (Shameless self-promotion: I wrote a whole book on this topic.)
Handmade gifts: I think some of the best gifts I have ever received were handmade. My mom made me a quilt many Christmases ago that I still use and love. It might be too late to start sewing a quilt, there are many other homemade gifts that you can make just in time for the holidays. There are tons of arts and crafts books and online resources out there to help you out. I make my own holiday cards using recycled materials. While buying a store bought gift might be easier, people will remember your handmade gift because it is the thought that counts.
Shop local: Yes, it is very tempting to shop at Amazon or Walmart, but also try to give some money to locally-owned small businesses. Not only are you reducing your shipping and handling carbon footprint, but you are also supporting your local economy. If you are hosting a holiday party, consider purchasing locally sourced food.
Re-gifting: I see nothing wrong with re-gifting an item that you don’t need to someone who does need it, so long as you are not giving it back to the original giver (Now that’s tacky!). Save money on gifts and pass it forward.
Reduce travel: It’s great to see friends and family who live far away, but also keep in mind the carbon footprint you create every time you fly or drive anywhere. I have reduced my holiday traveling in recent years. Think about if there is an alternative to traveling long distance? Maybe you have friends and family who live right around the corner that you haven’t seen in an while.
With another Thanksgiving upon us, it’s that time again to think about what we are thankful for in this life. I have many things in my life to grateful for, including having good health, the support and love of my family and friends, a career that make me happy and the freedoms and opportunities I have living in the United States.
However, there are a lot of things going on the world today that I am not thankful for, such as:
International terrorism: I absolutely hate everything ISIS, Boko Haram and other terrorists stand for and the violent actions they have taken on innocent people around the world. There will have to be a breaking point when the world really comes together to smash these violent thugs.
Domestic terrorism: In addition to worrying about a suicide bombing afar, America also has to deal with random mass shootings by mentally unstable people who shouldn’t have access to guns. Unarmed black men have to fear for their lives because the police automatically shoot first and ask questions later. Something is seriously wrong!
Politics: If the best this country can do is have Trump, Carson or Bush as possible presidents, we are doomed. While I support Hillary, she is still the lesser of the evils. In a more ideal world, I would vote for Bernie, but Wall Street would just smash him.
Divisiveness: It feels like this country has become more divisive on multiple levels. Thanks to people like Trump and Carson, it is now okay apparently to be openly racist, xenophobic, homophobic or Islamophobic. Whether we are talking about Black Lives Matter or immigration, why can’t people just agree to disagree on issues and still be civil. Try to remember this when having Thanksgiving dinner with your argumentative relatives.
Mean-spirited people: This is related to divisiveness, but really people who are always looking for a reason to put other people down. Pay no mind to people like that because they usually have their own insecurities and karma has a way of finding them.
MBTA: You have heard me complain about my city’s horrible public transit system many, many times. If the MBTA handles snow emergencies this year the same way they did last year, I swear I will be out in the streets with other disgruntled Bostonians with our pitchforks protesting at City Hall and the State House.
Holiday Shopping Craze: The holiday shopping season traditionally starts the day after Thanksgiving, but it is starting earlier every year. Some stores will even be open on Thanksgiving Day! I still don’t understand how one gets into the holiday spirit by standing in a line overnight just to get into a shoving match with another hapless customers over a $10 toaster.
Tech Overload: As much as I love technology, I don’t live my whole life online. This holiday season, unplug yourself from your mobiles and computers and make real connections with actual people in person!
Maybe everybody should just be play Adele all Thanksgiving.
Maker education is a new term that has popped up a lot recently in educational circles. Creating spaces for students to have hands-on learning teaches them skills that they might not find in a traditional classroom, like being innovative and thinking outside the box. Also, maker education can gear students towards careers in design, engineering, math, media and research. Most importantly students develop vital problem solving skills that are useful in any career they choose in the future.
Recently, I had a discussion with my friend Chris, who is a high school computer science teacher at a private school. He told me that his school has turned the library into a dedicated makerspace, where students can put their knowledge to work with coding and robotics.
“My principal became worried that less students were using the library to borrow books, since they can do all their research on their iPhones and download books,” Chris said. “This way we are reinventing what the library can be and serve our students in a more relevant way. The kids are actually more excited to go to the library now because they know they can create something cool there.”
Mind you, Chris works for an elite private school with high tuition, so the school can afford to create a full-time makerspace, unlike many public schools around the country that are lucky if they even have books in their libraries. This made me think about how makerspaces would fit into the context of public community libraries. Now I am not advocating that libraries should completely convert themselves into makerspaces, but like school libraries, public libraries are looking to stay relevant in the digital age. Circulation is down in many community libraries as more people choose Amazon and Wikipedia for books and research, respectively.
Recently, my local library started a LEGO club for kids. I see the final products the kids make, and they are pretty awesome! I don’t think makerspaces are going to completely replace libraries, but rather, work together in the same space with the common goal of providing a quality learning experience.
Here’s why I think this way:
Libraries and makerspaces are resourceful: Students have access to both print and digital books, research materials and other resources that are not usually accessible, even on the Internet. Likewise, makerspaces provide access to physical materials that would otherwise be too expensive for an individual to purchase on their own. For example, my library purchased several orders of the LEGO Creative Suite, which totaled over $400. They are free to use for participants in the LEGO club. Many of the kids come from low to middle income households, and making such a purchase would be inaccessible for many of them.
Blending interdisciplinary education: Libraries are full of books that span a wide variety of academic subject matters and contribute to idea creation which supports innovation in makerspaces. Alternatively, students experimenting in makerspaces will want to use the resources in the library. Many of the kids in the LEGO club look at books in the library about engineering and robotics design.
Librarians and Maker Educators lead on innovation: Both of them can be more flexible than traditional teachers in setting up customized workshops, mentorship and guidance based on specific learning needs. The head librarian at my local library played a big role in setting up the LEGO club and picking out books and materials with the maker educator for the kids.
Sense of community: Libraries are naturally informal gathering spaces for community members. Users don’t just come to borrow books, they also attend a wide variety of programming, like book clubs and children’s events. They are also social equalizers. No matter what background, race, age, gender or income, every and anyone can go to a library and gain knowledge. Makerspaces work in the same way.
It’s important to find that perfect balance between public libraries and makerspaces and how they can better serve their communities as this discussion continues in the near future.
This year my blog was a mixed potpourri of news, politics, history revisits, entrepreneurship, design and book reviews. I write this blog both for my own personal enjoyment and possibly to help provide new information or a different perspective on many of the issues happening in the world today.
