zmotion

2010 was heralded by the Environmental Protection Agency to be the year for clean air and water standards to reach a near-perfect status. ‘2010 – A Space Odyssey’ ['Odyssey Two' MGM-1984], portrayed a joint US-Russian space mission that miraculously ended the US-Soviet cold war in 2010. In reality, only 7 years after the movie’s release, 1991 marked the actual collapse of the Soviet Union, ending the cold war era. According to George Orwell, 1984 was an extremely troubled time depicted by the novelist [in 1949] as a world submerged in a totalitarian police state.

What do we learn from these historical perspectives? We can conclude that it is difficult at best to predict how history will play out. We can also conclude that people can alter historical outcomes when sufficiently educated and motivated. Earth’s environment has a long way to go to reach a perfect status. People are more environmentally conscious today. Industry has made environmental progress. The world, for the most part, is far from becoming a police state.

What it does reveal is that history, though unpredictable, can be affected by informed, determined individuals. These individuals, fueled by an unquenchable passion, will enjoy sustainable life in the arenas of energy, business, agriculture, health, the environment and personal development.

Technology advances at a rate that is parallel to its demand. Organic gardening and farming practices will flourish in tandem with a demand for fresher, more nutritious organic produce. Fish farming will grow, coupled with growing concerns about toxicity levels in seafood from oceans. Organic livestock production will increase as more health concerns emerge because of animals raised with growth hormones. Renewable energy sources will blossom in every community as individuals realize the benefits of clean, affordable and sustainable power.

2010 will be the year that passionate people like you and me decide to become involved and make a difference in the status of our local communities and the world we live in. Don’t be jaded into thinking that things are just going to happen with or without you and that you can’t make a difference. It doesn’t really matter whether you affect only 2 other people or 2 billion. You will make a difference if you decide to do it.

An investment should be more than just an instrument to gain personal wealth. Of course, if you didn’t believe it would be profitable, it wouldn’t be a wise move. Right? What if you were to think of your investment as an action/belief statement about your core values? What you do, and especially what you do with your money, actually says more about what you believe than what you say.

If you know that the capital you invest is going to result in harm to innocent people, but you do it anyway because it is reported to be a good investment – well, you know what that is. It’s just wrong! Why not make a quality decision to invest in ventures that accomplish what you believe in?

I believe that I can only commit resources – time, energy, money – into products or businesses that are sustainable, life-giving, life-saving and I wholeheartedly recommend that you do the same. I have put a great deal of thought, research and soul searching into ideas that will benefit the world we live in and future generations. I believe that we must turn the corner – effect paradigm shifts and make the hard decisions that our grandchildren will enjoy and, hopefully, we will be able to enjoy.

Green building practices, green agriculture, green energy, green industry, fresh water projects are all sustainable endeavors for the economy of future generations. Markets will reflect the decisions that investors make. We haven’t even begun to see what can happen in 10, 20, 50 years if we make up our minds to do it and to devote whatever resources we can into it.

Why you do something to bring about positive change is more important than what you do. The ‘Why’ motivates you to see a project through to completion. The ‘Why’ causes you to do a better job. The ‘Why’ turns a technical project into a bright future for children who have no way of enjoying a healthy lifestyle unless you do what has to be done to ensure its success. My ‘Why’ is children deserve better.

I believe that every child deserves a healthy environment. They deserve a daily supply of fresh water and nutritious food. They deserve a mother and father who provide a safe and stable home environment and give them educational opportunities to become healthy, happy, responsible and productive citizens. They deserve a government – local, regional and national, that is dedicated to preserving these ideals. Unfortunately, children don’t always get what they deserve, but it doesn’t change the truth that children deserve better.

Every initiative is worthwhile that will raise the percentage of children who are getting what they deserve. Every child deserves better. It is up to you and me to promote these ideals and collaborate with those who are working to encourage a sustainable life for all children of all nations.

That is the ‘Why’ of zmotion and Sustainable Life for All Nations.

Love the Journey

The destination may be ever so sweet, but it will be so much more enjoyable if you really pour your full energy and passion into the journey. Solomon said it this way: “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” [Proverbs 4:7]

The thing about learning and searching is that, after intensely applying yourself to get understanding, there is infinitely more to learn than you thought when you began. The road to discovery is far longer than you ever imagined. Even if you get to the end of the journey and you don’t regret a thing, you will know that it could have been better. Do your best; you only have so many chances. Sometimes you only get one shot to hit the target.

Let this post be an opportunity to step back for a moment and get a fresh perspective on yourself. Make a quality decision to never stop growing, learning, discovering. Years ago I had a teacher who said it this way, “You have two choices in life: Keep growing or keep getting older.” To keep growing is the secret of a sustainable life.

Be wary when someone offers to do what only you can do. There are things you can’t do, so either get yourself prepared to do those things or depend on someone else to do them. You can’t control what other people do, but you can control what you do. If you make a mistake, just admit it and get it right. You are your own best prophet, so expect the best. Say what you believe and believe what you say.

Do what others are unwilling to do. Make the necessary sacrifices without expecting the praises or the collaboration of others. When you succeed, there will be both praise and criticism. Do the right thing instead of the easy thing. Push for excellence. Leave a legacy. Do it for your children’s children.

Don’t join the club. Make the tough choices. Don’t settle for just getting by. Don’t go along with the majority just because it’s popular. Chart your own course:

1. Plan with detailed goals. Follow the plan.
2. Set your priorities. Make appointments to keep them important.
3. Water and feed your vision with research and development.
4. Manage your time. Only you can schedule your journey.
5. Collaborate, communicate and brainstorm with your team.
6. Celebrate every success. Celebrate with your team. Tell others.

At the end of the day, how do you answer these questions:

1. Are you fully content with the decisions you have made?
2. Will others benefit from your decisions or will your decisions benefit you alone?
3. Grow and live; stagnate and die. Choose wisely.

What if you could cut your electric bill in half and be greener at minimal or no net cost to you? Given the innovations, developments and publicity that promote a greener world, it seems inescapable that you have to spend more money to go green. But let’s explore a little deeper.

Let’s ask the tough questions. Why should it cost more for recycled products than for original? Why does a hybrid vehicle cost several thousand dollars more than a conventional when they only improve fuel economy by 10-12%? Why would someone pay $200,000 for a geothermal system to heat and cool their home? Why should it take 10 to 20 years to break even on solar or wind power or solar water heating? Are we really saving our forests by using more expensive non-wood materials? Why do biofuels cost more to produce than petroleum fuels?

The obvious reason that more people are not jumping on the green wagon has to do with financial considerations. In some instances higher costs might be justified by the benefits, but frankly, it is generally cost prohibitive to go green. Sure, Hollywood is full of greenies. It’s free publicity to promote love for the planet and it’s a nice tax break, too!

Forget Main Street, let’s go all the way to my street, where I have to balance my checkbook or go to my online bank site every few hours to track my spending. So what’s my point? There are lots of ways you can go green and save money, and if that’s true, then we should spend some time exploring ways of going green without going broke.

In this blog I want to explode some myths about some much-publicized green ideas. I want to motivate you toward a more sustainable life. I want to give you some food for thought about some obvious and some not so obvious ways you can be green and save some green.

Here are some specific ways to benefit from the green wave without the dramatic switch to renewable energy. First, let’s talk about some things you can do immediately that will “reduce your carbon footprint” and, if you apply them all, you could cut your electric bill by 50% or more. What could you do with that much more disposable monthly income?  Read More . . .

The earth abounds with food, water, energy, social and economic resources.  The only shortage is in genuine concern for the well-being of the less fortunate and for future generations.

Why all the buzz about sustainability? Currently, many natural resources are being consumed at unsustainable rates.  Once consumed, some of these resources, such as hydrocarbon fuels and certain other elements, will be forever unavailable unless we import them from other planets. And, by the way, interplanetary transportation costs make that highly improbable for the foreseeable future, not to mention the exploration costs.

There must be a worldwide paradigm shift in the way we raise and distribute food, manufacture and deliver products, generate and supply energy, fuel and conduct travel and transport. It has become not just advisable, but necessary to change the way we do business and sustain life.

There are viable sustainable technologies available today that are capable of producing renewable fuels and energy products. There are many more just waiting to be invented. In agriculture we should be returning to healthier organic practices. We must learn how to provide an adequate water supply for all nations.

We can learn to conserve natural resources, make it economically feasible and beneficial to do so and determine to build a legacy of improved quality of life for generations yet to come until a truly sustainable plan is fully developed.

The alternative to sustainable life is the inevitable depletion of certain natural resources, the destruction of our environment and a dark legacy of sick, starving and shrinking populations around the globe.