{"id":1763,"date":"2020-04-02T01:25:45","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T01:25:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1763"},"modified":"2020-04-02T14:24:10","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T14:24:10","slug":"green-in-the-time-of-corona-a-post-of-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1763","title":{"rendered":"Green in the time of Corona: a post of hope"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I, like hopefully most of us, have been working from home and sequestering for over two weeks, now. I expect that this will be the situation for at least another month in New York state, and would not be surprised to be home with my husband and son until mid-May or even June. I am not going to get deeply into the moments of fear, or depression, or indecisiveness, although I can\u2019t help but touch on them. These weeks have been hard. I do see some things that inspire me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">To every season\u2026I write this post for the change agents out there. Especially the ones tasked with changing how their business does work, and those working on regenerative planning and thought processes. Also those, male or female or other, that end up being the moms of the workplace, picking through garbage bins and asking people to recycle better. All of you that are still geared to behavior change strategies, and are now separate from the in-real-time interactions that are the foundation of that work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This time of separation is in many ways debilitating. Here is a little of what I am facing and thinking, and I suspect you may be in a similar situation.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>I am working from home<\/b>, managing a few design projects. Those are ticking along just fine, until someone may determine they are not \u201cessential\u201d projects, anyway. No matter what the official determination, they are essential, as they are resilience projects. Yet resilience is way over there, and COVID-19 is right here, and now.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>I am nearly just as time stressed,<\/b> although I do have some interesting resources at home, to work on intense and wide-ranging education to share with staff, electronically.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>I function much better through co-creation. <\/b>When I can give and take, bounce ideas back and forth, I can gain insights from the experts in the fields of technology, communication, business development, and more. I believe that sustainability is a collaborative endeavor. I feel a little too separate, sitting at my dining table at home.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Getting the attention of others right now is even more difficult than \u201cnormal\u201d. <\/b>This is, of course, understood. There is communication to be drafted about COVID-19, there are business decisions to be made that affect our 500+ employees and all of NY state, Human Resources has to deal with fears and resources, and sustainability is easy to set aside. Yet if we don\u2019t weave sustainability into our current solutions, what does that mean for our shared future?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>I have a fear <\/b>that if sustainability isn\u2019t woven into this crisis, it will solidify that it (and that also means my skills) are not relevant. Yet I have a realization that pandemics are also a symptom of our abuse of Nature\u2019s systems, and that people like me, and the knowledge we have and can tap in our networks, will be basic in our recovery and revival.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">We have to be vigilant to ensure the \u201cnew normal\u201d does not build upon the wrong things that are a part of our speedy and terribly unprepared response to the COVID-19 crisis. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i><b>\u201cSocial Distancing\u201d should not actually become apartness of spirit. <\/b><\/i>We can ensure that we keep physical distance when needed, such as in this pandemic, learn to practice common sense even in light of the common cold in normal times, and still embrace each other. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i><b>Our newly reactivated addiction to sanitizers and hand washing is wonderful AND must be managed as we emerge into a non-pandemic world. <\/b><\/i>The overuse of antibacterials can damage our shared water treatment systems, and force evolution of bacteria that becomes resistant. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/other\/it-possible-be-too-clean-researchers-say-yes-f1C6345427\">It has been proven that too clean is a serious danger to long-term health.<\/a> The balance between clean enough to protect and dirty enough to remain resilient is one we have not yet managed, and if I were in healthcare or biological R+D I would make this a focus of my research.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b><i>We must be vigilant about not becoming hyper-nationalized,<\/i><\/b> or consistently in disrespect of other cultures, lands, and peoples, while we embrace our walkable cities and local food sources. I think this is also where social media will remain vital. My connectivity at the global scale has been made wider and deeper, even while I have constricted to a greater awareness of and interaction with my own neighborhood, my neighbors, and the resources within walking\/biking distance. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b><i>We need to manage our re-addiction to disposables.<\/i><\/b> I see the streets littered with single use gloves, I cannot currently get coffee in a reusable mug except from my own kitchen.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The Federal government is rolling back EPA controls to \u201cprotect\u201d oil and gas companies (really?!). Even though NYS has eliminated plastic bags from groceries there are <a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/reusable-shopping-bags-banned-massachusetts-230623653.html\">now places all across the nation that have outlawed reusable bags<\/a> during sequestering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I get it. Yet\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">We cannot let these temporary measures become permanent absolutions. In fact, we need to be more comprehensive and forward thinking! We can make massive societal adjustments to deal with a pandemic or other disaster while we continue to close the materials cycle, wean ourselves quickly off of fossil fuels, and improve our locational specificity in planning. <b>The most dangerous aspect of the COVID-19 situation for the Earth as a whole is not the disease itself, but the rescinding of protections of our shared water, air, soil, and species systems.<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I labelled this a post of hope. Now that I\u2019ve laid all the angst out, what exactly is the message of hope?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The hope lies in understanding that Nature is great at hibernation, at fermentation, and at composting. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Hibernation &#8211; where external evidence of growth is not visible, yet the systems are ramped down in order to survive tough times. <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Fermentation &#8211; where a passive and nutritious entity becomes super beneficial and sparkling. <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Compost &#8211; where what we consider to be waste becomes valuable nutrition and a resource that supports future growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">And maybe the most positive aspect of what we are encountering now is the recognition that we have done better, and we can do even better yet. And that there are no rules to the new normal. We are all in a time of discovery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>We can recognize and build upon the amazing positive things that are happening<\/strong> &#8211; this is a moment that proves the<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/electrek.co\/2020\/03\/30\/coronavirus-clean-air-electric-cars-adoption\/.\">entire world has the ability to change collective and common habits in just a few days or weeks.<\/a> \u00a0This magnitude of change and the speed of it is empowering to me as a change agent, as one who studies behavior and how to shift it.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We are driving less, using less energy overall, washing more, cooking more at home, building more skills, learning more, and coming together in ways we did not envision before. Doctors are working with patients on-line, companies are offering free lessons in all sorts of things, and loading content onto free platforms. Neighbors are looking out for neighbors again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Take time for yourself<\/b> &#8211; for some this means learning how to play that guitar that\u2019s in the closet. For others this may be some on-line training. For others an evening bath or listening to records that you haven\u2019t played in a long time, or rediscovering games with your family. Take this time. Yes, be frustrated if you need to, but don\u2019t let that feeling take over. Indulge it as a steam vent, just to exercise it and release it so that your attention can be on what you need it to be on.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Understand that this new reality is not less or more\u2026it is other.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Know you cannot do now what you could do before <\/b>&#8211; No one can. Breathe through it and <\/span><span class=\"s3\">discover what you can do<\/span><span class=\"s1\">. Understand that this new reality is not less or more\u2026it is other. That\u2019s real, and that\u2019s okay. You can change your business and the world in other ways right now. I am discovering some of those ways\u2026just beginning to discover some of those ways. This is an amazing moment in time for regenerative planning. And maybe, just maybe, you will find out or rediscover what you actually want to do with your life (OMG). In an office there is almost never time for a real gut-check or strategic planning that helps you to recognize your own potential. This is the great hibernation &#8211; time for building our own capacity to ready for rebirth! <\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1766\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bacon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1766\" class=\"wp-image-1766 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bacon-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bacon-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bacon-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bacon-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bacon.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1766\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A breakfast Zoom! (That&#8217;s bacon, BTW)<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Embrace the connections inherent in this disconnect <\/b>&#8211; yes! I am amazed at how many people I have not only reconnected with, but have had deep connectivity with. This is a contradiction I can embrace, even when I cannot physically hug my rediscovered friends. This is where the biggest strength in this moment lies &#8211; I am connected with amazing people all over the world &#8211; and I can learn from THEM, and talk with THEM and use THEIR insights, passion and humor.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1765\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/uwp.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1765\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1765\" src=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/uwp-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/uwp-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/uwp-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/uwp-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1765\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My friends from the world of Up With People<br \/>Cast B 1992-1993<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Maybe we can begin to even heal the feelings of solastalgia, defined as the pain of losing the solace of home and place (see National Geographic, Earth Day 50 Year Anniversary Issue). The planet is showing us that it is fast to start the healing process, with visibly clearer air in China and water in the canals in Venice, allowing a view fully to the bottom, and maybe, a return to balanced living with Nature<\/span><span class=\"s1\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/natgeo2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1764 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/natgeo2-253x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"253\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/natgeo2-253x300.jpg 253w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/natgeo2-768x911.jpg 768w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/natgeo2-863x1024.jpg 863w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Like a smoker who quits smoking, the healing begins quickly, and maybe, just maybe, we quit early enough. And maybe we have learned something about working together for the greater good.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Continue to learn, and be greener.<\/p>\n<p>Jodi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I, like hopefully most of us, have been working from home and sequestering for over two weeks, now. I expect that this will be the [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,10,18,7,9],"tags":[36,214,213],"class_list":["post-1763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-critical-commentary","category-inspiration","category-personal-reflections","category-deep-green","tag-health","tag-pandemic","tag-work-from-home"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/uwp.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p40KlT-sr","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":173,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=173","url_meta":{"origin":1763,"position":0},"title":"Building Energy 15 &#8211; excited and scared!","author":"greenerjsa","date":"February 17, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I am speaking at Building Energy 15 in Boston in a FEW SHORT WEEKS. \u00a0The caliber of presenters at this event is impressive, and I am seriously pinching myself at being included. So \"excited and scared\" like the Little Red Riding Hood in Sondheim's \"Into the Woods\". \u00a0Intrigued and energized\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"community","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"be15","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/be15-300x64.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1634,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1634","url_meta":{"origin":1763,"position":1},"title":"Transformation, Explored","author":"greenerjsa","date":"September 8, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Transformation, from dictionary.com - noun the act or process of transforming.the state of being transformed.change in form, appearance, nature, or character.Theater.\u00a0a seemingly miraculous change in the appearance of scenery or actors in view of the audience.Logic. Also called\u00a0transform.\u00a0one of a set of algebraic formulas used to express the relations between\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"behavior change\"","block_context":{"text":"behavior change","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?tag=behavior-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/cOmdkN6MOwU\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":862,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=862","url_meta":{"origin":1763,"position":2},"title":"#becausescience","author":"greenerjsa","date":"April 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I took an on-line biomimicry course over the last few weeks via www.canvas.net (take a look and see what\u2019s there for you). It was very interesting, a good refresher for me, got me outside in our strange-weather spring, and it forced me to re-engage in some critical study habits. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Advocacy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Advocacy","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=128"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/IMG_4186.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/IMG_4186.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/IMG_4186.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/IMG_4186.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/IMG_4186.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/IMG_4186.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1678,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1678","url_meta":{"origin":1763,"position":3},"title":"Nature Knows (a lot)","author":"greenerjsa","date":"November 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I realized something the other day, as I was engaging in a ten minute, morning meditation.\u00a0 The leader of the meditation (on the Gaia yoga app, which I highly recommend) was talking about breathing out, and mentally grounding into the earth to feel Nature\u2019s support and her strength, and she\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"green business\"","block_context":{"text":"green business","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?tag=green-business"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Screen-Shot-2019-11-03-at-4.14.18-PM.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":732,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=732","url_meta":{"origin":1763,"position":4},"title":"What We Don&#8217;t Need","author":"greenerjsa","date":"November 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I attended a SUNY (State University of New York) Sustainability conference last week. It was exceptional to see the work of different campuses in the SUNY system, to hear about their successes and the obstacles they have overcome as well as those they have yet to conquer to become more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"community","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"Debilitating slide","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/water-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":137,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=137","url_meta":{"origin":1763,"position":5},"title":"Greenie tackles webpage&#8230;","author":"greenerjsa","date":"April 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Sigh, Who's going to win this one? My husband and I were reminiscing about my parents and their lack of ability to handle their answering machine, circa 1995. \u00a0We realized that someday, our son will facetime us from a space station, or a settlement somewhere, and we'll be facing the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Personal Reflections&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Personal Reflections","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"Great gaming with friends!","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/IMG_4409-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1763"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1769,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1763\/revisions\/1769"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}