Thankful for Caring

Since starting my new position in New York City, I've had the opportunity to read several books that have been on my book list:

An American River

The author details how a major river in New Jersey also became a major dumping site for the processes of the industrial revolution. She describes the enormous challenges and dangers within the Superfund sites throughout the river, but also inspires the readers with her visits to pristine and restored parts of the Passaic River where life is thriving.

Ecology of Commerce

Paul Hawken describes the perverse economic systems that allow corporations to write off their incalculable damage to the environment as the cost of doing business. This book is a little more of a reality check than Blessed Unrest, which I also highly recommend for a dose of inspiration about positive change. Regardless, Hawken describes systems that punish polluters and even net neutral businesses, and encourage regenerative and closed loop systems.

Maimonides

I also had the chance to read about Ben Maimon, and his descendants in a book about Maimonides. Seemingly unrelated, but Maimonides is one of the most well known Jewish Doctors from about 800 years ago. What struck me in this book was the description of typical Jewish trades; as a group of people who were nomadic out of desperation, Jews needed to develop trades that could travel with them and be set up and immediately operable to survive. There is a deep rooted dissatisfaction with information being fed to us as a people; we question and like to understand how things work. This is why Jews have long been successful doctors- they did not accept that disease and injury were at the will of God, they believed it was man's duty to figure out how it all worked and fix it if within their means. The author notes, "Among Jews, especially those of an intellectual bent, there is commonly a kind of restlessness, an anticipation of uncertainty, ambiguity, imperfection, and the sense that one must do something about it even though the total solution will never be found"

Reading all of these books in proximity got me thinking about why I care about nature, the environment, the health of people I've never met, etc. 

--Is it because I'm Jewish and my DNA historically carries that dissatisfaction with the unknown, like the carrying capacity of the planet?

-- Is it because power and privilege have allowed these books and the proper education to pass on to me?

-- Is it actually a grand form of selfishness, because I don't want to die from disease caused by environmental factors- and it happens to affect others as well?

-- Is it my childhood experiences outdoors that formed the basis for my intrinsic value of the environment as  a whole?

Well, it's likely a combination of all of those factors, and more I haven't thought of, but in any case-

I'm Thankful for the opportunity to learn from those who know more about specialized topics than I do, but more grateful to be able to review that information with a critical eye.

I'm Thankful for the knowledge that the EARTH has sustained me all of my life, but more grateful that all of the technologies we would need to restore her already exist.

I'm Thankful for all of the people around the world working toward the same greater goal;; but most grateful for the knowledge that my work will never be done, because there is no level of 'enough' beauty,justice, and happiness.

With that, I hope you and your families reflect on reasons to be grateful, and determine goals for positive change this Thanksgiving. Imagine if you started your positive change with the holidays, spending time with your families instead of in department stores. If the season's success was measured in smiles and mitzvot for others instead of boxes and rolls of wrapping paper. It may not make a world of difference if you are the only one to do it, but it will make a difference. And that, my friends, is enough reason to do it.