A Few Of My Favorite Things
Thomas Brex ...sought a purposeful career in renewable energy. He enrolled in the two-year energy program at Lane Community College and bam, before he could finish his second term he was snapped up by Advanced Energy Systems, a commercial solar energy company that installs massive photo voltaic arrays...
Suddenly, the demand for workers with renewable energy or energy efficiency skills is burgeoning here in Lane County.
That's right, a reporter uses the word "bam."
But that's not the only good thing. There's also all those good jobs at decent wages doing great things for the climate: a few of my favorite things, all wrapped up into one yummy package.
Of course, I may just be looking for a bright spot amidst the dismal economic reports that seem to be coming out daily. And I think we should all be a little cautious about what the 'green jobs' can really accomplish -- I'd hate to see the idea over-hyped, and then discounted if it doesn't quite live up to expectations.
Still, this sort of news is encouraging, and I'd like to see lots, lots more like it.
Rethinking the "T-word" on Tax Day
A tip of the hat to Richard Conniff, whose New York Times op-ed today is a refreshing foil to all those "death and taxes" commentaries you'll hear all day long on April 15. Conniff suggests that we'd all be better off shedding the "ugliest word in the English language, right up there with its evil twin, 'death.'" And instead, we should start talking about paying our "dues."
The word "dues" doesn't carry all the negative baggage that the "T-word" does. And dues might better signify a meaningful contribution to a joint effort, membership in a functioning society. Conniff writes:
...the word "dues" also plays into the psychology of group identity, and that can work to the benefit of conservatives and liberals alike. Consider that "tax" comes from the Latin for "appraise" with punitive overtones of "censure" or "fault," as if wage-earners have done something wrong by their labors. "Dues," in contrast, is rooted in social obligation and duty.
A word shift certainly wouldn't change our thinking overnight - even if we could all agree to stop saying "taxes." But it's good to remember that our lives are enriched, supported, and protected by the public structures that we create and maintain to sustain our quality of life.
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