Me gusta jugar video juegos.  This is the ONE phrase from high school Spanish that I remember. Yes, I am a gamer. Set me up with a night filled with Left for Dead... plop me on a couch so I can cuddle up with my PSP and roll around a Katamari. Okay, so I am a girlie gamer... true confession.

Last week, Greenpeace released videos that turned PS3s, Wiis and XBOX360s into Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft representatives (respectively). For those of you who have been entranced by a game for the past week, allow me to share my favorite:

In case you don't know what brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are or why polyvinyl chrloride (PVC) and phthalate should not be in your consoles or other electronics, check out our Q&A about it! 

Short answer - The life cycle of these electronics are not sustainable and they are dangerous for the folks who make and disassemble them. I advise you take action and ask the makers to do what is right - let us rest easy and play our games in peace!

I was poking around on Grist the other day, and this video (below) was in their "Things that are funny" section.... It has turned my world around!

Their channel has profiles of some of the young people involve and Joseph in particular sums up exactly how I feel - so perfect, so inspiring, so beautiful. We goin' green!

To me, all of the local things that are done only amplify the important work that Greenpeace does to advance the dialogue and demonstrate just how important taking action to save the planet is to everyone. Our most recent video from our Arctic Sunrise tour of the Arctic below!

I love Japan. I will be the first to say it! And it's not only because they have probably the best thing ever. I mean, c'mon! Happy Monday System! I was born to be there...

But seriously, it's my life goal to become fluent in Japanese, so I can watch my favorite Studio Ghibli films without needing subtitles. I really admire the art and the entire culture of Japan, I am drawn to it... but then, I read about what Junichi and Toru are going through. And my idealized image of Japan is thrown by the wayside. 

If you don't know the story, I'll give it to you in brief:

The Japanese Government has a program that uses lethal methods to practice "scientific research" on whales. Really, it's whaling for commercialization and when Junichi and Toru exposed this obvious hypocrisy  - an investigation was almost started on the whaling industry - they were arrested... for theft. 

Again, before the haters start in, before it becomes a case of "he who sins not shall cast the first stone," before it becomes a circular argument: Greenpeace does not stand in judgement. 

The real issue at hand here is that Japan, an awesome country by every right, is outright lying to their countrymen, the world and to themselves. 

I hope that the trial for Junichi and Toru forces the Japanese government to deal with the disparities of what they are communicating by words and what they are communicating with actions. An end to commerical whaling would be a great shift towards taking care of our oceans and in turn, our planet. Marine Reserves Now! 

Some co-workers and myself were relaxing and recounting yesterday's events when we started going through videos on YouTube... well some of my illustrious colleagues have never SEEN my favorite video.. and it shocked me. 

So, here I am shouting out to the world. Sigourney Weaver chills me, in a good way, and I feel honored that she took the time to help Greenpeace work and push for solutions for our planet. 

Take it away Dana Barrett! 

Hey, the woman dealt with Aliens and Ghosts! She's the quintessential tough cookie!

PS - If you haven't already, please please please please PLEASE(!) read/watch/skim the White House Climate Change Impacts Statement. It's so powerful and really is helpful for putting politics into perspective, in additon to NVDA. Really, the time is now to become pests and demand what is required and ignore the folks who desire soley to profit at the expense of the planet and the people and animals that reside in it.

i am a huge fan of kohlberg's stages of development. i learned about this baby in high school and it has proven to be one of those bits of knowledge that was imparted to me that has had real staying power. here is the essential overview:

Level 1 (Pre-Conventional)

1. Obedience and punishment orientation

(How can I avoid punishment?)

2. Self-interest orientation

(What's in it for me?)

Level 2 (Conventional)

3. Interpersonal accord and conformity

(Social norms)

(The good boy/good girl attitude)

4. Authority and social-order maintaining orientation

(Law and order morality)

Level 3 (Post-Conventional)

5. Social contract orientation

6. Universal ethical principles

(Principled conscience)

the beauty about these levels, or how they were explained to me, is:  just because you have reached the 3rd level and can make decisions based on your projection of what its like to live life in someone elses shoes, it does not mean that you revert to the 1st level and try to avoid punishment. 

i find it really important to remind myself of this muli-level way of existing. it helps me sympathize and understand those different than me (quite a few people...). it also make me feel better about my own inconsistant feelings about how the world is progressing. kohlberg, for what it's worth, started flapping about how there could be more levels that are possibly linked with religion, but i think he was fine to stop theorizing at level 3 stage 6. 

i feel like, if more folks learned and retained this knowledge, the world would be a better place. business would have better ethics and the planet and all its inhabitants would be healthier. i dont believe in silver bullets..... but this is pretty damn close! ok, ok, so it's not that close, but def. a possible part of an overall solution.

for the record: education, education, and education is the key for the betterment of the world.