Sustainability is all about making connections — between present and future, between local and global, between environmental, economic, and social concerns, and between our choices and their impact on the world around us. After tornadoes ripped through Joplin, MO this year, Bill McKibben wrote a great, tongue-in-cheek essay for the Washington Post about how we should NEVER, EVER draw connections between the extreme weather conditions we are seeing and climate change. Read it here.
McKibben makes fun of our national fear of drawing connections between our lifestyles and their broader impacts, but drawing connections can actually be fun and rewarding, and it can even lead to a higher quality of life. SU’s own Episcopal Chaplain, Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, writes a marvelous blog about local foods that will make your mouth water. Also consider the “buy local” movement, which keeps our money circulating in our community while promoting local jobs, a more personal shopping experience, and consumption we can feel better about. Check out Syracuse First for information about how you can be part of this.