Take it to the Next Level!

During the presentation Susan mentioned more than once the importance of getting political when dealing with Environmental inequalities and injustices. Her story alone shows how when you feel passionately enough but something there needs to be a change in the policies and laws that are standing in the way of those justices. I personally feel that simply organizing outside of the formal structures of polity is not enough to make change and in order to get results you need to take it to the next level. I feel like this point is a vary important aspect of many fights against inequality, not only within the Environmental movement realm but for every social movement. If there are formal policies that are in place against you within the political institution, then the fight needs to be taken to that same political level in order to see change. Susan believed there needed to be a formal ban against the use of pesticides, and in order for that to happen she saw it necessary to take it to the courts. I am extremely impressed in the results Susan and her team were able to accomplished and i think she is an inspiration to everyone.
On another note, i work for a lawn care company during the summer, and this will be my 4th summer doing so. I only work with Irrigation, so only sprinklers, I have never used herbicides or any form of pesticides in my work, and I agree with Susan when she said you do not need these pesticides for your lawn and garden. It is true that people are OBSESSED with their lawns, for many people (men specifically, women like gardens mostly), they will do anything to get a good lawn, and usually the easiest and cheapest is to use spray. However, i know if you just add water and dont pick up your grass clippings when you cut your lawn and mayber fertalize you will have a great lawn and garden. You definitely do not need sprays for a nice front lawn. People are just lazy and looking for a quick solution. Gash we're lazy.

We are the Generation of E-waste

It is pretty clear that we as Westerners are a key player in the arrival of the e-waste generation. We are the largest consumers in the world, and with the vast majority of our products being manufactured in developing countries, consequently, they end up in the landfills and neighbourhoods of those same countries after we've had our fun. As our society continues to be centred around consuming and developing new technologies and electronic devices it is only going to make the situation overseas worse. It would not be wrong to place part of the blame onto ourselves for seeking the newest toys and ultimately contributing to the problem, however I dont feel as if we should be that hard on ourselves for playing the role of consumer.
If manufacturers developed products that were designed not to harm the environment to the same degree, it would put them at a huge advantage over other manufacturers. We're already seeing this with Sony, as they have issued its own list of restricted hazardous substances and the result is the disqualification of hundreds of suppliers who do not meet those requirements. The more green your manfacturing is, the more green your pockets will be ;)
Same goes for the producers and the large corporations. If they distributed green products they can jack those prices through the roof! They can internalize the shit of their products with waste managment costs!
Let's not get mad at ourselves for buying products, and let's not get mad at ourselves for not buying the most eco-friendly products... let's not overdue it! but there is way more incentive for producers and manufacturers to change then there are for us.

The web of Corporate and Global Media

The global media has unfortuneately become one of the most powerful socialization agents within our society, bombarding the mass public with hand-picked and corporate funded information. Today's media sources have almost total power and control over the agenda for what will and will not be discussed in mainstream media agents, like newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV. With this immense power it is no doubt that major Corporations have teamed up with the media to ensure maximum profits for their companys by ensuring only positive information be leaked by their media buddy's. A prime example is how major Corporations are rarely blamed for the cause of any environmental issues or damages, as they are able to hide behind the media and increase the ignorance levels of us citizens who are aimlesly watching the 6 o'clock news believing everything we see.
Another way we see the web of mass media and major corporations' influence over society is with the use of advertisements, and how corporations are able to exploit the public with product integration and hand selected commercials. Advertisers choose selectively among programs on the basis of their own principles. Large corporate advertisers on TV will rarely sponsor programs that engage in serious criticism of corporate activities.
We can see this with large media agents like NBC, who is owned by General Electric (GE), a corporation with one of the largest influence in the US presently. NBC can have a pro-Environment week, or a "Green Week", where all their TV programs will integrate positive environmental messages for the viewing public. Sounds like a positive idea right? However, since NBC is owned by GE, GE places products throughout the Green Week in hopes of maximizing profits, hiding behind the idea that they are "saving the environment", and ambiguously stating that you will be helping the environment by buying our product...
sneeky sneeky..