A Long Journey to Reach a Sustainable U.S.
My favourite used to be when my daily Swedish newspaper wrote about what other countries had written about Sweden the last week. I always thought - and still think - is it interestering to see my own country from a foreigner's point of view.
Yesterday I returned from a two-week trip in California. I stayed with Swedish relatives, so maybe I haven't been as communicative with people from the outside which I usually try to be. We have been traveling around in California though, so I've been able to see some of the area.
Last time I went to the U.S. was almost 30 years ago. I spent a year as an exchange student in high school in South Carolina. In the beginning of the 80's, U.S. had a lot to offer that Sweden hadn't. I remember the Baskin and Robinson ice cream, 28 flavors, which was heavenly to enjoy. The cars were incredibly comfortable, sucked gas like a growing trees on a hot summer day and purred like cats when cruising on the roads. The memory of rows of white bread and candy in the stores are still stuck in my head. I also remember the feeling of living in a small town and how it felt being a feminist in a conservative part of the U.S., living on cotton industry. People were so friendly though, much more than at home, invited my to "come and see them" but I always thought they were exaggerating and believed their honesty. Maybe, it was a shame I didn't.
On this U.S. trip, I got somewhat a different impression of the country. Here I was in a well educated town, Palo Alto, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Healthy, vegan and organic food was offered in lots of places. On the train station, a sign showed the phone number to an organization which cared if you considering suicide. The pressure to succeed in an area where Mac's Steve Jobs memory of geniousness still hovered over the neighborhood. Bike lanes were placed on strategic roads in the village. The skys were blue almost everyday, the chill of the night left for warm days. Those feelings (except the suicide sign) were great with the trip.
I also appreciated the openness of Americans, more than last time. One day, we went to San Fransisco to see the city. A woman - we later learned was raised in S.F. but lived in Brooklyn with her husband and child - started talking to us while waiting at the cable car, taking us up the hills and fantastic and stomach iching views of the town. She was as natural talking to us as she had known us all our lives. The feeling was charming, to meet someone new in a very uncomplicated situation, who shared a bit of her own life and cordially wished us a Happy New Year. People you met for the first time in our life asked - for no obvious reason - how you were doing when meeting them in the street of Palo Alto. Nice small talk in the stores were much more common. A good habit and attitude we could really learn from in Sweden.
When I left Sweden in mid-December, I was still colored by the news and conclusions of the world climate negotiations of Durban, South Africa, though. The U.S. had - for the first time - committed itself to be part of making a plan for the climate within the next four years. Of those discussions, I noticed nothing in the U.S. On the other hand, there were fewer American gas-guzzlers running on the roads. The Asian and European often less gas-consuming vehicles were in majority. Still, you could see a big number of huge pick-up trucks and other heavy cars, often with signs with "God bless America" and messages about freedom, guns and tributes to war heros. Often, I just wanted to confront these people in the parking lots, asking them who should take the responsibility of climate change. On the other hand, it seemed like there was still a ongoing debate trying to convince the great number of climate skeptics, "it's all a hoax", in the country.
The last day, we changed our vehicle at the hire firm Hertz for six people to a smaller since I was leaving. The sales person in the store didn't understand what I was talking about when asking for the maximum level of CO2-emissions per kilometers for cars. Green cars were the ones making more than 35 miles a gallon, equivalent to 0.64 liters/10 kilometers. He didn't understand why I addressed him, as a car rental, as part of the climate discussion. The real problems, according to him, were the manufactures in Mexico with no limits for pollution. It's always easier to blame someone else than seeing your part of the responsibility, isn't it?
Eating out was another discussion. The portions were - as 30 years ago - still huge, one was often enough for two people. The U.S. has a good tradition of to bring doggy bags home, but still a lot of food must be wasted. Asking for msc-marked (=Marine Stewardship Council), or sustainable fished, fished was a blank spot to the restaurants, even to the fish dealers in the stores. A debate about the unworthy and non-sustainably grown prawns didn't exist at all. Half of the world production of fish comes from the Pacific Ocean.
The quarterly financial, the resentment to pay taxes and the financial crises in the U.S. seemed to have inhibited or even stopped public investments. The Coltrain, a local train, between San Fransisco and Palo Alto was run by old-fashioned and slow-accelerating diesel trains. The non-existing plan free junctions created a steady noice of ringing bells from the locomotives and contributed to the slow speed. The railway line survived three months at a time because lack of financing and a stedily on-going debate whether the railway should operate at all. - One day, we went cruising in the fashionable area of Beverly Hills in L.A. The worn-down roads more resembled a poor town in Africa than a welthy area in a country which used to be number one of well fare in the world. Probably there were flawless roads in the gated communities of the area, we were never able to find out.
The housing was another problem. The house of my relatives, a normal (around 150 square meters) villa of good standard in Palo Alto, was heated with a forced air system. An annoying sound was around the house all day long. Maybe it was suitable for drying the laundry, but the heat was very energy consuming and uneven during the day. The insulation of walls and windows were non-existing. Like lots of houses we saw between San Fransisco and San Diego in southern C.A., few of them were constructed to last.
This country of prosper and glory gave this time an air of a museum. I resembled the feeling of former success with following old-fashioned solutions of Great Britain, where I worked for a few months in the 80's. The U.S. had its successful days in the beginning and and middle of the 1900s. The fire trucks, hydrants, mail boxes and postal cars still had the design and function of those times. In the crises of the 90's, I used to work with labor market politics in Sweden. The self-image of full employment and a working social dialouge from the 70's also prevented a necessary conversion of existing politics.
The last beautiful day in California, we were visiting a restored marsh land area of Palo Alto. The amount of ducks and shore birds were amazing. Yet, there was only one researcher mapping the number and species of birds. She mentioned that few people ever visited the area. About 50 organizations had financed the restoration project, but now they were out of public funding. Visiting a natural park with sequoia trees close to L.A. also showed clear signs of the withdrawal of public funding.
Maybe it's still to early to draw conclusions from my trip to the U.S. this time. Above I have written down some scattered impressions, which I later will discuss with colleagues and friends. Though, I feel somewhat frustrated in my environmental quests after journey. (Yes, I know that I have polluted a lot through this trip too. An offset of $200 for 5.8 tons of CO2-emissions for the overseas flight is ethically dubious.) Today, it seems like an almost impossible task to unite a world for long-time survival.
Yesterday I returned from a two-week trip in California. I stayed with Swedish relatives, so maybe I haven't been as communicative with people from the outside which I usually try to be. We have been traveling around in California though, so I've been able to see some of the area.
Last time I went to the U.S. was almost 30 years ago. I spent a year as an exchange student in high school in South Carolina. In the beginning of the 80's, U.S. had a lot to offer that Sweden hadn't. I remember the Baskin and Robinson ice cream, 28 flavors, which was heavenly to enjoy. The cars were incredibly comfortable, sucked gas like a growing trees on a hot summer day and purred like cats when cruising on the roads. The memory of rows of white bread and candy in the stores are still stuck in my head. I also remember the feeling of living in a small town and how it felt being a feminist in a conservative part of the U.S., living on cotton industry. People were so friendly though, much more than at home, invited my to "come and see them" but I always thought they were exaggerating and believed their honesty. Maybe, it was a shame I didn't.
On this U.S. trip, I got somewhat a different impression of the country. Here I was in a well educated town, Palo Alto, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Healthy, vegan and organic food was offered in lots of places. On the train station, a sign showed the phone number to an organization which cared if you considering suicide. The pressure to succeed in an area where Mac's Steve Jobs memory of geniousness still hovered over the neighborhood. Bike lanes were placed on strategic roads in the village. The skys were blue almost everyday, the chill of the night left for warm days. Those feelings (except the suicide sign) were great with the trip.
I also appreciated the openness of Americans, more than last time. One day, we went to San Fransisco to see the city. A woman - we later learned was raised in S.F. but lived in Brooklyn with her husband and child - started talking to us while waiting at the cable car, taking us up the hills and fantastic and stomach iching views of the town. She was as natural talking to us as she had known us all our lives. The feeling was charming, to meet someone new in a very uncomplicated situation, who shared a bit of her own life and cordially wished us a Happy New Year. People you met for the first time in our life asked - for no obvious reason - how you were doing when meeting them in the street of Palo Alto. Nice small talk in the stores were much more common. A good habit and attitude we could really learn from in Sweden.
When I left Sweden in mid-December, I was still colored by the news and conclusions of the world climate negotiations of Durban, South Africa, though. The U.S. had - for the first time - committed itself to be part of making a plan for the climate within the next four years. Of those discussions, I noticed nothing in the U.S. On the other hand, there were fewer American gas-guzzlers running on the roads. The Asian and European often less gas-consuming vehicles were in majority. Still, you could see a big number of huge pick-up trucks and other heavy cars, often with signs with "God bless America" and messages about freedom, guns and tributes to war heros. Often, I just wanted to confront these people in the parking lots, asking them who should take the responsibility of climate change. On the other hand, it seemed like there was still a ongoing debate trying to convince the great number of climate skeptics, "it's all a hoax", in the country.
The last day, we changed our vehicle at the hire firm Hertz for six people to a smaller since I was leaving. The sales person in the store didn't understand what I was talking about when asking for the maximum level of CO2-emissions per kilometers for cars. Green cars were the ones making more than 35 miles a gallon, equivalent to 0.64 liters/10 kilometers. He didn't understand why I addressed him, as a car rental, as part of the climate discussion. The real problems, according to him, were the manufactures in Mexico with no limits for pollution. It's always easier to blame someone else than seeing your part of the responsibility, isn't it?
Eating out was another discussion. The portions were - as 30 years ago - still huge, one was often enough for two people. The U.S. has a good tradition of to bring doggy bags home, but still a lot of food must be wasted. Asking for msc-marked (=Marine Stewardship Council), or sustainable fished, fished was a blank spot to the restaurants, even to the fish dealers in the stores. A debate about the unworthy and non-sustainably grown prawns didn't exist at all. Half of the world production of fish comes from the Pacific Ocean.
The quarterly financial, the resentment to pay taxes and the financial crises in the U.S. seemed to have inhibited or even stopped public investments. The Coltrain, a local train, between San Fransisco and Palo Alto was run by old-fashioned and slow-accelerating diesel trains. The non-existing plan free junctions created a steady noice of ringing bells from the locomotives and contributed to the slow speed. The railway line survived three months at a time because lack of financing and a stedily on-going debate whether the railway should operate at all. - One day, we went cruising in the fashionable area of Beverly Hills in L.A. The worn-down roads more resembled a poor town in Africa than a welthy area in a country which used to be number one of well fare in the world. Probably there were flawless roads in the gated communities of the area, we were never able to find out.
The housing was another problem. The house of my relatives, a normal (around 150 square meters) villa of good standard in Palo Alto, was heated with a forced air system. An annoying sound was around the house all day long. Maybe it was suitable for drying the laundry, but the heat was very energy consuming and uneven during the day. The insulation of walls and windows were non-existing. Like lots of houses we saw between San Fransisco and San Diego in southern C.A., few of them were constructed to last.
This country of prosper and glory gave this time an air of a museum. I resembled the feeling of former success with following old-fashioned solutions of Great Britain, where I worked for a few months in the 80's. The U.S. had its successful days in the beginning and and middle of the 1900s. The fire trucks, hydrants, mail boxes and postal cars still had the design and function of those times. In the crises of the 90's, I used to work with labor market politics in Sweden. The self-image of full employment and a working social dialouge from the 70's also prevented a necessary conversion of existing politics.
The last beautiful day in California, we were visiting a restored marsh land area of Palo Alto. The amount of ducks and shore birds were amazing. Yet, there was only one researcher mapping the number and species of birds. She mentioned that few people ever visited the area. About 50 organizations had financed the restoration project, but now they were out of public funding. Visiting a natural park with sequoia trees close to L.A. also showed clear signs of the withdrawal of public funding.
Maybe it's still to early to draw conclusions from my trip to the U.S. this time. Above I have written down some scattered impressions, which I later will discuss with colleagues and friends. Though, I feel somewhat frustrated in my environmental quests after journey. (Yes, I know that I have polluted a lot through this trip too. An offset of $200 for 5.8 tons of CO2-emissions for the overseas flight is ethically dubious.) Today, it seems like an almost impossible task to unite a world for long-time survival.
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