The Finale

1. The thoughts on my mind, which I channel specifically through this blog, evince the ethical mind that can't help but try to escape. The ethical mind ponders the nature of one's work and the needs and desires of the society in which one lives. Check. This mind conceptualizes how workers can serve purposes beyond self-interest and how citizens can work unselfishly to improve the lot of all. Check.

The concept and theme of my blog, going green, fulfills these requisites, so I can safely say that I practiced my thoughts ethically. The very nature of "going green" is ethical within itself! Every single one of my posts manifest the conciliatory results implemented by environmentally-savvy methods and alternatives. For instance, the concept of TogetherWeSave.com, "Earth Tax," "One Person Can't Do Everything, But Everyone Can Do Something," and "Why Not?" all present cases of man transcending petty grievances and hidebound methods. I argued all of these points in regard to the unselfish improvement of the lot of all.

2.I exhibited curiosity; all of my posts were either relatively new to me or completely new to me. You and I both learned at the same time of reading these. Whenever I published a post, I had to read up on some information beforehand.
I also engaged in intellectual discussions. Just as the ethical mind stimulates the social amendments for the betterment of all of mankind, I presented intellectual topics that most people today cannot grasp. Honestly the only reason that "going green" is unfamiliar to most people is because they are either hidebound or uninformed.
I also read with awareness of self and others. The whole concept of the ethical mind is reflexive of this characteristic of my blogs, so you can simply refer to part one.

3. Hm, what did i realize, or learn, that surprised me most after developing my blog? Well, i realized that "going green" is way more universal than I thought it was. It is not my own unique concept I cultured to transform the world. Rather, the beliefs and methods of environmental awareness are so much more widespread than I imagined.
As I blogged on this specific topic, I also noticed that I would recognize "green" things. It is exactly like the instance when you drive a specific car, and then you see your car everywhere! Before I drove my Grand Prix, I never thought twice about those cars. When I started driving a Grand Prix, I noticed them everywhere! Did everyone start driving these when I did? When we pick up habits, we notice others' similar habits as well. We are creatures of habit.

The J Skibs Cafe and the Tony T Lounge

Order up! You can find a tall glass of Cucumbers on the Rocks in both of these venues. Go check them out. John Skibinski and Tony Traina, my friends and followers, offer their thoughts on music. Their musical thoughts offer both interpretations and political parallels. Feel free to drop them a comment as well.

Together We Can Save

As I was watching television, my mind went blank. My thoughts introverted as the commercials blurred together in a mirage of redundancy. The corporate means attempting to win increased revenue in vain passed by me aimlessly. Their petty attempts involving teasers cajoling me to their website failed epically.

I nearly wore a blank stare so long that it became seemingly permanent. However, in chimed a commercial that shattered the redundant spell. The commercial featured aspects of one of my previous posts, "One Person Can't Do Everything, But Everyone Can Do Something."

And together we can save. Check their website out for yourself. Here it is...

Go Plant a Tree!

Arbor Day's time of the year has sprouted yet again. The holiday, which occurs every year on the last Friday of April, is of simple meaning and implications, yet it speaks efficacious volumes. Plant and care for trees. It doesn't even matter if you plant a tree. Go plant anything; go tend to a tree.

Remember this one?

Earth Tax

When non-profit, good intentions, and ultimately world-benefitting causes cross paths, you find One Percent for the Planet (1% FTP). This is an organization asks for the least, but it gives the most. One Percent for the Planet is an international organization whose members contribute at least one percent of their annual sales to environmental causes.

This laudable organization's name reflects its mission: contributors donate one percent of their profits for environmental causes. Their mission humbly "exists to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet."

Just like a few of the 700 business of which 1% FTP is comprised, I discovered this organization on the back of a CD; I saw its label on the back of one of Jack Johnson's CD. His recording company, Brushfire records, has been a member since January of 2004.

Building Greener Schools

What saves $100,000 per year, saves $12 per square foot in long-term direct savings, reduces energy usage by 30%-50%, reduces water usage by 30%-45%, and only increases average construction costs by 2% (but does not have two thumbs)? That's right, Green Schools.

green school /grEn skül / n. a school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money.

Schools foster higher education, so it makes sense to inform the future movers and shakers of our world with information vital and relevant for the years to come. Let's connect the dots here. Environmentalism is still a shaky topic. Will it just cost more tax payers' money? Is it just a hype? Why are speculative questions about how much we are willing to put into Mother Earth being raised now when she has been spinning for 4.6 billion years already? Hm, schools are failing to inform children with information that they will surely use in their futures, information concerning the environment.

The U.S. Green Building Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. By building schools with materials that harbor renewable resources and utilize recycled products in addition to education, this council can influence others to allow nascent minds to bloom in appropriate educational settings.

Here are steps to make your school green.

Initiative steps taken to reduce costs and contribute to a healthier environment are: utilizing natural sunlight in addition to light sensors to activate electrical lights, harnessing solar panels, recycling, prompting alternative transportation methods, switching to reflective insulation paint, reducing a reliance on artificial heating and cooling systems, and so on.

One Person Can't Do Everything, But Everyone Can Do Something Part II

Environmentalism is not supposed to be confused with protesting anything considered capitalist. Some people may be misinformed with the concept of "going green." It should not be exaggerated into a fight for the world; it should not be a fight against capitalism. All means for making this world a healthier, safer, more sound place to live is not intended to be pompous and shoved into other people's faces. Although this may seem to contradict my last post, activism should never be transformed into misguided protests.

Don't harp on a matter that is foreign to you. Keep it all simple, and do not over-complicate the issue. Don't warp and distort the core meaning of environmentalism; let it be. Don't be this.

Why Not?

Our era of democracy has spawned divisions, deliberation, and debates. Obviously government has served as a catalyst for civilization. At the end of our barbaric nature, we began to conciliate on terms in order to survive. Through extended progressions of our societal behavior, we began to instill fallacies with arguments in addition to our self-inflicted schisms.

On the surface, politics seems to be simply about what we want for ourselves. Greed, rather than goodwill, takes precedent before justice. We have become selfish; we need to be reminded that our goal is "to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."

Despite this abundant discord, it only makes sense to agree on the world. Politics, as well as environmentalism, are established in order to dispell and amend the problems at hand. However, keeping the world in mind is at everybody's interest. Why on earth would you quarrel over the eminent importance of this planet? The world is not bipartisan, rather it is one home for every human. Borders do not separate the environment. Treaties and bills do not change the atmosphere, unless they are international and national environmental bills.

So it does not make sense for someone to complain about a bill that is passed about the benefit of the environment. If a rider is attached to a certain bill, please take a look at the larger picture before whining about your own personal interest and tax breaks. It is probably more important that our government works to lower carbon emissions, clean polluted airs and waters, and so on rather than veto the bill or vote no because the riders that accompany the bill do not appeal to one's particular interests.

One Person Can't Do Everything, But Everyone Can Do Something

We are creatures of habit. Now habit is not defined as good or bad; it is what we make it. Once we get stuck in a rut or caught on the top of a hill, that habit is hard to alter. If we examine our daily lives closely, then I am positive that we will recognize some overlapping patterns.

I realized that I have routine habits throughout my day as well. These specific habits that I will mention have amalgamated into my day-to-day life; they are small acts of environmental awareness that can multiply a thousandfold by everybody's participation. What I do can pay it forward to others. These small acts of environmental awareness transform into small acts of kindness. What I do can pay it forward to the world.

Restricted by means, I cannot go out and change the world by myself. As a simple teenager, philanthropic means of funding international environmental projects is not in sight. I can't really change a lot of serious living habits either. Improving the quality and miles to the gallon in my car would be ideal; I would like to upgrade from my V8 Grand Prix, which only gets about 23 mpg. However, I don't have the money to purchase a hybrid Toyota Prius. Also, I am not currently in the market for cars with the potential of sticking accelerator pedals. Despite my certain circumstantial limitations, the little bit I can do has the potential to precipitate into others' daily living habits though.

It is mainly about our mentality with which we choose to approach decisions. I always keep in mind the payoff and losses in my decisions of "this or that." At home, I turn off electrical appliances when I'm done using them. It doesn't make any sense to keep something turned on when I am not using it. I wouldn't want to pay for a vacation that I wouldn't go on, so why keep the TV on when I'm not in the room? I turn off lights when I'm not done too. It would be ideal to unplug everything because electrical currents still run through plugs no matter if it is on or not. This process, however, can prove to be tedious and cumbersome. After all, we are lazy; we're just human, amusing and confusing.

I don't do this all the time, but I will take a cold shower every now and then. Rather than engulfing myself in a hot downpour for minutes, I would keep it relatively short and cool. This feasible habit puts less of a strain on the water heater and the environment at large. Plus, a freezing shower can be extremely refreshing and awakening. It also stimulates your immune system.

Feel free to extend your habits to the public. As mentioned before, pay it forward for the world. Make others aware of your cause and habits. As I look around, I notice that my mom has a a recyclable and reusable shopping bag. Rather than opting for the plastic bottle, I am drinking out of an eco-friendly stainless steel water bottle (BPA free). My shoes insole's are made from 70% post-consumer recycled material.

Anything that you live out, eat, breathe, wear, watch, and do can be green. Our daily habits can permeate into other facets of life. In doing so, we can make this world a better place.


This video mathces greatly with my post:

Love Your Mother*

Join in on the festivities. Today is Earth Day 2010. It is a warm day with green leaves everywhere. Mother Nature is awake and on her feet. However, nature does not get a break; she provides an altruistic 24/7 service. She endures climate change and waste, and she handles natural energy, food and agriculture, water. She will always be here to support green economies, conservation and biodiversity, and environmental awareness in education. We too cannot take a break on our environment. As humans, we have a large impact on our ecosystems and world at large. So we need to do everything we can to reduce our footprint on this planet.

Sun Chips has marketed a new bag that is 100% compostable. No way! So you can basically eat your delicious chips, and just toss the bag wherever it will degrade. Maybe this will contribute to a greater number of litter bugs crawling around. Hopefully it will not promote littering habits. Nonetheless, this bag is definitely an improvement for the Earth, and it is a great stepping stone for future generations.



Although today does recognize and point out the detrimental features of our earth, we should keep in mind that today is a happy day. Awareness and action strengthen our roots. Thank you Sun Chips. Go green or go home.



*This post had no relation to the previous post

The Best of Both Worlds?

High school drama is an unfortunate mishap for so many of us. Oh my gosh, life is so hard! But hey, life goes on. Live by that philosophy, and you are sure to succeed. As the late Tupac said, "You gotta keep your head up."

The fact that I am writing this post is probably pointless. My audience cannot relate-- except for my brother, Curtis Reeser, Andrew Byrne, Brandon Banta, and Kendall Miller. Why did I mention these people? Let's connect the superficial dots. We are all multicultural; however, I cannot speak for them. After all, "we" are not all the same. In a predominantly white school, the half-white kids stand out.

For me, I stand out on both sides of my family. At family gatherings on my dad's side, I am darker and more ethnic than all of my blood relatives. On my mom's side, I am lighter skinned and just another American Joe. These physical attributes of mine placed at different angles and different perspectives, however, do not alienate me from either one of my families.

I do have to point out the oddity that exists in my label. An Asian American is considered a minority, totaling less than 5% of the entire U.S. population. However, I am seen for the vast majority by ignorant eyes as solely a minority. Why is it that half of me is considered the whole? I can understand that I obviously contrast from the pale norm; that is understandable.


I do not consider myself half-white, nor am I simlpy half-Korean. I am definitely American. I know it is hard to believe because I am not a WASP, but it's true. I am me. Just like you are you.

Saluations bro

Hey everybody. Welcome to my blog. I am elated that you took the time out of your hectic day to read my thoughts. Hopefully these tidbits of information will entertain and inform you. Please send me your feedback. Now let's take a journey. One love.