Green Group discussion

Hello Green Group!

I've taken on the role of the group's moderator and am looking forwarding to rebooting the group.

You'll see some changes in the upcoming days to the forum.

I also will send out a message in the next couple of days to the entire forum with information about myself and the group. I will also post the information directly to the forum. In addition, I will be asking for your suggestions for the forum!

Don't be concerned that I have selected the next read. (And if members really hate the selection, I can definitely change it.) After this, I will always have a poll so that the forum members will choose the monthly read.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please don't hesitate to ask!

Lynn

I just noticed how close the group is to 500 members.

It would be nice to get to 500 by the end of the year! If you know anyone who would be interested in the Green Group, be sure to invite me to join!

Here is a copy of the email that I sent out to the entire group (in case you missed it):

Hello Green Group!

My name is Lynn, and I have taken on the task of being the moderator for the Green Group.

The environment is such an important issue right now – and one that doesn’t get the necessary attention to meet those needs. Hopefully, in reviving the group, we can in our own small way educate ourselves and each other on various green topics facing the planet today.

I hope each of you to come on to the forum and post suggestions for the Green Group reboot. The forum belongs to you, the members; I am only here in a facilitator capacity.

I’ve made some initial changes, mostly to unclutter the home page. One of the new threads is a “news” thread. Feel free to post any green news, and comment on the news posted by others.

In addition, I’ve selected a group read for November. Don’t worry! This will be the only time that I will choose the group read; after this, I will set up polls each month. In the future, I hope we can focus on different green genres for given months: new green technologies, simple living, green fiction, green essays, and classic green writings.

For the November read, I selected “Into the Wild” for a number of reasons. One, “Into the Wild” shows one man’s desire to move away from the constraints of modern society and reconnect with nature. While it has a tragic ending, Chris McCandless’ story is motivational and inspiring on many levels. Two, rather than having a technical book that may intimidate members who have never participated or those thinking of joining the group, “Into the Wild” is a short read that will allow those who have never participated an easy entry into the forum. Three, there is a film that we can watch/discuss after the read. And lastly, I selected the book for a very practical reason – because I’m mid-semester and didn’t have time to fully prepare for an upcoming read, I’ve used “Into the Wild” in my classes and already have quite of bit of notes on the book.

Again, please visit the forum in the upcoming days and post suggestions. If you really don’t like the “Into the Wild” selection, let me know. If enough people dislike it, we can always change it. Also, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post them.

I look forward to meeting all of you in the forum!

Lynn

It is obvious that as our need to become energy independent from imported oil leads us to look for our own resources here in this country. My concern is that we move our exploration into new and sensitive environments to extract the hydro-carbons from shale and rock in a way that will upset ground water and basically ruin future drinking water. Is all this really necessary to become energy independent?

Sidney wrote: "It is obvious that as our need to become energy independent from imported oil leads us to look for our own resources here in this country. My concern is that we move our exploration into new and se..."

If I understand your post correctly, I would say that rather than pushing for energy independence, we should push for clean alternative energy sources.

The push for energy independence is leading us towards fracking and natural gas.

I would rather see the country move towards solar and wind.

Under Obama, I believe that wind energy has dramatically increased, but his administration is still pursuing natural gas.

But if Romney is elected, I'm not even sure if he'll push for natural gas...his energy policy will probably just be aimed at the oil industry (offshore drilling, etc.)

Hey Lynn,
I like your idea for us to read Into the Wild. I'd never heard of it but it sounds really interesting.
Lucy

Lucy wrote: "Hey Lynn,
I like your idea for us to read Into the Wild. I'd never heard of it but it sounds really interesting.
Lucy"

I think people will really like it. I've been using it in class this semester, and really have connected with some of the ideas in the book. And usually, I like books far better than film, but in this case, I like the film better - and we can talk about the film in the last week of discussions.

Hopefully, we'll have a few people joining in the discussion.

We seem to be having problems re-engaging people.

Let me know what you want to discuss, and we can discuss it.

Much like Field of Dreams...if you build it, they will come.

But just like Kevin Costner's character, a few hints on what you want might be helpful. ;)

Here's a small suggestion. On the readings, make it one topic for a folder. So for Into the Wild, I think you have about three or more separate folders now. Why not all on one. And skip the dates. People should be able to jump in months from now if they happen to just join and want to say something. Have a place for book discussions and have one section for that particular book. And don't get discouraged. You're doing great.

Jimmy wrote: "Here's a small suggestion. On the readings, make it one topic for a folder. So for Into the Wild, I think you have about three or more separate folders now. Why not all on one. And skip the dates. ..."

Good point. I will do so for the next read.

I had thought we would have more people. I belong to another group that has anywhere from 5-15 people who post responses for the monthly reads. If there was only one thread, it would be chaos. People would be posting spoilers, and it would be difficult to respond to posts.

I will still keep the month read date though. If someone posts 6 months from now, no one will ever see it. They can...but everyone else will have moved on.

Sorry I haven't been around much this week. Storm. Papers. Family in town.

I'll be back in full tomorrow. :-)

Hello. I was invited to join this group by Georgina Taylor. I am very much interested in Environmental matters. I am involved in efforts to have GMO's labeled in the US. I have served as a director and officer of a local land trust, and am currently a trustee of a local watershed association. I look forward to learning about this group and connecting with like-minded readers.

See Lynnm? If you build it, they will come. Welcome, Sara.

Yes, welcome Sara!

Glad to see that you are involved in GMO labelling. So disappointed that it didn't pass in California, but it was David vs. Goliath...money vs. no money.

It came up a year ago in my state but was quickly dismissed. Hopefully, we can revive it.

BTW, Sara - if you have any suggestions for our January group read, feel free to post it.

Hello Jimmy and Lynnm, thank you for the warm welcome to this group. I plan to look around. I'm glad this group has a new moderator and is rebooting itself. Let me give the reading for January some thought. One book that comes to mind is "The Myth of Progress" by Tom Wessels. Tom was the speaker at the land trust annual meeting a few years ago when this was first published, and he was absolutely fascinating.

Sara, I will put your book suggestion in thread for January nominations. Thanks!

And I'm glad that we rebooted as well. The environment is such as important issue - the # 1 issue as far as I am concerned. So we need a strong group.

I have to apologize for being absent - the semester is nearing the end, and it has been crazy correcting papers.

Hopefully, someday, we can have two moderators. That way, someone will always be around.

But once this week is over, I will have time to spend here preparing for 2013!!!

FWIW, it's a tough month to plug along, it being the holiday season (and end of semester/quarter). People are swallowed up by obligations so it's a draw on extra time so the group likely falls down a notch or two.

As Jimmy said above, you're doing great. You're not alone and certainly not in an echo chamber. Thanks for taking this on.

Hugh wrote: "FWIW, it's a tough month to plug along, it being the holiday season (and end of semester/quarter). People are swallowed up by obligations so it's a draw on extra time so the group likely falls down..."

December is a tough month, so to be honest, I'm not too worried that I have limited time. I figure most members have the same issue. I just didn't want people to think that I've disappeared. :-)