I shall refract myself, yes, I shall no longer be known as the prism – Bruce Dickenson
The kaleidoscope. It is a delightful child’s toy full of fascination and delight. Pick one up and hold it steady and you are transported into another world swimming with moving color and light.
Life is very much like a kaleidoscope. An individual meets the world, creating a unique pattern of meaningful moments moving in harmony to create a subjective synergy of experience.
As you turn your kaleidoscope, see how your intentions create different patterns. Now, imagine changing the world. How does your intention create a different sequence in your life? In the lives of others? What is needed in order to move your life-kaleidoscope?
Large scale societal change and the individual’s role in achieving that change is exemplified in the worldwide push for a lighter footprint on our planet. The Green Movement is an ever increasing emerald hue in the interconnecting prisms making up our world. One of the litmus tests of how we are changing our minds about our future is found in the employment sector.
In the above infographic, we are shown a 145% growth increase in the green jobs sector. Renewable energy is taking off, with hydropower technology being in the top running. The economy embraced cleaner industry at the end of 20th century and into the beginning of the Millennia, an interesting junction in time. However, there are jobs such as those in fine art, agriculture, the culinary field, music, and education which also lend themselves to forging sustainable societies in the long term.
For us eco-nerds and the like who are working daily to make good on our intentions for responsible living, the topic of how we impact our planet is of utmost importance. Each day we come across the gravity of our influence when we choose our clothing, meals, modes of transportation, communication modalities and more.
Is your T-Shirt upcycled? Did bike to work today? Did you eat a local organic fruit with your breakfast this morning? Every choice does count. Individuals and community intertwine in a feedback loop of influence which is sustaining us. Or is it?
In this five part series “Green Feedback Loop”, we will come across people who are putting their intentions to success within their jobs and we’ll think about what it takes to maintain viable solutions to maintaining a balanced and healthy existence on our planet. From artists to farmers, we’ll take a look at how world citizens are keeping their kaleidoscopes turned toward the hues of the future and are making a real difference. We will explore how well equipped we are to take our unique experiences and reflect our own colors to create organic, moving wavelengths of change across communities.
This series is one of several in our new feature, The Psychology of Sustainability, which aims to bring crucial discussion centered on the conundrum we all face to the fore:
How do we even begin to make long term changes we want to see in the world, despite the everyday challenges we face?
Elementary my dear reader, elementary.
Behavioral Psychology is the kaleidoscope, if you will, in which our achievements – or lack thereof – are refracted. From England to Texas, California to Massachusetts, four Urban Times authors have come together to think about and engage the world in one of the most relevant complex issues of our time.
Join this discussion of our future and tell us what you think!