Winning Words 4/5/13
“Every individual matters, every individual has a role to play, every individual makes a difference.”  (Jane Goodall)  I had a chance to attend a Jane Goodall lecture recently.  What a fascinating person!  She has worked tirelessly to improve living conditions for chimpanzees, and now she’s developing a program, Roots and Shoots, to improve living conditions for all of us.  “What are 3 things that you might do to make a positive change happen for our environment?”  www.rootsandshoots.org    ;-)  Jack

 FROM CZB IN CHINA:  It's funny to get your winning words in the evening now.  Usually I get them first thing in the morning. But.... I'm in china!  So it's 5:00 in the evening.   Saw the great wall today. Wow  Happy day on the other side of the globe to you :)////JACK:  My first smile of the day!!  As Yakov Smirnoff might say, "What a world!"////C:  Pleasure. Seeing my daughter who is studying abroad in china this term. We meet up with her in Lijiang tomorrow. Yay! The Naxi people live there- a matrilineal society. Should be interesting  ////JACK: Ràng zìjǐ kuàilè!

 FROM HONEST JOHN:  Not if you are a part of the 47%!////JACK:  "The Great Divide" is one of the problems besetting our country.  If we can't separate people by race, we separate them economically.

 FROM PL IN MICHIGAN:  drive less...buy locally produced produce...vote for candidates or standing elected officials who have a positive record on environmental issues.////JACK:  I think that Jane would support those suggestions.

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  A related quote just went out to the very diverse group of volunteers who work at our local community farm, "I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort, where we overlap." One thing Jane Goodall and also the person who worked so much with the famous gorilla (can't remember his name) who learned so many words, was helping us to have a deeper, more understanding relationship with animals and also appreciate animals more for how awesome they are. One of our church people is passionate about the United States taking a different course from allowing so many genetically-modified foods to be sold and eaten. I'm going to shop, advocate and garden in a way that is part of "the resistance" to Monsanto and other corporations doing the same to spread the use of GMO. ////JACK:  The missionary Frank Laubach used this slogan to motivate people to educate others: "Each one teach one."  The same can be said of those who want to improve the environment.

 FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  I think 85% of the time you are the first note I receive each week day. ////JACK:  Somebody in China said that they get Winning Words at suppertime.

 FROM WALMART REV:  Now you've got me thinking again...no quick response really on this post today...but that's good...one needs time to reflect on occasion. Enjoy your weekend while I work on being a more responsible citizen!////JACK:  A responsible citizen see that the environment is more that birds and bees and trees.

 FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  To be conservative in all things, such as saving water, electricity, etc.  One of my new courses at USF is on water management, which is big in Florida.  We do think about sinkholes but can't do much about that problem, I guess.  We finally got rain yesterday which was very welcome.////JACK:  One of the great things about Michigan is the abundant source of fresh water and the rarity of sinkholes..  BTW, I have a grandson in Florida on spring break.  He doesn't like the rain.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  She is quite a person.  I have seen a few of her documentaries.  She reminds me of Rachel Carson.  They both impact the world.....JACK:  Jane is doing her part to spread the message of protecting the environment...300 speaking engagements this year.

 FROM SB IN MICHIGAN:  A book group friend and I also attended Jane Goodall’s lecture at Oakland University. Wasn’t she a terrific speaker? It was fascinating to learn the life’s story of someone who has devoted herself to stewardship of God’s creation.////JACK:  I heard that the lecture was a sellout.  It certainly looked that way.  There are people in this world who inspire...and Jane is one of them.

 FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  Recycle as much as possible...Leave the car at home more and take public transport...Buy locally sourced food.////JACK:  Public transit is a problem out here in the suburbs, but we try to do your other two suggestions.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  JANE GOODALL IS AN ICON IN THIS AGE!  I GET VERY UPSET WHEN PEOPLE "TRASH" PARKS OR HIGHWAYS;  HOW HARD IS IT TO CLEAN UP YOUR MESS AND FIND A WASTE CONTAINER?! YET PAPERBAGS AND CUPS COME FLYING OUT OF CAR WINDOWS ONTO THE  ROAD AND DEBRIS IS LEFT ON PICNIC TABLES  AND STREWN AROUND THE PLAY GROUND AND HIKING TRAILS.  RECYCLING IS SO IMPORTANT TOO...WE NEED MORE PARTICIPATION IN THAT. (I KNOW SOME PLACES DO NOT OFFER THIS SERVICE, BUT MOST DO.)  AND STOP FRACKING...DON'T GET ME STARTED!!   MUCH HAS BEEN IMPROVED, BUT MUCH REMAINS TO IMPROVE!   "I AM  JUST ONE; I CANNOT DO EVERYTHING, BUT I CAN DO SOMETHING, AND THE SOMETHING I CAN DO, I WILL DO..."   AMEN ET AL.////JACK:  The can and bottle deposit program in Michigan has helped clean up the roadsides.  It could be expanded, but the lobbyists fight it.