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ASK
ECOGIRL'S THEME:
Shiting Our Thinking to Create More Fun &
Effective Action
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For your convenience, I've gathered
my Ask EcoGirl print columns into themes, often with additional
information.
NOTE: This COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL is
AVAILABLE FOR SYNDICATION, CUSTOMIZATION &
REPRINT!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
ECOGIRL, including how she can appear in your publication,
see the main EcoGirl
page.
- The
Rebel & The Status Quo (June 2013)
- Often people see themselves as primarily either a traditional
rule-follower or a rebel change-agent. Then they can harshly judge
other people who they see as being in the other camp. How much
time have we spent fighting in this dynamic? However, EcoGirl
feels that both these urges are within all of us, that both these
roles can bring positive contributions -- and that both can be
expressed in negative ways too! By stepping back and getting a
better understanding of each of these roles -- and how they can
give their gifts more constructively -- we can break free of the
harmful part of this pattern and greatly improve the level of our
outcomes, both personally and collectively. That's because this
understanding can help us be more empathetic of others, bridge
viewpoints, combine the value of change and tradition, reduce
unnecessary conflicts, and create smarter integrated solutions for
our future. Read this piece to explore these ideas further!
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- Is
There Hope For The Planet? (July 2011)
- It's easy to feel disheartened seeing all the eco-crises in
the world. Is there really hope, or is an early death for the
earth just inevitable? EcoGirl answers that there is hope -- to
the extent that we take positive actions. That's because the
future scenarios aren't black-and-white but a range of outcomes
that will unfold in better or worse ways depending on the choices
that we make. What's even more exciting though is that we also
benefit personally by taking constructive action for the earth and
proactively embracing the upcoming changes, because it reduces our
pain while creating more fun, aliveness, empowerment, and business
opportunity. Why would we choose anything else?
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- Reclaiming
Our Shared Power (April 2012)
- We all certainly at times can feel hopeless about all the
horrible things happening in the world, and wonder if we really
can do anything to make a difference. But EcoGirl believes that we
have much more power to impact our world and our future than we
realize -- as consumers, workers, citizens, and community members.
In this column, she gives four key steps for reclaiming that
power, in joyful and constructive ways. How exhilarating!
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- From
Gratitude to Action ( December
2011)
- Too often, children can devour their Christmas gifts so
quickly that they don't really experience or appreciate each one,
let alone the person who gave it. In much the same way, our
culture is voraciously turning the earth's amazing ecosystems into
momentary objects that we barely notice and quickly become part of
our overwhelming piles of waste. To help remedy this, EcoGirl
offers some easy ways that we can redirect our actions towards
sanity, and through this more fully enjoy the objects and
experiences we have, reduce our harm to the precious earth, and
help ensure that there will be happy times tomorrow!
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- Honoring
Change and Tradition (November 2011)
- Like many folks, EcoGirl has been fascinated and thrilled to
see people come out onto the streets to call for major changes in
our system's structures. These movements offer us a chance for the
scale of change that we need to steer ourselves away from so many
crises, including eco-collapse. EcoGirl offers her thoughts about
how we all can respond constructively to the opportunity of this
powerful moment, wherever we are; what she feels is vital for the
movement's success; and how the earth's ways can (and must) be
included in the new solutions. She also honors the tradition of
our winter celebrations by offering organized and helpful lists
full of ways that you can honor the earth in all your holiday
activities.
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- Connecting
With Your Eco-Passion (January 2011)
- Most of us love the earth, but amidst life's busyness, how do
we make sure we follow through with our good intentions to take
care of her this year? EcoGirl offers constructive tips for
eco-motivating yourself in ways that bypass "should" and shame,
and instead are fun, inspirational, and aligned with your other
goals in life. Nurturing the earth can be a fun way to nurture
YOU!
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- Constructively
Channeling Your Inner Eco-Rebel (October 2009)
- Are you feeling guilty for not doing more for the earth?
EcoGirl makes it easy for you to convert guilt into personal
passion with her handy checklist for understanding what's holding
you back. As you then use her simple steps for resolving these, in
ways that fit with your life and style, you'll find that indeed
acting for the earth can be fun and empowering. Really!
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- Creating
Your Personal Earth Action Plan (April 2008)
- The current blossoming of green stories and claims in
mainstream media can be both encouraging and overwhelming. Where
on earth should we start in taking action? EcoGirl hears that a
lot. So, instead of just giving you another list of tips to add to
your already-stuffed do-list, this column maps out four simple
steps for you to follow to uncover your personal approach to this
topic. This Plan will help you both prioritize and feel excited
about the impact you can have!
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- Eco-Persuasion
(March 2012)
- It's a question surely faced by anyone who cares for the
earth: how do we persuade other people to take action on
eco-issues without making ourselves crazy? In this column, EcoGirl
describes a tool she's adopted from the marketing domain to help
tailor her message for her audience. When we can empathetically
meet people where they are, we'll more likely be able to engage
with them both respectfully and effectively.
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- Speaking
Effectively for the Earth (September 2011)
- A reader asks how she can talk to her uncle, who's opposed to
President Obama's recent increase in car mileage standards,
because he thinks they're only harmful and that global warming
isn't real. EcoGirl offers her two quick links to email him that
address his key points, and offers her general suggestions for
being persuasive in talking with people about eco-issues.
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- Creating
Sane Group Dynamics (October 2011)
- A key way that we can work on eco-issues is through community
groups, which allow us to join together in creating a better
world. However, these groups are often so fraught with
unproductive conflict and covertly harmful personal dynamics that
people can shy away from them. Does it have to be that way? Or can
we create productive and enjoyable experiences? In this piece,
EcoGirl shares her thoughts about how we can constructively take
on these groups' inherent challenges in order to build effective
teams, move community issues forward, and support our own personal
growth!
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- Love
Your Local Activist/Change Agent (May 2011)
- No matter how bad you think the world is now, imagine how much
worse it would be without the change agents (by whatever label or
title) who stepped back from their individual lives to imagine and
create something better for their communities and our shared
future. And yet those of us working for a better world today can
often be considered odd ducks in this culture that's so often
focused on immediate personal rewards. In this column, EcoGirl
speaks up for her team of innovating pioneers, and suggests that a
smart culture welcomes and nurtures its change agents, valuing
their essential role in steering wisely and avoiding collective
disaster. She hopes that you'll be empowered by this perspective
-- and share it with others!
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Return to EcoGirl's
Theme Page Index.
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OTHER PRINT ARTICLES I'VE
WRITTEN ON THIS THEME
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- * "Healing
Our Culture's Abuse of the Earth," Sonoma County
Peace Press, April/May 2011 and June/July 2011. In this
article, I explore a topic I've been thinking about for a while:
how the psychology of abuse is expressed not just in our culture's
families but also in our businesses, politics -- and how we treat
the beautiful sacred earth. Thus, I feel that that the abuse model
can be a powerful tool to help us steer our culture away from
eco-disaster and towards eco-survival and happiness. Read the
article to find out more!
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- * "Uprooting
the Environmental Causes of Poverty & War,"
Sonoma County Peace Press, April 2009. I was delighted when
the Sonoma County Peace Press asked me to write something about
the environment, giving me the chance to connect environmental and
social justice issues. It's another example of how saving the
earth is saving us humans too! My article uses as an example the
story of the Nigerian people and their journey with the oil
industry. This webpage version of the article also has bonus links
for more information on the topics discussed.
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- * "Divine
Intervention: China's Taoist masters are mobilizing for the sacred
earth," North Bay Bohemian, Dec. 31, 2008
(My web page here also includes the bonus of links to lots of
great information on this column's topics.)
* "Reasons
for Hope," Sonoma County Environmental Impact
Reporter, Dec. 1998, p. 4. (Column EarthWalk.)
* "What's
Your Vision of Sonoma County's Future?", Sonoma County
Environmental Impact Reporter, Oct./Nov. 1998, p. 4. (Column
EarthWalk.)
- * "Vision
and Action Healing the World," Sonoma County
Environmental Impact Reporter, Aug. 1998, p. 15. (Column
EarthWalk, introduction, in this monthly newspaper on
environmental issues.)
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MORE OF MY PRINT ARTICLES
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- * My Next
STEP newsletter, which has lots of information on
toxics and alternatives, plus government and community-level
actions. "It's your handy guide to less-toxic living."
Look up topics of interest in the The Next STEP
index
of articles.
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- * North Bay Bohemian. I also wrote several articles on
these topics for the Bohemian's Green
Zone column.
* I also cover these topics on my Facebook
page and blog.
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STAYING
CONNECTED
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- Ask EcoGirl is written by Patricia Dines, Author of
The Organic Guides, and Editor and Lead Writer for The
Next STEP newsletter, which gently educates readers about
toxics and alternatives. For more information about my work for
the planet, see www.patriciadines.info.
-
Sign up for my low-volume writing announcement list (1-3
emails a month), to get emails when my new print articles are
published, at www.patriciadines.info/EList.
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- Connect via Facebook, to show your support for my work,
and get inspiring and useful eco-info in your Newsfeed www.facebook.com/AskEcoGirl.
Explore and sign up for my blog at www.patriciadines.info/LTEblog.
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- I hope that you find this information useful. I welcome
your throughts and feedback! (You can email me at info
[at] askecogirl.info.)
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- Editors: Please contact me if you'd like to publish any of
these articles in your periodical, or discuss an article that
I might write for you.
This entire website is (c)
Patricia Dines, 1998-2014. All rights reserved.
Page last updated 3/7/14
www.AskEcoGirl.info/AEThemeShiftThoughtToActn.html