image by Roberto Garcia-S

Good news stories on the environmental front were a little harder to come by this month but all that changed now, with the best news we could have been hoping for—Barack Obama winning the presidential election in a landslide. YES!!!! Like he said, this is our chance, and it really is OURS, to not just set things right, but begin building a new vision. He promised, in an e-mail to all those who gave time, money, talent etc. that he would soon be in touch about the next steps. I can’t think of anything more exciting!

In the mean time along comes a mail from a friend, telling me about a program called Lost Harvest (I wish they had called it Saved Harvest, because that is actually what they are doing), that uses donors’ dollars to transport truckloads—literally hundreds of thousands of pounds—of perfectly edible fresh produce to people in need. Much of this harvest would be wasted without the program, as it has become too expensive to ship due to the rise in fuel costs. Watching the video makes you feel a little crazy, but the good part is, something can be done about it.

Let’s also hope someone comes up with a brilliant idea to deal with this in a bigger, more systemic way!

Maybe with trucks running on air…. Why not.

Zero Pollution Motors, a company I have mentioned before, is taking another stab at the US market. In addition to the small range of personal transport options already offered, they are now developing the AirPod, a public transportation system based on their (almost) pollution free technology. So maybe air trucks too will one day become a reality?

For an example of how a lot can be done with relatively little: When emerging economies take environmental issues and climate change into their own hands, rather than just following in the footsteps of the developed world, exiting possibilities emerge. From ingenious water filters to slum-rebuilding projects that delight with their ascetic beauty and human-friendly design, this Indian company is forging the way into the future.

For another brave step into new territory right here in the United States we don’t have to look further than San Antonio, Texas. The city is pioneering the first utility system in the US that will convert the population’s annual 140.000 tons of biosolids—a fancy word for what is usually flushed down the toilet—into clear burning methane gas to be sold on the open market. The estimated revenue for the local sewage treatment plant is expected to be up to a quarter of a million dollars per year and the gas, which has up until now just been burnt off during the process of waste water treatment, can now be put to use in heating homes!

What else? Imagine the same incredible passion, organization and dedication that powered Obama’s campaign being poured into moving humanity and all life on Earth towards an abundant and wholesome future—combating climate change, saving our food supply, working for healthy people and a healthy planet, and consciously evolving ourselves. Last month, I just calculated, I donated $150 to Obama’s campaign—money I didn’t think I had. I spent hours on the phone calling voters and this is time I didn’t think I had either… The lesson is that we are all capable of doing much more than we think we can do! No slipping back now is the goal I am setting myself!