Here in San Francisco, we happen to have an extensive residential Recycling Program, one component of which is the composting of all food scraps and wastes from the kitchen.

Biodegradable Bags - great, but expensive

Early on, after we had used up the complimentary supply of biodegradable bags to line the “kitchen pail”, I started looking for them at our local stores. These “biobags” are actually made out of mater-bi, a type of bio-plastic derived from corn. The biobags are actually breathable, and have a really different, stretch-y feel than normal plastic bags, and are designed to break down in about 10 days after exposure to the elements. Perfect for composting.

The thing is, they’re quite pricey right now — about $6.50 for only 25 of these 3-gallon bags.

I know that as more and more cities adopt a household food-scrap composting program like San Francisco, more people will buy them, and due to economy of scale, the price should (in theory) come down.

Low Cost Alternative

While we wait, though, here’s another cheaper alternative:

Save (and request) paper bags from your grocers. Folded over, a regular large-sized paper bag (the ones with the fold-up handles) will fit inside one of those compost pails.

Take a look:

The Kitchen Compost Pail is about three-quarters the size of a standard paper bag.

Fold over the top opening edges of the bag inside out, about six inches, to form a smaller bag. (The “smaller” bag was previously fitted into the kitchen pail, which explains why the bottom’s all mushed.)

It takes some doing, but a little bit of massaging, the bag will fit inside the container. Once inside, to prevent liquids from eating through the bag too quickly, simply line the inside with a few torn out sheets from a magazine or catalog.

Voila!

Why We Should Like Corporations

Simply put, corporations allow for massive economies of scale. That’s how we can buy a reasonably good car for $13K. That’s how we can buy groceries at the local supermarket. And that’s how we can get our new-fangled technologies (on which to write and read blogs).

Why We Should Hate Corporations

Again, simply put, corporations usually answer to shareholders, and what the shareholders want may not be in the best interest of the non-shareholders (see my post on smoking). Since there are fewer shareholders than non-shareholders, the few have power over the many.

What Can or Should We Do?

• As consumers, use critical thinking to be aware and not be taken advantage of.
• As shareholders, employ the same insight to see beyond short-term gains.

Think About It

A corporation is legally considered an entity, but in the end, a corporation is really made up of people. As people all living on this planet, shouldn’t we think beyond us-versus-them, and instead use the power of corporations to find a way to live in a peaceful, sustainable world, one that will endure for future generations, long after you and I are gone?

Over at ZenHabits is another useful post, 7 Powerful Steps to Overcoming Resistance and Actually Getting Stuff Done. In it, Leo mainly talks about the book The War of Art by author Steven Pressfield, and discusses how to overcome our natural urge to not do the things we really want to do and rather maintain the status quo.

Of the 7 steps listed, number six jumped out at me:

“Know your motivation. Why are you doing this? Why is this task important? What is it working towards? And how important is that end goal to you? Why is it important? You need to know these things to build up the motivation to overcome Resistance.”

Motivation is Key for Me

Most of us have seen or read crime thrillers, where the detective needed to find the motive (and evidence, and opportunity) that will finger the bad guy.

Well, in real life, we have motivations for everything we do (hopefully not crime). As such, motivations play key part in explaining why there is so much conflict in our societies: different priorities, agendas and the like. On a more personal level, though, understanding my own motivations is a step towards understanding myself, and that’s what I want to talk about today.

Think about it.

A Baby’s Motivation

As a little baby my motivation was to survive. I needed my:

• food
• water
• shelter
• love

The basic needs.

A Child’s Motivation

As I kid, my main motivation was (probably) to have fun, to play.

However, as I mentioned in my post about reading, at some point my motivation became the need to satisfy a thirst for reading fun books, which I guess can still be viewed as to have fun.

A Young Adult’s Motivation

College for me was quite a long, circuitous path, because I did not know what I wanted to do for the longest time — I did not have the motivation. There was also the allure of making (okay) money at a dead-end job, money to pay for more expensive past-times (dates, trips, video games, and other grown-up “toys”).

A Parent’s Motivation

Now, I have a business I love, and my main motivation to do well?

To provide for my family. I know that when the time comes for me to leave this existence, I want to be able to answer in the positive to this question: “Did I do my best for my family?”

Motivations “Grow Up”

It’s interesting how my motivation for the longest time was: for the Self. It began as the basic needs, but I now realize that the rest of my “needs” over the years and the resulting actions (why we need to buy certain things, say certain things, perform certain actions) all derived from motivations that I acquired through learning from my parents, my peers, and the media. From time to time, I was able to re-evaluate my motivations and modify them.

Throughout a lot of my life, my main motivation remained geared toward the self. And although I didn’t think of it as much, it was a form of selfishness, a self-love.

However, once I got into a serious relationship, one that has developed and grown over the years, that main motivation has changed. I now do what I do to provide for my family, to teach the young ones and instill in them values that hopefully will remain and help them grown into good, productive young men.

I find myself teaching, and MOTIVATING them.

Have you thought about why you do the things you do lately?

If you liked this post, you may like:

• Sheer Force of Will

In the “Beginning”, We Were Farmers

The United States started out as 13 colonies, where one of main focuses was farming, since everyone had to eat. Households had farms that provided most of their needs, and any excess can be used for barter, trading, etc. Only with adequate food could there have been development of trade, much less the Revolutionary War. I’d say farming was king.

Unparalleled Growth In the Intervening Years

Over the ensuing decades, social, economic, and technological development resulted in increased populations, and mass production of foodstuff. Industrialization resulted in a multitude of products. Cars and planes brought helped make the world a bit smaller. We got a couple of World Wars, the Baby Boom, the Golden Age of Television, the Age of Information. During these times, most of our foods came from giant corporate farms who supplied massive factories, fast-food chains, etc. They still do now.

Coming Full Circle In Recent Years

But now, we are learning to shop local farmers’ markets, end the use of chemical fertilizers, go organic, reuse, recycle and compost (I’m all for that).

Wanting to escape from the modern “rat race”, some families even move out of the big cities, onto their own land.

To farm.

“Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own points of view.” — Obi Wan Kenobi

I love this Star Wars quote, one of many, actually.

Universal Truth about Points of View

But in this case, it really struck me as a universal truth. As author Dale Carnegie explains in How to Win Friends and Influence People, people do not normally do things because they think they are wrong, but rather because they think they are in the right because, from their point of view, they are.

We know that a cup with liquid taking up half the volume can be viewed as half-full, or half-empty — we often use that phrase to illustrate optimism versus pessimism. However, if we just analyze the phrase for its inherent logic, we can see that both statements ARE true, but only from a certain point of view.

A cup can be half-full of liquid, from the frame of reference of how much “content” we have. At the same time, a half-filled cup is also a half-empty, from the frame of reference of the total cup volume.

How I Apply the Points of View Principle

• Personal and Professional - When I hear a complaint from either a client, or even my honey, I bite my tongue from wanting to respond right away. Instead, I take the stance that they are right, from their point of view. And from there, I try to arrive at a resolution that will be satisfactory for all parties involved.
• Parenting - When the kids are voicing their wants, I listen and I think of why they feel so strongly about whatever it is they want, and how I can leverage that to guide them to, and teach them things I feel is important.
• World/Current Events - When I listen to politicians on the news, be it the local city supervisors, or the U.S. President, or foreign powers, I take into account their points of view. As such, I can understand why foreign terrorists feel the need to do what they do — I don’t condone it, but I understand, but I also know there has to be a better way to peace. On a local level, I can understand why we have developers versus environmentalists, renters versus landlords, etc.

Important Component to Critical Thinking

Anyway, I just wanted to point out that understanding points of view is an important, critical component to critical thinking.

I hope you see my point.

If you’ve been in a memorable situation where you’ve seen valid points of view, I’d love to hear them.

I love that phrase.

It has such…power, and yet simplicity with its monosyllabic words.

And for me, it means so much.

Comic Book “Origins”

I first heard that phrase in a Fantastic Four comic book by writer/artist John Byrne. It introduced the concept of someone who has the determination and persistence to will something to be — that someone was a alien character reminiscent of rival DC Comic’s Superman. The protagonists are unable to overcome this alien, until they figure out how to instill a slight sense of doubt in him. That doubt provided the opening they needed to literally knock him out.

Interestingly enough, I do remember that years later, when Byrne was working on Superman, he used the same concept to explain how the Man of Steel can lift a cruise ship, and basically not have it collapse under its own weight. Or even how he can fly. To paraphrase, Superman’s “superness” is his sheer force of will.

Well, that’s fantasy — real life is different, right?

Real Life Will Power

A lot of things that are worth doing in real life is hard. Just think:

• Getting in shape
• Getting a college degree
• Writing a great blog that has tens of thousands of subscribers
• Having a great relationship/marriage
• Running a business

Notice that everything requires effort, time, and commitment in order for it to succeed? The get-quick-rich schemes, pyramid schemes, and other so-called short-cuts to success that we see on late night infomercials are all telling us it’s easy. We need to be smart and realize that it’s not, lest we be taken by contemporary Jedi mind tricks.

In Our Culture and History

I know sometimes I get caught up in my own little world of hardships, and there are times when I am just plain tired. That’s when I need a dose of inspiration. When I need inspiration, I think of others that have succeeded — the achievement, the inventions, the stories that are all part of our culture. And then it’s very easy to see what I need to do. Some simple examples are:

• Sports - How often have we seen sports athletes who play through pain, or how against all odds, an player on a team is able to “carry his team on his back” by sheer determination.
• Flying - Would we have our global “village” today if the Wright Brothers (and other inventors) had given up on the “silly” idea of flying that had teased the imaginations of people throughout history?
• Going to the Moon - How did the scientists, researchers and engineers able to step up to the challenge presented by President John F. Kennedy when he told everyone of our goal to land on the moon (first)?
• Miracle Recovery - I have heard stories where a hospital patient is all but left to die by his/her doctors and even loved ones, who’ve lost all hope. But somehow, some way, the patient is able to heal, much to the surprise of everyone. I have to think a part of it may have been the patient’s own sheer desire to live (either that or the doctors made a misdiagnoses — in any case, it makes a great story).

I marvel at these and other examples, using them as inspiration for my own aspirations.

Desire Only Leads the Way

Of course, even with determination and persistence, we usually won’t get anywhere without a proper foundation: education, talented people to help, financial, emotional or moral support, etc. So, yeah, we still have to be realistic.

Our desire leads the way, but we still need to have the smarts, the acumen to set up a plan, a road map that will help us reach these goals in manageable steps. Whether it’s shooting a thousand free throws in practice every day, or cutting out all junk food, or diligently studying for school, keeping in mind the larger picture, and using others’ success as inspiration, we need to know what to do to make it.

We may still fail, even while we keep trying — and history is filled with inventors who died penniless, etc. But it is that attitude to keep going, to get up after falling down, to keep going despite all the naysayers, that more often than not, see us to fruition.

I haven’t been able to find the source, but I really like this quote:

“Persistence Prevails When All Else Fails.”

I lead a busy life being a self-employed professional, and we live in such a fast-paced, media-dense society that we often let others make decisions for us. A maelstrom of messages — radio, print and television ads, social websites, packaging, etc. — all tell us what to buy, what to wear, what to eat, what to watch, etc., but sometimes following those messages is not really to our benefit.

The Need to Think

I think it’s very important to think for ourselves lest we get taken advantage of by others. Think of your email spam — why is there so much of it, unless…somehow…it works?

I’m guessing somewhere, somehow, despite what common sense says, someone is being taken by a spam because they did not take the time to think, or even follow the simple mantra: If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

When we stop thinking for ourselves, that’s when we can become manipulated, both on an individual level, like a spam victim, and on a collective level — ever hear of the mob mentality?

I live in a society with “freedom of speech” and “freedom of the press”, but if we choose not to make decisions on our own, then why should this country’s forefathers have fought for its freedom?

Practice To Keep Sharp

In order to start thinking for ourselves — to employ the practices of critical thinking — I think it’s just as important to exercise our brain’s mental acuity as much as it is to exercise our bodies for physical health. Only then can we make the proper decisions to put us on the path positive living.

As such, here are my ideas for when to flex our mental muscles:

• Driving - I practice driving efficiently, so I often find my driving times to be perfect opportunities to think. To do this, though, I leave the radio or tape deck (people still have those? yeah, I do) off. It also helps to not have kids in the car the same time you want to do your thinking.
• Showering - I still try to keep my showers short, in order to conserve water (and money), but every once in a while I’ll let myself go and enjoy a longer shower. Instead of singing the latest teen hit (not that I know any), I use that time to think.
• Lying in bed at 4am in the morning awake - This may actually be the worst time, as I am actually depriving myself of much needed sleep — so this suggestion is with a caveat. But in any case, sometimes it’s actually the best time as it’s dark and quiet, that is, if your bedmate exhibits a low-snoring quotient.
• Walking - This one is one of those Two Birds with One Stone bits: a little cardiovascular exercise while thinking of the things I need to do.
• Waiting in line at the grocer’s - Do I pick the longest line to wait in, so that I have more time to think? Nah, but still, instead of being distracted by tabloids or candies, I use that time to ponder.

By continually practicing critical thinking: analyzing, conceptualizing, forecasting, etc., we gain a better understanding of everything around us: TV commercials and infomercials, product packaging, politicians, even bosses and clients.

Most importantly, we gain a better understanding of ourselves.

Okay, we all know that smoking is an unhealthy habit. We know that smoking usually leads to health problems and a probably an early death (unless your first name is George and your last name is Burns).

We also know that it’s often glamorized in film and other media, and that nicotine is highly addictive, blah, blah, blah.

I’m not here to talk about all that, although I just did.

What I would like to point out is the bigger picture on why one should not smoke:

Smokers are Litterers

Smokers litter like there’s no tomorrow — probably 8 out of 10 smokers will throw their butts on the ground. Ech! Quit smoking and you’ll be beautifying not only your lungs, but the environment you share with fellow humans.

Smoking Profits Others at Your Expense

Smoking is one of the ultimate exploitation of the masses. When you think about it, whoever owns the tobacco fields, manufactures the cigarettes, distributes and sells them also know the ill effects of their products (if they say they don’t, they’re lying). But they don’t care about you, they only care about profit for themselves. Therefore, if you are someone who is totally against big corporate “evil”, then quitting smoking will make you less of a hypocrite (even more so if you’re a doctor).

Smoking is the Ultimate Selfishness

So odds are that smoking will put you into the hospital at some point. For lung cancer or emphysema or heart ailments — whatever — you’ll be in one of those rooms, lying in bed, on a respirator no doubt.

BUT, guess who else will be there, if you’re lucky: your loved ones.

Not only will you be suffering, but they will suffer even more if they truly love you (but maybe they don’t, but that would mean you have other issues). You will see the pain and sorrow in their faces as they look over you.

When you smoke today, it’s a sure investment in a loved one’s future anguish (and that return on investment is a pretty sure thing, better than some Internet stocks, I’d wager).

That, my friend, is the final reason to quit today: Don’t just quit for yourself, quit for your loved ones.

I have never smoked, but have often thought about the people I’ve known who do (or did). I hope that you find these ideas different from all the other information out there on how quitting smoking would only benefit you.

In the end, our own actions often have a ripple effect, and smoking is something that truly affects other people as it does the smoker. As such, it’s something over which you totally have control, that is, if you want to.

If you need help quitting, try these sites:

• CDC site
• WhyQuit

If you wish, please comment, and if you like to keep reading about ideas to live a more positive life, subscribe to my RSS feed.

One thing that I do to minimize my impact (at least a little) on the environment is my driving habit.

Rather than trying to convince everyone to drive a more fuel-efficient car, use public transportation, or walk more, I will share a few simple tips to drive more efficient.

A Few Simple Tips

1. Ease off the Accelerator - yes, it’s a “rat race” out there, but I try not to be in such a rush to get to places. On freeways, I stay close to the speed limit (when it is safe). Past studies have shown that gas-powered cars becomes less efficient once past the 45-60 mph speed. On city streets, I avoid constant hard acceleration and deceleration.
2. Being Patient - I get my share of drivers who cut me off, grab the right of way at a 4-way stop. But instead of getting worked up over these apparent slights, I let them slide. I know a lot of people are in a hurry, but what I do for my ease of mind is to leave just a bit earlier than when most people would. Making that a regular habit results in a more stress-free driving.
3. Corollary to #1: Use less Brakes - in big cities, certain streets have timed lights that will change to green in sequential order, and I find that if I drive at the optimal speed (determined by a little bit of experimenting), I almost never have to brake. But, if I were into heavy acceleration, not would I waste more gas, I end up braking more, thus wearing out my brakes faster. Worn out brakes have to be replaced, meaning the old brake pads will go into a landfill, with the added bonus that my wallet would be lighter sooner.
4. In a mall parking lot, I park at the first available spot - The times I’ve gone to malls I often see drivers circle around the lot many, many times, obviously looking for a spot that’s 50 feet closer to the store entrance. Meanwhile, I’ve already taken a spot near the back and am already on my wait into the store. Time is money, right? Instead of wasting gas circling, I take the first available spot and also get my circulation going.

I know these are just a few simple tips (compared to dumping the SUV or something) but they are certainly more than do-able, and would only require a slight effort on your part.

Positive Effects of Driving More Efficiently

Imagine if everyone employed such tactics in their driving: the cumulative effect would be more than a little significant. For me, I know that when I drive efficiently:

1. I help to produce a safer, calmer, healthier driving environment for everyone else out there on the road - Oh, and for pedestrians, too.
2. I reduce excess waste of gas - A good thing
3. I reduce the rate of junking my brakes - For instance, I’ve only gone through two sets of brake pads with 130,000+ miles on my car
4. I save money - the result of the above two

Well, there you go — some simple ideas on how (and why) driving efficiently is a good thing.

Try it, feel free to let me know how it goes.

Critical Thinking is explained in depth here on Wikipedia while Dictionary.com defines it as thus:

“The mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion.”

I was formally introduced to the subject in a college English course, where one of the main texts was Carl Sagan’s The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark.

What I recall from the book was the Sagan’s plea for us to really think and use logic to employ a healthy skepticism to ideas, products and entities out there that may or may not be all they seem.

Critical Thinking from Star Trek

It was a really good eye-opening course, even though, when I think about it, the concept was not foreign. It wasn’t as if I had never practiced critical/analytical/deep thinking. I would say one of my earliest influences was the character of Spock from Star Trek: The Original Series (in re-runs, though — I’m not that old), a show which often used the cold logic of Spock and the emotion and intuition of Captain Kirk as points of contention in deciding courses of action.

It ultimately introduced to me the idea of finding a balance between logic and emotion in decision-making.

The Crux of Critical Thinking

The way I see it, critical thinking is:

• the ability to see the big picture (Seeing the forest for the tree)
• the ability to predict consequences (envisioning the domino effect of one action)
• the use of logic to confirm or refute a statement that sounds factual
• the ability to weigh multiple points of view

Healthy Skepticism

By regularly practicing critical thinking, one will learn to be open-minded, but yet ready to ask:

• Is what I’m seeing/hearing really possible or make sense?
• Would there be an ulterior motive for x’s claim?
• Is a statement made with a certain bias that skews the true facts?
• Is my own bias and emotions coloring my own decision about xyz subject?
• Am I privy to all the information that is available to make a true judgment?

Critical Thinking is Learning

In the end, it’s about learning the “truth” about something. Hopefully, most of the time the truth that you conclude after using critical thinking is really true.

In future posts, I will touch on topics that affect people on a daily basis, as many bloggers do, but hopefully with a well-thought out, bigger-picture-view that many may not have noticed. And, by no means am I an expert — I just think I think a lot — so I will welcome comments and discussion.

Hope you’ll join in!