As a Local Citizen: Alternatives to Economic Globalization

Due to a conflict in my schedule, I was not able to stay and listen to the presentation last week, so I decided to concentrate on the book that we were assigned to buy and read because I feel as though we have not talked collectively about the ideas presented in the written work. As I was browsing the chapters and reading the titles and subtitles, I came across a section that listed actions one could strive to carry out in an attempt to bring global ideas of sustainable living into a more local context. This caught my attention because after taking this class I have become informed and aware of so many issues that I would like to address and change, but as one person, it is a daunting and almost impossible task.

The first idea that is presented in the book is to seize control of your local operating systems-transport, energy, and waste-where global politics most directly play out (341). One can write to their government officials and demand that issues be addressed and changed because as a member of society, control is in one's hands more than he or she might think. I really liked this idea because there have been times that I have wanted to stop something from occurring, yet it never occurred to me to take it to officials. In my hometown, there was talk of putting in a Wall-Mart, and if such a huge company were to be built and established, the local citizens that have spent their lives building a business would suffer because of the competition. I see now that I could have written a letter, organized a petition, or spoke at a city council meeting to stop the invasion. However, these options did not enter into my thinking and I sat and hoped that someone would know what to do.

Another idea that I liked very much was, "Organize cleanups in your neighborhood and city through community activism" (341). This is something that I have done in the past. I have organized park and beach cleanups while in high school, in an attempt to beautify our natural surroundings. People can be incredibly careless with nature and even city property, and what those who carry through with the damage do not think about is the fact that others suffer because of their impulsive actions. The city of Santa Cruz is incredibly clean, however, I have seen people throwing trash out of their cars on the freeway and residential areas. I am moving to San Diego in two weeks, and the first thing that I thought when I saw some of the areas surroundings my