the good sheet...

i found myself in starbucks today (how's that happen?) and caught my eye on a stack of papers on the drink bar. picked one up and checked it out. i guess i found installment #01 of "the good sheet," a free publication distributed exclusively by starbucks, who have partnered with an organization called GOOD.



what is GOOD? (here's some info taken directly from the sheet):

"a collaboration of individuals, businesses and nonprofits pushing the world forward. we make a magazine, produce videos, curate a website, and host events around the country. you are holding the first GOOD sheet, part of a series of graphical explorations of some of the major issues facing us this election season and beyond. we hope that the GOOD sheets will help inform you and stimulate conversations as you head to the polls on november 04. for us, this is not about red states or blue states, democrats or republicans. this is about every american making them most informed choice possible, no matter what that choice may be."

issue #01 of "the good sheet" is dedicated to carbon emissions, and calls itself "a field guide to america's favorite greenhouse gas." it's basically a sheet of newspaper, folded compactly into a little brochure-type thing. when unfolded, it's an at-a-glance fact sheet about all things carbon: charts, graphs & quick facts. totally user-friendly. pretty much dumbed down for the general population--and i mean that in a very good way. it's accessible information for your average coffee drinker. i'll be the first to say that i learned from "the good sheet." so i LOVE this.

here are a few quickie pieces from the sheet:

"c02 world... carbon dioxide (c02) is the most prevalent greenhouse gas. it is emitted when fossil fuels--such as gasoline, oil and coal--are burned, and it traps heat in the atmosphere. we produce more c02 than the environment can process, raising the temperature of the planet. it's getting hot in here."

"for every gallon of gas (~6 pounds) that a car burns, it releases 20 pounds of c02."

"in 2006 alone, the u.s. produced 13,083,000,000,000 pounds of c02."

"after fossil fuel consumption, the largest source of u.s. c02 emissions is cement manufacturing."

"the wind in north dakota alone could produce enough energy to provide 1/3 of the u.s's power."

and here's the one that got me best:

"the safe level of atmospheric c02 is no more than 350 parts per million. we're currently at 385 parts per million."

there's much more information provided, but i won't post it all. you can pick one up if you happen by a starbucks, but it also seems that you can subscribe to the year-long series by visiting www.good.is/join and making a donation of any amount to the non-profit organization of your choice. i personally couldn't visit the website because i'm running an older version of internet explorer. you might have better luck. if so, let me know!!!

installment #02 of "the good sheet" will be dedicated to the topic of healthcare.

starbucks gets a cheery one-thumb up from me for their part in making this publication happen. (both thumbs up will come on the day they serve customers their drinks in biodegradable cups). it's my sincere hope that the information provided on the sheet will serve to convince someone who "doesn't believe in global warming" to begin to think differently. facts are facts, after all. and when presented so, well, matter-of-factly, facts are hard to ignore.