Waxing Moon

This afternoon I attended a presentation by the United States Ambassador to Sweden, Matthew Barzun, at Chalmers Technical College here in Göteborg. The talk was billed as a presentation of what the United States is doing, both domestically and in cooperation with Sweden, to combat global climate change. Chalmers is a fitting site for such a talk, as sustainable development and questions of energy and environmental application are very much a part of the focus at Chalmers and Göteborg University.

The audience seemed to enjoy Ambassador Barzun’s humor and earnestness. While the talk was light on specific policy examples, it was engaging from a philosophic or metaphoric standpoint. What I appreciated was the Ambassador’s geographical reference to the importance of right here and now (Göteborg) in light of the two other global Scandinavian events…Both the upcoming Nobel Peace Prize Award in Olso (not far to our North), and the United Nations Global Climate Change Conference upcoming in Copenhagen (not far to our South). The Ambassador noted the importance of these events but stressed the greater importance of Göteborg! He appealed for us to consider what we are doing, individually and collectively, to address issues of world peace and global climate change. He stressed the power of positive engagement for change, music to the ears of this environmental educator. One big reason I am in Sweden is my interest in considering how the individual relationship with nature may relate to one’s environmental behavior. What is the essential human relationship with the natural world? Can our everyday interactions with the natural world help us to consider nature as something we a part of vs. simply commodity? (Aldo Leopold reference there.) Can we translate a walk in the park, a ski in the woods, pulling weeds in the garden...to an understanding of our connection to nature? I do not mean to imply that I do not see the connection to power. We need to be asking what our governments and corporate powers are doing and demand action, yet considering our own role in the face of these challenges is of great value.

It was a good talk, I got a chance to chat a bit further with Mr. Barzun afterward and was impressed with his friendly and approachable demeanor; this year's experience has me knocking on doors and seeking contacts with people that do not know me fairly regularly —it is a by-product of being here and trying hard to make connections, seek information, etc. thus, it is so refreshing when you feel the energy back at you. One of the Ambassador's skills is his outreach.

Anyhow, I have thought about these things the whole way back through the dark city…Waxing moon is up, sky is clear, feels like a frosty night ahead. It is amazing how this "big city" has such dark back roads.

I don’t have any pictures of the Ambassador nor Chalmers…better than that! I will post a picture of Skåne’s most charming little girl (Astrid) and her papa, chef, ornithologist extraordinaire, and all around sweet man (Johan). I visited Johan, Astrid and the rest of the friendly Elmberg clan (Karin, Björn and Arvid) in the far South of Sweden this past weekend. The area (Skåne) is so far South it was once a part of Denmark…Danish churches, Danish architecture and Danish-inspired dialect (i.e. hard to understand!). In one short drive I saw migrating geese, fields of sugar beets, the sea, pine forest….Along with the charming town of Åhus (home of the three sins of cigars, vodka and eels); I saw a sign with that message, however, the only sin that I saw evidence of was the very impressive factory where Absolut Vodka is distilled and bottled.

Can you see the glint of mischief in her eyes?

A castle, Skåne-style.