Hi Peoples who read the blog!!


Well...today the OUTREACH team went to go take a candlelight tour at FORT POINT!! YAY! Personally, I love Fort Point, because its such an interesting place to walk around in. We got to walk through Fort Point with these awesome lanterns. As we walked on, Ranger Maureen would tell us a little bit of this and that about how Fort Point came to be.

In case you didn't know, Fort Point, is located right underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. It was built to hold off armed fleet attacks back in the day. It was there but never used. I find that having spent so much time building it and preparing it against attacks, and then have it never put to use is so absolutely fascinating.

Leadership

Hey Everybody!!

For the past 2 or 3 I-Yel days, I have been exposed to the idea of being a leader. On Saturday, my role was to be a part of the team, and on Monday, I was to lead an activity for Teens on Trails. When faced with these activities, I began thinking, "What is it that defines a good leader? Why be a leader?" I came to the following conclusion:

Leaders are people who support the people when they need it the most. True leaders are here to guide the people they are trying to lead, and lead people because they want to make a positive impact in that particular person's life. Not for glory, not for a title, not for love, ,not power, but out of the pure goodness of their heart. A true leader is someone who is there unconditionally for your mind, body, and soul. Maybe not to comfort them and say it's okay, everything will be okay, but sometimes everything isn't going to be okay. A true leader is there to get you back on track when you're down. A true leader is there to put you back on the individual trail you want to restore. Not have them be a carbon copy them. As a leader, I strive to help my fellow team members achieve what they want to do. I try my best to get them on their track and pick them up when they fall. Help them restore their trail if it's a mess.

I'm still not sure what a leader is but I must say that a good leader is there to serve people because they love them. Not for glory, not for the love, not for a title, not for a raise, not for ANYTHING. It is because they want to; they care.

These are things that I am pondering in my mind about leadership. Please feel free to drop a comment or two, or maybe nine, whatever toots your horn.

Warmest Regards,

Linda♥

OH NO! OIL SPILL IN THE BAY!

Heylo! This is Norma and Kary. Have you heard about the oil spill in the bay? We did, and now we feel sad and frustrated. 58,000 gallons of goopy oil is floating around in the bay, all because of a single accident involving a ship and the Golden Gate Bridge. WHAT A MESS!!!! Not only one life will be affected, but many lives will be affected. Special birds are found covered in oil and unable to clean themselves, pools of oil can be seen on the beach, and we don't even know whats going on under the water! WHAT A DISASTER!!! Something similar to this happened a long time ago, did we really need a repeat? We think that more money should be put into the clean up project because it is most definitely important!! The creatures in the bay are suffering just because we want our material goods. Think about it.... this wouldnt have happened if that ship carrying all those products from Korea never came here in the first place. If we hadn't demanded those products, then nothing terrible would have happened! also, if it takes 58,000 gallons to sail a ship from the U.S. to Korea, where does all that burned up oil go to? The air?? thats not good either! Unfortunately, what has happened has happened and all we can do now is try to clean up our gigantic mess. Whattaya think?

-Norma & Kary



Before the Oil Spilled
Personally, I know it was 1) a shock, and 2) terribly heart-wrenching when I heard about the second biggest oil spill in the history of the Bay. 58,000 gallons, a mariner who had years' experience in the Bay and acted like he didn't know what the hell he was doing, and many wildlife and sea animals given a death sentence.... It hurts to know that all this, in our tech-savvy and environment-concious society, can still happen--and it can still happen right at home.

But has anyone considered why the boat that spilled oil all over our beloved waters was in the Bay to begin with? It carried "bunker oil," which is basically the scum that's left over after gas companies (like Shell) filter the "best" part of the oil out and sell it as gasoline to gas-hungry, SUV-driving consumers. The residue? It's put on boats and gets shipped out to who knows where. Not to mention the gas used to power the boat that sails the junk out of here!

People are ready to wash birds with dishwashing liquid to "save" them (though in reality, if the bird has already injested any oil at all, it will die, no matter how clean it is), but who is talking about the causes of the oil spill, and the long-term problems our oil addiction causes? Before the oil spilled, the system of carrying bunker oil out of (and over) the Bay was left unchallenged as part of the bigger system of oil companies.

Before the oil spilled, we were all happily aware that our oil addiction was bad, and happily oblivious to the way we even get our oil at all.
And to me, it seems like we're still happily oblivious to the real issues even after the oil spill, even though we care very much about the birds.

-Anjie Diaz.

NBC environmentally friendly or green washers?

this week NBC is hosting a green week. many people have seen this on television but how many people know whats really going on in NBC. Are they green washers like many powerful companies or are they really helping us be more green in our lives. if you look on Nbc's pictures and search closely you'd see that many of their green programs are helping the obese people. They are helping the environment but are they really helping us or are they helping themselves? this is a question up to u to answer but really think about it: what are they really up to... I-yel rules!!!!!!!

Power to the People

Van Jones spoke at Bioneers this past October. Amidst jokes about just how environmental environmentalists really are, he spoke about how much power the movement is gaining and has right now. He brought up the question of what to do with this power: "The question has to be asked, and it has to be answered, as this movement moves from the margin to the center..., who are we going to take with us, and who are we going to leave behind?"

I remember, when I was younger, feeling powerless. It was usually invoked by my awareness of my family's tough financial situation. As a kid, it hurt me to know that I couldn't answer my own question--at least, not yet: What can I do to help?

And I know there are many of us all who are thinking that same thing. What we have to realize is that we do have power. With all the momentum environmentalism is gaining, maybe this is a time when we--as powerful environmentalists--can help the people and the places that can't help themselves. These are the ones who we can't leave behind.

An Intern's Response to the Quote...

"You can't lead the people, if you don't love the people. You can't save the people, if you don't serve the people." ~Cornel West (University Professor of Religion, Princeton University)

My immediate reaction was "Wow, this requires thought". However, as I thought more about it, I began to realize that this could be interpreted in many different ways, by different people. I came up with something like this:

"You can not effectively do something unless you enjoy what it is you are doing. This is because you lack motivation. Also, one must be selfless or little for the good of man will be done."

However, some of my fellow peers thought many things ranging from celebrities' behavior toward society, to how it relates to Machiavelli's novels ideals.

WOOHOOO! first blog post! in the future, an intern will be summing up the day's events after every meeting.

until next time, YEL for the environment !!!!!!!!!

Who Yells? I YEL!

Hello Inspired Emerging Young Leaders.

This is a space to voice your opinions and YELL your beliefs, but remember to always speak with a purpose.

Welcome to your blog.

Who Yells?

I-YEL!!