Rewrite the Rules - Ted Turner on Oprah's Master Class

Rewrite the Rules

These links are to Ted Turner's interview on Oprah Winfrey's Master Class series.  (He is the innovative person who started up CNN, the first 24 hour news channel.) 

The link is not allowing embedding so here they are. 

On Youtube, at 4.5 minutes in, "Rewrite the Rules":
https://youtu.be/e-gd3FTfYnQ?t=4m30s

On his website:
http://www.tedturner.com/2012/01/ted-turner-on-oprahs-master-class-own-part-3/


Fulltext coming soon - I love this clip of Ted Turner's thoughts.  Especially from 4.5 minutes in - about looking after planet Earth.

 i.e. He doesn't poison insects on his lands:  "When you kill insects, you are damaging the ecosystem very badly."  He has allowed natural predators to move back in, and on his extensive lands is allowing it to be natural again.

He feels as I felt, sadness about losing all the buffalo - when he found out - as I did.  He is a thinker.  I feel like we are very similar souls.

Here are his 10 Voluntary initiatives, "a new set of rules to play by" to replace the 10 Commandments. 

1. I promise to care for planet earth and all living things thereon, especially my fellow human beings

2. I promise to treat all persons everywhere with dignity, respect and friendliness

3. I promise to have no more than one or two children

4. I promise to use my best efforts to help save what is left of our natural world in its undisturbed state and to restore degraded areas

5. I promise to use as little of our non-renewable resources as possible

6. I promise to minimize my use of toxic chemicals, pesticides and other poisons and to encourage others to do the same

7. I promise to contribute to those less fortunate, to help them become self-sufficient and enjoy the benefits of a decent life including clean air, and water, adequate food, health care, housing, education and individual rights

8. I reject the use of force, in particular military force, and I support United Nations arbitration of international disputes

9. I support doing everything we can to reduce the dangers from nuclear biological or chemical weapons and ultimately the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction

10. I support the United Nations and its efforts to improve the conditions of the planet

11. I support clean renewable energy and a rapid move to eliminate carbon emissions

Feedback to my company about Enviro Day events it holds

Feeling refocused lately on matters such as this - sludgey efforts of many to become more sustainable.  Recently all the employees were asked for ideas about our company holding their Earth Day or Environmental events.  This is what I said:

I like the idea of the quiz.

1.     I think a huge part of eco living is the time we have to devote towards these things.  Especially with terrible traffic congestion problems of Auckland  The more we can have flexible working arrangements, the more we have time to care and put energy and thought in (instead of being too worn out to do so).  Things like going to bulk food stores, recycling properly, all a challenge if working full time.

2.     Improving transport would be an awesome thing for Downer to cooperate with.  Subsidised public transport, building a path out to that train station behind Kerrs Rd, promoting travelling less.

 

Those are obviously ideas for the environment, not for Downer’s events. But how can we promote those ends through the events?  Otherwise it’s just pointless having the events. 

I found the photo competition to be totally irrelevant to the environment, as it was judged upon photographic merit.  It has to be judged for sustainability value – either in documenting actions / or in new awareness about sustainability.

How about rewarding IDEAS on how either employees, or Downer, can become more sustainable?  And publishing the best ones?  Like that box competition but for enviro.

Why not teach about the areas which we are currently unsustainable – carbon pollution: transport of selves, buying local; zero waste: info/trips how to waste less, places to buy cool zero waste equipment like sandwich wrappers, or stainless steel, buying less crap, home gardens – education on why? Like plastic in oceans/

Etc etc

This all has to be fun and cool or it’s a no go.  There are really cool reusable nappies out there – really healthy, better alternatives for everything.  I think a Downer tips email which was done in a fun, loving, nonjudgemental way would be the best idea ever.

 

Nonavee Dale
Graphic Designer - Projects, Downer
New Zealand