A Run Down of Unemployment Numbers, State by State

National unemployment numbers have almost constantly been in the news during the recession. I put together a brief U.S. map of unemployment numbers by state. Red states are those that have > 10% unemployment; orange states currently have 8.1-10% unemployment; yellow states have 6.1-8.0%, while the green states are at 6.0% and below. It is interesting to note that there is no single demographical area that has been effected the most, but the highest unemployment numbers are in the Great Lakes region, the western states and the south. Currently, Nevada has the highest rate of unemployment, at 14.3%. Nebraska has the lowest rate, at 4.7%. 

For the unemployment numbers for each state visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment page.

Why a Plan to Recognize and Monitor the Environmentally Displaced is Essential

The recent flooding in Pakistan has resulted in the displacement of almost six million people. Mudslides in the Gansu province in China have displaced millions in the country’s worse flooding in a decade. The displaced are left without homes and few places to go, living day to day with no idea where or when they will rebuild. 

Global estimates on the potential number of so-called “environmental displacements” vary. The Geneva Convention, does not grant refugee status to those affected by natural disasters, therefor the United Nations does not keep a tally of such data, as it does with those displaced during war. 

As natural disasters have increased in size and intensity due to the effects of climate change, the number of displaced have exceeded the number of refugees afflicted by war. Estimates from the Center from American Progress, state that the number of climate change refugees currently range from 25 to 50 million, much higher than the official refugee population of 20.8 million, and with expected increases reaching into the hundreds of millions. “[With] rising sea levels, increasing desertification, weather-induced flooding, and other environmental changes, will likely displace many more hundreds of millions of people.” 

There have been few studies to predict the amount of environmental refugees due to climate change and the effects of such events. In fact, no one really knows with certainty, the number of environmental refugees due to climate change that will emerge in the future. 

With so much uncertainty, we are in need of a genuine plan to count and assist those affected by natural disasters. As our world continues to see increased flooding, degradation of resources and desertification, an international agreement between the U.N. member nations to track, monitor, and assist environmental displacements is essential. Much of how we react is now defined as human aid assistance following environmental disasters and usually comes in the form of emergency shelter, food and health care. 

We have an urgent need for policymakers to act and provide response plans for the environmentally displaced and the U.S. should be taking the lead. “The United States, as the largest contributor to global warming—accounting for 25 percent of the world’s carbon pollution—has a moral responsibility to lead the global effort to curb this phenomenon. The United States can use its economic and technical strength to transform this daunting challenge into an opportunity for innovation” notes the Center for American Progress. A plan to count, track and monitor those displaced due to climate change would be a immense task, but one that would truly be beneficial. 

As climate change continues to cause more massive and frequent climate irregularities, tensions among those effected will also rise. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that as a result of environmental degradation and loss of resources resulting in human migration can lead to military conflicts. As resources become more scare, conflicts will emerge. 

By ensuring that we know and understand the full force of the effects of climate change and how the displaced will be able to recuperate from the disasters, we can better predict the changes in migration, while protecting and serving those in need. There is no reason why there should not be a plan of action if 25 to 50 million people have already been displaced. With international agreements and laws to ensure those displaced will be acknowledged and treated, we may not be able to save homes, but we can save lives. 

As the flooding in Pakistan continues and wildfires in Russia rage out of control, we are assured that migrations due to climate change are real and are happening now. That’s why it is so important that we act now.  

Hierarchy Determines Our Opportunities

When I think of “social class”, I think of it from an economical standpoint. There are also those within the same social class—a socio-economic class. Socio-economic class can be the working class or professional class. A definition of the socio-economic class would be of the descriptive type. I consider the equality of opportunity. Who has the same opportunities as others? Who doesn’t? Why? Why not? There are certain hierarchies that may limit certain individuals rights to opportunity. The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy states hierarchy as:

 The background assumption is that a society contains a hierarchy of more and less desirable, superior and inferior positions. Or there may be several such hierarchies. In a caste society, the assignment of individuals to places in the social hierarchy is fixed by birth. The child acquired the social status of his or her parents at least if their union is socially sanctioned. Social mobility may be possible in a caste society, but the process whereby one is admitted to a different level of the hierarchy is open only to some individuals depending on their initial ascriptive social status. In contrast, when equality of opportunity prevails, the assignment of individuals to places in the social hierarchy is determined by some form of competitive process, and all members of society are eligible to compete on equal terms. Different conceptions of equality of opportunity construe this idea of competing on equal terms variously.

In the competitive process of equal opportunity, every individual, no matter what social-class, should have the same opportunities and that “superior advantage should be open to all applicants” as Stanford mentions. We are living in a time, however, when America’s upper and lower classes are reaching an even greater divide. 

There are cultural attributes that define society, as well. It may at first seem unfair to judge one’s class based on their dress or manners, but we are social mammals (if I may) and we judge based on certain cultural traits. Kate Garnnett Wells wrote in the December 1881 issue of Atlantic Monthly that “Manner conquers society sooner than wealth or education; an individual is relegated to his proper social sphere, in the minds of all spectators, as soon as he enters a room. The depth of his bow, the tones of his voice, and the breadth of his smile have averaged him.”

Underneath the veil of social-class, we are all equal; just as no race or ethnic origin should separate us, neither should socio-economic class.

Why We Need Expansion of Sustainable Agriculture

On the outskirts of Manhattan, in Long Island City, Queens, a group called Brooklyn Grange began construction in May on what will become one of New York City’s sustainable urban agricultural plots. The garden will cover much of the 40,000 square foot roof on top of a sixth floor building and will be used to grow peppers, tomatoes and greens. 

Some 3,000 miles away, in California’s Silicon Valley, another group is helping to push sustainable agriculture into becoming America’s foremost form of agriculture in the twenty-first century by investing in sustainable agriculture. A New York Times article reports that some of Silicon Valley’s venture capital firms have turned their focused on sustainable agriculture as an investment that will possibly be a more reliable stake than green technologies. “Venture capitalists say a growing awareness of conventional agriculture’s contribution to climate change and concerns over its consumption of water and energy are creating markets for technological innovation to minimize those effects.”

The surge in sustainable agriculture is about growing crops that give back to the planet and the community, while being healthy for the consumer. For agriculture to be sustainable, it must meet certain criteria. It needs to be healthy for both consumers and animals, humane for the workers, and support local communities, all without harming the environment. The resources used to product sustainable agriculture are reused—this includes the water and the soil that is used to produce agriculture.

Sustainable agriculture methods are being implemented across the U.S. and the world as more farmers and consumers are becoming more conscience of where their meals come from. As more individuals and families relocate to urban areas, demand for produce has continued to increase in these areas. Many are finding that they don’t have to import fruits and vegetables from hundreds of miles away and that the agriculture they product will be sustainable and fresh. Brooklyn Grange “…plans to sell its vegetables — selected for their ability to thrive in the sunny, windy conditions of an open city roof — from a stand at the farm, and to a few restaurants”, according to the New York Times. Migration and population issues are not just defined to urban areas, as world population continues to grow, so does the need for more food production.

As world populations grow and demand for more foods increases, we will need to implement more sustainable agriculture. Without sustainable growth, the use of pesticides will continue and so will soil erosion, fertilizer, and other consequences of traditional growth methods. As expected, a population of 9 billion will put a strain on current agriculture production. To prevent this, we need innovation and improvements to continue. We need healthy food that is less harmful to the environment. We need to treat animals humanely and with respect. Continued expansion of projects such as Brooklyn Grange, will ensure that we have a future filled with local, sustainable agriculture. An old African proverb states “It takes a village to raise a child,” I believe it takes a village to feed one as well. 

My favorite New York Times columnist, Thomas L. Friedman wrote in his September 19, 2009 column that America is wimpy. As he puts it, we are “so wimpy our politicians are afraid to even talk about how wimpy we are.” Why does he believe we are such wimps? One reason is that we hide from creating and generating oil-free or oil-reducing energy options. 

One great example is the fact that France now generates almost 80 percent of its energy from nuclear power. The United States generates roughly 20 percent of its power from nuclear, while coal produces almost 50 percent. After the Three Mile Island incident in 1979, the U.S. has limited its nuclear power, while France continued their nuclear power plans. They stayed the course, we ran. 

I agree with Friedman that we were wimpy with our nuclear power plans and we’ve also been wimpy with creating other non-oil energy resources.

The April 20 oil rig explosion that resulted in hundred of thousands (possibly millions) of gallons of oil to pour into the Gulf of Mexico is a reminder that America needs to take a stand against our oil addiction. We need to not be wimpy this time. We need a tax on oil. 

By taxing gas by the gallon at the pump, we could not only generate revenue that would make our nation stronger, we would begin to shrink our consumption on oil. 

Remember when gas prices jumped to 4 and 5 dollars a gallon in 2008? Many began trading in their S.U.V.’s for higher mileage vehicles. Within months, we were reducing our gas consumption by millions of barrels. When prices came back down, we went back to our old habits. 

Friedman mentions in his column that energy economist Phil Verleger notes that a 1 dollar tax on gas, would generate roughly $140 billion a year, enough to pay for health care or pay down the deficit. 

Many would relent to a new tax, but such a tax could be balanced by lowering taxes elsewhere. Currently, we pay some of the lowest gas taxes among developed nations. According to the Economist, “America notably has one of the lowest national petrol tax rates of any developed nation,” while also mentioning that our gas taxes have not been increased since 1993. 

The oil industry has spent heavily to fight tax increases on oil. 

Congress has been working on a climate bill that includes a gas tax. Senators John Kerry, Joe Liberman and Lidsey Graham put together a proposal in their climate bill that would include a 15 cent tax per gallon, but it was stalled when Senator Graham stepped away from the bill. Let’s hope this bill is picked back up and moved along. 

What we need to realize today is that oil is dirty (and not only when it gets on your hands). Our addiction has helped fund terrorist in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is currently causing devastating environmental effects to our nation’s ocean and land. Oil is not black gold, it is black blood and we have way too much on our hands. 

It is unclear if America will unite behind a gas tax, even during the aftermath of the April 20 oil rig explosion (which is seeping oil still today). It will take our politicians an act of courage to do what is right and to initiate a gas tax that will raise taxes gradually over a period of years. Without it, we will continue our addiction to oil and the devastating effects that comes with having oil on our hands. Let’s not be wimpy!