This is a guest post by Sean Garvey. Sean holds a doctorate in Genetics from Duke University. After 3 years of postdoctoral work in molecular cardiology, he interned as a farmhand on an organic vegetable farm. Sean currently lives with his 89-year old grandfather in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
I?ve always believed that the best science is science that effectuates tangible and healing change. Healing happens on many different levels, from the global ecosystem known as Earth, to the microscopic compartment called the Cell.? Somewhere between Earth and Cell lies you and me ? human beings.? And how we interact with both each other and our environment has profound consequences on all types of health.? Global Health.? Personal Health.? Cellular Health.? And a particular domain that I am now very interested in ? Community Health.
Anyone who has read Chapter One of Malcolm Gladwell?s Outliers has at least considered the value of nurturing our social and family networks. In Chapter One we learn of a hypothesis that the social connectivity within a community promotes physical well being.? I suggest that the consequences of social well being reach far beyond one?s local community.? How we interact within our family and communities could very well influence the rate of global warming.
How do we mitigate global warming?? I suggest domestication.? Webster offers up two definitions of the word, ?domestication?:
1.? ?to bring to the level of ordinary people?
2.? ?to adapt (an animal or plant) to life in intimate association with and to the advantage of humans?
The first definition speaks to how, even as a PhD trained geneticist, I am quite ordinary with respect to the statistical and experimental technicalities of global climate change. So I trust the experts ? global warming is happening. But ordinary people like me need ordinary solutions. What can I do today to promote the health of Mother Earth?
Which brings me to definition two.? Let?s domesticate the mitigation of global climate change to every and all advantage.? Even to the advantage of my community and cellular health.
And so I posit several ordinary measures!? Enjoy.
Less is more.? More is less.? May you have enough.? Want policy change?? Kick the current leaders out; let more ?Less is More? Euro-loving politicians in to political office. Even if they?re philosophical hipsters. Two cars really are twice the hassle, expense, and gas; try one car per household. Beef up commuter rail. 4000 sq feet is actually a lot of home; restore or build small. Nursing homes for every Baby Boomer will not be possible; bring the grandparents back home. You?ll learn more living with your grandparents. Trust me. Just because it?s food doesn?t mean it?s good for you. Eat local. Eat well. Eat less. Eat with other people. Recycle everything you can. Go Strawless. Let?s talk about job creation; make it socially acceptable again for a father or mother to raise children without another job. Less gaming and less activities that involve LED, LCD, or plasma screens; more nature. Have two kids; consider the possibility that more than two children might contribute to overpopulation, which is actually the greatest threat to Life on Earth. Sorry folks we get one Earth, and I?m not sure we?ll evolve quickly enough to either land on or live on the Moon, Mars, or Venus. Mitigation through domestication is an incredible win-win for both future generations and the communities we take part in here today.
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