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I have never really written much about what exactly I am doing here in Sweden. Mostly because I wasn't sure I really understood. I am in a Masters Program called "Strategic Leadership Toward Sustainability", but when people ask, I generally say "environmental studies", which isn't exactly correct, but I think it fits more into the frames of understanding that most people can relate with.

One of the overly-ambitious projects I had started several months ago, but never made live, was to to write a blog which followed my own self-study in the area of environmental science and sustainability. The blog had a few posts, but never took off for several reasons.

1. I was too busy making money. I had more work than I anticipated after "quitting" my job last November.
2. The subject was too overwhelming. While I did have more time to read and study than before I quit, I was learning so much. I would start what was supposed to be a short blog article, but I would over-research it, and the articles never reached a point where I felt it was complete, because I wanted to convey everything I was learning.
3. Insecurity. I'm not an intellectual writer. I don't use big words (but at least I can use bigger words than the president) and I felt incredibly insecure writing about such an important topic. I wanted what I wrote to be more factual and less emotional ranting that tends to take over important issues. I wanted to present scientific facts for people to read, without giving the feeling that I was preaching a new religion. I felt that in order to be taken seriously, I had to write like a professor... something I'm not used to.

Well, I am still pretty busy, but at least now writing a blog about this is much more closely tied in with my "job" as a student. The subject is still overwhelming, but being around others to discuss it with will hopefully allow me to focus a bit more. I am still incredibly insecure, but one thing I really want to do while I am here is to get all forty of my classmates to begin writing as well. I can't really ask them to do it if I don't.

There are so many blogs about the war, or criticizing the president, or the latest gadgets from Apple, but so few writing about the big picture. While some of these are very important parts of the whole, and have huge repercussions, If we destroy the very system that keeps us alive, whatever happens in Iraq wont matter, whoever is president wont matter, bad copyright laws wont matter, and certainly the coolest new iPod wont matter.

I have written a little in the past about why people don't seem to care, or take the time to read about environmental issues, and one comment that stuck out was when Paul wrote

so you should start a blog and make me read it a bit everyday day as well as talk to me more about those issues. I would read it. but can t read the book. I read blogs cos I have some time at work and am in front of a computer but can t just pull out a book at work and don t commute cos I leave 10 mins from work by bicyle. and don t read when I get home...

So, a few months later, I have started doing just that. Sustainability.Bastish.net The pressure is on *you* now Paul. I expect to see at least one bloglines referrer in my log file each day ;)

I will be following my studies, as well as trying to cover some of the fundamental scientific points of sustainability, both reviewing and further researching what led me here in the first place, as well as hopefully giving the reader regular bite-sized doses so they can read it at work.

I have spent only 20 minutes on the design, so if it looks crappy in your browser, let me know. I am using Textpattern for the first time, so I don't know how to do cool stuff like make a list of the recent posts on the left-hand navigation, so if you know, tell me. I would rather spend my time on the subject than the technical stuff this time around.

Great project, and actually something I always wanted to suggest you should do -- glad you hit on the idea yourself. =)

Here's what you're looking for in Textpattern. Go to the Default page template and dump something like this in the sidebar:

[h3]Recent Entries[/h3]

[txp:recent_articles limit="8" break="li" wraptag="ol" sortby="Posted" sortdir="desc" /]

Angle brackets for square brackets, of course.

The "limit" attribute controls the number of posts listed. The "break" and "wraptag" attributes control the formatting. As is is, you get a numbered list. If you prefer a bulleted list, write wraptag="ul". If you prefer a paragraph, it's break="br" and wraptag="p".

Gambatte!

Had a good read of your new blog, interesting stuff. I'm envious you've made it out of the rat run and into the studies you were obviously interested in following.

I had a similar blog idea a couple of months back, even down to using Textpattern. You hit the nail on the head when you say there are too many blogs devoted to iPods and not enough looking at the big picture.

Hopefully you beating me to it should give it the kick up the arse it needs ;o)

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