Influential Songs

The other day we did an activity that I found especially fun and interesting. We were instructed to come up with a song or spoken word piece that instills a “feeling of connection to the natural world or connects you to social or environmental issues.” As a class, we were excited for this project because it would open our minds to difference means of inspiration and it would introduce us to each other’s musical interests, which tell a lot about a person and are often different than expected. On the day that we presented our songs to the group, we sat together in the sun room and listened to beautiful and inspirational songs or pieces. Because it was one of our favorite activities, I decided to jot down everyone’s songs and reasons for choosing them so I can compile them into one easily accessible place. I highly recommend checking out some, if not all of them! Here it goes…

Jordin: Same Love by Macklemore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0 Macklemore focuses on the importance of gay and social rights in our modern world. He challenges the hip hop community and dictates what’s okay to say.

Michael: Jesus Of Suburbia by Green Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNKPYhXmzoE Green Day wrote this song about the amount of pressure put on our kids and teenagers nowadays. They sing about how difficulty in expressing themselves results in other forms of expression, which are frowned upon by society.

Drew: In Our Talons by Bowerbirds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC7Jo69XH-Y In Our Talons is an environmentally themed song that shows how people have the power and ability to destroy the beauty of nature through their actions. By focusing on a few different creatures within nature, the Bowerbirds told a story about how each of them were, inevitably, doomed by the harm, pollution, and destruction of humans. 

Ben: For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5JCrSXkJY For What It’s Worth debuted during the Vietnam war when other bands were singing about similar topics, but not as upfront as Buffalo Springfield. This song urged people to open their eyes to see what was really happening in the world during this time period.

Yuan: Wine Songs/Original Ecology Folk Songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnT-HExxPVY This folk song does an excellent job of conveying local chinese culture and the beauty of surrounding areas. The song mimics the sounds of animals and nature through special instruments made in villages near Mongolia. The combination of sounds and video clips shows how much happiness is gained through singing songs in nature and how important recognizing that “today is a good day.”

Noga: Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra Feat. Patrick Watson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjjc59FgUpg This song was written to convey the importance of feeling emotionally attached and invested in a place. To reiterate the meaning, it tells a story of creating something beautiful only to have it destroyed in later years.

Margie: Shostakovich 8th Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjvTTfbpWjY This quartet was originally written as a self-loathing piece after Shostakovich joined the Communist party. After some years, he dedicated this piece to the victims of fascism and war because it portrayed the sorrow of war and hatred towards others. The lack of words within this piece amplifies its inherent meaning.

Hank: Hieroglyphic Stairway by Drew Dellinger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW63UUthwSg Spoken word, in general, relates directly to the heart and brings the topics to life. However, while spoken word is very powerful, it is only a piece. More  people must listen and take this inspiration out into their daily lives. The spoken word piece performed by Drew Dellinger talks about the future of our planet and the importance of correcting the issues our environment is faced with.

Shelby: A Change Is Gonna Come by Ben Sollee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk97KgC_XMw While most most socially or environmentally focused songs can be sad or discouraged, A Change Is Gonna Come is much more inspirational and hopeful. It focuses on how spreading a message of hope is just as important as spreading a message that something is wrong in the world.

Tim: We Are Winning by Flobots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woqm8tlEa3w The Flobots is a group that sings primarily about the social issues of our world. This song in particular focuses on the importance of informing ourselves because it is the only way that change will occur. Expressing concern about these issues is the first step of progress towards solving them.

Connor: Lou’s Song Feat. Micah Lother by Jason Upton And The Goodland Band http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5vGLl7Q1uE Lou’s Song focuses on life, death, and connection with people because it is written as a conversation between a troubled young man and his father figure who is dying of cancer. This songs shows how, above everything, connection is the most important thing in the world.

Alicia: First Writing Since by Suheir Hammad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fhWX2F6G7Y This spoken word piece is centered around the societal aftermath of 9/11 and opens your eyes to the experiences of other cultures. By listening to each other’s experiences, spoken word pieces can be fantastic educational tools.

Margaret: Metal And Wood by Tyrone Wells http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKK5rUAyFPI In this song, Tyrone Wells reflects upon the personal feeling that the world isn’t necessarily as beautiful or amazing as we thought. He mentions numerous environmental and social issues, which shows that the outcome of the world’s wellbeing depends on us.

Me: Stand Up by Flobots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdF-YkECTVc Stand Up touches upon a wide range of social issues. Through their song, the Flotbots are challenging us to defend what is right and follow a dream of making a difference.

Karin: We Shall Overcome by Martin Luther King Jr. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJoWrLQWrEc This famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr. has had widespread use throughout the decades, such as a gospel song or means of protest. It has united groups through difficult times and continues to serve as a powerful piece.

Tara: Time After Time (To Wear Sunscreen) by Tara Morris (We were unable to find a link for this song or piece.) This piece is actually an excerpt from a graduation speech. It provides a wide range of meaningful advice geared towards young adults in their life.

While the majority of us found it difficult to narrow down our list of songs and choose just one song that we found to be meaningful, it was a great activity and opened my eyes to the social and environmental meanings behind a lot of our music.

- Steph Krail

Untitled

All alone on this sad little rock

Fighting the war that’s always been fought

Shivering cold, frost and darkness out there

Fill my head and heart with despair.

People seem cruel, twisted looks on their faces.

Greed sneaks into the tinniest spaces.

Uncertainty reigns, confusion cultivated

Ensuring that individuals can be manipulated.

And I want to scream, but I’m still alone.

Trying to shove titan kings from their thrones.

When hope is gone and all seems lost

Warmth from another’s hand melts the frost.

Grasping me tight to pull me back from the brink

Back into hazy light, my human link

There is no escape from power and corruption

No matter where I go, I will find and cause destruction

Perfection is a fantasy; we’ll never fix it all.

Sometimes I’m empowered, while other times I stall.

But just like choirs with staggered breaths

We all take turns feeling depressed.

Sometimes it’s your turn, sometimes it’s mine

But as one body still higher we climb

Fighting the war that’s always been fought.

Seeking justice and balance where it ought to be sought

 

How beautiful to be part of this community

To lean on each other when trampled by insecurity

To remember that though sometimes we feel alone

That the world just sucks and all our endeavors are blown,

A warm hand toward us will always reach out

Leading us back into light, giving hope, blinding doubt.

 

 

*Inspired by the passion and tears of my classmates

 

-Alicia

Huston, we have a problem

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One tiny blue world, one out of trillions of orbs spiraling about in the universe, one. 150,000,000 (km²) (15 billion hectares) is an estimate of the total land surface area of Earth, 45 million are good for farming, 105 million are covered by snow, mountains, are too dry for piratical agriculture, or simply do not have topsoil. 40 million of all of that, the total, are forested, 9.8 billion acres, probably more if it were not for deforestation. About 1,386,000,000 cubic kilometers (km³) of water in total, 3,475,000 of that is fresh water with almost 70% of that locked away in ice. 8.7 million species, estimated, of all living things excluding the countless micro-organisms, an estimate because we probably have not studied or are unaware of 80-90% of the total species. A little bit over 7 billion humans. That totals roughly more than half a hectare of forest per person in their 2.14 hectares of land, most of which isn't practically habitable or productive, 131,142,668 gallons of fresh water, most of which cant be used, and one other species per 100 persons even with the mass extinction we are in currently. Big numbers aren't they? Big, rough, numbers here equally distributed amongst everybody equally. But that isn't how the world works, and that is only for the current here and now population. 

(tangent alert)

Figure that most of the fresh water is in some way contaminated, either naturally from minerals, or from out pollution, organic and in organic, at least a billion people don't have “clean water”. Clean water is a strange concept, in developed countries clean water is filled with chemicals, countless chemicals, hundreds that do not have to be recored or reported in the case of municipal water supplies. Not that we could ever have totally pure and distilled water, but “clean water” isn't all that clean, and most of those chemicals have long lives, all the while shortening ours. Consider this, you can pollute waters and just bury them in some old oil well, inject them into the skin of the earth, and the total effect that has on our world water supply is slightly diminished because the water cycles take water from the oceans to the mountains to the watersheds and if not all of it makes it back to the ocean it is none the wiser, for a while. Still then we are left with toxic brews going who knows where, changing in ways we cant monitor. We are still left with this water and one day we will want it, and it will likely still be just as toxic. Tis water will seep into qualifiers, and up into surface waters, some its contaminates will precipitate into silt and clays and rocks, going somewhere yes, but still there, yes still here. When the plans grow there they will take some of those compounds up, and whether for our direct food source or not they can still make it onto the dinner plate through cycles growth and decomposition, spreading with the waters in floods and the natural geological shifts, the wind and food chains. 

Now remember you and your close friends and family have one entire species that is sharing all of that with you, its a tight squeeze isnt it? Now is it fair for them to suffer your pollution? Do I need to mention future human and non-human generations? 

I have considered running away to some distant mountain forest, or Iceland, where I could live simply away from the effects of humans, but its too late for that, the acid rains make their way to every distant peak, the effects of the warming cycles are changing the fragile, once stable, environments, in some instances killing them off completely. There is no way that I could escape the effects, there is no place to go to that is untouched. The message is that there is no escaping this for anybody, the damages will be dealt directly or deceptively, you may not even fathom the connectedness of why you are sick is related to the hydraulic fracturing, fracking, a few states over. The message is we only have one, and all of our actions affect very limited resources, and every action has a reaction, for us, or to someone else in some other time. Actions are like drops of water filling a basin, eventually it overflows if the water doesn't stop.

We can debate if it is the governments responsibility, or the corporations and businesses, the individuals, the education system, or cultures responsibility to effect change and set the precedent, some say it needs to be big, it needs to be technology, it needs to be revolutionary, and while those can all be important, it also does truly matter that the small things happen, or in some cases dont happen. While they seem minuscule like dust compared to a star, a star is only because of dust, and time. The problems we have are all because of small steps taken throughout history intermingled with technology and policy, cultural shifts and what education teaches us, most importantly though it all happened because of personal shifts and individual actions spanning centuries. I can easily find it disheartening that what I am doing doesn't have tangible instant results now, and there may not be any during my life time, but I still change anyway because I am a human, capable of thinking about the future, I have empathy for the present living beings and the ones yet to come, I can understand the our actions now affect our survival rates of the future. We can choose to overflow the basin or create a star.

Waldo

The Grand Atlantic

I have lived all my life near the Pacific Ocean. I spent many of my childhood days playing in the muddy banks of the Puget Sound and I would take any opportunity I could to make the long drive to the coastline. Some of my favorite days are spent on the beach climbing on the rocks and just sitting and staring at the waves.

I have always felt a strong connection to the ocean and this trip to Iceland is my first time in memory getting to see the mighty Atlantic. For some people this may not be a big deal but for me it is amazing to see another entire ocean. I feel an awesome sense of smallness but also comfort when looking at this cold, vast, seemingly endless ocean. I also feel a primal urge to explore when looking out at the waves. I find myself looking into every nook and cranny of the rocks and climbing on the huge lava cliffs to as high as I dare so I can get a better view of the waves. The coastline becomes a wonderland to me without me even realizing it. I better understand the Vikings and their never ending need to explore. The feeling the ocean gives you is like a calling.

As similar as the two oceans are, my familiar Pacific and my new friend the Atlantic, I can’t help but feel a distinct personality difference in them. It’s not that one is more powerful or vast than the other. It feels much deeper than that. It’s a feeling that I can’t put my finger on but I think it is one everyone who has a relationship with the Oceans feels.

For all of us here on this trip, I think I can say that each of us, on some different level, has had a great experience with the Ocean and the beaches. I think the most memorable, though, for many of us was the chance to see wild whales hunting right off the beach. The wild Orcas were breathtaking and magical to see. We all gathered on a cliff yelling in excitement and wonder at the sight of these huge beautiful creatures. We don’t really know what it was about the whales that seemed to bring us all together on such an unseen and very emotional level but I think we all felt it in those minutes of watching the whales.

                                                              “G”

~Jordin Muller 

We Sustain One Another

Throughout this program we have been studying the importance of sustainable communities. Communities, in which a body of people live together in one location, is essential to sustainability. When humans live together they tend to have a lesser carbon footprint upon the earth. 

Members of communities share common resources and space in one centralized area. There are many benefits to living within close quarters. A local businessman who lives within a community does not need to outsource if there is an able work force amongst his or her neighbors. If a family’s lights go out in a storm they can receive help from a neighbor with a generator. Neighbors can walk to one another’s homes instead of driving to visit one another. If members of the same area need to travel long distances they can carpool. If a neighbor is ill and is all alone a friendly neighbor from across the street can provide company.

There are dozens of benefits to living within a community. Throughout my stay here in Soheimar I have been surrounded by a wonderful community of students. The kindness of these fellow students in a way is a type of sustainability. My fellow peers sustain my hope when I feel hopeless. These people have come to aid me in time of need. The kindness of my fellow students, may not directly help me reduce my carbon footprint, but indirectly give me the push I need to continue my work as I further learn how to be sustainable.

The positive traits, personalities and actions of these fifteen people have sustained me thus far...

Noga: The vast knowledge Noga has about all energy resources, especially oil, never ceases to amaze me. I admire her determination to become an expert in a field that can, at times, be distressing.

Margie: Margie’s clear empathy towards animals and all that is living is very commendable. She has a never ending heart open towards helping all people and animals.

Connor: The passion Connor exudes for geology is truly remarkable. This focus inspires me and reassures me that there is a niche for everyone on this planet you simply have to find it. 

Ben: One day when I was upset Ben went out of his way to comfort me. A person who takes the time to help you in time of need is the main trait in a great neighbor and a great friend.

Shelby: Shelby’s constant analyzation of all of her surroundings is a quality of great importance. She has a unwavering moral compass and knows the difference between right and wrong all of the time. She should be admired by all.

Michael: Michael is the neighbor who will never let you fall. On all our hikes throughout Iceland every time I was descending from a steep ledge Michael’s hand was always there to assist me.

Drew: Drew radiates confidence and happiness. His good natured personality is contagious. 

Tim: Tim is the neighbor down the street who is reliable and willing to help at moment’s notice. He is selfless and will put aside all of his time to do a favor for someone else.

Margaret: Margaret is one of the most trustworthy people you will ever meet. She has a fun loving personality but at the same never fails to notice when another person is in need. She is truly a great friend.

Jordin: Jordin’s laughter sustains all of us. She is compassionate and does not fail to ask you how your day was. 

Alicia: Alicia is a sponge for knowledge. She can never take in enough wisdom. Her desire to always want to become better is an example to us all.

Yuan: Yuan amazes me more and more every day. Her profound thoughts make you step back and reevaluate yourself. She is a deep thinker who at a very young age already has an abundance of wisdom.

Steph: Steph emits a beautiful calmness. She is always steady and dependable. She is a wonderful listener and is an idol for everyone.

Hank: Hank is a revolutionary person who operates unlike anyone else. He has a connectedness to the land that is incredible. 

Karin: Karin’s quirkiness intertwined with her compassion makes her unique. She will first listen to you and then make you smile through her smile. 

In conclusion, I have learned that a healthy environment is as sustainable as healthy people. We must make an effort to surround ourselves by wonderful people first before we create a wonderful earth. 

"G"

Tara Byrne

Mornings by the River

Mornings by the River

            I would call the place the River. It is a place about 20 to 30 minute-walk away from Solheimar. After you left the front entrance of Solheimar, you would start walking on a sandy path next to the road. There would always be horseshoe marks on that path. If it is early in the morning, the frost would still keep the ground hard and you could see all the trial marks left on the day before. After you see the road makes a broad turn to the left, and tree line starts to emerge, you would soon see a rather inconspicuous green iron gate, which would lead you to the path to the River. It is always a good idea to keep the gate closed by lowering the iron bar on top, just in case any sheep would want to take a look at the world out there.

            That path, what I would call the River Path, is rather straight. It has two parallel trials that are separated by a grass line less than a foot wide. If it rained the day before, the trials would be rather wet, especially when there is dew dangling on the meadows surrounded the trials. When that happens, it would be a good idea to walk on the grass in the middle. There are also a lot of trees on the sides of the trials. They are rather dense at the beginning of the trial. As you walk on, trees would get sparser and sparser, and they would finally disappear as being replaced by endless meadows and moss. When that happens, you would encounter another gate, exactly the same as the one at the entrance, signifying your exit of the property. 

            From then on, you would need to rely on waterproof boots and discerning eyes. There would be a lot of hidden creeks buried under the meadows. One wrong step would lead to a total suck-in of your feet. Of course you will be able to drag your feet out when that happens, but only at the expense of getting all muddy. When it is cold, however, and sun rises rather late in the morning, such as late October, it could be your lucky day. Water would be frozen before the sun rises, and it would still be really bright for you to walk and find your way. When that happens, all you need to do is to pretend you are walking on grassland, only with cracking sound of ice for every step you make.

            By that point, you would already see the river, vast and majestic. If the sun has yet made its appearance, the water would look rather tranquil, without the exciting reflection of light. But, the sun would mark its place by spreading colors on the clouds and mountains and meadows. He is indeed a brilliant artist, with mixing colors that are even inadequate for language. Not far in the east, where the mountain across the River lies, would be on the rather bright orange/red spectrum. The closer to the sun, the brighter it would be, but even the place with most light would still be rather gentle and soft when compared with the sun itself. If you turn your head gradually to the north and to the east, you will see the gentlest transition of color. The west is filled with the coldness of dark blue and grey, while the east is diffused with the warmth of orange and red. If my eyes could be further apart, I may be able to experience both at the same time.

            Finally, you would reach the bank of the river. Stepping on the black volcanic sand, walking by the water, seeing the water shining like fish’s scales, listening to the creek merging into the big river, smelling the light touch of moisture. The feelings of moments like that only belong to the moments, and the moments alone. No words could be sufficient to describe those feelings, and neither could one completely comprehend such feelings from another person.

 Cons

Mr. "G" 

Change

Small change happening on daily basis doesn't make me feel much about changing. But after a period of time it becomes sensible and even striking to realize how much I’ve changed in Iceland with such a group of awesome people.

Infusing in a community is hard for me in many senses mainly because my Chinese background and mind set nurtured by that culture. With two years education in the US, I didn't adapt well in blending into American culture. Rather I found a floating identity with such study-aboard experience that re-shaping my value as a global citizen.  I practiced language and communicational skills to find a way to express myself in daily dialogue. However, it hasn’t been working well until here I come to Iceland. In the past, as an outsider and one of the minority back to my school, it was hard to share my thoughts with people out of the classroom because of different social and value system. I used to attribute that communication gap to culture differences that are difficult to overcome. Now I think it is not true.

Time and space have significant impact on people’s way of thinking. Living in a communal space with a group of American students to share ideas very often, my feeling has changed so much. I feel I am much more an insider even though culture barriers still exist. We are a community because people tend to accept the difference instead of escaping or ignoring it no matter how different they are. And importantly, such acceptance goes beyond culture. If I imagine everyone as a cultural entity with different background and habits, then CELL group will be like United Nation that facilitates global changes. 

To figure out that change of feeling between my experience in America and that in Iceland, I think Iceland certainly provides a distinctive environment for people to jump out of their previous lives and learn to be more open towards surrounding people. For me, Iceland is special because people live much more humbly and resiliently facing the harsh natural conditions. And people here incorporate that humbleness and resilience into a simple lifestyle, which offers them more time to communicate with each other and to feel respects by listening to each other. Influenced by this social atmosphere, I feel no pressure when I talk to people in whatever the language is. People are patient about me when I encountered problems in my articulation. And sometimes a conversation can develop in depth.

Therefore, I feel so grateful that I am here to learn and experience this magic place with such a wonderful group and a program. I like to slow my path down just to know more about life and people around me at present time.  And I want to bring this feeling with me no matter where I go in the future. As long as I am spending time to communicate with people, I believe words retain its power to be heard.

by Yuan Zhuang

Here is one of my good friends !    "G"