Welcome to Open Spaces
Open Spaces is a forum for voices that speak with knowledge and understanding of matters currently affecting all of us.
As the world is blossoming all around us, the lilacs are in full bloom and the first yellow rosebud has appeared tightly wrapped with the promise of bursting forth in the garden….
Historically, when Americans hear “climate change,” we imagine a polar bear struggling on ever-shrinking ice. But our perceptions are beginning to shift.
Reports keep coming in focused on climate change and health. The reports all present the same key messages: climate change is here, it is bad for your health, immediate actions can reduce future risks, and climate action has immediate and substantial health benefits.
As Senator Wyden said at over 900 town halls, “principled bipartisanship” is about taking each other’s good ideas from either party or non-affiliated voters, working to find common ground, and developing long-lasting solutions.
Here are three of Senator Wyden’s proposals to help all Americans.
In this anxiety provoking time, many readers have expressed problems with sleep disturbances. A book by Matthew Walker, PhD., offers information on many aspects of sleep and dreams as well as the value of sleep for our physical and mental health.
Our present times suggest a need for a broader view—both inward and outward. To this end, we offer a blessing by Oregon’s ninth Poet Laureate, Kim Stafford.
When making tough decisions, can it be that conscious thought is, in some cases, inferior to unconscious thought? When facing a tough choice, does it pay to “sleep on it?”
Hmm. Should you make up your mind to read more? (Yes!)
Beach photo: Sunset on the Pacific, by Marvin Harrison
Butterfly photo: Spring Visitor, by Harry Kingston. Visit Harry’s photography showcase to see more of his work.
“When artists, entrepreneurs, and agents of social change cluster, they look for forums where they can interact and be challenged and provoked. In Cascadia, Open Spaces plays this role. It is where thoughtful people publish essays that push readers to think outside their comfort zones.”
— Denis Hayes, coordinator of the first Earth Day
and current president of the Bullitt Foundation