About Me

John S Martinson 

I am passionate aboute environmental sustainability and anthropogenic climate change. In my view, global warming is a clear and present danger to the biological inhabitants of Planet Earth—most notably, humans.

I have been concerned about risks to the biotic community throughout my life having followed the environmental movement through politics, community work, business and lifestyle often taking action where I felt I might have impact.

In 1982 at the age of 28, I founded the China Mist Iced Tea Company in my garage in Scottsdale, Arizona with my good friend Dan Schweiker. Over 34 years, we built the brand into a national and international foodservice iced tea brand and then sold the company in 2016.

Here, on China Mist’s website, are three posts that explain my Sustainability Journey from early childhood to 2016:

My Sustainability Story, Part 1

My Sustainability Story, Part 2

My Sustainability Story, Part 3

In January of 2016, I earned an Executive Master of Sustainability Leadership from Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability, the nation’s first school of sustainability, a degree program that, over time, has changed my focus from small steps in my business practices and personal lifestyle choices toward aspiring toward a more influential role in promoting sustainability on a larger scale.

The eco philosophy that most resonates with me is what William Aiken describes as ecocompatibilism—man as part of nature, not master of it. I recognize that the biosphere has intrinsic value in its own right and that it is unfortunate that humans disrupt and destabilize nature’s harmony, thus making it our moral imperative to minimize this disruption. Aiken notes that in this worldview, only, “actions which promote attunement, cooperation, harmony, and integration are right,” that, “harmoniously living in cooperation with nature and promoting nature’s goals will best serve the needs of human beings.”

I am many things to many people, but most importantly devoted husband to my wife and father to our two teens.

My Blog

It is the stark beauty, tranquility, and wildlife of desert canyons that inspire me. EcoCanyon.org is my effort to live more sustainably to preserve the earth for future generations. Sustainability is not about saving the planet; sustainability is about saving the humans. The planet will do just fine without us.

My initial goal for this blog was to discuss how the lifestyle changes we adopt are evaluated and executed from the human side. Though we might want to reduce our ecological footprints, for change to be sustainable, it must make sense for our family, for our lifestyle, and for our budget. By demonstrating our thinking and reporting back on the impact of our decisions, I hoped to influence others.

My Sustainability Journey, Part 4

In continuing my Sustainability Journey, I aim to be more influential by engaging broader audiences through consulting, blogging, entrepreneurship and collabotating with others.

The three areas where I am most interested in having an impact are Renewable Energy, the transition to Electric Motoring (including charging intrastructure), and Carbon Offsetting.

Resources

William Aiken, “Ethical Issues in Agriculture,” (New York, Random House, 1984), p.270-271