By Thomas Sheffield Last week, Netflix released a documentary called Our Planet. The message was how for the first time, one species living on Earth will choose what the future will look like and humans are that species. The show documents how we need to completely overhaul our relationship with the planet. This documentary involved 2k hours of dives, 400k hours of camera trap footage and visits to 60 countries all over the world. We were exposed to crumbling ice, palm plantations in the rainforest and changes in polar bear habitat due to climate change. I am sure everyone who…
Author: Thomas Sheffield
By Thomas Sheffield Spring time is here!!! Days are getting longer, temperatures are getting warmer, birds are singing, the grass is growing, the trees are getting their leaves and then…. ATCHOO!!! It is harder to breath as allergy season is in full effect. Although it is estimated $1.9 billion is lost in workplace productivity during the NCAA tournament, our allergies cost us between $3.4 billion and $11.2 billion each year just in direct medical expenses and even more in losses of production. It seems as if our allergies are getting worse each year. As we deal with our watery eyes,…
By Thomas Sheffield Nashville has been called the “it” city. I argue there are two Nashvilles. If you live in or near Nashville, you have witnessed how one section of town is thriving as it is clean, full of life, small businesses, sit down restaurants and where people walk on sidewalks as they get out of their Uber, Lifts or cabs. Then you have the other Nashville just across the river in Bordeaux. Many consider this the forgotten side of town. There are no cranes, and few sit down restaurants. Bordeaux has been considered by some as “Nashville’s garage”. Home…
By Thomas Sheffield March 1st marked the end of Black History Month but marked the beginning of the first Black-owned beauty supply store in a Madison strip mall. The grand opening of Roots Hair & Beauty brought hundreds of customers from all over Nashville and middle Tennessee. The business brought in an estimated $50,000 of sales in one day. The company has had proven success in Chattanooga and brought that success to middle Tennessee. The beauty supply market has been cornered by other ethnic groups and have offered customers limited options. These stores lacked the selection and a great customer…
By Thomas Sheffield In a speech given prior to signing the 1964 Civil Rights Act into law, President Lyndon B Johnson said: “The only limit to a man’s hope for happiness, and for the future of his children, shall be his own ability.” It has been over 50 years since this bill was debated by the US Congress and demanded by ordinary citizens like you and I. Over 50 years and yet, we have not realized this potential. Most Americans, regardless of race, are not doing well. 78% of full time workers say they are living paycheck to paycheck and…
By Thomas Sheffield Our economy is booming!!! Growth is high and the expectation is this rising tide is lifting all boats. Or does it? There are many companies moving to Tennessee. Our state and local government has done a great job making Tennessee more attractive to new businesses. However, we must do a cost-benefit analysis to see if the tax breaks are worth it. Will these new businesses hire native citizens or will they decide to bring their employees with them and keep the jobs in house? What happens to the people in the neighborhoods in our communities? Will we…
By Thomas Sheffield This year is the 400th anniversary of the first African slaves to arrive in Jamestown Virginia. They were brought by Dutch traders. These slaves made their masters wealthy as they built the foundation of this country. Not only did they build the foundation of wealth but the beginnings of the wealth gap. The shackles of bondage produced by slavery were removed in 1863. Today it seems the emancipation from slavery was replaced by the shackles of predatory debt. Unfortunately, as the cost of living continue to rise, the salaries continue to be stagnant for many members…
By Thomas Sheffield Approximately 16% of Nashvillians live in poverty. The cost of energy for inefficient homes falls heavily on our neighbors living in poverty. Their homes are poorly weatherized and often prevent our older residents from staying in their homes. Nashville Electric Service is a publicly owned municipal utility and they provide electricity at rates almost 14% less than the national average. However, homes in the TVA footprint earn less than 50% of the federal poverty level but are spending on average, 29% of their income on utilities. To put this in perspective, we should spend less than 33%…
By Thomas Sheffield During the Great Depression, President Franklin D Roosevelt proposed a New Deal intended to lift American’s to a different standard of living. There is now another New Deal available many politicians are proposing. A Green New Deal (GND)has the potential do the same thing. A GND could reduce climate pollution while uplifting struggling families at the same time. Although we are lead to believe the economy is doing “great”, everyone is not doing that well as the cost of living continues to rise and the quality of life continues to decline. Studies have shown the cost of…
By Thomas Sheffield One of the main components of the Green New Deal is the Economic Bill of Rights. The Green New Deal is a four part program designed to move America into a secure and sustainable future. President Roosevelt proposed a New Deal to bring America out of the Great Depression. With another recession on the horizon, the New Green Deal is considered by some as a way to provide relief and create an economy that makes our communities healthy and sustainable. The Economic Bill of Rights (EBR) is made up of 7 basic ideals. 1. Every American…