#14 - Making an Impact
Leaving the world better than I found it
A Week With Turtle
This week, I want to share more about myself beyond being a drone pilot and photographer.
My wife and I celebrated 12 years since our first blind date by going to karaoke. We also took our daughter to a little boy's birthday party (she's got a little crush), and attended her school's end-of-the-year carnival. On Mother's Day, we took the family to the zoo followed by a picnic. I also supported my wife by visiting her mother's grave. Although it was a solemn occasion, it provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my own mortality and impermanence. With everything I've been working on lately, it was refreshing to spend time with my family.
The last couple of weeks have been incredibly productive and eventful. However, I've had very little time for research outside of leads. I met with a couple of real estate managers who added me to their list of service providers. Additionally, I went to a go-kart race track, but I haven't edited the footage yet. I'm excited to share it with you soon. I also created some marketing material for my construction services. This is my second attempt at aerial video; please let me know what you think.
I’ve joined The Drone Mentor’s “The Drone Business Startup & Scale System”. I’m looking forward to getting to know the members of this community and utilizing the training provided by The Drone Mentor. I feel this is the missing link my business needs to really get moving.
Recognizing Where Change Is Needed
Over the past few weeks, I have been contemplating ethics, morality, and personal responsibility. While I can see many issues in my country, the US, I am unsure how I can make an impact. We need systemic changes across the board, particularly in education, environmental protection, and the penal system. As an entrepreneur, I am committed to making a difference in these vital areas of our society in any way I can.
Environmental protection is fairly straightforward. I help growers maximize their yields while reducing the waste of water and other costly resources. My services also identify targeted areas for crop spraying, reducing the amount of harmful pesticides needed. Furthermore, I support green-energy companies by conducting surveys and inspections of their equipment. I also intend to donate a portion of my profits to sea turtle conservation charitie
Although I can see myself in a classroom, talking to students about UAVs, I know I can do more. Our education system has a deep-rooted issue that has only been exacerbated by gun violence and COVID. Teachers are stretched too thin, forced to cater to the lowest common denominator in the classroom. This leaves gifted students disinterested and those who struggle feeling ashamed. We, as a society, must speak up for our future, and the first place we can do that is in the education system. It is unacceptable that educators must scrape together their own money for classroom supplies while billionaire executives and money movers can buy Giga Yachts and sway leaders of nations. Educating the next generation is more important than creating jobs. We must address the growing disparity in what we value.
Finally, I want to address the US penal system. Why do we incarcerate people for non-violent crimes? Does someone arrested for drug possession or tax fraud pose an immediate threat to society that can only be solved by locking them away? Is that how they "pay their debt to society"? Instead, we should assign community service scaled to the crime to these individuals so they can help the community they have harmed. Incarceration costs taxpayers billions and enriches the corporations contracted with the prisons while propagating a cycle of punishment. This does not benefit our society in any way.
Although this has little to do with drones, I feel strongly about this and want to be transparent with the community I am trying to foster. I welcome your thoughts and opinions on these topics, even if you don't agree with me, as long as the discussion remains civil.
