As far as leading a green life, I am both optimistic and realistic. Many people believe that it is a challenge too hard to meet. The problem lies in our culture. When one is born and raised in a society where everything is geared toward minimizing physical effort, there are issues that should be examined. Nothing is given.
Yes, it is true that there are economic, or technological factors involved in the process. But at least, let’s do what we can do in our daily life, like turning off the tap when we (ladies in this case) are retouching our make up for instance. We are not asked to make a sudden revolution in our life as Doug Fine did. It is a process that necessitates real determination, patience and hard work. Human beings were not meant to spend their time on their couches and work out with their remote controls all day long. Human beings are animals to whom physical activities are crucial. We all know the importance physical activities to our health. There is a New York Times article by Gretchen Reynolds (September 15, 2010) describing the conclusions of a scientific research showing the correlation between physical activities and brain performance.
The questions relative to sustainability were very important in my family, although as a child I did not understand the concept very much and was even upset about some practices, just because they cost me some episodes of Sesame Street. Some of our family routines were to herd goats, taking care of chickens or guinea pigs; making sure that all the water collecting system was fine when we suspected it was going to rain. On weekends or holidays, we had to go to what Americans would call our ranch (a huge property that also served as our “summer” home). And once in the farm, there was nothing you could do apart from working, even if you are only six or ten years old. We composted, pumped water (from a river in the property during the dry season), sowed, hoed, harvested, etc. As a little girl, I perceived it as a punishment because I knew that my parents could just buy the food, and therefore free us (children) from all that work. It is only a couple of years ago that I realized and understood all the benefit of that.
I would like to share with you some recent pictures from home.
YES!! Awesome, Marie. I apprecaite that you point out "Human beings are animals to whom physical activities are crucial." I beleive that that physical interaction with the environment, with the natural world, is necessary for development of a deep consciousness of, and relationship with, our planet and the life upon it.
ReplyDeleteTHank you!
Very well said, both of you. We ARE physical as well as intellectual beings. And I think that our physical engagement with the world also changes our intellectual engagement with it, as we are seeing in the readings and discussions in this class.
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather! I just read the article that you sent and it confirms the virtues of our physical contact with the world.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Marie...I especially liked what you said about process, determination, and hard work. I think that all too often, people in highly commercialized, industrialized societies view themselves and their actions as inconsequential. Everything we do matters. We are tiny, just like the protazoa that Dillard examines, but we (animals & humans) all lay down a template for the future.
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