My significant other, Buddha, and I have already begun some experiments in doing things the "old fashioned way" in the interests in saving money, living healthy, walking lightly on the earth and breaking out of those systems that do not serve us well and are so ubiquitous in this modern life.
I know it's been said before, but our dependence on fossil fuel is running us headlong into devastating consequences for the planet. Not just our furry/slimy/feathered/microscopic friends and the places they hang out in- this means you and me, fellow human. This is old news, unfortunately. I feel like I've known this all my life, and not a whole lot of progress has been made. I remember making a model of a solar powered house in fourth grade. I knew then we needed to change our wicked ways and the house seemed like a completely reasonable option. That was probably twenty years ago. A fifth of a century. Precious planet saving time squandered while the internet transformed the world and the global economy linked our resources and our histories, but apparently not our needs or efforts.
It seems to me that as a culture we've begun acting like someone with a terminal illness. We understand that our little day-to-day choices are harmful, but we're just sick and tired of being sick and tired. We know we're overweight and under-exercised and exposed to a myriad of toxins, it's just gotten exhausting to keep track of it all and is beginning to feel futile and like deprivation to try. This is true for many individuals and can also be a metaphor for the state of our planet.
I know that many people have been working hard to make some changes in their personal lives as they can. I also know that personal change is not enough and larger scale forces must also change their ways (especially industrial meat production). I don't think it has to be impossible or terrible, but it does look grim.
I've spent the summer working on a farm, trying to feed a family from scratch as much as possible and trying to put away food for the winter months. We've fallen far short of being wholly prepared- my sarcastic solution, of course, is a diet of ramen noodles and canned soups. One thing I've learned from all this is that people didn't move off the farm, buy processed foods in boxes and shop at huge one-stop grocery stores because they're morally void or lazy. But because this is all really hard work. A person has to be smart, organized, creative and possess a healthy stamina to make a realistic effort. And even then, it calls upon these virtues to a much greater capacity than the available alternatives.
I've been trying to live up to this. Now Buddha and I are trying together. Hopefully we'll get even more help than this in the not too distant future. We're not Luddites, but we also are not WOWed by every latest gadget guaranteed to identify and fulfill us. One of our major projects from this summer has been learning to can. In the picture above you see our tomatillo salsa, tomatoes, pickled beets and blueberry jam. Almost all the ingredients are from local sources, which we're pretty proud of.
I know that I'm trying to focus this blog on my art/craft practice, but it really feels connected to these larger issues. My craft and art are part of the larger project of my life, and my life is part of my time/effect on the earth. I have a hard time seeing relevant divisions between these things. I think for now I'm going to get into one of those tomato cans and make us some chili for this stormy day. Then perhaps on to sewing...
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