“Every time a fire was set, corms and roots dug, the plumpest seeds collected and sown uneaten, baby beavers counted to calculate the seasonal quota, a stem-tip broken deliberately in the taking of fruits and nuts, the strongest deer let out of encircling fires during communal hunts, a tree pruned to encourage straight shoots for baskets, a fishing weir constructed which let more fish through upriver than were harvested–every time humans used
the land, the land was made healthier.”
- Dennis Martinez, Director of SER
Every time humans used the land, the land was made healthier. Hmmm. Now that’s going beyond green. What's going beyond green?
Going beyond green is about going beyond standard convention, digging deeper into the soil and fabric of our existence, going beyond "me" into a bigger "we", beyond today into forever. It's about getting pretty radical and really examining the thinking behind the systems.
It's about true sustainability. Are we willing, really willing to go beyond convenience to really make a difference in the way we do things.
According to indigenous cultures in North America, South America, Africa for the matter most of the world - we as a species here on earth are at a breaking point. Indigenous cultures have been issuing strong warning for at least forty years or more. And for most of the world, we’re just now taking small steps towards change. As a species, we’re very slow to change and even slower to understand.
So here’s my thought, since we’re in the mood right now, why not go the extra distance and start actually healing the planet. Right? It takes the same energy, the same motion. The biggest difference is awareness.
Becoming intensely aware of our thinking and acting and how we relate to one another and the world. It’s a momentary pause before we trudge off doing whatever it is that we do. That pause that says,
“I’m going to offer some conscious thought to what I’m about to do. I’m going to ask my self if this is the best way, the most sustainable, healthiest way to do this?
For me and mine - of course. But for a second looking past myself, can I do something different to try to ensure that generations from now they will benefit from this moment.”
It’s all in little moments, little actions. Let’s take this a step further. What are some ways that we can actually give back to the Earth as we’re taking? Some call it reciprocity, it’s the basis of most healthy relationships. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. We learn it on the playground right. But what does that mean for the environment?
Here’s some ideas to prime the pump:
Plant something. We’re going for easy here. It doesn’t have be a huge garden plot or xeriscaped landscape. Any small spot of dirt will work. Cover crops such as red clover, beans and legumes not only keep the dirt down but works to suppress weeds, reduce insect pests and soil disease. It also provides added nitrogen and nutrient to the earth itself.
You can but you don’t have to eat your cover crops, you can just work them back into the soil for later if you like. I just threw some beans out my door to keep the dust down. It’s entirely random, it’s not a “garden” just little spots of beans. It’s so simple and easy we can all do this.
Pick Something: Take a walk (which has tremendous benefits for your health and the earth as well) and notice what is growing around you. Learn what the plants are, which ones fruit or flower. Which ones are invasive, which ones are considered edible or medicinal. You’d be surprised at what you will find.
I saw this show the other night on Planet Green where they picked “fallen fruit” off public access land and made some great drinks for their party with them. Not only does this make use of the fruit off those trees that would have been wasted but it also encourages the tree to produce more. Great idea! Taking it a step further. What if the seeds were saved and then planted in a community garden or in a park? Something to consider.
Let Something Go: Just because you can eat it all doesn’t mean you have to. Feeding our need for more just gets us in more trouble all the time with our egos and our waistline. Start with your dinner plate but think about extending it to the grocery store and then to the shoe store and then to our homes. Just because we can afford that gorgeous pair of heels and they match that new dress does not mean we have to get them. Also just because we can afford that new car, new and bigger house, does not mean we have to.
Letting a little go a bit at a time not only saves you money, but slows down consumer demand/mass production and slows the whole stressful cycle.
This intel first appeared on: http://waybeyondgreen.org/?p=7
