Posted on No Comments on Earth day Celebration – How art sustains the roots of modern culture

Earth day Celebration – How art sustains the roots of modern culture

My friend and local sculpture, Lauren Trimble, paired with the budding yoga  and community space [ahimsa] in Mile End for an evening of Art & Music: Artic! this Friday night in celebration of earth day.  I was graciously invited to sell and sample some of  Sustainable Healing’s herbal delights.  Thanks folks!   We all envision this to be a celebratory and mindful event, in line with the ethics of Lauren, [ahimsa] and Sustainable Healing.  With the idea of taking things a bit further  I  wanted to ask Lauren about art and it’s relationship with sustainability in our culture.  What is the value of art in a world with so much stuff already?  With over-consumerism  finally becoming not-so-cool?  How do we rationalize buying art or making art in modern day-eco-conscious-no-plastics-leave-no-trace-isms?

Earth Day has become quite the marketing tool in the past ten years, now with multiple websites luring you to events all over the globe.  So I think it’s nice to get back to our roots so to speak and at least try and contemplate some important  and new ideas of why we are celebrating earth day in the first place.  So this one is a bit longer than usual, but give it a chance, there’s much food for thought!

Some brain food from Lauren:

What was the inspiration for combining your vernissage with music and an earth day theme?

“The event really evolved by circumstance. It was Miranda’s idea of the art and music combination for March, that soon had to be April seeing as we needed to find musicians and had no one in mind.  The fact that Earth Day was also my birthday, a Friday night and in April we just went with it. Seeing as [ahimsa] is based on sustainability and non-violence and has gone through some amazing transformations such as the medicine wheel ceremony to create sacred space, it is very, very cool that it is now hosting an Earth Day event.  We will be posting the Earth Charter for everyone to read, and have a place where people can make some conscious affirmations for the Earth.  And the Buddha and torso sculptures I make also fit well with yoga, ahimsa and Earth Day.  The Balkan music to be honest, is for the sheer joy of that kind of music.”

What’s the deeper relationship for you between art and sustainability in our culture? (besides the obviousness that you work with clay and it’s durable earthy-ness!)

“I love saying that clay is, in essence, dirt and that it is one of the oldest materials used to make objects for ceremony, beauty and art. However, beyond that, I feel that art is the place where we put ideas, dreams, thoughts and criticisms.

Art is a creative act directed by mind and heart (the creative element), and according to some, including myself, by external muses and spirits (someone else’s or something else’s heart or spirit).

Art is also the main basis for how we define culture. It is the expression of a culture as much as language is the matrix. Even if art as a critique tries to tear apart culture, or change it or even mock it.  Looking at our own culture, it is easy to see that designed art for marketing intention has taken over our visual landscape and therefore takes on the dominant role of art that we experience.

Is this sustainable over the long term, will people continue to allow their visual senses to absorb up to 5000 advertisements/designs a day in large, urban environments?

It is not hard to understand how input in leads to input out when considering that the brain, in my opinion, functions as a computer. It does not actually create but merely organizes and stores information for use when it is needed. So the dreams and ideas we reflect back into our culture when our hearts are not engaged and when we are not inspired by love, are ones of a marketing stratagem, whatever that implies in our Post-postmodern era!

When I look at most contemporary installation art, the emphasis is on the idea or concept and the medium is only a carrier of that intention. Art is capable of transmitting itself through endless mediums, even those we are trying to reduce or avoid such as plastics, so if the materials are only temporary, and the art itself is only temporary, this is often overlooked as long as the desired effect is performed. The artist then creates a moment in time to be absorbed and felt and that unless it is documented by photography or video, will not last.  It is then thrown away because the construction is usually such that it is not in fact meant to last or it is stored in some unfrequented place to make room for the next installation.  What does this say about the sustainability of the idea, of the lasting impact of the dream?  How can a culture grow and flourish when its roots are never planted and kept in view to grow with the light?  Is it any wonder we all have the sense of constantly starting over or even of making it up as we go along?

I feel the more we leave art to become a mechanistic production of advertisements and the less we support and invest in art created by the heart and created with the intention to last over time, we are in turn making our culture less nourishing and possibly even toxic.  We are forgetting something important about how our collective dreams and ideas can thrive and be sustainable in the long term and continue to grow and evolve for the coming generations.”

mmmm. good food for thought.  How does art weave sustainably or not into your life?

Join us for more juicy conversation & awesome Balkan Gypsy music!

Friday at 8:30pm at [ahimsa]

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Posted on No Comments on Good Work Inspirations

Good Work Inspirations

I just watched the Earth Keepers documentary last night, and I was blown away.


Not because this is the most amazing enviro-doc that I have ever seen, but because this is one guy wanting to connect with people to do good work, simply, and in our own backyard: he’s from Trois-Pistoles.

It’s a must watch to remind, ignite, encourage and inspire.

A reminder that communication with each other in our own communities is really the only thing that will change anything, whether it’s food, politics, the environment, recycling, or simply the way we treat each other.

I love this movie!


I just watched the Earth Keepers documentary last night, and I was blown away.


Not because this is the most amazing enviro-doc that I have ever seen, but because this is one guy wanting to connect with people to do good work, simply, and in our own backyard: he’s from Trois-Pistoles.

It’s a must watch to remind, ignite, encourage and inspire.

A reminder that communication with each other in our own communities is really the only thing that will change anything, whether it’s food, politics, the environment, recycling, or simply the way we treat each other.

I love this movie!


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Posted on 2 Comments on Keepin’ It Local

Keepin’ It Local

I went to Vermont this past weekend and, as always, had much food and much conversation and much conversation about food. Both of which seem to go hand in hand whenever we get together with our Vermont friends!


The topic came up about ‘buying local’, as this is really BIG in Vermont, everywhere you go there are signs and products encouraging you to support community with local purchasing. Yeah, it is here in Montreal, for sure, we see Quebec Vrai certifying home-grown products as organic, but the collective encouragement is definitely not as in-your-face. Vermont has always been this way in my lifetime of frequent border crossings as former Townshipper. Why? More rural living and agri-culture, giving rise to community that basically needed to support each other to survive,were some reasons that were put out.

And it’s true, I have seen this when I lived in rural Nova Scotia for a while. It was easy to buy local, we went to the market every Saturday and bought everything for our week of eating, veggies, fruits, cheese, butter, meats, tofu, cleaning and body products. ALL made from people who’s farms we had visited! This is a bit harder to do when living in Montreal, but worth the effort for seeing where your ‘organic’ veggies really lived before they habited your fridge. You begin to feel more connected to what you are eating. Really. Well, at least I do, and if you can not remember the last time you felt really connected with everything on your plate, then it’s at least worth a try. Visit your farmer’s markets, join a CSA, visit the farms where your food is grown and processed. If you eat meat, see where and how these animals lived before they were killed, find out how they were killed. Get connected.

We have an array of city markets available now, from the large markets of Jean-Talon and Atwater, to the local marches des quartiers, and some newer local markets, which are more and more bringing in organic and unsprayed non-herbicided, non-pesticided produce. Buying local, healthy products close to wherever you live in the city is easier now than ever.
So head out and don’t forget to get some cash out before you go!

But why buy local and pay with cash? (another great gem from our many Vermont-discussions) Well, apart from building community and making us feel more connected with each other and the earth, it also keeps the goods in your back pocket so to speak. If all of our money, time, effort are going right back into the people in our community, stability is encouraged in our local economic system, which in times of late, seems like a good idea, with words like recession bouncing around. I am certainly no economist, but I have read enough to get the gist and also experienced this reality work!

When we pay with credit and debit cards the person that we are paying for a good or service DOES NOT get all of the money that we are paying them. It is soooo easy to forget this when we are busy collecting airmiles for trips to foreign lands or for movie passes. The credit card company, who certainly is not in need, is getting some of the money that should ALL be going back to the fellow who planted your organic local really yummy cucumbers. Sometimes you can not get around using plastic, but when we buy local it seems like completing the cycle to have all the money go back directly to the source of the product or service. Credit cards and debit are just like drugs, so remember: JUST SAY NO!

And the bonus of this cash friendly action: we are more discerning about what we buy, what we really need.

Because, while, ya it’s great to support the local community, it’s also great to tone down the longtime cultural pattern of just buying way too much stuff!

Another reminder that being more sustainable is all about self vigilance and inquiry. Why do I want this? What purpose does it serve the big big big picture?

I went to Vermont this past weekend and, as always, had much food and much conversation and much conversation about food. Both of which seem to go hand in hand whenever we get together with our Vermont friends!


The topic came up about ‘buying local’, as this is really BIG in Vermont, everywhere you go there are signs and products encouraging you to support community with local purchasing. Yeah, it is here in Montreal, for sure, we see Quebec Vrai certifying home-grown products as organic, but the collective encouragement is definitely not as in-your-face. Vermont has always been this way in my lifetime of frequent border crossings as former Townshipper. Why? More rural living and agri-culture, giving rise to community that basically needed to support each other to survive,were some reasons that were put out.

And it’s true, I have seen this when I lived in rural Nova Scotia for a while. It was easy to buy local, we went to the market every Saturday and bought everything for our week of eating, veggies, fruits, cheese, butter, meats, tofu, cleaning and body products. ALL made from people who’s farms we had visited! This is a bit harder to do when living in Montreal, but worth the effort for seeing where your ‘organic’ veggies really lived before they habited your fridge. You begin to feel more connected to what you are eating. Really. Well, at least I do, and if you can not remember the last time you felt really connected with everything on your plate, then it’s at least worth a try. Visit your farmer’s markets, join a CSA, visit the farms where your food is grown and processed. If you eat meat, see where and how these animals lived before they were killed, find out how they were killed. Get connected.

We have an array of city markets available now, from the large markets of Jean-Talon and Atwater, to the local marches des quartiers, and some newer local markets, which are more and more bringing in organic and unsprayed non-herbicided, non-pesticided produce. Buying local, healthy products close to wherever you live in the city is easier now than ever.
So head out and don’t forget to get some cash out before you go!

But why buy local and pay with cash? (another great gem from our many Vermont-discussions) Well, apart from building community and making us feel more connected with each other and the earth, it also keeps the goods in your back pocket so to speak. If all of our money, time, effort are going right back into the people in our community, stability is encouraged in our local economic system, which in times of late, seems like a good idea, with words like recession bouncing around. I am certainly no economist, but I have read enough to get the gist and also experienced this reality work!

When we pay with credit and debit cards the person that we are paying for a good or service DOES NOT get all of the money that we are paying them. It is soooo easy to forget this when we are busy collecting airmiles for trips to foreign lands or for movie passes. The credit card company, who certainly is not in need, is getting some of the money that should ALL be going back to the fellow who planted your organic local really yummy cucumbers. Sometimes you can not get around using plastic, but when we buy local it seems like completing the cycle to have all the money go back directly to the source of the product or service. Credit cards and debit are just like drugs, so remember: JUST SAY NO!

And the bonus of this cash friendly action: we are more discerning about what we buy, what we really need.

Because, while, ya it’s great to support the local community, it’s also great to tone down the longtime cultural pattern of just buying way too much stuff!

Another reminder that being more sustainable is all about self vigilance and inquiry. Why do I want this? What purpose does it serve the big big big picture?

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Posted on No Comments on The Mystery of the Local Buying Group

The Mystery of the Local Buying Group

When I lived in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Buying Groups were all the rage. It was no big deal, no new idea. Is this a Maritime thing? Where are all the buying groups in Montreal hiding?

Seriously. Equiterre is doing great work hooking us all up with a CSA basket. I am currently loving my latest basket from my biodynamic farm, Ferme Cadet-Roussel. But what about my bulk grains and flours? Frigo Vert has been doing grassroots good work for years, Coop La Maison Vert has just introduced dry bulk foods to their primarily bulk cleaning products coop. As a friend recently stated: “Isn’t the Frigo pretty much like a buying group, just bigger, ’cause you are a member and you can order really big bags of stuff and reduced cost?” Maybe it is the same thing, but not for me and really, couldn’t we do more? Couldn’t we reduced fuel, transit time, packaging, heating, lighting, and basically resources in general even more? These are the things I remember about buying groups form the East Coast. Why all the covert ops here in la belle province?
In Ontario, ONFC has an entire section of their website dedicated to buying groups, which is helpful to me in my search. But so far I have found only one bulk distribution co-op in Sherbrooke, Coop d’Alentour. I haven’t figured out the logistics, although it does seem that UQAM has a groupe d’achats that is organized with Coop d’Alentour. And it’s not as local as I’d hoped in terms of transport, knowing that there are lots of distributors of organic bulk foods on or just of the island of Montreal. The only other folks that I have found and not heard back from are connected with Aliments d’ici, who are doing all kinds of good work, but mostly in French, which is great! But I am an anglophone and well….you know how it goes, for some things it’s just easier to have both languages present so that we all know what’s going on and can participate with equal enthusiasm!
So I am thinking: Who wants to start a buying group?
Is the idea of buying your local grains, flours, dried goods, oils in bulk and at cost plus transport appealing to you? Do you like the idea of only getting some perishables more infrequently from your local coop, as much as I do? If you already are part of a CSA, then I am thinking this is just the next step!

When I lived in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Buying Groups were all the rage. It was no big deal, no new idea. Is this a Maritime thing? Where are all the buying groups in Montreal hiding?

Seriously. Equiterre is doing great work hooking us all up with a CSA basket. I am currently loving my latest basket from my biodynamic farm, Ferme Cadet-Roussel. But what about my bulk grains and flours? Frigo Vert has been doing grassroots good work for years, Coop La Maison Vert has just introduced dry bulk foods to their primarily bulk cleaning products coop. As a friend recently stated: “Isn’t the Frigo pretty much like a buying group, just bigger, ’cause you are a member and you can order really big bags of stuff and reduced cost?” Maybe it is the same thing, but not for me and really, couldn’t we do more? Couldn’t we reduced fuel, transit time, packaging, heating, lighting, and basically resources in general even more? These are the things I remember about buying groups form the East Coast. Why all the covert ops here in la belle province?
In Ontario, ONFC has an entire section of their website dedicated to buying groups, which is helpful to me in my search. But so far I have found only one bulk distribution co-op in Sherbrooke, Coop d’Alentour. I haven’t figured out the logistics, although it does seem that UQAM has a groupe d’achats that is organized with Coop d’Alentour. And it’s not as local as I’d hoped in terms of transport, knowing that there are lots of distributors of organic bulk foods on or just of the island of Montreal. The only other folks that I have found and not heard back from are connected with Aliments d’ici, who are doing all kinds of good work, but mostly in French, which is great! But I am an anglophone and well….you know how it goes, for some things it’s just easier to have both languages present so that we all know what’s going on and can participate with equal enthusiasm!
So I am thinking: Who wants to start a buying group?
Is the idea of buying your local grains, flours, dried goods, oils in bulk and at cost plus transport appealing to you? Do you like the idea of only getting some perishables more infrequently from your local coop, as much as I do? If you already are part of a CSA, then I am thinking this is just the next step!

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Posted on No Comments on Sometimes We Drive

Sometimes We Drive

It’s true. Sometimes we drive. Well, actually I rarely drive, I am a nervous wreck if I do, but sometimes I am a passenger. How can this be?? I live in Montreal, I blah blah blah about sustainable me and all that we can do, and sometimes I drive? So just to remind: I am human, living on Earth in 2010. So, ya, I drive sometimes. We go on vacation, we go to the country, we go out to RDP and Hudson sometimes. And, yes, all my cycling enthusiasts, I know we could bike, but sometimes it’s just too far, yA know? So what to do to make the driving more of a sustainable event? If that’s possible! I need to think about this, otherwise I am really torn up by the fact that my husband and I own a car, albeit a fairly efficient VW diesel Golf, with aspirations of becoming a biodiesel Golf when it grows up. Owning a car is one of the things that I do feel guilty about. Why you ask do we have it then? Well, my other half has this crazy, pseudo-sustainable job that requires a car. And that is another tale in itself…..

First: Think before you drive! Weighing options sounds tedious and time consuming but there you have it. How much we will save if we drive to get the big bulk bag of locally grown organic whole wheat flour from the local co-op for our homemade sourdough bread? Can we bring people with us? Can we fill the care with other things we need, combing trips? etc…..
All food for thought!
And then I came across this: Car Talk’s Eco Era, which made me really happy, mostly because we do most of the basics already. Guilt assauged. Phew.
And what about our own local heros, EcoAuto? What happened to this full service biodiesel convert garage? They seem to be off the map. Out of business? What’s happening in the biodiesel world anyway? Has big business taken over already?
Well, sort of. And this is some of what I’ve found so far: Biodiesel FAQ

It’s true. Sometimes we drive. Well, actually I rarely drive, I am a nervous wreck if I do, but sometimes I am a passenger. How can this be?? I live in Montreal, I blah blah blah about sustainable me and all that we can do, and sometimes I drive? So just to remind: I am human, living on Earth in 2010. So, ya, I drive sometimes. We go on vacation, we go to the country, we go out to RDP and Hudson sometimes. And, yes, all my cycling enthusiasts, I know we could bike, but sometimes it’s just too far, yA know? So what to do to make the driving more of a sustainable event? If that’s possible! I need to think about this, otherwise I am really torn up by the fact that my husband and I own a car, albeit a fairly efficient VW diesel Golf, with aspirations of becoming a biodiesel Golf when it grows up. Owning a car is one of the things that I do feel guilty about. Why you ask do we have it then? Well, my other half has this crazy, pseudo-sustainable job that requires a car. And that is another tale in itself…..

First: Think before you drive! Weighing options sounds tedious and time consuming but there you have it. How much we will save if we drive to get the big bulk bag of locally grown organic whole wheat flour from the local co-op for our homemade sourdough bread? Can we bring people with us? Can we fill the care with other things we need, combing trips? etc…..
All food for thought!
And then I came across this: Car Talk’s Eco Era, which made me really happy, mostly because we do most of the basics already. Guilt assauged. Phew.
And what about our own local heros, EcoAuto? What happened to this full service biodiesel convert garage? They seem to be off the map. Out of business? What’s happening in the biodiesel world anyway? Has big business taken over already?
Well, sort of. And this is some of what I’ve found so far: Biodiesel FAQ

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Posted on No Comments on Turn Off Your Computer!

Turn Off Your Computer!

So I’m on line a lot. A whole lot. And today was a day of getting down to some planning of events and workshops for the Fall “semester”, or so I thought. A productive day for sure, meetings and schedules getting solidified, workshops taking more concrete shape. But do you ever have one of those days, where no one that you really need to hear form is emailing you back? Where your computer world just sloooows down? Facebook is quieter than normal, the inbox is full, but only of spam, does this ever happen to you? Well, today was that day for me, and I couldn’t help myself: I just kept on checking. Kept on going back to my laptop. And my laptop by the way! I love it! Truly. It’s sleek pseudo-enviro-friendly-aluminum-macbook pro-unibody, and long lasting battery, make me feel better about using it a lot. And don’t even get me started about my ical! But when nothing’s going on, why can’t I just take the hint and turn it off? Isn’t this is the more sustainable choice that praising the more earth friendly features of my closest computer friend? It may have taken me all day to learn this but I can take a hint. Really.

So I’m on line a lot. A whole lot. And today was a day of getting down to some planning of events and workshops for the Fall “semester”, or so I thought. A productive day for sure, meetings and schedules getting solidified, workshops taking more concrete shape. But do you ever have one of those days, where no one that you really need to hear form is emailing you back? Where your computer world just sloooows down? Facebook is quieter than normal, the inbox is full, but only of spam, does this ever happen to you? Well, today was that day for me, and I couldn’t help myself: I just kept on checking. Kept on going back to my laptop. And my laptop by the way! I love it! Truly. It’s sleek pseudo-enviro-friendly-aluminum-macbook pro-unibody, and long lasting battery, make me feel better about using it a lot. And don’t even get me started about my ical! But when nothing’s going on, why can’t I just take the hint and turn it off? Isn’t this is the more sustainable choice that praising the more earth friendly features of my closest computer friend? It may have taken me all day to learn this but I can take a hint. Really.

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Posted on 1 Comment on Community

Community

AHIMSA: this word has popped up quite a few times for me in the past 24 hours and I think it is a good sign! Do no harm.


I had the honor last evening of attending the grand opening party of a new local Mile End organic yoga studio and community space: the home of Ahimsa Yoga Montreal.

And this is a good time to remind you that part of these writings are to share with you, my community, all the glorious and wonderful actual places and people in our community web that are doing beautiful work every moment.

Ahimsa Yoga is the first of these places that I want to share with you. Even though I just met Miranda and Andrew, the founders, there is a genuine felt sense when you step into the community space that they’ve created that it is your space too. And that it really is a safe place. Isn’t this what community is all about? A place and network of people that we feel safe within? Ahimsa is great name for this community building studio because literally when we “do no harm”, when we energetically impart this idea, people do feel it. We feel safer. Safe to be who we are, to learn, to grow, to explore, and to really live the life of yoga that is ever so trendy at the moment!

I look forward to more cooperative engagements with ahimsa yoga, so keep an eye out!

And another gem from my ahimsa-filled-weekend: do no harm, check it out!

AHIMSA: this word has popped up quite a few times for me in the past 24 hours and I think it is a good sign! Do no harm.


I had the honor last evening of attending the grand opening party of a new local Mile End organic yoga studio and community space: the home of Ahimsa Yoga Montreal.

And this is a good time to remind you that part of these writings are to share with you, my community, all the glorious and wonderful actual places and people in our community web that are doing beautiful work every moment.

Ahimsa Yoga is the first of these places that I want to share with you. Even though I just met Miranda and Andrew, the founders, there is a genuine felt sense when you step into the community space that they’ve created that it is your space too. And that it really is a safe place. Isn’t this what community is all about? A place and network of people that we feel safe within? Ahimsa is great name for this community building studio because literally when we “do no harm”, when we energetically impart this idea, people do feel it. We feel safer. Safe to be who we are, to learn, to grow, to explore, and to really live the life of yoga that is ever so trendy at the moment!

I look forward to more cooperative engagements with ahimsa yoga, so keep an eye out!

And another gem from my ahimsa-filled-weekend: do no harm, check it out!

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Posted on No Comments on POW WOW

POW WOW

Kahnawake 20 years later. Many folks at the recent pow wow, myself included, said: “20 years after what?” The Oka crisis. Oh. I remember, I was a teenager then and it was on the television all the time. What can I say? Thinking about it now and every time I go to Kahnawake I tear up. I am sensitive. And there is a lot to say. It just doesn’t feel productive for me to go on and on about native land issues and human rights issues so I’ll just say this so you can know where I am coming from before I go on about how this does relate to sustainability:


Not all that much has changed in 20 years in terms of native land issues and basic human rights. Do your own research on this one.

What has changed in 20 years is the wonderful marketing of native, aboriginal, first peoples etc. medicines, creams, beauty and health products in the natural trade industry. And like it or not lots of folks are cashing in on this trend, and it was indeed, apparent at the pow pow in Kahnawake last weekend. So if we support the concept of seven generations that stems from this tidy marketed package of native sweetgrass incense, sage body oil and natural arthritis relief salve, then do all these products really support this philosophy from harvest to sold profit? By the looks of the pow wow vendors wares apparently not. Not all, but many products were packaged in the very overtly non-seventh generation compliant plastic and much over-packaging was abound with not a recycle bin in site.

So what to do? Does this mean that my beloved pow wow is not sustainable? Well, I guess not entirely (and as we go on it seems not much really is “enitrely”!), but supporting this event and maybe encouraging organizers to look at event criteria and re-igniting the native land issues conversation with those willing IS definitely encouraging a more sustainable me. It gets me thinking and questioning myself, which to me is what becoming more sustainable is all about. Why I am attracted to the snazzily packaged native sweetgrass incense? Isn’t the real sweetgrass that I learned how to harvest ethically and spiritually enough anymore?
I think it is.


Kahnawake 20 years later. Many folks at the recent pow wow, myself included, said: “20 years after what?” The Oka crisis. Oh. I remember, I was a teenager then and it was on the television all the time. What can I say? Thinking about it now and every time I go to Kahnawake I tear up. I am sensitive. And there is a lot to say. It just doesn’t feel productive for me to go on and on about native land issues and human rights issues so I’ll just say this so you can know where I am coming from before I go on about how this does relate to sustainability:


Not all that much has changed in 20 years in terms of native land issues and basic human rights. Do your own research on this one.

What has changed in 20 years is the wonderful marketing of native, aboriginal, first peoples etc. medicines, creams, beauty and health products in the natural trade industry. And like it or not lots of folks are cashing in on this trend, and it was indeed, apparent at the pow pow in Kahnawake last weekend. So if we support the concept of seven generations that stems from this tidy marketed package of native sweetgrass incense, sage body oil and natural arthritis relief salve, then do all these products really support this philosophy from harvest to sold profit? By the looks of the pow wow vendors wares apparently not. Not all, but many products were packaged in the very overtly non-seventh generation compliant plastic and much over-packaging was abound with not a recycle bin in site.

So what to do? Does this mean that my beloved pow wow is not sustainable? Well, I guess not entirely (and as we go on it seems not much really is “enitrely”!), but supporting this event and maybe encouraging organizers to look at event criteria and re-igniting the native land issues conversation with those willing IS definitely encouraging a more sustainable me. It gets me thinking and questioning myself, which to me is what becoming more sustainable is all about. Why I am attracted to the snazzily packaged native sweetgrass incense? Isn’t the real sweetgrass that I learned how to harvest ethically and spiritually enough anymore?
I think it is.


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Posted on No Comments on Oh Dear! Not another "Self-Help Blog"!

Oh Dear! Not another "Self-Help Blog"!


Welcome! and be forewarned for many more exclamation marks to come.
What does this even mean? Sustainable You? It can mean so many things, sustainable is such a trendy hipster phrase these days, which is cool, but really at the root of living sustainably is getting to know yourself (and others and the rest of the natural world), which is also cool. And it’s what I am into.
So here will be many things that I find are sustainable and why. Things that help me to connect and re-connect to my community, the earth, and mostly myself, ’cause it all starts there.

So, yes, in essence another self-help blog. What can I say? and really, what can you expect in 2010, anyway?
Self-help is where it’s at. Help yourself first, get out of your own way and out into your world.

And it’s not all new-agey, green, pseudo eco-chic, locavore, organic goodness by the way. Sometimes all these words are not all they are cracked up to be and we’ll check out why.


Welcome! and be forewarned for many more exclamation marks to come.
What does this even mean? Sustainable You? It can mean so many things, sustainable is such a trendy hipster phrase these days, which is cool, but really at the root of living sustainably is getting to know yourself (and others and the rest of the natural world), which is also cool. And it’s what I am into.
So here will be many things that I find are sustainable and why. Things that help me to connect and re-connect to my community, the earth, and mostly myself, ’cause it all starts there.

So, yes, in essence another self-help blog. What can I say? and really, what can you expect in 2010, anyway?
Self-help is where it’s at. Help yourself first, get out of your own way and out into your world.

And it’s not all new-agey, green, pseudo eco-chic, locavore, organic goodness by the way. Sometimes all these words are not all they are cracked up to be and we’ll check out why.

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