On meaning

A four day break from writing has been refreshing, and I am happy to say that there are so many thoughts running through my head that there is plenty to write about for the next few weeks.

I went to the Michigan Social Justice Conference yesterday - there were several fascinating panels and discussions, with issues ranging from divestment and sex trafficking to the power of allies and workers' rights. There was also a workshop on the social justice issues of trash and waste, which Sherri and I were grateful to help with. The keynote speaker was writer and activist Derrick Jensen, whose essays I have been reading in Orion. He has written more than a dozen books and has thought deeply about issues of social injustice and the environment. He talked at length about the root causes of all social justice issues - as I have tried to articulate previously, most all of the problems we face in the world stem from the same moral and ethical deficiencies. One of the key roots he said, was the issue of meaning.

Jensen is influenced highly by Native American cultures and traditions. These cultures had survived for several thousand years in harmony with their environment (let's avoid discussion about the ecologically noble savage here). He talked about how having lived in a place, these people assigned meaning to everything around them, from the trees to the salmon. The meaning that is assigned to these different sides of nature shape our perceptions of what it is that promotes harmony and unity. For example, while walking through a forest, someone who thinks that trees fill a pivotal niche in the environment, by providing habitat for birds and animals, will treat it differently than someone who sees trees as a way to make paper and money. In one case, the broader environment is at the centre of consideration, and in the other case, the economy may be at the centre of consideration.

Jensen mentioned that what organised religion has done (one of them in particular he dislikes) has been to take meaning away from the visceral and tangible to the arcane and unphysical, i.e. god. This, he feels, has led to a meaningless worldly presence, and the domination of nature because of it. In the same way, he feels as if science has had that same domineering quality, which allows us the ability of violence against nature. This is interesting, because it wasn't even a few days ago that I heard on an episode of Being that before the very notion of god existed, only the notion of the other existed. What dominating notions of god and science have done have taken away the nuances of understanding of place and time, and the consequent designation of meaning to them. The constructs of science and many organised religions have embedded in them the notion just two things - right and wrong.

This past year has made me think a lot about place and time and the meaning of everything that surrounds me. Each one of us will assign different meanings to different sides of nature. That is okay. I just hope that there is a convergence of the outcomes resulting from these meanings.

Speaking of meaning, how much this past weekend has meant is immeasurable and beautiful.

What motivates us? A call for thoughts

I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from Donna LeGrand, a retired lawyer living in Raleigh, North Carolina. She said that she wanted to try to move towards living trash-free! How amazing! She later called me, and we talked for about an hour about her life and her thoughts. I asked her what motivated her to think about doing something like this. She said that she had been doing much to decrease her environmental impact and trash production. But one fine day, just like any other day, she opened her kitchen pantry, and saw this....

She thought to herself, "Look at all of this stuff I have to throw away." I am not going to write more of her story here, because her story is best told by her, and I hope she will write a piece to share with everyone. But I wonder what it was that day that made her say that to herself.

I have tried to think about what motivates and encourages us to make changes in our lives. There are of course incredibly thoughtful people that have thought about these things before, and have made efforts to make other people change their behaviours. This can take the form of little signs or thoughts, as has been done at Georgia Tech. It seems like the motivations or the triggers exist all around us, yet we are sheltered, and we live overloaded lives. Motivation can also come from people we love, people we respect, and people who we don't agree with. What is interesting is that we are surrounded by all of these potential triggers and stimuli all of the time.

One time occurrences, such as weather events, of course at the other end of the spectrum, and are the most vivid cases that may result in behaviour changes, particularly because they can etch themselves in people's minds. Events, such as weddings and birthdays and parties and concerts can do that, too. But with environmental issues, particularly those with large characteristic times for their unfolding, such as climate change, it is hard to point to individual events as outcomes of our behaviour. It would be hard to convince people in the US that they are being oppressed because of climate change, especially because climate change isn't as visceral as an F5 tornado.

But the problems exist, and people need to be motivated to act on issues that they may or may not be affected by. This is a difficult question, and I cannot say I have much to say at this point, or today. (I will think about this and share some more thoughts if I think of anything.) Therefore, I am hoping that you will be willing to share your thoughts with on what motivates you. I will leave this question open ended, and you are encouraged to write about most anything. What would be particularly interesting to share are those key events that impacted you and your beliefs and your behaviour. If it is something environmentally related, that will be awesome. If you have pictures to share, that works, too.

A life of its own

I just arrived here at the Fishbowl after listening to a talk by Dr. Condoleeza Rice. Yes, the Dr. Condoleeza Rice. (A wonderful way to get you riled up! Try it for yourself!) She mentioned how Japan will not be able to "grow [economically] unfortunately" for a little bit, because of the earthquake and tsunami. Along the same lines, I was reading an article from The New Yorker, Aftershocks, by Evan Osnos, in which he describes how the Japanese have dealt with the recent natural events that have impacted their country. He wrote at length about his interactions with Yukio Okamoto, a former diplomat and high-ranking adviser to Prime Ministers of Japan, who now runs a political and economic consultancy called Okamoto Associates. Osnos asked Okamoto how he thought the events would alter Japan's sense of self. Okamoto replied,

“We were not humble enough to Mother Nature. We were building reactors on the basis of the most hideous earthquake in the Edo period, which was magnitude 8.5. Many experts expected a large earthquake would come, but not 9.0. Nobody said 9.0. Japan was in a euphoric slumber for two decades. Our life has been so comfortable, we became introverted. We forgot the need for struggle, during which time many top positions were taken over by Chinese and Korean companies. It’s too soon to say, with us still facing the threat of nuclear reactors, but perhaps, eventually, this sense of crisis will be the push to the back of many Japanese, and we will regain the strength of the sixties and seventies, when we had a concrete goal. So no doubt our economy will slip down, but then we may bounce back.” (emphases added)

I found it incredibly fascinating how Dr. Rice almost exactly shared Okamoto's viewpoint - that the Japanese are defined by their economy. Well, it may not be shocking that in fact most people and countries of the world are defined by their economies, and their abilities to "compete" in this "globalised world." Our identities as individuals have been tied to large, ecologically destructive social constructs such as economy.

There seems to be a tendency to let our lives slip beyond our control. Of course most of us are a part of society, and we are in a way bound by our emotional and physical relationships to people and places. In a sense, the defined social norms and the constraints put upon society by external factors (like weather, for example) are thrust upon us as individuals, and we are obliged to partake in collective effort, particularly if we want to be accepted. At the same time, society has created constructs, such as economy, that have allowed different sorts of interactions among individuals and smaller groups of people in society. We have somehow been taught or told that it is a duty to participate in the economy, that shopping is the only way we can make change, and that we "vote by our dollar." It is telling how we have let a completely man-made construct take on a life of its own, such that it is this vague, ill-defined, and irrational construct that defines who we are as individuals and collections of individuals. (Many people have placed immense faith in concepts such as economy, and have been let down, not surprisingly. What has happened over the past few years, especially with "bubbles," is now being better understood by terrific journalists and investigators.)

I believe it is important to realise that it is not me, or you, or us, that are defined by such constructs. At an even larger scale, the value of the environment and our relationships to it are not defined by such constructs. Our value in this world, and the value of the world, is not set by people at the Federal Reserve or some government agency. Rather it is you, me, and us that lend legitimacy and credence to these constructs, and it is you, me, and us that define these social constructs, and the bounds of operability and validity of these constructs. It is not surprising then that something like the economy is only a small part of our society, and that it cannot be placed at the same level as society, the environment, or as us, as individuals. Japan is more than its economy, and its ability to make cars. It is a land with a culture, with a history, with nature and trees and flowers.

One year

Recyclables = 7.15 pounds

• 1 broken Calder Dairy bottle + 1 broken Pyrex dish + 1 beer bottle = 4 pounds
• 1 plastic bottle = 2 ounces
• Receipts + miscellaneous paper = 3 pounds

Non-recyclables (Ruffles bags, straws, stickers off of fruits, Calder Dairy milk bottle caps, etc.) = 0.5 pounds

Total trash from one year = 7.5 pounds or so.
 

 

The blog will continue with more thoughts and new sections.

Thank you to everyone.

On the building of community

It is clear that as important as individual actions (1, 2, 3, 4) are, the scale of the issues facing us are vast and dark. Addressing these issues will require the mobilisation of the hearts and minds of more than just a few people. Indeed, the importance of community cannot be understated.

On the day before the one year anniversary of this project, I hope that this project has been worthwhile for you to read about, because it has been an extremely wonderful journey for me. It is my sincere hope that I have not been forceful in imposing my views on other people, and if I have, I apologise. My hope is that this is just the beginning of a conversation, the building of a community. I was talking to Melissa yesterday about the new section to the blog, Traveling at home. She was excited about it, particularly because one of the important aspects of it is the building of community. She felt though, on the other hand, that this current project could have the potential of alienating people. I wanted to speak to the building of community that can arise out of individual actions that stand in direct opposition to the status quo.

I fully understand that my thoughts on this subject are naive, but I have experienced nothing short of wonderful positive energy and thoughts over the past year. Many people don't believe or do what I do, and that is okay. I think there are two ways to go about living, particularly if you are trying to induce a change in behaviour - with whatever you do, you can alienate people, or you can encourage people. Any behaviour either reinforces norms, or speaks out against them. It is plain to see that there are vast organisations, companies, neighbourhoods and communities that are invested in behaving a certain way. Many of these behaviours are ecologically degrading. Given these vast investments, any behaviour that stands in opposition to them is sure to affect large numbers of people, or at the very minimum, speak out against them. At the same time, I am surrounded by friends and family, people that actually have faces and names to me, and people whose facial expressions and words affect me immediately and directly.

I believe that it is easy to alienate people even when if message comes with a clear conscience. As cliche as this may sound, the conversation is important, not the antagonism, and a convincing argument followed up with steadfast action is a steady rock. Any new course of behaviour must come from somewhere. And I can only hope that the combined power of words and actions will serve their purpose of growing some communities, speaking out against others, while at the same time maintaining civility and respect.

Guest blog #16: Crystal Thrall and her DivaCup

Back to the eternal debate - tampons vs. pads vs. cloths vs.......THE DIVACUP! Crystal has officially thrown her name in the conversation with something to say...

"Ever since getting married, my husband and I have been more cognizant of our environmental impact.  We started making changes in our daily lives by tackling the low-hanging fruit, buying local food for example.  Despite feeling good about the improvements we made, I was always plagued by the large amount of waste produced as a result of my monthly period.  If I had simply performed a quick Internet search on keywords such as ‘reusable feminine hygiene products’ I would have found a solution, but feeling overwhelmed and slightly apathetic towards the problem, I failed to do anything.  Regardless, this was one aspect of my life for which change was very welcome, but I apparently needed a little information and motivation.  During one of our Pierpont lunch dates with Darshan, I mentioned my personal struggle and of course Darshan had a suggestion—The DivaCup.  He described it to me as he understood it, but I was somewhat skeptical of a man’s perspective (no offense, Darshan!).  

Now that I had the information, I started polling my girlfriends to get the motivation.  Conveniently enough, my best friend heard a testimony from a mutual friend and was on day one of using her menstrual cup (The DivaCup).  She assured me that her experience with it was comfortable and quite convenient, but I didn’t stop polling my friends.  I discovered that another friend of mine had been using the same menstrual cup (also The DivaCup) for almost three years.  So I learned that not only do these women like it, the reusability factor is high!  

For the first time ever, I was excited to start my period (!) so I could try using a menstrual cup.   There are multiple brands of menstrual cups and other alternatives to sustainable feminine hygiene, but I decided to go with The DivaCup since that is the product for which I had data.  I ended up purchasing mine at Whole Foods for $36.  Upon purchasing, I discovered that The DivaCup comes in two sizes, the larger size being for women who are over 30 or have given birth (both the same price).  

The DivaCup comes with useful and easy-to-understand instructions...

• “Step 1: Prior to insertion, thoroughly wash your hands and The DivaCup for 15-20 seconds with warm water using The DivaWash or a mild, unscented soap.  Press the sides of the cup together and then fold it in half again forming a tight “U” shape.  OR place a finger on the top rim of the cup and press it down into the center of the inside base to form a triangle.”  Okay, that’s reasonable.  
• “Step 2:  With one hand, hold the folded sides firmly together with your thumb on one side and your four fingers on the other side just below the top rim of the cup.”  Easy.  
• “Step 3: Take a comfortable position: standing, sitting on the toilet, or squatting.  Relax your vaginal muscles.  Gently separate your labia with your opposite, free hand.  Insert The DivaCup into the vagina aiming it horizontally towards your tailbone.  The DivaCup will open before it is completely inserted; however, continue to insert towards the tailbone until the stem is even with the vaginal opening and does not protrude.  DO NOT push the tip of the stem further than ½ inch into the vagina.  Inserting The DivaCup too high may cause leaks, and may also make removal more difficult.” Okay, so there is a slight learning curve.  
• “Step 4: Grip the base of the cup (not the stem) and turn the cup one full rotation (360 degrees) in either direction or insert the cup about half way, turn the cup one full rotation and then push it in the rest of the way.  It must rotate easily as this ensures that it is fully open and that it is positioned horizontally towards your tailbone.  You can also make sure the cup is completely open by inserting a finger into the vagina and gently pressing on one side of the vaginal wall to create space for the cup to fully open.”    

These directions are very utilitarian.  I especially like the part where they inform me that one full rotation is 360 degrees =).  I should also mention that it is recommended that you use a pad or panty liner in the event of user error.

The entire average monthly flow (according to The DivaCup instructions) is approximately 1 to 1.4 ounces, and The DivaCup holds one ounce.  My period is heavy the first two days, so to be conservative I checked it whenever the opportunity presented itself (when I was in the bathroom).  For convenience, my friends suggested wiping the cup with toilet paper if I happened to be in a public restroom.  This idea appealed more to me than washing the cup in a public sink.  I would like to share some lovely prose from the instructions on how to remove the cup because I doubt that I could provide such a wonderful mental image.  “Before removing the cup, you should thoroughly wash your hands and then in a comfortable position, either standing, sitting on the toilet, or squatting with your buttock resting on your heels, bear down in a series of gentle downward pushes with your abdominal/pelvic floor muscles (as if you were having a bowel movement).”  Next, you pull the stem horizontally until you can pinch the base of the cup, and squeeze the cup gently to release the seal.  Honestly, I was nervous that I might spill the contents everywhere and leave the bathroom looking like a crime scene, but this turned out to be surprisingly easy.  I simply flushed the contents down the toilet and continued on with my day.  

Overall, my experience with The DivaCup was positive.  I found it to be comfortable and quite convenient, and I did not experience any leakage (another one of my concerns).  The instructions answered the remainder of my questions.  Because it is made of silicone, the cup is very durable.  The lifespan of the cup varies depending on factors that vary for each woman, but a general guideline is to replace it once a year.  Also, women using IUDs should consult with their physicians before using The DivaCup.

Switching to a menstrual cup was a major routine change since I had used pads and tampons from the age of twelve.  I am more than happy to accept this change in my life, and my only regret is that I didn’t make more of an effort to learn about my options earlier!"

~Crystal

Traveling at home - Initial thoughts and feedback

Pardon the short nature of this post, for my mind needs a bit of rest. I just wanted to share some initial thoughts I had about the newest part of the blog - traveling at home.

I feel like the notion of traveling at home falls squarely in line with attempts at reducing trash. When we appreciate what it is we have, and where it is we are, we may start looking for beauty, pleasure and wonderment here and now. We don't have to pine for traveling to some far out corner of the world, although that would be nice sometimes. We don't have to pine for something from somewhere else, although that would be nice, too. This may seem like some sort of "localism," and maybe it is, but I think it is more. I have not read much about "localism," but what I hope it means is more than just a patronising of businesses and groups that are close to you. I hope it means that there is a satisfaction with place with a full understanding of what needs to be done environmentally, and consequently socially, to lessen our burdens on this planet; we are a burden it seems.

I would like to find out what it is that people appreciate about the places they are in, and when and why they decide to call it home. It would be interesting to see how observant people are about their surroundings and neighbours. To that end, I am hoping to have a list of three or four questions that I may ask any people I encounter during my "travels." I want your feedback on these questions, and please let me know if you have any questions you'd like to add or subtract from this list.

• Where do you call home?
• Where do you live?
• What do you appreciate about where you live?
• What is your favourite spot close to where you live (25 mile radius)?
• What are some observations about the place you live?

I might also have people volunteer to ask other people they might meet these very questions. It would be interesting to see how this grows.

Your thoughts?