Earth Friendly Legislation

Last week's column “The Dance of Politics and Nature” inspired me to think things through a little more and come up with some suggestions for legislative ideas that could help us to walk more gently on the earth. I reflected upon the products and practices that most annoy me because of their direct or indirect destructive nature and I came up with the following possibilities.

Outlawing Disposable and Unnecessary Harmful Products
Okay, it is now 2010 and it is time to stop dallying around and get serious about doing the right thing. As I wander through stores choosing my groceries I bypass several lines of products that are designed for one time use, and this trend seems to be increasing instead of diminishing. There are home cleaning products that are proud to be advertised as single use & throw out. They hint that our lives will be much simpler, happier and more elegant if we buy and use them (no more out dated, old fashioned brooms and mops and their accompanying 80's music for you!). I wonder how elegant life will be when we no longer have green spaces as they have been taken up by landfills. I find that old natural fabric clothing items, that are too old to wear respectably anymore make great rags that clean really well and even come clean with my regular laundry. As a bonus, they are free and very simple to use!
There are numerous “make your house smell pretty by covering up the messes that you haven't had time to clean because you are out there working hard to afford the pretty extras” products that will lift us out of our depression and bring family harmony. Hmmm, I wonder if the increasing sales of these unnecessary real estate perfumes is somehow linked to the increasing numbers of people with allergies and other breathing disorders... Essential oils, distilled from natural ingredients actually do have healing and harmonizing abilities and just one drop goes a long way.
There are flashy personal hygiene products that promise everlasting beauty and sex appeal until we find out that replacement blades cost more than the original unit. And while discussing personal hygiene consider the fact that pantyliners did not exist earlier in my lifetime, and I survived without them!
Diapers, baby and adult, come to mind here too. I must admit that I haven't done the research to determine which way is less energy consuming - using disposables or washing and reusing absorbent natural fibre alternatives. There are a lot of diapers to consider. I can say that I did use hand made cloth diapers for both of my kids, who would be blushing if they knew that I was writing about this now, and I found them to be baby skin friendly, user friendly (gotta love that Velcro®!) and portable. I was also kinda proud of the fact that I didn't leave a trail of smelly diapers wherever we went. We simply rinsed & flushed in the nearest toilet and bagged the used goods to carry home to laundry, and nobody was the wiser as to what was in our diaper bag!
I can go on and on here about disposable products, but I think you have the idea.

Mandating Minimum Percentages of Recycled Material in all New Products
Maybe I am naive or ignorant of manufacturing protocol, but I don't understand why requirements aren't in place for many of the products that we buy to be made of some recycled ingredients. Oh yes – those oil companies, they want us to keep consuming plastics and other oil based products so that they can continue to maintain their profit, or shall I call them greed margins. From time to time I drive by our local landfill and marvel at how quickly its elevation grows. In Europe, where usable land is far less available, landfills are being mined for recyclable materials, and profits are being gleaned from that. I think it is time for us younger countried Canadians to consider this way. Job losses would occur in oil based industries but there would be openings in the field of recycling, and some of the employees who have made the changeover may even sleep better at night.

Putting a Halt to Planned Obsolescence
So up until a few years ago we still had a small appliance repair business in town. It was a great place filled with odds and ends of parts and equipment in various states of repair. It was a blessing to those of us who preferred to keep things operating as long as possible rather than throw them out and replace them with brand new, shiny but quality scarce options. As more big box stores moved in, it became harder and harder for businesses like the repair shop to stay open because shoppers were lured by the newer, shinier, quality poor, less expensive opportunities.
Wake up people! You have been put under a spell that newer is better! Check out my blender that has a glass container component, that even though it is cracked, is still working strong several decades after it was first manufactured. Thank goodness for second hand shops and classified buy and trade directories where I can find old workhorses like these. And in case you haven't heard Retro is an accepted,, cool, hip, decorating style!!! We were gifted with a new food processor a year ago, and I am sad to report that within a few months of use by four foodies (several times a week in our house), it was already having problems. And don't get me started talking about furniture. I can't afford the really good stuff that will last a lifetime, but I am fortunate to have a house filled with second, third and forth hand stuff that does the job and stands up well to our lived in lifestyle.
If you want to know how we got into such a mess go to Annie Leonard's great site http://www.storyofstuff.com/ and take some time and watch. Be prepared to get angry and frustrated, and hopefully inspired to make some positive changes as 2010 unfolds.

R, R, & R
Yup the three R's are now reduce, reuse and recycle. Maybe it is time that we really learn what they mean and put them to work in our lives.

So there you have it. My latest political opinions. Call me a hippie, call me a granola eater, call me an earth Mom, call me whatever you like but don't call me and ask me to vote for you unless you have some good news to share with me about how we can work together to live wiser.

The Dance of Politics and Nature

Recently someone asked about my political leanings and I had to think about what words I would choose to use to explain my position on the subject. Even though I write regularly I do find words to be very limited when it comes to explaining ideas that have more dimensions than the words do. After some reflection I came up with this response “I am becoming more apolitical as time goes on. Politics is a man made system trying to work within a nature based system and it isn't working very well”. The following day I synchronistically came across this quote “The major problems in the world are the result of the difference between how nature works and the way people think” by Gregory Bateson, and I realized that I am not the only one who thinks this way, and the inspiration for this column was born.

The wrap up of the events in Copenhagen during the last two weeks added a little more fuel to my inspiration as we discovered that global emission control standards will not readily be agreed upon and that this is an ongoing project with many complex dimensions to be dealt with. In the meantime I think that we do not have to wait for governments to legislate what we must do to clean up our act. We can get on with it today. We can commit personally to helping the cause by walking or bicycling whenever possible. We can turn our thermostats down a few notches and add a few layers of clothing. We can turn off electronic equipment when not in use. We can think about the purchases we make and choose the more earth friendly option, or even ask ourselves “Do I really need it?”.

Human beings and other creatures respond best to reward systems – remember Pavlov!

I think that true change will occur on a greater scale when we experience financial benefits for our greener lifestyles. Direct tax incentives for those who use less, drive less, and convert to more earth friendly technology (solar power, composting, biofuels etc.) will make waves.

I can hear the turning heads and rolling eyes of politically committed readers out there and I welcome their expressions and comments because everyone has the right, here in Canada, to choose to support whatever system they believe will create the best world for them to live in. I have been known to support a younger party that is associated with the colour of leaves in the spring, but I am finding that my energy is needed to help my community on a different level these days. One of the reasons that I have dedicated much of my life to the study of Jin Shin Jyutsu(R) and Shamanism is that these practices help people to heal and become whole. In that state of wholeness they have an awareness of their interconnectedness to one another and to the natural world, and find they have to make lifestyle changes that are more earth and nature friendly to maintain their new state of health and balance. They understand and are very aware that if they are making choices that are harmful to the earth, they are making choices that are harmful to themselves or their loved ones.

My mission is an important one and so too is the mission of those who know they belong in the political machine. I know that it is not my place, and I do hope they can find the inspiration, imagination, courage and pioneering spirit to create a better system that works in conjunction with the laws of nature. I think they have a big job ahead of them. The basis of our political system has been in place since 1867 and I think it needs an update for the times we are living in. A few years ago I gave my grade 8 students the assignment to outline our current system and design a new version that they feel reflects our contemporary needs. Their contemporary version had some very interesting ideas which would spark many heated debates and discussions. As the economy shifts, with our changing resources and the automobile fading out of it's god-like place in our lives, I think we need a new way to do things.

The situation that we find ourselves in has developed because we have placed profit at the top of our priority list and the people and the planet fall somewhere behind. I think that time has come for us to create a new system based on a triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. In response to the grunts and pessimism that this last statement may inspire, I would like to point out that there are some great organizations that have adopted this model and they are faring well in these times. Have a look at Stonyfield Farms

http://www.stonyfield.com/, Newman's Own http://www.newmansown.com/, Timberland http://www.earthkeeper.com/DontTellUs/Language, Nature's Path http://www.naturespath.com/, Zerofootprint Inc. http://www.zerofootprint.net/, and many others. I think that we can use some of the examples of their way of working in the world to update our political and regulatory system.

Cold Comforts

We were reminded this week that cold can kill as we learned of the death of Cape Breton youngster James Delorey. Many of us are also outwardly or privately grumping about how miserable we feel when cold dominates our weather, so I thought I would bring a little balance to all this. Yes cold does have benefits so if you want to become more accepting of it and less whiny about it keep on reading.
In Wellness traditions cold is recognized as having energizing, invigorating, blood pressure stabilizing, immune enhancing, pain reducing, and mood lifting powers – it has the ability to help the body balance and heal itself.
Many of you do understand how cold can wake you up in the morning when you crawl out from under the warm blankets and into a less than warm shower – beats caffeine every time! Feeling sleepy at work and unable to get things done because you are sequestered in a warm still air environment? Take a five-minute break and stick your body outside and breathe in the fresh cold air.
High blood pressure can be a silent time bomb ticking away threatening to blow a gasket in our cardiovascular or circulatory system. Cold-water therapy (hydrotherapy) can help to strengthen the autonomic nervous system over time so that our body's ability to normalize blood pressure increases. Cold-water applications can also improve the release of cytokines, which in turn can improve our immune function.
Cold sensations can override pain sensations to give temporary relief of pain. Acute injury protocol uses the RICE method – Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate. In this case the immediate application of ice can help to reduce internal bleeding and the swelling that causes additional stress to the traumatized tissues. Regular interruption of chronic pain signals with cold energy can help to build new, more harmonious pain free patterns.
Body wide endorphin release can accompany cold-water baths or showers as sensory nerves are activated. This can lead to feelings of optimism, comfort and preparedness for facing challenges. Those polar bear swimmers can probably tell you great stories about this effect.
For additional information about cold therapy and hydrotherapy there are many online resources and print resources to study. It is best to consult your personal Physician, Massage Therapist, Chiropractor or other professional for advice before using heat or cold treatments.
If you are like me, born in the summer months, love your sunshine, warmth and warm fuzzy things, the above information probably does not appeal to you all that much, and you are still thinking about how you can curl up like a cat on a windowsill in the sunshine. So I have one more bit of information to share with you about the benefits of cold. I have shared this story with only a few understanding folks since I first experienced it in November of 2006, and this morning as I was preparing myself for writing I understood that I needed to share it with others through this column today. A few years ago I was studying Celtic Shamanism with several wonderful classmates and an inspiring teacher, Tom Cowan, and I became aware of how helpful the power of extreme cold energy can be for helping to encapsulate and transform destructive energies. Tom was sharing stories of the Wild Hunt ritual that many ancient communities practiced every fall to maintain a healthy balance between creative and destructive energies. We prepared to conduct or own contemporary version of this powerful ritual with specific journeys, powering up exercises and role selections. As the weekend progressed it became clear to me that I was one of several who needed to be at the front lines of this process while others held the space with drumming and a few others acted as keeners. One of my classmates, Peter, an engineer from Wisconsin, who, unlike myself, continues to ride his bicycle right through the winter months (he’s a very healthy guy!) journeyed the previous day to gather a power animal to specifically assist me with my role in the Wild Hunt. Raven came forward to lend wisdom, power and strength to me for what was to come. In non-ordinary reality I did battle with several types of destructive energy that night, but it was the spirits responsible for alcohol addiction that caused me to call out to the cold powers of the North for assistance. The alcoholic spirits were particularly challenging to deal with (is this why we call alcoholic beverages “spirits”?). They were black, sticky, elastic and tarry, and as soon as I tried to gather them in to give to my power animals for transformation to less destructive forms, they would spring back to their original place, form and way. When it became clear that I was out powered I called in the help of my power animals to guide me. They suggested that I call on assistance from allies in the North, which I did so immediately, and I very quickly found myself standing in a circle with many other white clad beings. They showed me how to sing to these spirits and breathe out onto them to freeze them deeply and solidly. This process took quite some time because the energy of these spirits was being changed from a plastic state to a crystalline state. Once they were in the crystalline state, my spirit allies reminded me of the big stick that I had brought with me this weekend and prepared for the hunt. With the allies help I raised the stick high above my head and brought it down on the newly crystallized energy and watched it shatter into billions of tiny crystals. As I recall this I remember that as I watched the crystalline explosion it seemed to happen in slow motion – very cold matter usually moves at very slow speeds. After the dust had settled we all swept them up with brooms and dustpans that my northern friends had brought along for just such a purpose. As I was sweeping I wondered what we were going to do with them next so that they didn’t just find their way back to one another and return to their original form. The answer to my query came quickly. My northern friends led the way, and one by one the pans full of crystals were carried over to the water’s edge and gently sprinkled into the water as food for the salmon. In Celtic lore salmon is one of the oldest and wisest creatures, and I had no doubt that as salmon consumed these crystals a transformation to a more balanced state would occur. That part of the battle was over and I bid farewell and great gratitude to my northern allies for the smart strength that they shared with me.
Cold can kill. Cold can restore balance. It can be an enemy or an ally. If you have a monkey on your back that you want to be rid of you could consider calling on the energy of the cold to help you return to a more balanced state. Just be sure that you are ready to make the lifestyle changes that this will require before you ask for help, because Grace is generous and hears even the faintest call for help.

Quiet Nothingness

As the winds come to us from the North and blow the remaining leaves from the trees, the days give some of their time to the nights and we find ourselves approaching winter.

The sun sits lower in the sky and spreads its golden glow around when the clouds part, and the wisest creatures prepare to hibernate through the harshest parts of the season.

I think hibernation is underrated.

Us human types seem to be busier than ever this time of year, and unlike the wise ones around us we are not preparing for the long sleep, we are preparing for the party hearty season. I do find it quite interesting that while nature is prepping our body’s rhythms for quieter less productive times, we are often living the opposite to meet our cultural and social demands. I feel somewhat like a rubber band this time of year, being pulled in many directions, but I am fortunate to have a body that speaks loudly to me and I listen to it whenever possible.

This time of year I do spend more of my time semi-hibernating in my cave (my comfortable lived-in house) and more hours under the covers of my bed. The fewer hours of daylight and colder temperatures shift my metabolism toward gathering rather than expending energy. Winter ways help us to gather energy to fill our kidney & bladder vessels so that energy can be expressed through us as new life in the spring. If we don’t take this time to gather energy, we may find ourselves lacking energy when we need it.

Even though I know this intellectually (or “in the head” as I call it) I still struggle with letting myself have the time to do nothing. I am one of those doer people. I have many interests and base my some of my self esteem on my productivity. This, along with the pull of busyness of the world around me, make it challenging to be true to my own energy needs.

So instead of going on and on with more stuff for you to read I am going to share a short story about the Tarahumara people of northern Mexico, and then leave you some white space to stare at for three to four minutes so that you can do nothing. The Tarahumara language is gentle, soft and flowing and is expressed lovingly toward one another (they have no letter “d” and lots of “r”s). They drum and sing for forty days and nights non-stop to ensure that a good spring arrives. And they sometimes will stand for hours in perfect silence just feeling the wind “sintiendo el aire”.

.