Then this morning Jessica Wildfire turned our guilt up some notches when she wrote her article…
“No matter how big your house is, how recent your car is, or how big your bank account is. Our graves will always be the same size. Stay humble.”
There’s a show here on ABC TV. It’s called, Grand Designs. The initial series was set in Britain, and the one that prompted this post, is in New Zealand.
As the title would suggest, the show is all about the trials and tribulations of building homes bigger than Ben Hur, and grander than most of us could ever imagine.
Having watched a few in the past, and knowing what to expect (it’s all staged) we usually switch off and read instead.
But last night, could have been the wine talking, we left it on and watched it to the bitter end.
That was a big mistake!
The home was being built on a block (blocks?) of land overlooking the ocean.
Let me rephrase that. The home was being built on a hill overlooking the ocean, and would take full advantage of the curve of the shore line.
Everything about the home would make it stand out from every neighbour’s home. There was no doubting that when you arrived, you’d know. This was indeed, the house that Jack built.
With an important difference…
Jack’s house build was just in Jack’s head and the actual building was in the hands of master craftsmen whose skills were tested to the nth degree.
Everything about this house was irregular, slightly-bowed double-glazed window frames, twists and turns of walls so as not to miss anything from the ocean in front of them, bathrooms large enough to invite others in for the party, a brass kitchen (my thoughts were immediately transported to my stainless- steel fridge and the paw marks I am forever removing, and that drives me mad)…but a brass kitchen (read grease, and snotty kids seeing themselves in the cupboard doors, and general grime!).
I could never be up for that…
I already need another 24 hours in my day!
Also, this couple (Jack and his wife, for clarity!) elected not to use natural wood on the external walls, instead using copper sheeting!
So what have I left out? Ah yes the theatre…a room that had more rooms than I have friends!
To be honest it was a little off-putting, and we questioned why we found ourselves watching the story of indulgence, right to the bitter end.
WHY?
- Why would you even think they needed such a huge space?
- Who could possibly be comfortable enough to visit?
- If they wanted to sell it in a hurry, would there be a market?
- If times got tough, would his couple hang together?
And then I thought. THIS is exactly the reason we have such disharmony in the world.
We have the those standing tall, as in super-wealthy!
Then we have the rest of us…
My husband and I didn’t grow up in wealthy families. Money was always in short supply, but we were fed, and cared for, and loved.
Fed!
Cared for!
Loved!
It’s pretty much what we humans need more than anything else. Sure, an education helps, learning how to care for all manner of things is paramount. Fixing things up is necessary, and being there for each other through thick and thin, well that’s what gives meaning to life
But a lot of this has been misaligned if you put it into the context of human beings harmoniously living together right now.
Well we’re not!
This morning I read this story by Jessica Wildfire.
She says she’s trying. She’s trying to be the best human she can possibly be, living simply and severely reducing her carbon footprint.
She asks: What are you doing?
Jessica talks about teaching English to migrants, as I did, for many years, and how grateful her students were for the time and energy she put into making them bi-lingual.
This was not a job that paid well. She did it because she cared.
Also, in her time as a journalist
“I wrote about homeless shelters and Native American land rights. I wrote about inner city violence and police injustice. I wrote about prejudice in the education system. I wrote about mental illness.”
As she coached, mentored, counselled and advised
“I spent entire mornings walking forms around to keep students in school. I spent entire afternoons arguing with administrators who wanted to drop them and keep their money.
“My colleagues and I escorted students to therapy after sexual assault and pregnancy scares. We bought them lunch and dinner. We gave them bus money. We gave them rent money.
“We gave them grocery money.
We gave them gas money.
We let them cry on us.”
The fact is, like Jessica, there are many people trying to make a difference. Some do more than others.
She also points out that making a difference is becoming harder and harder. You have to read her story to fully appreciate what she is saying.
As wars rage around the world and prices soar because of them, she wonders what is really at the root of this problem.
Her ‘aha’ moment came when she realized that greed is at the root of everything.
From the oligarchs in Russia, to the people who build inordinate mansions that could house several families, the common denominator is greed.
The trouble is, whether we like it or not, we are all, right now, in lock-step with, and paying for that greed.
SO…
Lets get back to Jessica’s question, What are you doing?
It’s a touchy question to ask, but could you be accused of greed?
Are you living beyond the means of the planet?
Are you a display of selfish indifference to the in-your-face environmental changes you already see, but do nothing about?
In what ways should, (not could), you backpedal in order to reduce your carbon footprint on this planet?
What example will you set?
Because the time is NOW
No longer can you live with unfettered freedom, to use the planet for your comfort.
No longer can you behave in a particular way because nobody will notice?
Jessica asks what you plan to do right now.
How much DEGROWTH (her coined word) could you put into practice?
This is mine. It’s not admirable, but it’s a start.
I have started to rewild my garden
The neighbours know nothing of this, but they will, when spring comes around.
I’ll have a sign that explains what I am trying to do.
I have packets of seeds lining the sunny windowsills in my home. Some of them I will simply scatter when spring comes around.
I have removed all lawn, and I’m preparing it for a garden of flowers, or vegetables, instead. Sure it won’t always be a perfect garden, but it will be in tune with Nature.
I have started to save my vegetable seeds. They are planted in plastic containers kept from shopping. They will be used again and again, so though I still feel guilty that I am not standing up enough against plastic, I have at least started to reuse it.
I have put to good use all the cardboard boxes I used when we moved house. They are now breaking down in what will be my new ‘lawn’.
We’re very strict when to comes to water usage. Two-minute showers when Canberra was in drought, are still two-minute showers! Nobody has complained so far!
“The greatest threat to the planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”
Guess what? YOU are that SOMEONE!
Tell me what you are doing. Collectively we could do better than most of our self-serving politicians, at least here in Australia, whose nebulous promises might, futuristically speaking, really have us gasping for breath.
