We stayed in town for our extended 4th of July weekend but it was plenty busy. I still haven’t fully recovered. We attended a few friend-hosted BBQs and brunches as well as CONvergence (all four days of it) and the two day Bathysphere music fest at First Avenue. While there was plenty of science fiction at CONvergence there was also some hard science. My son hung out with his Dad in the Space Lounge while my boyfriend and I checked out a panel about climate change and super storms. And evidence of climate change is all around us. Holy shit extreme weather is scary. The massively damaging storms all around the midwest (and the massive flooding in Duluth last summer) to this crazy waterspout in Florida and flooding in Toronto that led to submerged trains, and snakes on a train!
That panel was inspiring and made me want to go work in the non-profit sector, at Fresh Energy or for a similar org, but then I heard a TED Talk from Dan Pallotta which reminded me that non-profits can’t pay well because “The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong.” If I worked at a non-profit I’d never be able to afford a sweet Tesla electric car! Not that I can afford one now. But wouldn’t that be sweet if those of us who do still drive had such energy efficient vehicles. Or if Hour Car had a fleet of those cars, maybe more of us would be inclined to go that route.
But speaking of climate change and our planet’s burgeoning population…I spend a lot of time thinking about food and feeding everyone and trying to feed everyone well. But it’s tricky at a local level so thinking about it globally is overwhelming. Locally the Seward Co-op has announced plans for a second location which has raised concerns about gentrification in the neighborhood of the proposed location. Some friends attended the community meeting about it the other night. While reading more about that it led me to skim a paper about “Whiteness, space and alternative food practice” and that led me to the happy discovery of my new personal heroes, Ron Finley and Will Allen. Both men are “inspiring communities to build sustainable food systems that are equitable and ecologically sound, creating a just world, one food-secure community at a time.” Watch Ron Finley’s TED Talk and see interviews with him all over the place like this Urban Gardening: An Appleseed With Attitude.
Speaking of gardens, my preferred CSA, Belle Creek Gardens, got up and running late because of this bizarre growing season but the boxes I’ve ordered so far have been chock full of happiness. And rhubarb. I’ve cooked many lovely things, including a rhubarb simple syrup. I love my CSA but I also like this notion: The Supermarket Where You Pick Your Own Produce.
So much to ponder. And worry about. And naturally I am concerned about the future of this planet, particularly for my son’s sake.
Post a Comment