As a student of Geography at CSU Stanislaus, a large part of my studies focuses on the subject of sustainability and how humans impact the natural balance of life on Earth. Much of what I read describes the damage we have done to the environment and what we should be doing differently, and I find myself starting to feel hopeless and helpless about our situation. When you look at the situation globally it can feel like there is so much that has to happen to make the shift towards a sustainable planet that perhaps it is hopeless. However, if we focus at a local and regional level we can start to make a difference that can spread outwards as we create the shift towards sustainability.
Here is a list of things that I have come up with that we can start doing right now to make a positive difference in our community. Please feel free to add to it or suggest your own version!
1. Grow and/or buy your food locally
I know this is largely budget dependent for many of us, including myself. But mega-farms employ few people, use tons of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, use excessive amounts of water, and have to be transported long distances by fossil-fuel burning trucks. When you grow your own food or buy directly from a local farm, you know much more about how your food was grown and it was likely done in a more sustainable manner.
A great place to buy locally grown food is at your local Farmer’s Market in the summer time, or pay a monthly fee through a Community Supported Agriculture(CSA) farm and have fresh produce delivered to you weekly. Check out this link to learn more about Farmer’s Markets in Tuolumne County.
2. Encourage an appreciation for nature in children.
Rachel Carson said “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.” With our rapidly evolving technology and expanding urban areas, there are fewer children than ever who feel that nature is something to explore and treasure. If a person lacks a sense of appreciation for the gifts that nature offers, it is hard to convince that person that nature is something worth conserving.
Fostering an environmental ethic in the younger generations not only helps keep the spirit of sustainability alive, but I know for myself personally spending time outdoors with kids helps bring out my own sense of wonder.
3. Volunteer in your community for a cause you believe in!
Volunteering is so great on many levels. Not only are you making a difference for your community, but it feels good to do so, and you can connect with other like-minded folks with a similar ethic!
When we all collaborate as a community together, more gets done and ideas on how to make a difference in other places may be kindled. Did you know that CSERC has many projects lined up this summer which we are looking for volunteers for? Check out our Volunteer Workday schedule for 2009 on our website, and see if there is anything you want to join up with.
4. Consider how you can reduce your usage of natural resources.
Many of us these days recycle, which is very important. Something I have tried to be aware of along with my efforts to recycle these days is reducing the amount of packaging I am buying to get my product. Things such as buying in bulk, using reusable shopping bags instead of the plastic disposable ones, buying a water filter instead of bottled water are some ways to reduce what I will have to dispose of in one way or another. Additionally, carpooling not only cuts expenses, but reduces the amount of vehicles on the road that are contributing towards global warming.
Composting is another way to divert waste from filling up a landfill, while providing an amazing fertilizer for your plants and garden!
Many people worry that it will create a funky smell and attract unwanted critters, but a well-managed compost pile has very little odor, creates next to no pest problems, and truly is a great way to recycle in your own backyard. Check out this link for a decent how-to on creating your own compost pile.
Finally, I think may be time for a revival of repairing and updating our current tools and appliances instead of throwing them away and buying a new version.
Not only does the repair business keep our landfills from filling up too fast, but it creates jobs that help the local economy.
This list is obviously very limited and could be expanded into books of information, but I hope that it may have planted a few seeds for some of you. I would love to hear what any of you are doing to practice sustainability in your own life. Please add a comment to this blog and share!
Cole Thompson Says:
May 29th, 2009 at 10:19 pmVisit Cole Thompson
I live and work in Sonora but have grown up in urban areas, and I know how you feel. There is a glimmer of hope, which is that economists are starting, tentatively, to question the paradigm of infinite growth. I think this is key. As long as economists in academia sign off on economic growth as a good thing, politicians and businesses will point to that and say “See? Pave we must.” But as noted, that paradigm is finally getting a little harder look now and there are murmurings of dissent in ivory towers of economic study.
I’d like to add that there is one thing all of us can do to speed this along, which is to sign to the petition of support for the work of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy. The URL for that is http://www.steadystate.org/CASSEPositionOnEG.html
Here’s what I hope for: individuals and orgs like CSERC can win local victories and involve people in thinking about the future quality of life where they live. On the national/global level, orgs such as CASSE and The International Society for Ecological Economics will keep persistently raising the awkward question, how is infinite growth possible in a finite world? Progress is slower than we’d like but it is happening. And do consider signing the CASSE petition!
Ruth Sandra Says:
May 30th, 2009 at 2:27 amVisit Ruth Sandra
Thank You for your contribution to the Internet and the world through images and words.
I have given your blog a “One Lovely Blog Award” on my blog: http://RSSDesignsInFiber.blogspot.com.
And part of the “loveliness” is your dedication to the environment in the Sierra Nevada.
Steve Perreira Says:
June 5th, 2009 at 7:30 amVisit Steve Perreira
Dear Juliette:
Getting young children into nature as well as learning about how it works so well…undisturbed by man, is a key point. So is growing your own food, if you can. One easy food to grow is, say, potatoes. So are tomatoes, and I’ve got extra heirloom tomato plants, but I only give them to responsible gardeners. Some people, believe it or not, actually accept free vegetable plants, then leave them to wither on their kitchen tables! If I wasn’t such a purist, I’d plant potatoes on those CSERC meadow restoration projects, not unlike my Swiss relatives do in their alps, as I have seen firsthand.
Anyway, I hope to see some CSERC people at Mountain Sage’s Earthfest in Groveland on Sat., June 6, 2009. You good earth people can tour my house, not far away, after the main Earthfest events. It will cheer you all up even more, because, it’s harmonious with it’s place in nature.
much admiration for all you do, Steve