My photo
Australia
I ran away from teaching to the country to grow veggies. There are also some chooks and a pair of troublesome goats who were so much trouble they had to go! My simple green life isn't always as simple or as green as I'd like...but I keep trying!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Sunday Rant - The good news.

Oh dear!
I should never have mentioned 'the good news',  
in last week's rant about food security.
I feel like I have created anticipation for something huge, 
to solve all the world's food security problems 
with a side serving of solutions to the all the World's 
political, social, cultural and environmental woes!

What I have is small.
 Tiny in fact! 
But it is something.  
A newborn, 
waiting to be nurtured, 
guided and grown to maturity.

The good news is, 'Us'.

Last week's post shot up to the top of my monthly statistics so I know it hit a chord with many of you.
Your comments on the topic show we are part of a blogging community of like minds. Our cyber-community is with a place to share our frustrations and fears...but also to share our knowledge and expertise.  That has to be good news.

Think about it as a bit like a Venn diagram.  

We all operate in our own circle of influence.  In our individual circles with us are our families (especially the following generations), neighbours, friends, workmates, acquaintances 
and our blog readers and followers (of course).  

Within our own circle we can have impact on the thinking and behaviours of others.  
Not by lecturing (not cool unless the audience is receptive), 
but by example.  
Every beautiful egg or bunch/basket of surplus vegetables and fruit 
shared or given away...
every shared meal made from our own produce...
or jar of jam or sauce or chutney...
every homemade gift hamper...
All so much more than gifts...
more like a lesson in what is possible.  

We can take every possible opportunity to interact with the wider community.  For example, my arrangement with Daniel began as a rather self centred effort, on my part to acquire a greenhouse.  But it has morphed into an opportunity for me to educate others through the writing of articles for his web site about many of the subjects closest to my heart.

Each of our circles overlap and interact with those of other bloggers.
In the interacting spaces we can discuss, commiserate, educate, share, and question.

So keep on working out what is important to you.
Growing the food,
cooking from scratch,
reusing, recycling, repurposing,
learning new (old) skills,
consuming less, 
becoming an educated consumer,
blah, blah, blah...
You get the drift.

Above all keep educating yourself
and passing on your skills.

Where possible reach out of your circle to the wider community.
Take a course, 
run a course, 
write to the editor of your local paper, 
ring the radio stations, 
contact your local politician.....

Above all, don't become disheartened!

I know something is happening.
Check out these photos from the Melbourne Agricultural Show.
For the first time there was an area set aside 
between the agricultural displays and the carnival rides and sideshows entitled
'Sustainable Backyards'.
(I can't believe, I didn't take a photo of Daniel and the greenhouse!)













We, and people like us, are becoming 
a critical mass and others are beginning to notice.  

Perhaps we can't change the world 
but we can nurture the change.



13 comments:

  1. All so true! I do think we can change the world, one person at a time.
    Think globally but act locally. I myself have helped a few people start their own vegie gardens and the look of such pride as they show me what they have grown is a wonder in itself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I knew you would have something encouraging for us today Hazel and you delivered in spades (pun intended).

    "Perhaps we can't change the world but we can nurture the change."

    Bloody brilliant>

    ReplyDelete
  3. You can count on me to do my bit, Hazel! I have been contacted by an organization called the City and Guilds Centre for Skills Development, which is running a project on Urban Agriculture. They are trying to encourage people who live in inner cities (London, in this case) to grow fruit and veg - mainly in Community Gardens. My blog (along with many others, I presume) is to be linked to their website as further inspiration to their readers to get out and grow stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the photos in this post! And yup agree with you totally. I still haven't gone back to finish that post because it just made me all cross - I've been listening to farmers on the radio and I really feel for them. And for us. And our children. Grandchildren. And so on...

    You're a good spark though lady.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cool goats!

    Yes, sharing is an equal opportunity thing... the way to start improving the situations us bloggers find ourselves ranting about, is not just giving or taking, not expecting or obligating, not bitching or blaming... but sharing. OK, an occasional debrief (read: rant) can be good, but it can't end there. The action that comes after a rant is what counts...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Some small actions I did in September in my Govt office workplace.

    I placed a bucket to collect food scraps for compost. (This has opened up conversation and many questions regarding growing food).

    I placed a large basket full of herbs and veggies in the tea room on my floor for people to help themselves.

    I pile up my tins and other recyclables and took them home once a week for the recycling bin.

    And I found my actions do make small influences and people do make changes in their behaviour towards positive outcomes. And they feel comfortable to ask me questions. It's great.

    And may I say I am thrilled to know that Rhonda from Down to Earth is now a monthly feature in the mainstream and conservative, Women's Weekly!!!!

    I'm so thrilled about this I'm running a Women's Weekly Giveaway for my overseas readers who can't get the WW.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well done Hazel! It is gratifying to so "baby steps" and the ripples of influence. We CAN make a difference!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Awesome post, uplifting and simple but true. I love it that the Melbourne show is doing some good sutff. I went to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show and there was a lot of spunky vegie growing going on there too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes , Hazel. We are all part of a gentle revolution....moving along so gently and gradually that the politicians cannot even see us coming.we have no placards, we have no loudspeakers....simply by living the way we live, another sees what we are doing and feels inspired.
    Two very good posts...one with the problem , the other with the solution.
    Keep paying it forward everyone , there are many gentle battles ahead but these large corporations , governments have not seen a force as formidable as the power of people living simply with a strong belief in what they are doing and why.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes , Hazel. We are all part of a gentle revolution....moving along so gently and gradually that the politicians cannot even see us coming.we have no placards, we have no loudspeakers....simply by living the way we live, another sees what we are doing and feels inspired.
    Two very good posts...one with the problem , the other with the solution.
    Keep paying it forward everyone , there are many gentle battles ahead but these large corporations , governments have not seen a force as formidable as the power of people living simply with a strong belief in what they are doing and why.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the idea,the playschool I used to work at got its Eco certificate.A gentle revolution one compost at a time.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is awesome!!!! It really is a sign of things to come. I know that if I have been suddenly struck with an overwhelming urge to grow food and be more self-sufficient, it is certainly hitting other people in the same fashion. I am 55. I've lived in the same house for 32 years, and I've been ripping up my yard to plant food. Huh? Why now? Something is happening.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting. I love messages so write as much or as little as your want.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...