Sustainable Shopping

Because of COVID, shopping sustainably, especially for food, has become increasingly difficult. Many of my local grocery stores have gotten rid of their bulk bin sections out of fear of the virus. While this desire to be extra cautious is perfectly understandable, climate change and pollution aren’t going anywhere, and it’s important that we don’t throw away our commitment to sustainability as we try to get the pandemic under control. It’s become clear that this pandemic isn’t going to disappear any time soon, so we have to find ways to continue to work towards a greener future even with the added challenges COVID presents. Luckily, people are already finding creative ways to do this. I recently visited Tare, a low waste shop in LA that sells everything from dry goods to tea to nut milk to soap. They’re one of the only businesses I’ve encountered that is letting people bring their own containers*, which the employees sanitize thoroughly before filling. If you live in the LA area, I highly recommend gathering your containers and heading over to Tare for some sustainable shopping!

*If you’re still concerned about contamination, or forget to bring containers, they also have paper bags which they can fill for you.

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Pencils (and other writing utensils)

Over the summer, I’ve been reading Victoria Finlay’s Color: A Natural History of the Palette for my AP Art History class. In her chapter on black and brown, Finlay describes her trip to the Pencil Museum in England, where “a full-scale diagram of the thee-hundred-year-old trunk of a California cedar” was on display, an example of the trees which are often used to make pencils. It occurred to me that, when starting the new school year, as many of us are now, I would often resist my parents suggestions to buy a fresh set of pencils due to the unnecessary plastic packaging, but I rarely thought about the pencils themselves and the immense deforestation that must occur in order for more to be produced year after year after year. I’d always felt that wooden pencils were the more sustainable option, being made out of a biodegradable material, as opposed to plastic mechanical pencils, which, although technically reusable, often broke and needed to be thrown out. Clearly, neither are really sustainable at all.

This wave of understanding left me feeling pretty despondent, so I turned to my trusty friend google, hoping someone had thought of this problem before me and had already come up with the perfect solution. While I definitely didn’t find the “perfect solution” I was looking for, I did find some cool, innovative products that attempt to make up for the ecological damage done by pencils, as well as some other writing utensils. Here are some of the products that I found particularly intriguing, or that made me feel slightly more hopeful:

Sprout Pencils: These pencils contain seeds and are fully biodegradable, so when you’ve worn them down to the smallest stub, you can plant them, and end up with anything from sunflowers to cherry tomatoes! They’re also made from “sustainable sourced wood” (not sure what that means, but hey, it sounds good!) Their only downside is that they don’t have erasers, so you’ll have to buy your own eco friendly erasers to pair them with, or just never make any mistakes.

Onyx and Green Recycled Newspaper Colored Pencils: These colored pencils are made with recycled newspaper, which not only boosts their sustainability, but also gives them a super artsy and—forgive me for saying this—aesthetic look. They’re packaging is made from recycled paper and is 100% plastic free (you can imagine how happy this made me).

Zebra Optex 1 EZ Highlighter: Besides having a killer name, this highlighter has pretty killer sustainability features as well; not only is it made from 98% recycled plastic, but it’s also refillable and extremely sturdy, meaning it can stay out of landfill way longer than your average highlighter (although, as I’m sure you could tell from the name, this is NOT your average highlighter). These also come in a wide variety of vibrant colors.

Pilot Petball Pen: This ballpoint pen is made from more than 90% recycled plastic bottles, and is even designed to resemble its material source, constantly reminding you of your good deed whenever you use it!

Coffee and Tea and COVID 19

Since the pandemic began, my favorite local coffee shop has stopped letting customers bring their own reusable cups. I’ve been trying to still support them, getting a drink there once a month or so, but it pains me every time I’m handed a paper cup. At first I was trying to find a cafe that would still let me bring my own cup so that I could go back to my usual sustainable ways, but then I realized that I can’t “go back to sustainability”, because I was never truly sustainable in the first place! Even if I bring my own cup, there’s so much else that goes into a drink that needs to change - each ingredient—the coffee/tea, the milk, the sweetener—all come in disposable containers, and many are shipped from very away and produced through unsustainable practices. Even places that make their own nut milks most likely still buy the nuts in plastic bags. This problem goes so much deeper than cups, and it’s important that we take this opportunity to understand the true impact of our actions and change the systems which we live off of for the better, rather than just trying to go back to what we were doing before.

YouTube Channel

Gaia Generation has a YouTube channel now!!

When the pandemic began, I was determined to find a way to continue my work with Families Forward, so I decided to start making videos of fun gardening activities for the kids and their parents to do at home. I’ll be posting more videos soon, but, in the meantime, check out my channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8zwIafUh0TglkmY0S-rjQ. The activities are kid friendly but great for all ages, so feel free to share them with anyone you think might enjoy!

Environmental Justice (Part 2)

In my last post on this topic, I talked about the effects of colonization on global environmental politics, but, for those of us living in the US, or other “developed” countries, we don’t have to look outside of our own borders to observe the plethora of environmental injustices that exist within even the most affluent nations. As people are becoming increasingly aware of pollution and its negative effects on the environment and human health, many governments are working to curb emissions. However, communities of color are often left out of this move towards a cleaner environment; due to the racism that’s embedded in our country’s structure and government, these communities tend to be neglected when it comes to enforcing environmental standards and pollution regulations, allowing for fracking, powerplants, and other sources of pollution to be placed in close proximity to neighborhoods that are mainly comprised of people of color. This means that people of color are disproportionately affected by the health hazards pollution poses, while more privileged communities get to enjoy products like oil and manufactured goods without facing the effects of their production. When people of color are affected by the pollution they’re exposed to, they’re often not given the proper attention needed to address the medical problems or natural disaster destruction they are suffering from, leading to further inequity and injustice.

Environmental justice is not a new concept - the term arose in the 1980s, and since then many activists have used it as a way to bridge the gap between environmentalism and social justice, acknowledging the fact that they must be fought for side by side. In 1991, the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit created the Principles of Environmental Justice, which provides a blueprint for the movement and its demands for the world. Although it was written nearly thirty years ago, many of the issues this document discusses still remain prevalent today, making it clear that not enough change has been made - we must continue to fight for environmental justice, always remembering to amplify and listen to activists of color along the way.

Environmental Justice (Part 1)

In light of the recent surge in discussions of racism and inequality, I feel the need to discuss the ideas of environmental racism and environmental justice. Within the environmental movement, the issue of race and the role it plays is often glossed over, or seen as a “separate issue”, when really the two could not be more intertwined; in fact, they have been since the beginnings of colonization. Europeans began colonizing other parts of the world in order to exploit resources and expand political and economic control. On top of their violence and oppression of native cultures, colonists also disrupted the natural ecosystems in these areas, enforced harmful farming practices, and forced countries to become more “developed”, i.e. build more unsustainable infrastructure and become industrialized. As time progressed, those of us in the so called “developed world” realized that our practices of industrialization and unsustainable infrastructure had begun the devastating phenomenon of climate change. Rather than taking responsibility for the creation and promotion of these unsustainable practices, we turned to the so called “developing world”, the countries whom we had previously colonized and who were still in the process of industrializing, and scolded them for the unsustainable practices which we had brought and enforced in the first place, demanding that they adopt new, more sustainable technology. Meanwhile, most “developed” countries have barely made a dent in reducing their own contributions to climate change.

On top of this, people in “developing” countries suffer the most from the effects of climate change, despite contributing far less to the problem. Most “developed” countries participate in something known as “waste colonialism”, where “developed” countries ship their trash to “developing” countries, where it gets put into landfills, allowing those in the “developed” countries to continue to live unsustainably without having to face the consequences of their lifestyle, and worsening the quality of life for people in other countries, who live more sustainably. It’s super important for those of us in “developed” countries to acknowledge our role in this problem and do our part to consume and waste less.

International Compost Awareness Week

In case you haven’t heard, this week is International Compost Awareness Week! Composting is so vital to sustainability, and what better time to learn all about it than right now! Composting actually occurs naturally out in the wild, when organic matter, such as fallen leaves and fruit, is broken down by microbes, releasing nutrients back into the soil, which new plants will then use to grow. As humans, we can adopt this natural cycle into our food systems, making them more sustainable. You can compost in your own backyard, with a bin or pile, depending on what your prefer. Generally, your compost should consist of around 1/4 green matter (vegetable scraps, grass, manure) and 3/4 brown material (cardboard, dry leaves, twigs). When the compost is ready will depend on the type of bin/pile your using, but once it is ready, you can spread it on top of some planting soil, and start your own garden! If you already have a garden, you can spread it on the soil around the plants, or wait until your next crop rotation to put some down before planting. Composting is a really beautiful process that embodies the importance of the cycle of life and death, and I hope you find it enjoyable as I do!

For more info, check out LA Compost!

Fungal Heroes

As humanity struggles to tackle a wide array of environmental issues, some are looking to mushrooms as a potential solution. Extremely versatile and diverse, these organisms are already being used by innovative companies to produce truly sustainable alternatives to many common products, as explained in this article. Although their production capacity is somewhat lower, this doesn’t mean they couldn’t become mainstream - hopefully, it will encourage a shift in the market economy to one based in smaller local companies producing for their community, reducing emissions as well as allowing for more sustainable, smaller scale production.

Pandemic Gardening

A month ago I (re)started a vegetable garden at home - I realized that it would be super useful to not have to go to the grocery store every time I wanted produce. Minimizing contact with others is the best way to prevent the spread of the virus, so it’s super important to do this in every way possible! Plus, if you’re healthy but just feeling bored and cooped up, planting and tending to a garden is a great way to get outside and step away from the chaos of everything for a bit.

3/20

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4/20

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Coronavirus and Climate Change

As the corona virus continues to spread, governments and citizens alike have been taking drastic actions to prevent the spread of the pandemic. Businesses have shut down, people have stopped flying, and a sense of panic has pervaded our daily life. We’re willing to disrupt life as we know it to fight a global threat. Why is it that, in comparison, we’ve seen virtually no response to the equally pressing threat of climate change? In this article, climate change experts and activists explain why climate change hasn’t garnered the same necessary response as something like the corona virus, and what we can do to bring it to the forefront of global politics and daily life.

Families Forward Garden

We’ve started a new project at Families Forward, a non profit organization that provides childcare and early childhood education for lower income families. They had some empty garden beds in their outdoor area, so we went there a few weeks ago and planted a variety of fruits and vegetables, including lettuce, peas, strawberries, carrots, beets, spinach, and kale. We’ll be checking in once a month or so and doing classes with the kids on plants and sustainable gardening, as well as some outdoor meditation. Families Forward plans to use the produce in their kitchen, and we’re planning to install a compost bin as well for food and garden scraps, making it a truly sustainable garden! We’re very excited about this garden and we’ll continue to post updates on its progress.

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Green Business: Dryland Wilds

Dryland Wilds is a New Mexico based company that makes perfumes, soaps and balms from all natural ingredients, particularly utilizing invasive plants, which helps the ecosystem and eliminates waste. The company is committed to reducing waste in other ways as well; for their soaps, they use tallow from local butchers that would otherwise go to waste, and all of their products are packaged in containers that are either compostable, metal, or glass.

You can learn more about them and their products at https://www.drylandwilds.com/

Sustainability Thought Bubble #1

Sustainability is not just buying a metal straw or a reusable water bottle - it’s a mindset of being interconnected with the planet and it’s systems, and understanding how every action affects these systems. If you can see yourself not as superior to or more intelligent than nature, but rather a part of it, as necessary as any other being, but not more, you will be sustainable. Humans struggle with this view - we’re so used to seeing ourselves at the center of everything. This ideology has been engrained in us over the course of our species’ history, and we like to think this way because it makes us feel special, it makes us feel important and needed and like our life matters. Which is not to say that it doesn’t, but everything matters, and so therefore nothing matters. Of course from our own perspective our life matters because it’s us, but if we can break out of our individual view of the world, and see it from the perspective of the universe, we’ll find that our needs do not to “deserve” to be met anymore than anything else’s. So when we then think beyond our needs to our wants, how ridiculous is it to demand goods or lifestyles we want, many of which serve no real purpose besides instant gratification, at the expense of others’ needs?

BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup)

I always try to bring my own cup when I get a drink to go because I hate using plastic cups. They are bad for the environment in every possible way - they are made from oil which is attained through fracking, manufacturing them produces lots of greenhouse gasses, and they end up in a landfill or in the ocean and don’t ever decompose. On top of all this, they contain carcinogens which, if left out in the sun for too long, an seep into your drink and possibly lead to cancer. Mason jars or other reusable to go cups are a great alternative - spread the word!!

Greywater

As I was washing the dishes the other day, I realized how much water I was using and dumping down the drain.  I thought about how I could be using all of that water to water my garden, and, in an effort to conserve water, I decided to do something about it.  The water that comes from washing dishes is called "greywater".  Greywater is water that isn't clean enough to drink but can be used to water plants or, in some cases, wash clothes.  I decided to put a bucket in my sink to collect any water I use when washing my hands or doing dishes.  Once the bucket was full I took it outside to water my garden with.  It's surprising how much water we use just from the sink in a day, or even a few hours!  Ideally I would like to live by a waterfall and stream where I could wash my hands, dishes, and clothes, but until then this is a great way to save water and is definitely worth doing!

Another way to collect greywater is by putting a bucket in your shower, especially if you’re waiting for the water to get hot. Just make sure any soap or shampoo your using is natural if you choose to keep the bucket in the whole time.

Zero Waste Gardening

We have some helpful tips on how you can simultaneously reduce your waste and improve your garden!  If you have any produce that's too old to eat, instead of throwing it away, plant it!  With any seeded produce, take out the seeds and plant them; with root vegetables, simply plant the whole thing and it will sprout!  By using the produce you buy to create your garden, your cutting down on your trash and saving money on plants!

I left this sweet potato on my dining table for about three weeks and it sprouted!  I planted it and hopefully it will continue to grow and produce more sweet potatoes!

I left this sweet potato on my dining table for about three weeks and it sprouted!  I planted it and hopefully it will continue to grow and produce more sweet potatoes!

School Garden

Hi, a few days ago we talked to the principal of our school about establishing a sustainable garden in an abandoned bed. She said yes!

We have started weeding and turning the soil. We found that it's better to pull with your hands if a plant is shallow rooted and has a strong stem; It's better to use a spade for deep rooted plants, or for plants with very weak stems.

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