Be kind to people, especially those who live nearby. Peace begins at home.
Use canvas bags, not plastic ones – not only are they more attractive, they make less crinkly noises.
Use metal coffee mugs and reuse them, just carry one with you at all times (here’s a good blerb about it).
Use metal water bottles (companies like Sigg make great ones).
Eat food grown locally as much as possible – find the local market, and swap food with your neighbours if you get too much of something.
And one extra thing, find a garden that needs compost if you don’t have one yourself – ask the local school, or council to find one – and start composting. The earth needs to be fed and the garbage piles are getting too big.
These are all really simple things. If you’d like more information about any of them leave a comment here and I’ll personally get back to you with information. It’s so easy. And any time you’re spending focusing on these simple things, is time spent literally saving the world.
If you like officialdom, here’s what the Australian Govt has to say about sustainability tips.
Now, sure some of you think this is SO obvious, but others of you clearly have no clue about it. So this post is a little ode to the simple ones of us, who despite being intelligent in every other area of their lives, have not quite yet changed their basic habits.
‘Nuff said. Go hero now and start ticking of that list above.
Aviva Hannah is an eco-scientist and artist. She has participated in many exhibitions and protests in relation to deforestation in Tasmania, where she is based. Since childhood her talents as an artist and naturalist have been advanced. Aviva Hannah also travels and performs whilst journaling and drawing. Her lifestyle is organic in the true sense of the word. Here is her take on the ‘what does green mean’ question.
what is green…..
‘Time to Cherish or Perish’ Aviva Hannah 2008, recycled paper, mixed media. Currently held in private collection of Christine Milne, Green Senator “being green is daring to care…..in a society that has only just begun to realise its damage and repercussions, being green is standing up, admitting mistakes and the many comforts that ‘progressive’ modern society has provided, as detrimental to ecological processes and making changes. In many cases being ‘green’ will be more expensive, harder work and more personally energy intensive but in the long term….being green is looking way past the short term economic agendas, personal and political.
being green is daring to stare into the lair of humanity… but one must beware the glare…if you care, it may tear your heart apart…. there has come a time, when we must cherish or perish….
i think being green is recognizing that the earth is the ultimate provider, protector, carer and destroyer… i think being green is about Respect and Response.”
See work from Aviva Hannah’s latest exhibition here.
If you’ve been following this blog for a little while you will know a few things about iheartgreen. You’ll know that some of the artworks on this page are for sale and you can buy either the original or a print for a very reasonable price (just leave a comment and we’ll get in touch if you want to know more). You may not know that some have already been sold (like the one shown here and the I Heart Green artwork below). One thing they all have in common is that they arise from an organic process – ideas gathered from experience and inspiration that randomly cross paths of artists transcribed into visual form.
This picture below is a semi-self-portrait, whipped up in response to a lingering image of a faceless man in a hooded jumper, and probably inspired by street artists around the globe who use this image, including but not limited to one of our favourites - Banksy. Apart from his amazing street art, he generously flew street artists from around the world to the Cans Festival in May last year (he was the sole sponsor). For more on this you can go to the official site or have a look at a wonderful Aussie blog called Images to Live By written by Melbourne-based academic Alison Young that I found today on the subject. The Australian street artists that were flown to London for the festival were Vexta, Tom Civil and DLux (have a look at a great collection of the work of theirs and others here on Flickr).
All those great things led bit by by to the formation of this image here.
hoodiegirl detail - pen, acrylic & crayon on canvas
hoddie girl self portrait
Please comment and let us know what you’re thinking, and a big shout out to my little bro who is the proud owner of this picture as of tomorrow. Happy Birthday little brother, you’re my hero.
What’s more environmental than Twitter? It’s run by the energy your computer uses anyway and the intentions of the people in your network of followers.
If you need to find ‘your ‘people go to the bottom of your Twitter page, click on search, and type in your interests. I’m on Twitter under the name cheekysoul if you’d like to ‘follow’ me. If you’d like a leg up finding environmental people who are on Twitter, here are 80+planetsaving Twitter people (tweeters) you can follow. One organisation, charity:water are known for using Twitter and Twestivals (real and face to face get togethers of Twitter users) to raise money and awareness for their cause very effectively.
Personally, I have discovered all kinds of things I would never have known otherwise, and also made some unlikely friends.
It’s great. And I’m so grateful for all the support my Twitter network gives me, like this message sent by Banksy (see my previous post about him) to his network for example:
twitter plug from banksy on world environment day
This blog is organic, so Banksy just fertilized it with his interest – I pinky swear it will grow as well as my garden is growing in all this Sydney rain.
There is a movement that is growing at the moment, which is especially prominent in our awareness on days like today: World Environment Day. Many people seem to want to get their piece of the green action in any way they can. Now for those who are not-so-motivated by money, but a little more on the community side, there are angelic and creative teams of people waiting in the wings to make it happen if you’ll just say the word and give them a bit of earth to play with.
In the local area of iheartgreen there’s a group called Permaculture East (click here to email them) and there’s a video of one of their projects on this site. It’s short and it’s worth a look. Peter Driscoll calls himself “An old geezer tryin’ to do his bit for a better Sydney to live in. Co-convenor of Transition Sydney and Permaculture East” and we heart him for it.
Networks such as these are invaluable in changing the way we look at our environment and teach us to work together. At the risk of stating the obvious, it’s no coincidence that Community and Communicaton share the first 7 letters in common: they’re both crucial to sustainability. Local green-groups are there if you care to find them, and they’re usually closer and more accessible than you may think. Plus, it’s a great way to meet people in your area with shared passions and interests.
Now stop sitting at the computer, and get out there and get your hands dirty people!
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