This is a blog of the 31 things we will be doing in the month of January 2010 as part of our sustainable communities group. This post explains it all.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A few more pics.

I can't work out yet how to create a permanent slideshow of photos, so in the meantime here are a few more pics from today.
By the way - thanks so much to everyone who've written comments on here, joined up as a follower of the blog or posted encouraging messages on fbook. I had a small freakout this morning at what seemed like the self-imposed overcommitment of doing this January challenge, (see the Go for a Massage post still to come, which will be about self-sustainability).
For background, I'm part-way through a research Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide, after resigning from my job as a Community Campaigner with the Wilderness Society a little over a year ago. Like so many in the movement, before I quit I came a bit too close to burnout for my liking, and have been spending the subsequent year redressing the balance - falling in love, learning how to live with someone, learning how to grow veggies and putting in the occasional activist (not to mention academic!) appearance.
Not having received a scholarship for 2010, this leisurely pace is set to change for the remainder of my degree. At the same time I've started to feel ready to emerge from my balance-redressing chill-out period. Last month Copenhagen tapped me on the shoulder, and I felt a strong urge to get re-involved in the climate justice movement, sustainably of course!
Transition work and sustainable communities seemed perfect for this sort of thing. But the temptation to apply impossible standards of dedication and overwork seems to attach itself to anything vaguely smacking of environmentalism for many in the movement. I thought I'd learned how not to, but all it takes is a few sobering articles about climate change or peak oil, a modest commitment to activism here or there and suddenly you're convinced again that your smallest action or inaction is going to save the world (or abandon it to its 770ppm fate)!
I sort of felt like that a bit this morning. This world view is self-imposed, false, and must be avoided! It's not easy, but it is possible to be involved in working for a sustainable world while making your own inner peace the first priority.
I think I'm learning how to behave more like the tortoise than the hare and I do think we are going to win the race. If I come up with any tips along the way, I'll share them on here.
Anyway, I live with a very easy-going man. We reminded ourselves that "self-imposed" means that the pace is up to us. And then we got into the hills and I realised it had been so long since I went to the source of why we are doing this. That tree hug today was so good. Suzi and Maja walk up Mount Lofty regularly, and I'd love to do more walks. I'd like one of those hiking sticks too that we saw people using - apparently they take about 30% off the load (and they look hilarious).
Daydreams of long overnight hikes along the Heysen Trail, or in Tasmania...
John's ankle is fine now, and I'm looking forward to picking tomorrow's activity.
Environmentalist's Sustainability Tip #1 - go for a bushwalk!


John and Maja checking out the view during a particularly knackering stretch of the climb.



Ok it wasn't quite this big, but almost!



The bush was dry but gorgeous.



Suzi and Maja our Mt Lofty veteran guides! Thanks ladies!

4 comments:

  1. Het Cassie,

    This is great and I am glad to hear what you are up to. I wish we could come on a bush walk with you. We are currently in ice skating mode right now- that and eating things made with lard (trying not to become lard asses at the same time). I will be following along. All the best!

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  2. Looks like a fantastic walk! We should do it when I come to Radelaide again in March...

    Also, looking forward to hearing more of your 31 day challenge. You guys rock!

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  3. I'm just reading through progres so far, after adding the RSS feed to my Google reader. I realise I know John so well I can tell which posts he wrote from the first two sentences!

    You guys are inspiring me to do some of the stuff I've wanted to do for years.

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  4. Fantastic idea guys. keep it up!

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