Where IS Away?

 

 

A few weeks ago I spent a week at an Off The Mat Leadership Intensive with about 45 other participants.  Not only do I have deep respect for the grassroots determination by which they go about effecting change in the world but love this tribe and the types of incredible people that gravitate to them. 

  

One such person at the retreat was Julia Butterfly Hill, also known as the woman in the tree.  Julia sat in a 1000 year old redwood for two years and eight days as a way of protesting against the vast destruction of ancient forests.  She added such a sense of compassionate activism to the group and spoke to us about her experiences.  She was such an engaging storyteller that I sat completely absorbed in what she has learned through her life experiences. Her deep love and respect for the planet made her words so provocative.

  

One thing that has stuck with me since her talk was regarding conscious consumerism.  Our culture revolves around "stuff" and earning enough money to buy it.  I participate in this process.  I like nice things and I try to de-clutter when it seems I have too much.  But what is shifting in my awareness is HOW these things make their way into my life, where are they made, what are they made out of and once they leave my life...where do they go? 

  

It began way back when I was in elementary school and we learned about recycling aluminum cans.  We crushed them down and took them to a local truck near Ralph's Supermarket where some guy would weigh them and hand over some cash.  Sweet!  My newer intention is to have recycling going out to the curb on a Monday morning and minimizing what's in the trash can.  In order to do this, we compost as much as possible which is dug back into our own vegetable garden each fall.  Another goal is to donate to local thrift stores clothing and other items, or bring items into a consignment store where if they sell what we no longer want, we get 60% in return.  The aim is to not just put things in the trash can but think how they can be redistributed.  Again...Sweet!

  

Yet, I can't get out of my head Julia's words, "when you throw something away...where IS away?"  It just keeps echoing and then it sinks in that away is not away at all.  It's simply out of my sight, and our planet, Mother Earth, is left to deal with what we no longer want or need.  I can't help but feel that I'm not doing enough and that my own consciousness around being a consumer has so many opportunities to expand and lessen my own footprint. 

 

It's so easy to get lured into thinking that we need more and it happens to me constantly.  So my next intention is to pause and deepen my knowledge before getting something and to think about where it comes from and when it leaves my possession how will it impact the environment.  It seems the least I could do for the privilege of living upon this great planet.

 

Thank you Mother Earth...I'm listening and will try harder.