Culture Clash with Our Consumer Teens.

As Dan was supervising snack time in the teen space at the library, he was approached by a teen with potato chip breath.

Teen: You get paid to work at the library? How is that possible? What do you sell at the library? You don't sell anything at the library.

This kid couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea that a service that didn’t make a profit had any value.

I’ve heard similar sentiments from my own jobless teen. He has openly expressed his contempt for Dan wasting time working at the library and volunteering for Code for Tucson or Watershed Management Group – when he could be out making real money as an engineer. That money, of course, could go towards a car to drive him to his weekly Magic tournaments so he won’t be forced to endure our sustainable form of transportation (gasp!) - the city bus.

I’m beginning to think that this is a thing - or so I gleaned from a conversation I had with a couple of teenage boys at the Women’s March in Tucson. These cavalier young men felt comfortable in this mass of mothers to boldly hold up signs that read, “Build the Wall” and “Gays for Trump.” The little dickens got what they asked for when they got schooled (or in teen speak, nagged) by somebody’s mother, namely me. I asked them if they cared about the environment at all. They shrugged, “No.” When I asked them why they supported Trump, their unequivocal answer was “more jobs to pay for new cellphones and Xboxes.” (Dan said that there was a group of teens following them laughing, so they may have just been trying to get a rise out of us. Well, they got it!)

Listening to teens with Trump signs at the Women's March in Tucson.

What’s with the youth today? Why doesn’t our son share our values about giving back to the community and living more sustainably? These teens have literally bought into their role as consumers in our capitalistic society. But haven’t we, as a country, been programmed to value the pursuit of profit above all else – even profit without accountability? While Dan and I have pledged to boycott Walmart because they exploit child labor abroad and don't pay their U.S. workers a living wage, our local Walmart just expanded.

What are we really getting out of our “profit first” consumerism? Are we even getting a good value?

Let’s look at some things our American teens consume...

Clothes:

Americans spend billions on the latest clothing fads. What do we get for our money? Disposable clothes designed to fall apart after a few washes, probably sewn in a foreign sweat shop, possibly by child slaves. Poisons from the dyes are dumped into our waterways. After a few months, these clothes are good for nothing but rags or to take up space in a landfill. I may be showing my age, but sometimes I get a yen for the good ol’ days when you could buy classic, quality clothes that would be worth repairing.

Bottled Drinks:

Look around at the store. We have shelves full of every kind of drink you can imagine. Yummy! But to get the plastic to make all those bottles, oil is pumped miles and miles through leaky pipelines. Oh, you drink water? How much do we really pay for that 89 cent bottle of water? Nestle is taking water that has been pumped 322 miles uphill (a whole coal-fired power plant was built to power the pumps that has already used up all the water in the Hopi and Navajo’s aquifer). All of those bottles then become a part of five massive plastic “islands” in the ocean. 

Food:

In America, we can get any food we want, when we want it! But really…how fresh and healthy is our food? To have a longer shelf life, our food is filled with chemicals and preservatives. To improve the flavor they add addictive sugar to everything. (But at least that has spawned the diet industry...) Even our produce is transported from neighboring states, Mexico, or shipped across the ocean putting CO₂ and other toxins in the air. Rain-forests are cleared to raise beef cattle. We Americans just love our weekly specials. But what is the human cost of those bargains? The people who harvest our foods live in squalor and can’t even afford the foods they pick. (For just one cent more per pound, the pickers could double their income to a living wage.) Meanwhile, millions of tons of food is thrown into landfills because it is damaged, unattractive or there is just too much of it (lowering profit.) Luckily, there are some good people working on preventing food waste. 

Fast Food:

Every parent laments how much junk food their teen consumes. But fast food fits perfectly into our busy lives. At home it’s frozen convenience items (about as flavorful as the disposable boxes they come in.) It may be cheap, but you get very little actual nutrition for your money. Fast food restaurants do supply two or three low paying jobs for each of their underpaid workers. To maximize profit, companies fight a raise in the minimum wage. But fast food does contribute to heart disease and diabetes – creating higher paying healthcare jobs. Unfortunately, minimum wage workers can’t afford healthcare insurance. This means choosing between bringing their kid to the doctor or having dinner. If it's a real medical emergency, there will be no money left for their mortgage payments. We can step over them on the street - where they have no value in this society since they are no longer consumers.

So what do I say to our consumer teens?

We may not have all the latest gadgets, the biggest screen TV or even a car. But we are blessed to have a comfortable little house. Dan’s library job leaves him time for his passions: teaching robotics and computer programming, building community, and getting outside to enjoy our beautiful desert landscape while installing rainwater harvesting features. It actually makes us feel good (gasp!) to carry our own delicious drinks in our cool reusable water bottles - knowing we aren’t adding to the plastic island. We enjoy treasure hunting for quirky clothes at the thrift store. Tending our little garden and cycling to work gives us a chance to enjoy our beautiful Tucson weather. And nothing beats the excitement of seeing our little rainwater harvesting projects working!

Hey!

Even my teens can appreciate the yummy home cooked meals and fresh baked bread that Dan has time to make - not to mention the time he has to spend with them.

And just look at these smiles... Aren't they worth it? 

Movies for a New Year's Revolution

I considered making a list of heartwarming, feel good movies to help us get through the pre-dystopian blues (and you can certainly find them here.) But after a month of that kind of distraction, I feel it’s time to move on. If you’re ready for a change too, this list might be just what you need – Movies for a Revolution. 

If you’re like me, the best remedy is doing something about it. These movies leave you with a feeling of hope. President Snow (of Hunger Games ) warned us about hope, “A little is good. A lot is dangerous” – because it can ignite a revolution. Right now our country could use a lot of hope. If you’re ready to see things blown up, these films provide the arsenal. But if you’re ready for a revolution - at least a revolution of the heart – allow these films to ignite the force in you and prepare you for the work ahead.

One way to get prepared is to arm yourself with the facts of what is going on in our world.

1) In The Hunger Games series, we observe how the government controls the people through the corporate owned media. They instill fear and divide the people of the 12 districts by having them fight each other in the hunger games. Meanwhile, the citizens of the Capital live in gluttony by exploiting the resources and labor of the 12 districts, while the working class struggles to get enough to eat.

America’s corporate-owned media planted fear in us that made us ripe for a populist demagogue. They did that by broadcasting a stream of violent images of terrorist acts, drug cartel wars, and every conceivable crime done by a Mexican or person of color. They used illegal immigrants as scapegoats, blaming them for our lack of jobs, while the CEOs got million dollar bonuses for sending our manufacturing jobs overseas to exploit cheap (sometimes slave) labor. We need to heed Peta’s advice and “Remember who the real enemy is,” so we are fighting the right battle. Katniss shows us that our strength lies in unity and love.

2) Like I wrote in my previous review, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is the ultimate action flick - a total adrenaline rush of continual action, one long explosive car chase. It is a practical effect picture. Everything you see on the screen is real. Real people driving those trucks, real trucks rolling over and crashing in the Libyan desert. The production had military advisers for the battles.

This prophetic action movie briefs us on the consequences of pursuing profit over the common good. The barren wasteland resembles the scarred land that mining companies leave behind. Our country is at the cusp of a dystopian system where greedy corporations will have complete control over the one thing we all need to survive – water. The first steps have already been taken. Nestle bottled up California’s water during a severe drought. They are now bottling what’s left of the clean water in Michigan to sell to the people of Flint whose water was poisoned by corporate meddling. Nestle is currently setting up operations in drought-ridden Phoenix to bottle Arizona’s CAP water (water that was transported 320 miles from Colorado at a great environmental cost) so they can sell our own water back to us. The chairman of Nestle, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, told his board that water isn’t a human right, that it should be privatized. As fossil fuel companies continue to deplete our water supply to extract coal and gas, they are creating a water shortage. Some countries are already in the midst of water wars like those in Mad Max. Imagine having to rely on greedy corporations to divvy out our drinking water.

Every-man Max and the young War Boy Nux learn from the mothers what is really worth fighting for: fair distribution of water and a future for their children where their sons aren’t raised as fodder for old men’s wars. The movie demonstrates how to get our warriors to fight for what is right – by showing empathy for their suffering and uniting with them over "righteous causes."

The movie inspires us to plant the seeds of change in our communities. The shot of the matriarch unwrapping the heritage seeds is a great visual metaphor for planting the seeds of a more sustainable way. Change is fostered by demonstrating successful practices - much like the water-harvesting systems initiated by Brad Lancaster. (Look him up. He didn’t win the local genius award for nothing.) Curb cuts (that irrigate street-side trees) used to be illegal in Tucson. Now water-harvesting features are required at new apartment complexes. As Nux says, "It looks like hope." 

3) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story casts a laser beam on how a small group of dedicated people can make a big difference when the Force (I’ll call it love) is with them. It shows how taking a risk to do the right thing can inspire others to follow suit. Revolutions are built on hope!

A real-life example is the Water Protectors at Standing Rock. The peaceful Water Protectors are putting their lives on the line to stand up to Energy Transfer Partners' (Sunoco) attempts to build an oil pipeline under the Missouri River that supplies water to 17 million Americans.  (Look it up. These pipelines explode and leak all the time...) A small group of matriarchs from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe started this prayerful, non-violent action out of love for their children and Mother Earth. Despite sparse media coverage, over 300 indigenous tribes joined them. After watching drone footage of police brutally attacking unarmed protesters, two thousand vets deployed to Standing Rock to defend them and our water. Thanks to the Water Protectors the permit to drill under the Missouri River has been denied. That is the hope I was writing about! But it's not too late to join the fight. Trump signed an executive order to restart the pipeline, so the fight continues.

Hopefully these Sci Fi flicks will inspire the peaceful warriors in us all to take up the good fight, even if that just means trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle: not buying bottled water, bringing reusable shopping bags to the store, being mindful of water use, driving less, buying local, keeping up with what is happening in our government, signing petitions, and pulling money out of banks that support the pipeline... To quote Yoda, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” (Sorry, that’s another movie.) 

I would greatly recommend The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story for an inspiring New Year's marathon. Wishing you a Happy New Year full of hope and love. 

Movie Blessings! 

Jana Segal-Stormont

www.reelinspiration.blogspot.com


If you would like to read more about my adventures in transitioning to a more sustainable lifestyle, scroll down this blog: http://www.sustainablelivingtucson.org/

Recreating Christmas Traditions: Harking Back to Simpler Times

The prickly pair picking kit also includes tongs...

Watching the Black Friday hysteria on YouTube, my heart hankers for simpler times. Having survived the Depression, there was a whole generation who were taught to “waste not, want not.” I remember Nana carefully removing the tape from her presents (not an easy task), folding the gift wrap up and saving it. This drove us grandkids crazy! We were rarin’ to rip into that next package. Even back then, I recall Pastor preachin’ how Christmas had become too commercialized and how important it was to remember the “true meaning of Christmas.” There were even a few Christmases when mom lit a candle on a lopsided Duncan Hines cake while we all dutifully sang “Happy Birthday” to baby Jesus. Sheer torture! I never was much of a fan of cake anyway and those presents were a waitin.’ 

Oh, the wonder of Christmas! Stores decorated in red and gold by November, Christmas music streaming. We were programmed like Pavlov’s dog to start thinking about what presents we should buy or what we wanted for ourselves. Our Saturday cartoon marathon included commercials of kids playing with the latest toys from Mattel. Pages of the Montgomery Ward “wish book” were ear marked in eager anticipation.

I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the way how many presents I got (and how personal they were) became equated with how much I was loved. Perhaps it started with the shiny trikes under our Nana’s tinsel tree and Uncle Jim climbing up on the roof and ringing Santa’s sleigh bells. That’s how our new Nana welcomed us into the family fold.

And then there were those beloved Rankin Bass Holiday Specials that taught us that gifts were love. In “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” Kris Kringle sang “Give a little love” to the children as he distributed his gifts. In “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer” there was a real sense of urgency about getting the gifts to the children by Christmas morning so they wouldn’t feel disappointed or unloved. Even the toys wanted to be loved!

It didn’t matter how poor you were. The message was clear - It wouldn’t be Christmas without presents. Remember the Hallmark TV movie, “The Gift” in which the couple both sold their most cherished possessions to buy a prized gift for their loved one? Even little Laura Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie” agonized over getting Christmas gifts for her family.

As many of you know, Dan and I got married a year ago - so this is our third Christmas together. We are learning, through fits and starts, how to combine our old traditions with more sustainable ones. Since I’ve been with Dan, I’ve become more aware of how much we waste during the holidays from too much food - to unwanted gifts - to wrapping paper. We usually have a whole trash bag full of wrapping paper to go out with the garbage on Christmas morning.

What if we took a cue from Nana and reused the wrapping paper, gift boxes and bags we already have? We could tie reusable ribbons around gifts wrapped with colorful cloth from my scrap pile! What if we stopped buying the latest Christmas lights and decorations and set up that old Christmas village that was packed in the shed? With a little creativity we could make Christmas decorations out of recycled materials!

And what about all those presents? Even my boys said we should stop buying things they don’t want. What if it didn’t take a gift to make me feel loved? I have to admit that I felt a little depressed because I only got two gifts on my birthday. (One from Dan and one from my mother...)  When it really came down to it, I was lonely because I needed to catch up with my girlfriends. I felt better after I got on Facebook and set a date to meet a friend for a long overdue lunch. 

When I first started writing this blog, my mom called to see what the boys wanted for Christmas. I shared what was on my mind. Before she hung up, she blurted out, “Well, I like to get a little something.” My mom, who is on a limited retirement income feels compelled to get “a little something” for each of her 11 grandkids. To her credit, she often tries to find something creative (like the oil pastels that inspired me as a child). I hate to say it but most of those art sets have been stashed away under other unused toys. (Sorry, Mom!) I know this is done out of love and a need to feel closer to out of town family. I know because I used to get joy from sending Christmas and birthday packages. They often included the latest pics of the boys so relatives would feel included in their lives. I would make some into magnets so they could see their smiling faces every day. So…if I send presents to feel more connected to distant loved ones, why not just call or text them? 

I have always loved Christmas. But looking back it’s not the presents I remember. My fondest memories of Christmas are the sentimental moments of family tradition. Getting together on Christmas Eve, seeing my cousins, the smell of Nana’s homemade chicken and dumpling soup, Christmas music playing. Ah… the music. My happiest memory is bundling up under a cover in the back of an old pickup truck and belting out Christmas carols with my friends from our church youth group. When I grew up, I tried to recreate that feeling with an annual Christmas sing-a-long party. But that’s gotten hard to pull off with everyone’s busy schedules, so Dan and I attend The Loft’s "fabulous" Christmas sing-a-long party instead.

What if our Christmas festivities didn’t revolve around opening presents? What if we found other ways to make people feel loved other than buying them more stuff? What if we gifted our time and attention instead of giving presents?

This year I let my teen boys lead the way. Jeremy wanted to watch his brother’s classic claymation short “Ba’al Hadad Saves Christmas.” That led to us all donning Santa Hats and recording our own hilarious “Qart Qadesh Christmas Commentary.” This was followed by our traditional fondue and cheese dinner. To quote my youngest son, “It was a good time.” 

 We didn’t manage to totally get away from exchanging gifts this Christmas. But Josh and I made a day out of shopping for materials for Josh’s gift – a Roman tunic. I created a prickly pear pickin’ kit out of a reusable bag. (I covered up the TEP logo with felt…) Josh made a clay figure for Dan.  Most of our gifts were actually from the Thrift Store.  I never could master getting the tape off of the wrapping paper. (sigh...) But we did reuse some gift bags and we decorated our makeshift (lamp) Christmas Tree. 

How do we hark back to simpler, more sustainable times? We just need to rethink our consumer traditions. I’m not suggesting that this all happen overnight. Just that we begin to reimagine how we think of gift giving at Christmas. I realize that much of our economy comes from Christmas shopping. But we can put some of that money back into the local economy by shopping local – shopping at farmers markets for local treats, buying art from local artists, special clothing items from local designers, furniture from local carpenters, and jewelry from local jewelry makers… We can buy from thrift stores, resale stores, antique stores, and UPCYCLE. We can make useful and quirky gifts from repurposing household items. We can fix up and paint old furniture. We can give our kids that cookie jar of grandma’s that they always wanted (hint, hint mom…)

You are all welcome to join us in our new holiday tradition of belting out Christmas songs at the top of our lungs or just spending time together! Have a blessed Christmas! 

Welcoming Back the Tucson Water Protectors

Tucson Water Protectors speak about their experiences at Standing Rock.

I have been following the Standing Rock Sioux and the other Water Protectors in their peaceful, non-violent stand against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Energy Transfer Partners, an oil giant with a horrific record of environmental devastation (pipeline leaks and explosions, abandoned oil spills) plans to build a pipeline under the Missouri River that supplies water to 17 million Americans. Water Protectors chant, "Mni Wiconi,  Water is Life” as they use their bodies to block construction of the illegal pipeline. (Thanks to their efforts, the permit was denied.)  Police in riot gear have responded by brutally attacking them with rubber bullets, mace, and water cannons in freezing temperatures. One young woman was blinded by being shot in the face at point blank range. Another woman had half of her arm blown off by a concussion grenade. The Water Protectors have been unjustly arrested, strip searched and held in kennels. Elders have been handcuffed and arrested during prayer ceremonies. This is unacceptable! These courageous Water Protectors are fighting for our water!

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Cannonball Camp. First frost, early November by Eli de Vries 

Unable to pack up and head to their camp in N. Dakota, I’ve done what little I can as a desk top activist: writing blogs, signing and sharing petitions, and reposting drone videos that show what is really going on at Standing Rock. (After 6 months, national news stations finally started covering this historic event when two thousand vets arrived to defend the Water Protectors from police brutality. The local news in N. Dakota is basically a mouthpiece for the DAPL owned police, so the people from nearby Bismarck don’t even know what’s really going on.) I called several sheriff’s offices that deployed officers to further incite the violence. I left messages at the White House, the Army Corp of Engineers, and the Justice Department. All the while, the brave water protectors were sacrificing their livelihoods and putting their bodies in the line of danger - fighting our fight. It just didn’t feel like I was doing enough.

So when I heard about the No DAPL Night at Exo, Dan and I decided to attend to show our solidarity with the returning Water Protectors and to donate money that we knew would reach the people still at camp. 

At this Native American gathering, they opened with a traditional blessing of the Tohono O’odham. They asked the crowd not to record this sacred blessing. Tohono O’odham drummers then performed two prayers: a traditional song and one written in support of Standing Rock. There was a danza in traditional garments. A dancer graciously thanked us for joining them. I felt honored to be included. 

Having had contact with other Native Americans, I was aware of how leery they are of sharing their culture and sacred prayers with outsiders – since they have been exploited in the past. But here they were sharing it freely. I believe this is one of the lessons they took with them from Standing Rock. Indigenous people are drawing strength from their culture and beliefs to embrace their role as protectors of Mother Earth. They are leading the way and welcoming other good-hearted people to join them.

It is beautiful to see them reclaiming their language and heritage. I have noticed at several community events, the Native American speakers greet their people in their native language first before addressing the crowd. To understand the significance of this gesture, it’s important to know that Native American children were taken from their homes against their will and sent to boarding schools to assimilate into white man’s culture. They were beaten for speaking their language or for practicing their religion. Through prayer and love, these courageous people are learning to forgive and to work with others for a greater good - protecting Mother Earth.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Cannonball Camp signs by Eli de Vries

We were blessed with news from the returning Tucson Water Protectors from the Oceti Sakowin camp. They were there to share what they learned about prayerful, peaceful resistance and to continue their loving quest to protect water, sacred places and all human lives now that they are back home. 

Meanwhile, the fight at Standing Rock continues...

Winter at Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Cannonball Camp by Eli de Vries

Some ways to help... Pull your money out of the banks that are invested in DAPL. Donate to the Legal Defense Fund.  Help the Water Protectors that are still in N. Dakota get through the hard winter. Share updates about the Water Protectors on social media. And sign petitions. 

Making Holiday Gift Boxes from Reused Cards

Ever wonder what to do with your greeting cards once the holiday is over?

By guest blogger Andrea Edmundson, Co-Founder, Upcycle Tucson

Upcycle Tucson is the new ‘creative reuse arts center’ on the west side of town, just across the street from Habistore. Our mission is to keep materials out of the landfill and to educate the public about ‘upcycling’ or creative reuse. We do this by selling inexpensive and gently used arts & crafts materials, offering classes on upcycled art, and selling gifts and upcycled art in the Artists’ Marketplace. ​Right now, we have great deals on new and gently used holiday items like lights, fabric, ornaments, and ready-to-make crafts. But, what we really love is to encourage people to practice creative reuse.

We have weekly demos on how to creatively reuse the materials we sell. Some of our favorite simple projects use holiday cards to make place-mats and gift tags! So many people buy new gifts this time of year. At Upcycle Tucson, we challenge people to use their creative skills to make not only gifts – functional and artistic ones - but to even make the containers in which they are presented. Here’s how to make small gift boxes from recycled holiday cards – perfect for gift certificates, jewelry, and other little gifts.

Follow the directions over each image. We think you’ll be pleased with the result.

1.  Cut the greeting card in half.

 2.  Trim about 1/8 inch off two sides of the plain half of the card.  This is so the bottom of the finished box will be slightly smaller than the top.

3.  Draw two lines from corner to corner to create an “X” in the middle.

4.  Fold & crease both short ends of the card to the middle of the “X” and then unfold them.

          

5.   Fold & crease both long ends of the card to the middle of the “X” and then unfold them.

                           

6.  Now, make 4 cuts along the creases as shown (I inked them in so you can see better).  You should have a box now that looks like this.

                          

7. Now fold the flaps on each end together and fold the long piece over the end.  You will have some extra, so fold this piece over the top. 

                         

             

8.  You can glue, tape, or staple the flaps in place.  You now have a box BOTTOM.

                              

     

9.  Repeat the steps with the pretty side of the card EXCEPT do not trim the two edges like we did with the bottom of the box…this ensures a better fitting box since the lid will be slightly bigger than the bottom.

10.  To finish, line the box with a small piece of fabric and insert your gift!

This is a great way to make a personalized gift but also to reuse those cards that you hate to throw away. The cards will serve at least one more use before they need to be recycled and that is part of what Upcycle Tucson is all about – keeping materials out of landfills and educating people about the benefits and ways of upcycling. To make it fun and a bit freaky, you can even send the new gift box BACK to the same person who sent the original card to you!

We hope you have a happy and restful holiday season. Being creative through arts and crafts is one of the best ways to unwind while being ‘productive’ at the same time. We sell all types of materials, from traditional arts and crafts supplies to quirky things like fake femur bones, rusty horseshoes, vintage Smoky the Bear posters, and more. No matter if you are a metal artist, collage lover, weaver, or painter, we have something for you. We also sell finished art by local artists and offer classes on how to make artistic, crafty, or functional items from upcycled materials. We look forward to helping you have a stimulating holiday season and beyond!

Don't let the Grinch take your holiday trash to the landfill. 

Wasn't that fun! Wanna take it even farther? Check out Alex Kosmider's (from Zero Waste Tucson) ideas on how to  "Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot" 

Showing Support of Water Protectors by Protecting Water

water receding in Lake Powell

I can’t express how grateful I am to the Water Protectors at Standing Rock for risking their lives and livelihoods to fight for our water. Members of hundreds of Native American tribes and environmental activists are putting their lives on the front lines to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline from illegally being built under the Missouri River (that supplies water to 17 million Americans). Many of these tribes, including our neighbors the San Carlos Apache, Navajo, Hopi, and the Tohono O'odham are currently fighting to protect their own land and water from big business.

This fight has become even more urgent and dangerous since the pipeline construction has reached the river. These brave Water Protectors are risking being maced, shot with rubber bullets, being beaten and arrested by militant police in riot gear. Some have even been arrested while praying. They have been strip searched and kept in kennels for trespassing. This is especially traumatic for indigenous peoples because it brings back generations of suppression and abuse by the government and the police. 

Water Protectors canoe down the Missouri River

I am so proud of my friend Elizabeth for going to Standing Rock to help the Water Protectors. She invited me to share her tent. I was really torn about whether to go.  The UNESCO Food and Water forum was that week.  After searching my soul, I decided that my fight is here in Tucson – learning about rainwater harvesting and sharing what I learn. In these scary times, we all need to figure out where our talents are best served. We may not all be able to pick up and go to Standing Rock; but one of the many ways to demonstrate our support to the courageous water protectors is by protecting the water where we live.

CAP water being transported 360 miles uphill to Tucson

It may be hard to believe - since you can easily turn on the tap or the hose - but there is a limited supply of water here in Tucson. We are currently in the midst of a 21 year drought. Nearly all of Tucson’s water is supplied by the Central Arizona Project (CAP) – Colorado River water pumped 326 miles uphill to get to us.  And there is not an endless supply of CAP water. As drought affects more states, there will be more competition for that water. By compact, California has first dibs on that water. Tucson Water is well aware of the shortage. That is why they have incentivized rainwater harvesting with a rebate program.

There is enough yearly rainfall to supply all of Tucson’s water needs if we “plant the rain.” But our current infrastructure is built on an archaic model of flood control that directs our water out of our yards (when it should be sunk into the ground) and into the streets to evaporate. Fortunately, there is something we can do about it: Homeowners and businesses can incorporate rainwater harvesting systems on our lots and yards to restore our aquifers. We can landscape with low-water-use desert plants. And we can all become more conscious of our daily water use and learn to conserve it.

sprinkler watering patch of grass and pavement in the heat of the day

Outdoor use makes up the largest percentage of our residential water use (27%). Once we become aware, we can see all kinds of ways to conserve water. Did you ever notice the little patches of grass along our city streets? Probably not. But each of those is irrigated with sprinklers. Those sprinklers are on timers that often water in the heat of the day (when it just evaporates) or when it is raining.  Our neighborhood park is on a timer – so the grass is watered even when it is dormant. Isn’t this a problem we can fix?  Do we really need all those little patches of roadside grass? All of us can get in the habit of watering our plants in the early morning or evening to keep the water from evaporating. And how often have you seen water flowing down the street from over-watering?  We can educate ourselves about the trees and shrubs we have. Some require infrequent deep watering a few times a year!

native mesquite tree flourishes with runoff water from the street

We can embrace that we live in the desert with its own unique beauty. (I was going to suggest that we embrace our desert plants but that would be painful!) We can landscape our yards with cool desert plants that don’t require much water. There are native plants for nearly every landscaping need (from shade to privacy.) You can learn more about incorporating desert plants into your landscaping at Watershed Management Group and Desert Harvester workshops.

Protecting our water is one of the most important responsibilities of our time. What a great way to show solidarity with our courageous Water Protectors! 

Celebrating the foundation we built on our wedding day

It has been a wonderful first year together. We began our journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle, sharing our adventures on our blog, and becoming members of a community that is working tirelessly to restore Tucson’s ground water and get our rivers flowing again. As the world seems to have gone crazy around us, we find strength in each other and our community.

In honor of our 1st anniversary we would like to share our hand fasting ceremony with you.

[Dan’s mother Beth presided] Dan and Jana will be joined together with the traditional Celtic handfasting ceremony, a symbolic binding of the hands.

Jana and Dan, I ask you now to take one another's hands in yours.

Dan and Jana have chosen the Celtic Tree of Life as the symbol of their relationship. The Tree of Life is dear to them because it represents their eternal connection with each other, their connection with the earth and their community through spirit.

Dan and Jana, taking inspiration from the Tree of Life, may your relationship be deeply rooted in a foundation of love, growing in the light.

As the symbolism of each of the ribbons is explained, Jana’s mother Lorna will drape the ribbons around Dan and Jana’s wrists.

The first ribbon is brown. The color Brown is symbolic of your shared connection with the earth, the home you are creating together, and being grounded in shared values and goals. With this brown ribbon, do you promise to share your lives as partners, always striving for what is best for your relationship?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The second ribbon is blue. Blue stands for the water of understanding, caring, and kindness, so that your love will flow to fill you to your depths, nourishing your roots. With this blue ribbon, do you promise that your heart will always be open to each other, to treat each other with kindness, tenderness, and respect, to strive to understand each other, to consider each other’s feelings when making decisions, to remember and express what you love about your partner, and show them love through words and actions?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

And so the binding is made. 

The next ribbon is gray. So that your union may weather the storms. May the gray water, or the runoff from the storm, nurture your relationship so it grows stronger still. With this Gray ribbon, do you promise to stand by each other through hardships, trials and disagreements? Do you promise to fight for the relationship, rather than to be “right?” After a disagreement, do you promise to forgive and reconnect, to use the confrontation to learn more about each other, to love and communicate better, so that in overcoming the conflict your bond may grow even stronger?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

Inspired by the Tree of Life, may your love be ever-changing like leaves through the seasons.

The next ribbon is green. Green, like budding leaves, symbolizes trust in new beginnings, growth, generosity, sharing freely of yourselves. With this green ribbon, do you promise to communicate as clearly as you are able, to share your thoughts with each other, to share your hopes and dreams, as well as your fears and insecurities? Do you promise to listen openly whether the words be good news or bad? Do you promise to always look for the good in your partner’s words? And choose to love each other anew every day?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The next ribbon is orange. Oh, the joy of watching leaves turn yellow and orange, and the happy memory of jumping into piles of autumn foliage. Orange represents sharing the daily joys of life, warmth and light. With this orange ribbon, do you promise to take the time to be playful and happy, to share in and celebrate each other’s achievements, and enjoy life’s moments together? 

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The next ribbon is red. The color red symbolizes power and passion in your relationship. May your passion always burn bright. With this red ribbon, do you promise to always feed the fire of your physical passion, to never take each other for granted, to treat your spouse as your lover, to freely express your love and admiration, and always be open to their expressions of passion and love?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The next ribbon is white, adorned with a rose. The rose symbolizes the cherished moment you opened your hearts to each other and discovered your spiritual connection. With this special ribbon, do you promise to nurture your connection with love and light, and not allow walls of fear, guilt, or blame to block your hearts and souls?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The final ribbon is violet – one of the many striking colors of our Tucson sunrises. Violet symbolizes your choice to use your talents and creativity for good. Securely rooted in trust, stems entwined in love, your branches are free to reach to the sky, extending out to the community, sowing seeds for the future. With this violet ribbon, do you promise to support each other’s talents and goals, while working towards your common vision as a couple?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

This cord represents the marital bond. It is strong enough to hold you together during times of struggle yet flexible enough to allow for individuality and personal growth. As your hands are now bound together, so shall your lives be bound as one. The binding of your lives are not formed by these cords but rather with the promises that you just made. 

Lorna, please tie all the ribbons together. 

Now Dan and Jana will exchange rings. Jana’s ring features the tree of life. It is inspired by the Tombstone rose bush with its branches forming a Celtic knot and its tiny white roses recalling how they first opened their hearts to each other.

Your two lives are now joined in love and trust into one life. By the exchange of these tokens of your love for one another, so are your lives interlaced. What one experiences, so shall the other; as honesty and love build, so will your bond strengthen and grow. Like your chosen symbol - the Tree of Life - may your relationship always grow towards light and love.

With the power vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss.