In very simple words, a farmer from northern Thailand shows how senseless the rat race and over consumption are. After giving a try to life in the city, advanced studies and purchased clothes, he listened to his inner voice telling him: “That’s stupid!” He went back to work the land and provide for himself and others. Just brilliant!
Showing posts with label values and beliefs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label values and beliefs. Show all posts
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
How to build consumers out of citizens
The Century Of Self: Happiness Machines (Episode1)
The Century of the Self is documentary series focused on how the work of Sigmund Freud and his nephew Edward Bernays influenced the way corporations and governments have analyzed, dealt with, and controlled people. It asks deeper questions about the roots and methods of modern consumerism and representative democracy. It also questions the modern way we see ourselves, the attitudes to fashion and superficiality. (quoted from website)
Some points considered:
* Warning of the government against corporations misusing media and public relations’ people as a threat to democracy (~50:00)
* Ann Bernays (Edward’s daughter) saying: “To my father, the world’s fair (Futurama) was a way to keep the status quo, that is capitalism in a democracy, that marriage, that link. He did that by manipulating people and getting them to think that you couldn’t have real democracy in anything but a capitalist society [...] you would infer that democracy and capitalism went together.” (~51:00)
* Citizens as passive consumers controlled by manufactured desires (~53:00)
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Slow down: thoughts on stress & the glorification of busy
Just sharing excerpts and related thoughts on slowing down...
“Big cars, shiny jewelry, expensive
clothes, McMansions – [are] all designed to establish our status and all tied
to our drive for reproductive success. Stress is just the latest in
this long list. Being stressed shows the world just how in demand we
are, how important we must be, how busy we are gathering resources for
our tribe. Trouble is, stress is killing us.” Stress is preventing “from maximizing our happiness and
optimizing our life satisfaction,” writes Andrew Shatte from meQuilibrium.
But, where is all this stress coming from? Tim Kreider explains it in terms of the glorification of busy. Busy is “the default response when you ask anyone how they’re doing,” “a boast disguised as a complaint.” But it is a self-imposed busyness: “work and obligations [people have] taken on voluntarily, classes
and activities they’ve 'encouraged' their kids to participate in.
They’re busy because of their own ambition or drive or anxiety, because
they’re addicted to busyness and dread what they might have to face in
its absence.” Worth reading the whole article on the Opinion Pages of the New York Time.
Perhaps it's time for bit of reflection and trying to slow down? I know I need to remind myself all the time to do just that. Time for some meditation.
“Big cars, shiny jewelry, expensive
clothes, McMansions – [are] all designed to establish our status and all tied
to our drive for reproductive success. Stress is just the latest in
this long list. Being stressed shows the world just how in demand we
are, how important we must be, how busy we are gathering resources for
our tribe. Trouble is, stress is killing us.” Stress is preventing “from maximizing our happiness and
optimizing our life satisfaction,” writes Andrew Shatte from meQuilibrium. |
| "These humans really don't get it: slow is sexy" |
 |
| Someone who knows how to take it easy |
Perhaps it's time for bit of reflection and trying to slow down? I know I need to remind myself all the time to do just that. Time for some meditation.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Activate: join forces for the Planet
 |
| Canadian activist Jeff Gibbs with friends in Madagascar |
"I have been working to launch a new organization called Global Activators. On February 15th, we implemented our inaugural program, called Spotlight Earth. It was a decentralized festival that took place across British Columbia on February 15th. There was a tremendous variety of creativity expressed at festival venues from Vancouver to Prince George, including film screenings, book readings, live music performances, drama skits, flashmobs, public art making, meditations, and guest speakers."
 |
| Activists concerned about the health of our oceans |
"Night of Planet Parties will see people organizing parties in their homes, attended by their friends and neighbours. If the local organizer wishes to be more ambitious they can join with friends to plan a larger public event at their university or community space. The type of party is up to each local organizer (dance party, dinner party, etc) as is the scale (e.g. ten friends at your home or a hundred folks at public event at your university). Each party will integrate screenings of short films, fundraising, and advocacy actions".
 |
| Kayak trip in Desolation Sound, on the Pacific |
Friday, December 14, 2012
An organic and a recycled Xmas: sustainable Christmas trees
You probably know about how millions of trees are cut and end up in the landfills every Christmas year after serving as decorations for a couple of weeks. An easy way to avoid such waste is to opt for other type of trees that will serve the same function without harming the environment.
This week, I came across two examples I loved.
This one on the right is made out of used paper. It came into being thanks to the magic hands of my very talented friend Minati, who we have previously encountered in this blog doing beautiful objects with paper. A lot of used paper, a stapler, and voilà: a perfectly fine Christmas tree.
The instructions, according to tree-maker Minati are: "about 50 pages (more is better). I wanted a big tree, so I glued newspapers together into a book first, let it set, and then folded. If you want to get the kids involved, let them do the folding first, and then glue! Otherwise just give them magazines and let them make their own little trees!"
If you need more detailed instructions than that (I know I do!), you can check them here.
In a way you don't get more tree-like than that: a tree that became paper that became a tree. *Like* circles.
The other example I run into takes all the prizes in my book for creativity and sustainability: a Fungal Christmas Tree!
It was created on a petri dish out of fungi. Definitely, the first time I see something like it. The geeky-quotient makes it appropriate for The Big Bang Theory show, but I don't think one can get more sustainable than that.
Curious about how it was done? Here's the only info I have:
Top: Talaromyces stipitatus
Tree: Aspergillus nidulans
Ornaments: Penicillium marneffei
Trunk: Aspergillus terreus.
The instructions for that one? You'll have to ask a biologist about that.
If anyone has the information on who came up with it, or anything to add about how it's done, please share.
If you would like a less work-intensive option, check here.
This week, I came across two examples I loved.This one on the right is made out of used paper. It came into being thanks to the magic hands of my very talented friend Minati, who we have previously encountered in this blog doing beautiful objects with paper. A lot of used paper, a stapler, and voilà: a perfectly fine Christmas tree.
The instructions, according to tree-maker Minati are: "about 50 pages (more is better). I wanted a big tree, so I glued newspapers together into a book first, let it set, and then folded. If you want to get the kids involved, let them do the folding first, and then glue! Otherwise just give them magazines and let them make their own little trees!"
If you need more detailed instructions than that (I know I do!), you can check them here.
In a way you don't get more tree-like than that: a tree that became paper that became a tree. *Like* circles.
 |
| Photos of tree (c) Minati Baro |
The other example I run into takes all the prizes in my book for creativity and sustainability: a Fungal Christmas Tree!
Curious about how it was done? Here's the only info I have:
Top: Talaromyces stipitatus
Tree: Aspergillus nidulans
Ornaments: Penicillium marneffei
Trunk: Aspergillus terreus.
The instructions for that one? You'll have to ask a biologist about that.
If anyone has the information on who came up with it, or anything to add about how it's done, please share.
If you would like a less work-intensive option, check here.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Día de limpieza de playas en Costa del Sol, Maputo
Maputo, la capital de Mozambique, tiene la triste fama de estar entre las 25 ciudades más sucias del mundo.
Según del index de salud y sanidad Mercer, Mozambique “suffers from lack of sanitation processes--specifically the lack of a solid waste removal system as well as sewage treatment. The capital city of Maputo feels the worst of these consequences. Piles of garbage line the streets, and the sewage in the river is visibly thick.” Mmmm. Lindo.
Es por eso que aprovechamos la oportunidad de participar (si lo habíamos hecho en el Atlántico, ¿por qué no en el Índico?) en la iniciativa de limpieza de la playa de Costa del Sol, al norte de la ciudad. El evento estuvo organizado por el departamento de responsabilidad social de el Banco Millenium BIM, la Escuela Portuguesa, la Escuela Primaria da Polana Caniço A y la organización no gubernamental Associação Moçambicana de Reciclagem (A.M.O.R.).
Se empezó temprano para evitar el calor del mediodía, pero siguió sumándose gente toda la mañana.
Botellas de cerveza de vidrio, latas de referezco, paquetes y colillas de cigarrillos, bolsas, botellas de agua de plástico, envoltorios de comida, cajas de jugos de cartón, tapitas de metal, embalajes de styrofoam... encontramos basura de todo tipo.
En general, todos demostraban muy buena voluntad, pero algunos de los niños parecían más preparados que otros. Uno de los niños de la escuela primaria, en vista que no le habían entregado una bolsa todavía, empezó tímidamente a alcanzarme basura para agregar a mi bolsa. Pero parecía que no le habían explicado muy bien en qué consistía el asunto del reciclaje, porque me traía pedazos de madera, algas, hojas.
Cuando además vi que estaba juntando las cosas sin los guantes le ofrecí uno de los míos. Sin decirme una palabra, sacó los suyos del bolsillo de su pantalón: simplemente hacía demasiado calor para usarlos.
Explicación mía mediante, seguimos juntando sólo basura y con los guantes puestos. En todo el trayecto no logré sacarle más que un sí o un no, pero enseguida llenamos dos bolsas enteras.
A la llegada, estaba uno de los contenedores de A.M.O.R., los “Ecopontos”, donde las gestoras organizaban la selección de material reciclable.
A los participantes agotados después de la caminata por la arena al rayo del sol los esperaban con refrescos y merienda.
 |
| Punto de partida, donde se le entregaba a los participantes guantes, máscaras, bolsas y rastrillos. Se organizaron partidas de cuatro personas cada una para recoger papel, plástico, vidrio y latas. |
Según del index de salud y sanidad Mercer, Mozambique “suffers from lack of sanitation processes--specifically the lack of a solid waste removal system as well as sewage treatment. The capital city of Maputo feels the worst of these consequences. Piles of garbage line the streets, and the sewage in the river is visibly thick.” Mmmm. Lindo.
Es por eso que aprovechamos la oportunidad de participar (si lo habíamos hecho en el Atlántico, ¿por qué no en el Índico?) en la iniciativa de limpieza de la playa de Costa del Sol, al norte de la ciudad. El evento estuvo organizado por el departamento de responsabilidad social de el Banco Millenium BIM, la Escuela Portuguesa, la Escuela Primaria da Polana Caniço A y la organización no gubernamental Associação Moçambicana de Reciclagem (A.M.O.R.).
 | ||
| Mucho trabajo por hacer |
Botellas de cerveza de vidrio, latas de referezco, paquetes y colillas de cigarrillos, bolsas, botellas de agua de plástico, envoltorios de comida, cajas de jugos de cartón, tapitas de metal, embalajes de styrofoam... encontramos basura de todo tipo.
En general, todos demostraban muy buena voluntad, pero algunos de los niños parecían más preparados que otros. Uno de los niños de la escuela primaria, en vista que no le habían entregado una bolsa todavía, empezó tímidamente a alcanzarme basura para agregar a mi bolsa. Pero parecía que no le habían explicado muy bien en qué consistía el asunto del reciclaje, porque me traía pedazos de madera, algas, hojas.
 |
| Hasta los más chiquitos colaboraron |
Cuando además vi que estaba juntando las cosas sin los guantes le ofrecí uno de los míos. Sin decirme una palabra, sacó los suyos del bolsillo de su pantalón: simplemente hacía demasiado calor para usarlos.
Explicación mía mediante, seguimos juntando sólo basura y con los guantes puestos. En todo el trayecto no logré sacarle más que un sí o un no, pero enseguida llenamos dos bolsas enteras.
 |
| Impresionada por el entusiasmo de este chiquito |
 |
| Fadi no dejó que se le escapara ni el más mínimo pedacito de vidrio |
A la llegada, estaba uno de los contenedores de A.M.O.R., los “Ecopontos”, donde las gestoras organizaban la selección de material reciclable.
 |
| Punto de llegada: Ecoponto |
A los participantes agotados después de la caminata por la arena al rayo del sol los esperaban con refrescos y merienda.
Más tarde hubo música en vivo, juegos para aprender a separar los diferentes materiales, carreras cargando agua en la cabeza, competencias de construcción de castillos de arena y diversión con cometas para todos los niños.
Viendo el esfuerzo que pone la gurisa de esta foto, me recuerda la cita
“Nunca dudes que un pequeño grupo de ciudadanos considerados y comprometidos pueda cambiar el mundo. De hecho, es la única cosa que ha logrado hacerlo.”
Party decorations and lamps made out recycled paper
I love paper. I love paper notebooks and paper magazines and paper books (as opposed to iPads, e-zines and e-books). I love the feel of paper. Recycled paper? I’m in heaven.
Ok, I’m weird. But I’m not the only one. And in Maputo I’ve found a kindred spirit: meet lovely artist Minati Baro. She’s actually a metal lover at heart, but she also has a soft spot for paper crafts. Proof of that are her delicate papery creations.
Birds, flowers, lamps, piñatas, and birthday decorations - all can be created easily from a little bit of paper.
A tip? Old phone books are an excellent source of paper waiting to be turned into crafts.
Quite unexpectedly, I also found out recycled paper lamps serve as excellent ice-breakers. After picking one of Minati’s paper lamp at the event, I went around Maputo to several other appointments carrying the lamp hanging from a string. It worked as a magnet. Every kid that walked by seemed compelled to poke at it. When I entered into a bakery, a group of old men who were chatting animatedly went mute. After a few minutes of staring and staring, one of them couldn’t contain his curiosity and pointing at it asked Fadi what it was. Even serious uniformed guards seemed baffled at this mulunga carrying around what looked like an upside-down balloon. Looking for a conversation starter?
Get a recycled paper lamp!
String several of them to make a mobile or perch atop the border of the lamp.
 |
| Minati at her stand during Livro Aberto’s event for children at Parque dos Professores |
Ok, I’m weird. But I’m not the only one. And in Maputo I’ve found a kindred spirit: meet lovely artist Minati Baro. She’s actually a metal lover at heart, but she also has a soft spot for paper crafts. Proof of that are her delicate papery creations.
Birds, flowers, lamps, piñatas, and birthday decorations - all can be created easily from a little bit of paper.A tip? Old phone books are an excellent source of paper waiting to be turned into crafts.
 |
| Is it a lamp? Is it a vase? It’s recycled and versatile! Plus the flowers never wilt :) |
Quite unexpectedly, I also found out recycled paper lamps serve as excellent ice-breakers. After picking one of Minati’s paper lamp at the event, I went around Maputo to several other appointments carrying the lamp hanging from a string. It worked as a magnet. Every kid that walked by seemed compelled to poke at it. When I entered into a bakery, a group of old men who were chatting animatedly went mute. After a few minutes of staring and staring, one of them couldn’t contain his curiosity and pointing at it asked Fadi what it was. Even serious uniformed guards seemed baffled at this mulunga carrying around what looked like an upside-down balloon. Looking for a conversation starter?
Get a recycled paper lamp!
A traditional origami crane made out a page of a Mozambican phone book (note the Mozambican symbol).
String several of them to make a mobile or perch atop the border of the lamp.
Put a vase and a candle inside the lamp and
you get a soft, warm light.
 |
| Party with a bang - Mexican-style piñata made out of papel-maché and traditional cut-out decorations all made out of old phonebook pages. |
Thursday, March 22, 2012
El nuevo prócer uruguayo
Siempre es interesante volver al paisito después de haber pasado un tiempo afuera. Las cosas se ven con nuevos ojos. O mejor, dicho, las cosas se ven. Punto. Lo que se te pasa desaparcibido del lugar donde vivís cuando estás en las corridas del día a día, salta a la vista cuando volvés después de un año o dos.
En esta última vuelta a Uruguay algo me llamó la atención: Uruguay había encontrado un nuevo heróe nacional. En carteles de publicidad, paradas de ómnibus, murales en edificios, por todas partes, aparecía Forlán. En un país donde el fútbol sólo compite con el asado y el mate en popularidad, que un jugador de la selección uruguaya que logró un cuarto lugar en la copa mundial después de 40 años sea el nuevo héroe nacional, bueno, no es de extrañar.
Si no fuera por un pequeño detalle ...
¿Soy sólo yo que veo similitudes? ¿Coincidencia o ...?
En esta última vuelta a Uruguay algo me llamó la atención: Uruguay había encontrado un nuevo heróe nacional. En carteles de publicidad, paradas de ómnibus, murales en edificios, por todas partes, aparecía Forlán. En un país donde el fútbol sólo compite con el asado y el mate en popularidad, que un jugador de la selección uruguaya que logró un cuarto lugar en la copa mundial después de 40 años sea el nuevo héroe nacional, bueno, no es de extrañar.
Si no fuera por un pequeño detalle ...
¿Soy sólo yo que veo similitudes? ¿Coincidencia o ...?
Friday, December 30, 2011
Why does the title of the blog keep on changing?
The title of our blog, as you might have noticed, keeps on changing. Leaving a trace of the changes reflects the changes in direction, obviously, but also shows how the overarching goal of our trip becomes clearer as we move along.
You would think we would know what we were doing when we decided to sell everything and leave. Well, kind of. We love Vancouver and it's probably the best place in the whole world for us to live, but we felt it was time for a change. A next step.
Fadi blames that feeling of restlessness on his Third Culture Kid (TCK) status and his last name, which in Arabic means "bird." I can't do the same: my last name means"earth" or "soil" in Latin; you probably can't get more rooted than that. In my case it probably has to do with my ancestors, who kept on moving from country to country. If the records are correct, the different branches did some major moving: Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Switzerland, France, Italy, Argentina. And ending up in Uruguay didn't help. Either the condition of "pueblo transplantado" (transplanted people, according to Brazilian anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro) of its people, or its open, barrier-less and windblown landscape makes it too easy to want to go out and explore.
But I digress. Regardless of reasons, our moving was just the next step from a change that began more than 10 years ago when we decided to make quality of life a priority. Since then, we have been trying to live our lives so that they match more closely our values and beliefs (more about that later here and here).
As we move along, we seek (or, as it turns out, we run into) people that help us learn more about alternative ways of living, sustainable transport and energy, bio-construction, organic and urban farming, garbage and recycling, and other issues that we care about, and we also get a chance to give these alternatives a try.
Not a bad way to learn and grow. And not a bad way to end the year. Plus an appropriate posting for the end of the year.
Our New Year Resolution? Be greener :)
Happy 2012 everyone!
(For those in Vancouver, if you want to start the year on a green note and let Canadian government know that we want Canadian behavior to match Canadian image, join the rally on January 1st by the Art Gallery downtown. Ahhh. I miss Vancouver).
You would think we would know what we were doing when we decided to sell everything and leave. Well, kind of. We love Vancouver and it's probably the best place in the whole world for us to live, but we felt it was time for a change. A next step.
Fadi blames that feeling of restlessness on his Third Culture Kid (TCK) status and his last name, which in Arabic means "bird." I can't do the same: my last name means"earth" or "soil" in Latin; you probably can't get more rooted than that. In my case it probably has to do with my ancestors, who kept on moving from country to country. If the records are correct, the different branches did some major moving: Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Switzerland, France, Italy, Argentina. And ending up in Uruguay didn't help. Either the condition of "pueblo transplantado" (transplanted people, according to Brazilian anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro) of its people, or its open, barrier-less and windblown landscape makes it too easy to want to go out and explore.
But I digress. Regardless of reasons, our moving was just the next step from a change that began more than 10 years ago when we decided to make quality of life a priority. Since then, we have been trying to live our lives so that they match more closely our values and beliefs (more about that later here and here).
As we move along, we seek (or, as it turns out, we run into) people that help us learn more about alternative ways of living, sustainable transport and energy, bio-construction, organic and urban farming, garbage and recycling, and other issues that we care about, and we also get a chance to give these alternatives a try.
Our New Year Resolution? Be greener :)
Happy 2012 everyone!
(For those in Vancouver, if you want to start the year on a green note and let Canadian government know that we want Canadian behavior to match Canadian image, join the rally on January 1st by the Art Gallery downtown. Ahhh. I miss Vancouver).
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