Flying Fruit

I’m taking this time after my lunch break to finally share some of the new ideas I’ve come across while WWOOFing with John (though I’m posting this before dinner ;)

I think the main thing that I am most aware of after my time here is how decentralized our communities are in terms of self-sufficiency. While I lived in Idaho, I shopped mostly at Fred Meyers (with ashamedly more frequent stops in Wal-Mart than I care to admit) and purchased organic foods only when I was chipping in my bit towards mom and dad’s food bill. I took for granted that I could eat a banana a day throughout the entire year. I missed seeing the little fruit stand by my parents house that I encountered on one visit years ago (I have never tasted a peach so heavenly again), but I never made an effort to stop at that little market next to D&B in Nampa (cannot for the life of remember the name). I was actually disappointed to see that this nameless market has been converted to a day care. I thought it a bit sad that a local place for produce had gone away – but then, if everybody else made as little effort to stop and shop there as I did, it shouldn’t be surprising.

One of the first ideas I was introduced to upon my arrival at John’s place was “transition towns”. John, Dominic, and Erica (the WWOOFer I replaced) had put together an informational meeting about the idea using John’s environmental group/center contacts. They showed a film about “peak oil” (the fact that the world IS going to peak (plateau really) on how much oil can be produced for the world, and then supplies WILL start diminishing and prices WILL go out of control). We are all very aware of the price of gas these days. It’s gone up 12 cents since I parked my car at John’s (good thing I filled up when I got to town!). We are at NZ$2.12 per liter right now – which is a little over $8 a gallon! Now, granted NZ$8 is only US$6.4, but what are you paying in America right now? Is it even $4 yet?

The idea of transition towns is that a community/city gets together and makes changes in their area that will dampen the effects felt when peak oil hits (planting nut trees instead of ornamentals down a boulevard, vegetable trade markets for gardeners, etc). When I was buying those yummy bananas I ate everyday, did I ever consider how much fuel it took to get them to my store? Nope. I figured I was giving someone in a third world some employment growing them (granted, I did know that mono-cropping (growing lots and lots of only one crop in one space) was a horrible way to produce food (it takes much more fertilizer/pesticides which equals more oil)). However, I never thought to consider how much the boat/plane used and then how much the truck fuel to get to the store used. In England, they’ve started labeling their food with carbon footprints related to how it got there and how it was grown. England was the site of the first ever transition town. There are now A LOT of towns in England that have started taking steps towards sustainability and many, many more around the world (4 in NZ, 2 in US – including Sandpoint ID!!!).

I haven’t done all the research on transition towns (missed the meeting :(, but I really, really like the idea behind it. Start making changes now, so that you’re not ROYALLY screwed when gas prices are through the roof and your food prices reflect it. Or maybe, all the truckers will protest the price of oil and no food will even get to your town! Do you know your local farmer? Does he grow more than just wheat/potatoes/corn? Funny thing, Cuba is a prime example of not just a transition town, but a transition country. When American put their foot down (that is whole other can of worms I’ve been exposed to – Noam Chomsky and the horrendous behavior of our government) and told Cuba to “shove off or get in line with us” (my words :), Cuba refused to compromise and took the embargo. No more imported oil! Which meant that they couldn’t run their tractors, use fertilizer, or transport their crops. The people ended up taking it upon themselves to feed themselves. Reclaiming parking lots (no fuel to run cars) to grow gardens. The government didn’t try to stop the people taking back the land, they supported them. Instead of trying to solve the food/transportation problem for all of the 2 million people in Havana (what an overwhelming task that would be), each neighborhood block did what worked for them. It’s really quite inspiring. Imagine if you had the time to plan such a community!

I’m sure I could go on (just imagine if I actually had done research!). You get my point though; and that’s only one idea I’ve been exposed to! Between John’s knowledge (he’s traveled the world over: Africa, Middle East, UK, etc) and the environmental/political magazines he subscribes to (“New Internationalist” is great) I’ve got a lot to think about lately. Good thing my next WWOOF will be doing yoga and meditation!


Oh – and those bananas I ate everyday! I just skimmed an article in the Sept 2007 issue of “Ecologist” regarding how those bananas are produced. I wasn’t so much contributing to some third world persons economy, as I was exposing them to hazardous work conditions: from spraying pesticides/herbicides (one of mono-cropping’s biggest issues) to the women who spend up to 12 hours a day with their hands in water washing those chemicals off. Then more chemicals in the US end to make the green bananas turn yellow. Etc, Etc, you see why I could only skim the article. I didn’t even read the article about plastic pollution (when was the last time you cut your six-pack rings so a bird didn’t get it’s neck stuck in it? – I saw a picture of a massive tortoise (Galapagos size) that had grown around a similar type of ring – horrible, horrible, horrible image). The same magazine had an article on the cost of Bio-fuels (third world farmers that feed themselves well, ripping out their food supply to be poor and hungry while growing alternative fuel). The one article I did read in depth? The interview with Leonardo DiCaprio - (yep, I’m an American girl :) – regarding the release of his documentary “The 11th Hour”, a film not only highlighting global warming and environmental issues, but also giving us some ideas for solutions. I’ve got to watch that some time.

Um, ya - I got a little link crazy tonight! ;-p