Holiday Wrappings

I have just finished reading This Changes Everything –Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein. There is nothing particularly new in the book for those of us that have been practicing restoration or involved in urban development issues and have kept up with environmental degradation reports. The book however does offer a well-written summary of all that ails us and does offer some plausible solutions and way forward. While reading I was inundated by memories of this Holiday’s family events, in particular the outright consumerism. Giving of gifts should be an act of love and caring and it is in the minds of all that participate in it. What astounded me was the type of gifts given to children. In fact we contributed to the act by consenting to buy a request from our grandson. He had asked for a Bionicle toy. This request startled us – after all he is of an age where he has outgrown such toys but as it turns out he did not wish to play with it, only possess it because it has become a collector’s item. As he discussed the toy with his brother it sounded like a real financial decision and thought out process – they knew of all the varieties of Bionicles and their worth and where disappointed that one they wished to have in their collection sold out after only four hours, distributed by Walmart who had first dibs from LEGO, the company that produces the toy, before any other distributor is allowed to sell it. These toys are made of plastic and LEGO had to sever its direct ties with SHELL, at least in the public eye due to Shell’s terrible human rights abuses and ecological disregard in the Niger Delta that have been making the headlines. Then there is the issue of the plastic patches that are undermining the health of our oceans and all the other health issues associated with their production. As I said gift giving is an expression of love and no parent will refute a child’s wish especially if they are wealthy enough to provide it. But in this love they are playing the very game of consumerism for its own sake, aided by the vast advertising industry and economic growth myth that sees spending as the only practice worthy of the human race. The toy industry is a master at this, from the Cabbage Patch Dolls to Bean Babies to American Girl even to Swatch Watches – the concept of collector’s items has spurred sales that otherwise would not have come to fruition. So what happened to those other desirable collectibles? Does anyone follow the Cabbage Patch Doll market? What happens to these short-lived desires once on the shelf? How many are cherished forever and how many eventually end up in the various dumps around the globe? As parents and grandparents we are accommodating a present folly only to undermine a healthy future for the people we cherish the most. In part due to the production process that use petroleum derived material and many noxious chemicals that produce many current ailments especially harmful to young bodies and in part to the destruction of life-supporting processes that our fossil-fuel derived lifestyle deprives future generations. All this under the mistaken assumption that equates freedom with rapacious, predatory capitalism that serves a tiny minority of people on this planet. What we are imparting on our children is a suicidal lifestyle that is more akin to the philosophy of Ayn Rand and her self-absorbed individualistic view of commerce and society. Forgetting that the technology and freedoms we say we cherish have derived from a history of communal efforts. The lone wolf attitude would vanish if there were not the social networks and infrastructure for any trade to occur, not to mention intellectual communal sharing that builds on the work of predecessors and colleagues. My mind is racing to come up with alternatives for the next celebration of gift giving.

September 1st

Eulogy for Wolf’s Point

Eulogy for Wolf’s Point

The gravediggers come

with backhoes and augers

drilling deep within the last spit of green

to lay strong foundations for their

epitaphs of steel and glass

like adolescent frat boys

comparing erections that stand

like tombstones against the sky.

Friends gather at the shore

throwing a Frisbee up in the air

and all marvel at the spinning colors that

shine in the sun only to tumble into the grave diggers’ muck

tainted – the colors dull to match the surrounding debris.

The friend’s chanting continues

playing with toy boats as

their eyes stare into their own reflections

and muster only a few petals

sprinkled on the empty waters

encased in the concrete casket.

The city of broad shoulders sports

a tattoo seared into its cultural fabric

as their Emmanuel is trumped -

a people condemned to look down

their treasured corridor to be

forever reminded of the folly

-many worthy resolves deterred -

The Fallen Bough

THE FALLEN BOUGH

by Domenico D'alessandro

in commemoration of the centenary of the death of Martha, 

the last known passenger pigeon

A Concert for Martha (video)

This video cannot be seen so I am left with no artistic contribution to the event except this post.

It is being blocked by those that have copyright to the music selected even though I give everyone credit. I admit being naive about this - I thought that since the video was not intended for commercial use but as not-for-profit art piece that concessions would be made. I forget at times that we are living in a money oriented world. Which exemplifies the cash value we tend to bestow on everything (extremely thick lenses). Value thus is only on what comes into our pockets and not to our brains and conscious.

Riflessioni su alcune escursioni nella selva del Shawnee, Illinois, USA

The Grackle Gang

This is my latest nature journal page scheduled to be published in Illinois Audubon. I have taken a sabbatical from my blog posting due to some deep rooted reflections on the current state of things and will resume to blog in the not too distant future.  

A Hidey-Hole for Mouse and Toad

My latest nature journal page will be published in the Spring issue of Illinois Audubon magazine. I urge everyone to subscribe to keep this wonderful publication healthy. It is one of a handful of magazines still in press in our region.