Author: jennynazak

Last night’s U.S. Presidential candidate debate set a new record low for dignity and basic decency. I have always believed it’s possible to voice strong disagreement without calling names, being dismissive, launching personal attacks.

Personally, I am not thrilled with either candidate. And I so wish we had someone that more of the people I know could be thrilled with. But I’m voting for the one who I feel offers the best hope for our Earth and ecosystems. If we destroy our home planet, we won’t HAVE an economy. And, I’m voting for the one who at least acknowledges that systemic racism exists and needs to be corrected.

Regarding civility, someone on Facebook shared this TED Talk by Teresa Bejan, “Is Civility a Sham?” I really like this talk. If we define civility as never speaking our mind, and only surrounding ourselves with likeminded people, we’re doing civility wrong.

Over the years, I have noticed that I seem to use two rules to help me manage my physical possessions. By “manage” I mean 1) keep track of; and 2) utilize in a timely fashion so they wear out or get used up rather than rot/spoil, get lost, etc.

Confession: I am easily overwhelmed by physical stuff. I can be a bit absent-minded and misplace things, or forget I even have them.

The two rules that seem to help me manage my stuff are 1) Don’t have too much stuff; and 2) Conduct visual inventories of my stuff on an ongoing basis.

Of course, the definition of “too much stuff” varies from one person to the next. One person’s “excessive” is another person’s “not-enough,” is yet another person’s “just right.”

The definition varies by category too. I can manage fairly extensive collections of art and craft supplies without getting overwhelmed. But do not give me ONE SINGLE electrical cord, or electric/electronic device, beyond the few devices I use on a daily basis. Cords in particular make me crazy. Today at a housecleaning job, I encountered the “basket of snakes” that is common in so many North American households, even households of modest means. Seeing that basket of tangled cords, and all of them plugged into a power-strip, and almost impossible to even lift the basket to dust the TV cabinet, and impossible to find a way to plug anything else (like, say, a vacuum cleaner) into the power strip because all the plugs are occupied and all the cords are braided together into incestuous immobility, reminded me of one reason why I don’t want a TV and all its associated paraphernalia. In that moment, I realized that I would even rather do without electricity entirely than have a vicious cord-snarl in my home!

To each his or her own. The point is to decide what and how much stuff you can manage, and try not to burden yourself with anything beyond that.

Now, since I tend to be a bit forgetful and absent-minded, I will STILL forget about stuff even if I have only very little stuff to keep track of. This is where conducting visual inventory comes in. I literally have to remind myself of what stuff I have. It’s just a quick visual task, and can be done one room or even just one drawer at a time, when I have a spare moment. The other day I overviewed my spare box of needles and thread. Not spool by spool or anything like that. More like just reminding myself of the box’s contents: pins, needles, scissors, thread, tape measure.

I’ll do a drawer or cabinet the same way. “Cool, got plenty of jars with lids here; no need to collect any more.” Or, “Oh yeah, I already have a backup bottle of dish liquid.” Or, “Oops, running low on dental floss!” Or, “These little bottles of acrylic paint are in danger of drying up before I use them up — time to plan an art project before that happens!” (And in the meantime add a drop or two of water to each bottle to keep them from drying out.)

I find that I need both of my “rules” working together. If I neglect the ongoing “visual survey,” I find I quickly lose track of my stuff. And this would probably be true even if I had much less stuff than I do now.

And conversely, I have to keep a strict limit on the amount of stuff I let into my life. If I had any more stuff than I have at the moment, the volume would be too unwieldy for me to be able to perform that ongoing “visual survey” that helps me keep a handle on things.

Do you ever feel bogged down in stuff? Do you have techniques and strategies that help you manage your stuff?

Nothing keeps forever. I feel like, if I were an object such as a tube of paint, a tool, or an article of clothing, I would rather meet my end by being used up/worn out than by rotting, spoiling, rusting, or being lost and forgotten!

Further Exploration:

• On mental hoarding: For me (and maybe for some of you), a mind full of ideas, hoarded rather than shared, feels like that dreadful power-strip of tangled cords. Or a drain clogged with solidified grease. Or one of those giant handbags from the 1980s, stuffed with crumpled receipts. Regarding mental hoarding, I read some great advice today. This is from the email newsletter of Jeff Goins, writer: “Annie Dillard has this quote about writing, that we should write it all—’spend it all’—every time, no matter what, holding nothing back. Because if you don’t do that, if you hoard your work for later, she says you will return to the safe where you kept it and all you will find is ash. It’s a startling reminder that life is short and we should always show up to do our best work every day.” This hits uncomfortably close to home for me. I feel called to share from the deepest depths of my brain and soul, but all too often still I feel myself holding back, holding something in reserve. (But, stand by, because I do have some fresh tricks up my sleeve to help those thoughts attain escape velocity from my head and get out into the world to do some good, before they are lost or forgotten!) By the way, this issue of Jeff’s newsletter is titled, “Why you should teach everything you know.”

This morning in my hometown paper (Daytona Beach News-Journal), I read an interesting story about a simulated surfing park that’s being built in south Florida, as part of a residential and commercial development.

Reports the News-Journal: “The nation’s largest “WaveGarden,” a simulated surfing park, is slated to come to Midway Road as a part of a 200-acre community development.

“It is to feature 800 residential homes, 600 hotel rooms, 400,000 square-feet of retail space, 125,000 of office space and thousands of potential jobs.”

I’m of two minds about this. On the one hand, I appreciate developments that integrate residential and commercial; if done well, it reduces car-dependency. I also like that the recreational centerpiece is something besides yet another golf course.

On the other hand, Fort Pierce is located smack dab on the Atlantic Ocean! And Fort Pierce Inlet State Park is supposedly a surfer’s paradise.

Questions to ponder: How do you think “nature theme parks” got popular? What do you think of “nature theme parks”? Do you think they have the potential to bridge the chasm that’s developed between modern humans and the rest of the natural world? Or do you think they only serve to widen that chasm?

I’ll be back later to share some of my own thoughts with you.

Later — More thoughts. Could it be that our act of disconnecting from nature (to escape from bugs, tigers, snakes, and other assorted danger) has made life too dull, and that’s why we build adventure games and theme parks? Could nature theme parks, designed and operated by eco-aware people, be used as a gateway or “on-ramp” that eases people back into living more fully integrated with real nature?

My preferred focus will always be more direct: How can I entice more people to simply experience and appreciate the natural world that’s all around us right here, right now? What we love, we nurture and protect.

From the time I was a little girl, I have always loved watching the skies. My favorite times are early morning, late afternoon into sunset, and night. The beauty is ever-changing, with so much depth and richness of cloud and color.

That’s been true everywhere I’ve lived. But when I moved to the Atlantic coast of Florida, my sky-viewing awe got cranked up several notches, as I found myself initiated into sky colors and textures of a whole new richness of golds, pinks, peaches, purples. Sometimes it feels like I need a whole extra set of eyes just to take it all in.

Naturally, heading to the beach to watch the sunrise is a popular activity. For visitors from places with lots of hills, trees, or buildings, it might be their first unobstructed view of the sun coming up over the flat horizon. But locals love walking to the beach to watch the sunrise too. It may be primally ingrained in us humans to eagerly await the sun’s first rays after the long night.

This morning I was out doing a small task in the yard, and basking in the brilliant morning color show. Layered clouds, backlit gold, heathery purple sky-shadows. 

A man and woman who I recognized from the neighborhood passed by, walking briskly toward the beach, coffee cups in hand. I called good morning to them. They asked if I had gotten to see the sunrise (the beach is about 5 minutes’ walk from my house). I was a little taken by surprise, as I always am when people ask that, because to me, we were in the sunrise! Right here right now. I mumbled something generic and waved at them. 

How easy it could be for me to miss the full glowing sky-show of daybreak, if I were just focused in on seeing that orange sunball come up over the horizon line. 

And it reminded me of how mainstream society focuses on a very narrow range of beauty in many ways. The garden plant is valued for its flower, but ripped out when it’s finished blooming, to be replaced with new different flowering plants. While the old flower’s seed-stalks that would produce an abundance of blooms next year, with no human intervention, gets discarded as “yard waste.”

We don’t see the beauty of the late summer-browned stalk and seed heads. Not because they aren’t beautiful. (If you’ve never taken a close look at wildflower stalks and seed heads, try it sometime! The geometry is stunning, and the strawlike color and texture remind me of autumn-gold fields.) We don’t see the beauty not because it isn’t there, but because our modern mainstream Western society is trained-in to see only a narrow slice of the full spectrum.

We can re-train ourselves, though. Open up our boxed-in minds.

Last year around this time, I often sat in my “outdoor living room” (car-free driveway with chairs) and savored the fall beauty of the wildflower stalks in the lowering angle of afternoon sunlight. And felt the first whiff of winter in the air (yes even here in Florida you can feel it if you tune in), and looked forward to what I think of as the “orange-and-brown” months: October and November.

Have you ever noticed some area of your life where you’ve gotten focused in on a very narrow range of beauty (or a very narrow definition of accomplishment)? I have, often! Fortunately it’s pretty easy to shift to a wider bandwidth of appreciation, just by slowing down and setting an intention to tune in to the natural world.

Further Exploration:

• Right after I made this post, I read my local paper. What a fun synchronicity to find that Mark Lane’s popular “Darwinian Gardener” column for that day mentioned the Beautyberry as a true sign of fall in Florida. This Florida native plant is just an unassuming shrub for 10 months out of the year. But in fall, it bursts into bright-pinky-purply berries. He mentioned that his neighbors give him a hard time for bothering to keep a plant that isn’t spectacular year-round. He explains: “The American beautyberry is admittedly a rough-looking bush in the winter and a so-so yard resident in the summer. But fall in Florida would totally sneak up on the Darwinian Gardener if the green berries of the beautyberry didn’t purple up at the height of hurricane season. They bring hope that someday the heat will abate. Just be patient. This might happen.”

• Another good read, which I just started, is Doug Tallamy’s book Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard. Tallamy, an entomologist and advocate of re-wilding residential yards, is someone I’ve often mentioned on this blog. He’s written many articles and given at least one TED Talk. This book is a lovely and encouraging read so far. He talks about our yards as “Homegrown National Park,” a place to savor the unique beauties of each season; a refuge for humans as well as wildlife.

I have always felt protective toward all of my fellow human beings. Right now I am feeling extra protective of my Black friends, and all Black people everywhere. (Actually I have been feeling extra protective of Black people for the past few months and years, but that feeling is at a new height right now with all that’s been going on.)

I am listening, I love you, I am learning from you, and am keeping an extra eye out for you.

# ISeeColor #BlackLivesMatter #BlackIsBeautiful #WeAreAllOne #CancelRacism #GotYourBack

Further Exploration:

• “The Local Case for Reparations” (Charles Marohn, StrongTowns.org). Strong Towns is one of my perennial favorite resources for creative ideas on urban revitalization. This article overviews the history of redlining and offers some promising ideas for making reparations while simultaneously remedying blight. Writes Marohn: “To put wealth in the hands of the people who live in these redlined neighborhoods, two things must happen. First, the neighborhood must experience investment, an inflow of capital that stays within the neighborhood. Second, that capital must be allowed to accrue to the people who are already there; it can’t result in their displacement.”

• White Nonsense Roundup Facebook Page: “White Nonsense Roundup is a group of mostly white people who volunteer to address white supremacy & racism by fellow white people on social media. We are not experts, but as white people we are responsible for addressing racism in ourselves and in our communities. If you are Black, Indigenous, or a person of color and run into white people talking nonsense on social media, get in touch and we’ll join the conversation. … We prioritize tags by Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color. If you’re white and you’re rounding up some nonsense and tag us for backup, we’ll happily join you. We encourage white people not to tag us into conversations in which they themselves haven’t done any rounding up. As white people, we all have a responsibility to do this work. Please feel welcome to private message us and we can help you craft your own responses to white nonsense. You can also find resources to back you up on our website: whitenonsenseroundup.com/resources”

Yesterday I read in the paper that a Florida Panther had died after being hit by a car. So far this year, 18 Florida Panthers have died, 15 of them from being hit by motor vehicles. Florida Panthers are an endangered species. The one most recently killed was just 3 years old (average lifespan is 8 to 15). (Visit biodiversity.org to see a picture of this lovely creature and learn more about them.)

Also in yesterday’s paper, my eyes were drawn to an obituary of a bright-faced individual who turned out to be a teenager. Lance Wind, 15, of Ormond Beach, Florida, “was an immensely talented and passionate artist and singer who dreamed of attending art school in Japan and traveling to Germany. Lance loved anime and manga, and he had begun two comic books of his own. He aspired to create characters that would inspire and offer refuge to other people – the same way his favorite art affected him. He pursued everything he did with dedication and spent hours honing his voice and perfecting his drawings. He was passionate about everything he cared about, ranging from his favorite television shows and songs to his favorite people. His loved ones and friends will always remember him as wildly funny, creative, and smart beyond his years.” Reading this, I assumed that the cause of death was one of those terrible childhood cancers. But in fact, the cause of death was suicide. “Unfortunately, for members of the LGBT+ community, this is a far-too-common fate,” the obituary went on to say.

Sadness is something most of us don’t want to feel. When it comes up, we tend to keep it at a distance, either by shutting it out or by excessive, sentimental emoting (yes, that too is a way to keep the real actual feeling at bay).

But if we take a moment (or longer) to sit with the sadness that comes from witnessing something that really should not have happened; something that — if things were “right” in the world, would not have happened — it frees up a quiet space inside our minds. And that opens up a pathway for each of us to reevaluate how we are going about our lives.

What are we putting most of our attention on? What might deserve more of our attention?

Highways are terrible, hostile places. Non-places, really. Only designed to get cars from Point A to Point B as fast as possible. What is the (pun intended) point of that, if we end up not only missing out on a chance to get a glimpse of a lovely rare panther, but actually end up killing him?

And what mindless conversations — arguments, debates, jaw-flapping — have I gotten into with friends and neighbors and strangers out and about, while somewhere nearby in a quiet corner, some precious being was standing there just really needing a smile and a few words of encouragement?

This is not about blame or self-chastisement; it’s about the power each and every one of us possesses to make a difference in the world, by 1) being willing to fully experience sadness and other feelings that come up in response to tragic events in the world; and 2) using our attention wisely; using our inborn creativity to help fix things that need to be fixed.

On the road (or in the store, or at home) we can help make a better world by making a simple choice to slow down and live more mindfully. It’d solve a lot.

Also on the topic of doing something to make a positive difference, Lance Wind’s obituary mentions two charities that are setting out to help save other young lives: The Trevor Project, a non-profit focused on suicide prevention for LGBT+ youth; and the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide. (Note: I am not familiar with either of these charities; am simply providing the links so anyone can check them out and consider donating.)

Regarding roads: I am working on various fronts to promote a more creative, less destructive, less expensive approach to building roads and other transportation in my local area. There’s no guarantee that any of my input (via grassroots conversation groups, dialogues with public officials, letters to the editor, sharing creative solutions on social media, etc.) will make a difference. But any effort might end up pressing on the right leverage points.

Sitting very quietly this morning being present with my sadness (not just about the two incidents that sparked this post, but about so much else that’s happening in the world right now), I feel also a deeper connection with the beauty around me. All my life, sadness (when I was willing to fully experience it) has been a gateway to immense, pervasive beauty.

Just now out of the corner of my eye I caught motion. It was a tiny bird with a bright-yellow belly. It had been awhile since I’d seen one of those lovely little birds. I don’t know their official name but they are a favorite of mine.

P.S. (added later): Here are two correlations I have noticed, in my own life and out in the wider world. Both are two-way.

1) To be able to really experience our feelings, we have to slow down. AND, conversely, in order to be able to slow down, we have to be willing to really experience our feelings. Because feelings that have been kept at bay will come up when a person slows down. (Which is why a lot of people keep themselves so frantically busy, whether intentionally or not.)

2) Choosing a low-footprint lifestyle allows a person the luxury of being able to slow down. AND, conversely, when we slow down, it becomes naturally easier to reduce our eco-footprint.

There are so many worthwhile eco webinars and other events that I don’t usually post them on this blog. But these two are extra important and I feel compelled to share them here as well as on my usual social-media channels. I have high hopes for both of these events to step up our power as individuals to be part of the solution to humanity’s path of ecological self-destruction.

1. “Igniting Climate Literacy: Creating a citizenry ready and willing to build a sustainable economic future” Zoom webinar by earthday . org, Monday September 21, 11am-12 noon US EST; go here to register. (“The youngest generations are going to be the ones most impacted by climate change — though they are the ones least responsible for it. For climate solutions to create a citizenry ready and willing to act now and build a sustainable economic future, we must start at the root: education. EARTHDAY . ORG invites you to join us for our Climate Week NYC event and an all-new Earth Day LIVE: Igniting Climate Literacy on Monday, September 21st at 11am Eastern. Join us for a lively discussion about the importance of educating our youth on climate and environmental topics to ensure a citizenry that is equipped with hope, skills and motivation to take action for a more sustainable future. The webinar will be 60 minutes and hosted over Zoom. By registering and joining the webinar, you’ll be able to ask questions during the Q&A. If you can’t connect over Zoom, we’ll also be streaming the event over Facebook. Our panelists include: Rohan Arora, Founder and Executive Director of The Community Check-Up; Frida Berry Eklund, Founder of Our Kids’ Climate; Neeshad Shafi, Executive Director of Arab Youth Climate Movement, Qatar; Rab Nawaz, Senior Director WWF, Pakistan; Asha Alexander, Principal and CEO Of The Kindergarten Starters and Executive Leader, Climate Change — GEMS Education, Dubai; Laura Secada, Director General of Climate Change and Desertification of the Ministry of Environment of Peru. Join us next week as we discuss the connections of climate and environmental education to conservation goals, more green jobs, a healthy economic future and a sustainable planet, as well as actions you can take to get involved. See you there, EARTHDAY . ORG Education Team”).

2. Kiss the Ground film debut & global watch party (film debut on Netflix Tuesday September 22; watch party Q&A 9pm US EST). (“Kiss the Ground will reveal how regenerating the world’s soils can completely and rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies. Get ready to feel hopeful and inspired about the future of our planet, and how you can make a positive impact on the health of the world. Kiss The Ground debuts on Netflix starting September 22. Gather with a million of your friends across the globe around a new, old solution to climate change.”

“[Watch Party Q&A] will be a gathering of conscious thought leaders from Hollywood to homesteads. At the live stream, you’ll join: Woody Harrelson, Narrator, Kiss The Ground Movie / Actor; Gisele Bündchen, U.N. Goodwill Ambassador; Ian Somerhalder, Activist / Actor; Dr. Mark Hyman, Cleveland Center for Functional Medicine; Jason Mraz, Singer-Songwriter / Agroforestry Farmer; Pashon Murray, Founder of Detroit Dirt; Ray Archuleta, Farmer / Conservation Agronomist; Doniga Markegard, Author / Regenerative Rancher; Ryland Engelhart, Co-Founder of Kiss The Ground (non-profit); Nicole Shanahan, Founder and President, Bia-Echo Foundation; Josh Tickell and Rebecca Tickell, Directors, Kiss The Ground.”)

Note from me: This film, produced by the soil education organization also known as Kiss the Ground (whose webinars I’ve taken and have raved about), is narrated by Woody Harrelson(!), and features Gisele Bundchen and other stars. Soil is key to the future of human life on earth. Lately we humans, especially in the USA, have found ourselves more divided across political and social issues than ever. Soil, with its microbial kingdoms upon which we all depend, offers a chance for us all to come together as the fellow humans and carbon-based life forms that we are. Hope to “see” you at the watch party! And even if you can’t make the watch party, you can watch the film on Netflix at your convenience.