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Poor Folks Don’t Care About the Earth

By Pam Fowler on 02/18/2010

So here we are with no propane left in the tank. We live in a little cabin that is heated by two ventless propane fireplaces. (but have no fear, the place has got so many cracks and holes that carbon monoxide could never be a problem–when it is really windy outside, we can see the curtains between our bedroom and living room blowing)

Poor People Don't Care About The Earth

Can we help people struggling to survive, live sustainably?

So now we are heating the place with many electric heaters and staying mostly cool but OK. As I am brushing my teeth in the chilly bathroom, I crank on the wall heater and am thankful for it’s instant heat. Usually we are very careful about how much we use these energy sucking types of heaters but not this day because I am COLD and have no other choice. And it hits me, there are a lot of folks out there that have no other choice. At this point I can understand and I can see that folks with limited resources and choices do not care about how they are destroying the earth by using SO much electricity-they are cold and just want to be warm. Those that are really hungry, do not care that pesticides get farmers sick and poison water tables, they just want food for their children.

So I realized that a lot of what I was advocating for was for those that have choices, for the ones wealthy enough to have the ability to think about these things. That I was not being fair to those that need to think about their basic needs first. So I started to think, how can I help those with limited choices not only have what they need to live but to give them choices? Teach gardening? A free solar power system put in their home? Alternative water sources? Frugal food planning? How can I help people be less stuck by the system? How can I help people get back the power to produce for themselves? And in doing that, increase their ability and desire to care about the environment around them.

(Update: we do have propane again by the way)

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is a stay-at-home mother of six. She enjoys wildcrafting, cooking and has an amazing gift with animals. She and her husband are co-founders of the Sustainable Traditions project and live in a cabin near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
  • amyaranyosi

    very good point Pam! I wish I knew the answers.

  • http://barefootmeg.multiply.com barefootmeg

    “Can we help people struggling to survive, live sustainably?”

    This is a fantastic question. Like Amy, I wish I knew the answers.

    It might be interesting to focus in on just one of the areas that you brought up — like food, water, heat, housing — and try to brainstorm ideas or list organizations that we know of that are already helping in these areas. I wonder if we might not also need to limit it geographically. Would food solutions in the US work in Haiti or Uganda? I really don't know.

    Heifer.org comes to mind. But heifer doesn't operate in the town where I live. So while it's a good solution in some places, gardening or yard sharing or petitioning the local CSA for a low-cost share would make more sense here. …but I suppose there's more to it than just that. You can teach a person to garden, but if they prefer McDonald's will they bother to put your teaching into practice? … Nothing's ever easy, is it? As soon as I start thinking down one path, all these other issues pop to mind. *sigh*

    All the same, it's still a great question. I'm going to be thinking on that one for awhile.

  • http://barefootmeg.multiply.com barefootmeg

    “Can we help people struggling to survive, live sustainably?”

    This is a fantastic question. Like Amy, I wish I knew the answers.

    It might be interesting to focus in on just one of the areas that you brought up — like food, water, heat, housing — and try to brainstorm ideas or list organizations that we know of that are already helping in these areas. I wonder if we might not also need to limit it geographically. Would food solutions in the US work in Haiti or Uganda? I really don't know.

    Heifer.org comes to mind. But heifer doesn't operate in the town where I live. So while it's a good solution in some places, gardening or yard sharing or petitioning the local CSA for a low-cost share would make more sense here. …but I suppose there's more to it than just that. You can teach a person to garden, but if they prefer McDonald's will they bother to put your teaching into practice? … Nothing's ever easy, is it? As soon as I start thinking down one path, all these other issues pop to mind. *sigh*

    All the same, it's still a great question. I'm going to be thinking on that one for awhile.

  • Fletcher Chmara-Huff

    Caring for the environment has historically been a wealthy person’s game. In fact if you look at the increase in conservation areas globally, it has been intricately linked with the expansion of neoliberal capitalism and enrolling people into low wage work, rather than subsistence lifestyles. Our problem is systemic. We have for too long worshipped the invisible hand of the market, and claimed that God must be on our side. So one solution I can offer (that is not a quick fix), is to engage in God’s politics, to vote against measures and politicians that allow wealth to be consolidated at the expense of the poor. While I see many calls on the site to live as true Christians, nothing is explicitly stated about what this means to live as political animals.

    • http://www.wiselywoven.com J Fowler

      Fletcher, thanks for stopping by! I keep writing and erasing my thoughts. The issue of how Christians should engage in politics is a huge question. I think the real issue though is how do we change and influence society? I think we need to stop looking for systemic redemption and start carving out counter-cultural streams of renewal- do something small- love those within your reach- pray like the future depended on GOD’s intervention- model a new way of living- and in turn these small mustard seeds will eventually dwarf the reach of any politician or law. Politics deals in externals- GOD’s kingdom is here through JESUS to bring about change from the inside out- What does it mean to be engaged politically as a follower of JESUS? I’m still exploring this myself, but I think it means we stop looking to voting as the only means of engagement and realize that true change comes when we fulfill the ‘law of love’. Change comes from the roots upward- I will spend my time in the roots. We will be exploring political issues more in the coming months I think, so stay tuned. -shalom!