Blogging Assignment 10- EC Spokesperson

Assume the role of an EC critic or EC spokesperson. Given what you’ve learned this semester, discuss ethical decision-making, sustainability, and the EC.

Given everything that we have read, discussed and written about the Earth Charter I have become more optimistic about the document overall. While I still am skeptical, not as much of the goals set out, but of the reality of them being implemented assuming the role of an EC spokesperson is enthralling because ethically this document makes sense. It provides a level of hope for current and future generations. It instills in the reader how much power they actually have to makechanges and better our world. As the Earth Charter states,

“This requires a change of mind and heart. It requires a new sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of the substantial way of life locally, nationally, regionally and globally. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage and different cultures will find their own distinctive ways to realize this vision.”

I feel that this closing statement is one of the most powerful out of the whole document. To recognize that change requires more than just action, but internalization of these ideals notes how our future must be a collective movement congruently between every individual. Ethical decision-making fosters powerful progress individually, locally and nationally. The Earth Charter encourages ethical decision-making through open-mindedness. I feel that awareness is key when it comes to being able to actually make ethically sound decisions. I was personally struggling with that prior to taking this class. I simply was unaware of how the decisions, for example of what I eat, affect so many other individuals and groups. After reading Fast Food Nation, The Omnivores Dilemma and Closing the Food Gap I feel that if the correct education were implemented people would realize that they do have options, which would (hopefully) inspire them to make changes in their lives. I feel this way because that’s how the Earth Charter worked for me. After becoming aware of where my food came from, what it took to get to me and often how there are simple alternatives to my choices, I felt empowered.

Sustainability is something that our school prides itself on. We spend countless hours learning about it in our classrooms and thousands of dollars improving our campus. Imagine if every university implemented these practices. This is the same mindset I have with the Earth Charter document as a whole; it would make immense change! While I understand the magnitude of making these changes, it is still hard to fully commit. For example, trying to go vegetarian, for me, it’s ideal and I wish that I could make the switch over. I had every intention of sticking to it, but life happened and things just seemed to get in the way. This exact mentality is the reason why many of the Earth Charter principles aren’t being implemented continuously; our priorities need to change. The minute we make something our number one priority, things can change. The minute things no longer become an option, we have to change. I wish we would realize now, before it’s too late, that we have the power to prevent catastrophic things from happening!

I feel that the United States has the mentality that we are invincible. This ethnocentric mindset will be our downfall, unless we start thinking and making ethical (and sustainable) decisions. As Sophie Nicholls so elegantly quotes Kabat-Zinn, “Mindfulness is a certain way of paying attention that is healing, that is restorative, that is reminding you of who you actually are so that you don’t wind up getting entrained into being a human doing rather than a human being.” We are so focused on trying to compete and live up to what others (other nations or people) think of us that we have lost focus. The Earth Charter is an inspirational document that is focused on recentralizing how and why we do things. Just as the Earth Charter concludes, “Life often involves tensions between important values. This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonize diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good and short-term objectives with long-term goals.”

Local Food Initiatives

I feel that there are many local food initiatives in progress, two of which I learned about in this class such as The Roots Heritage Garden and The Harry Chapin Food bank. Local food initiatives help to bring control of our food back to a local level. This empowers communities and creates a sense of belonging and that control is being put back into the hands of the consumer. I feel the more people can become involved with their food, like through the Roots Heritage Garden, the more likely they will become educated about what they are eating, where it comes from and how they should be feeding their bodies. Some shortcomings of programs like this are funding and sheer manpower. Without funding and community support, gardens like this cannot flourish. Many individuals find it hard enough to find time in their day to go to the grocery store, if one is even available within the area, let alone go work on a garden. I also think that as a society, we crave instant gratification and working in a garden does not always provide that; it takes time to cultivate and grow everything, which could lead to frustrations, desperation and rejection of the project. Another shortcoming with local food initiatives is that they have a higher chance of being affected by donor and volunteer fatigue. Volunteer fatigue is a term we talked about in our group discussions during class, meaning that because of the constant demand and dependence on volunteers they may become burnt out. For example, in the Roots Heritage Garden they depend on volunteers and individuals committed to coming to the garden continuously. If there ever was a shortage of this, which I can imagine at times there could be, the garden would suffer immensely. (Picture source)

As the 5^th EC principle states, “Adopt at all levels sustainable development plans and regulations that make environmental conservation and rehabilitation integral to all developmental initiatives.” I feel this principle applies to local food initiatives because once the garden (a sustainable developmental plan) becomes established, it would help to rehabilitate our communities’ notion on food. This EC principle continues to note that maintaining biodiversity is necessary because it helps to preserve our natural heritage. This point especially applies to the Roots Heritage Garden (RHG), because by growing produce/vegetables that flourish in SW Florida it preserves foods that have always been here and creates a diversity of foods other than those found in the super markets. As we learned in class, it appears we have

options, when we really don’t. By growing our own food, we can reintroduce food biodiversity! The 9^th EC principle also ties in nicely with the idea of the RHG stating, “Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood, and provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves.” This is exactly what the RHG strives to introduce in our community! By empowering people with the knowledge of how to grow their own vegetables, it would encourage them to teach others and help to gain food security. (Earth Charter) (Photo Source)

If people can begin to support themselves, there would be less reliance on fast food corporations and can help to break the negative cycle of food decisions. I feel that the RHG is providing more than food security, it brings a sense of community back to our society. The more we feel connected to the people and places in our community, the more we will feel responsible for what is going on and how people are getting by. This connection could create a sense of family in their neighborhoods, where people would become more prone to helping each other out. Overall, local food initiatives such as the RHG are amazing opportunities to provide stability within our society and hopefully will inspire future generations to change what they consider food and how they acquire it.