Rising to Our Challenges

It’s easy right now to look around and see negatives. Issues of economy and ecology that may touch every aspect of our lives. I could list the challenges we’re facing, but I’ll spare you. Turn on the television, open a newspaper, read a magazine, talk to your friends: you know what the issues are. Doom and gloom is everywhere. You don’t have to look very far to find it. Push a little further, though -- beyond the surface stuff -- and the positives become apparent.

In an era of ease, we tend to get fat. Intellectually and emotionally, if not physically. But in an era filled with challenges we amaze ourselves: we rise. Sometimes it takes my breath away.

I find myself tremendously excited by the innovation that’s emerging from this era of greening and global concern. It seems to me that, as a culture, we are rising to our challenges. We’re looking out new windows to see answers to questions we hadn’t even considered half a decade ago.

For instance, I’ve been deeply impressed at the emergence of the rocket stove. This is a very new approach to one of mankind’s oldest challenges: how to heat a home and cook food with the least amount of fuss and -- our more recent concern -- with the lowest impact on the environment. It seems to me that the rocket stove is perfect. It’s easy and inexpensive to build; it is efficient and it was born of a human desire to do something in an entirely new way. A better way.

I’m not going to go into the details of building one here -- this Web page at Humboldt State does a terrific job of that -- but I just wanted to share with you one example of the type of technology I’m finding exciting right now: the type that illustrates how well, as a culture, we’re stepping up to our new challenges. There’s something beautiful in that.

The Meaning of the Holidays in A Liquid Amber Gaze

As 2007 draws to a close, I find myself almost weirdly optimistic about the coming year.

Sure, the past 12 months brought some bad news (including the current administration’s decision to deny California the right to regulate greenhouse gases from vehicles). But, for what seemed to me like the first time ever, for every hit the environment took, there were a dozen strong voices poised for action. And so everywhere you turned, there were stories about companies going green and the 100 Mile Diet and even the very mainstream Time asked this week: “How Green is Your Neighborhood?” While the article doesn’t necessarily offer up viable answers, it’s really asking a lot of the right questions. That isn’t enough, but it feels like a real start.

So I’m optimistic. And -- I’ll tell the truth -- I’m happy. This morning when I got up, I saw a cluster of deer outside the house. I’m quite sure they didn’t see me, but I felt as though they did.

One doe, in particular, lifted her head while I watched. She looked towards my window with her liquid, amber gaze and it was as though she watched and weighed. In the end, she put her head back down to graze and I felt oddly proud. As though I’d been judged and found not wanting. A ridiculous feeling, I know. Not logical. And yet, there it is.

Here’s wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season. May your experiences be rich and your footprint small and may all your dreams come true.

Thoughts on Thanks

I always feel I have so much to give thanks for: family, friends, health. And I feel beyond lucky -- blessed -- every year on this day to cast my eyes around a table surrounded by people I care about. And people who, for the most part care about the same things that move me.

And, honestly? I’m thankful even for that table. And the things we bring to it. Good food, beautifully and lovingly prepared. And good humor. Companionship. Caring. And laughter. Laughter as important, I think, as just about anything else.

I’m thankful, too, for this year gone by. For the fact that I’m striving -- honestly striving -- to leave a less visible footprint than I’ve left in the past. I know more now, and I’m thankful for that as well.

And I’m thankful for Dancing Deer. Of course I’m thankful for that. To have found the place where footprints can be weighed and measured. And where systems can be put in place -- through thoughtful permaculture, through traditional things like composting, through serious consideration, honest thought -- where my footprint will be smaller still. And, with care, perhaps yours will too.

So every year I feel thankful. But this year? I’m more thankful still. Thank you for being part of that.

HopeDance 10 Year Celebration

It was a delight recently to host HopeDance magazine’s 10th anniversary party here at Dancing Deer. It was the first sizeable gathering that we’ve held here and -- aside from a little bit of interference from the weather -- everything went off without a hitch.

We love Bob and company from HopeDance, so it was super to play such an integral part in the festivities. Ten years is an amazing accomplishment and we wish them many more! It was also great to see Dancing Deer gussied up for her first shindig and coming through with such flying colors.

On paper we knew that a gathering should be no problem, but it was ultra good to discover that we were right and that we had ample room for all activities planned, even when the skies broke and the rain came and we were forced to retreat indoors. It wasn’t even a hardship to spend most of the evening inside, with groups gathered in the kitchen (don’t the best parties always have clumps of people in the kitchen?), while others danced in the great hall or chatted at various locations throughout the main house.

It’s gratifying to know we can easily accommodate a gathering. As things stand now, Dancing Deer will from time to time happily host your small non-profit group for daytime activities.

The Sharing of Knowledge

With the One Laptop Per Child Foundation’s computer, the XO, shipping now to children in developing countries, a dream many years in the making has become reality.

I’ve been following this story closely for a couple of reasons: in the first place, a good chunk of my personal background is in high tech. I can’t help but be excited at the prospect of all these great minds getting together in order to -- ultimately -- help little minds to grow. There’s something beautiful in that.

The machine itself is beautiful, as well. In a rugged and practical way. The XO laptop is green in all ways, right down to the handcrank that lets kids power it up when they’re in low or no electricity situations. The computer is tough and durable, meant to operate in the worst possible conditions and, together, even exclusive of a connection to the Internet, XOs in proximity to each other together create their own network.

On a more personal level, it’s been exciting watching the emergence of success after a struggle; of taking what was an almost impossibly huge dream and preserving until the dream became reality. It encourages all of us working towards a sustainable and conscious life to keep our heads down and our hearts open.

On a totally practical level, until November 26th if you donate $399, “one XO laptop will be sent to empower a child in a developing nation and one will be sent to the child in your life in recognition of your contribution.” To sweeten things still further, $200 of your donation is tax-deductible. More information on the program -- and the XO laptop -- is here.