September 15, 2011Hello everyone.
This month is a time of remembrance. 10 years ago this country suffered a major shock to its system in the terrorist attacks in NYC, Washington, DC and the field in southwestern Pennsylvania. That day changed us in fundamental ways. God’s blessing on all of us as we seek a world that is at peace!
This past month we also experienced mother nature at her most challenging, and some of us continue to suffer from the hurricanes, tornadoes and wild fires. It is terrifying to some degree because we have created for ourselves a way of life that sometimes seems as if it moves along independent of mother nature. So, when wild fires destroy our homes, rivers overflowing their banks consume our possessions, or tornadoes rip a path of destruction through our towns, we are confronted by a fact that will not go away. We are part of nature; we are “citizens” of nature, regardless of how much we do to try to insulate ourselves from it. Whether one concedes that our recent run of violent weather is a part of the climate-change phenomenon, or one considers these events as simply part of the cycle of nature, the point stands that these momentous weather events shock us out of the normal way of life that we have come to depend on.
A colleague of mine was without power for several days after the hurricane. It disrupted her entire way of life. She sought ways to reassert her control of her life, but found them all wanting to some degree. I read of another family, without power for days, who chose to enter into the “powerlessness” of the situation, and live a “more natural” life. What does it mean to live “more naturally?” There is a vigorous debate about that, but I would say that to live “more naturally” means to live more attentively, particularly about how the way we live impacts the world we live in. How do my choices at the supermarket support or undermine food production systems that are dependent on fossil fuels for their existence? How does my choice of automobile and decisions on how to use that automobile impact the emission of greenhouse gases? How does the temperature at which I set my air conditioner and/or furnace impact the need to produce electricity through coal-fired power plants that emit toxic chemicals into the atmosphere? How much waste am I creating in my daily life? How do I manage that waste? Do I participate in the unsustainable filling of landfills or do I participate in recycling programs that decrease my waste footprint? Do I seek to have the picture perfect lawn, without any weeds, and perfectly green, thereby necessitating the use of hydrocarbons in fertilizers and pesticides, demonstrating increasing dependence on a non-sustainable resource like petroleum? Or do I work with nature, to grow a lawn, a vegetable garden, or flower garden, the settles into the ecosystem that is here, rather than one I’d rather be in?
I raise these concerns as part of the art of remembering, of reconnecting with mother nature by whom we are all nurtured. It all begins with remembering that our life unfolds within the life of this planet, and in this universe. It unfolds precisely because this planet is the way that it is. It is proper for us to honor this earth of ours by attending to how our activities impact it, for good or for not so good. We are all called to honor the reality of mother nature supporting the lives that we live, out of gratitude, and out of respect for the bountiful diversity and beauty that characterize this amazing place. That commitment to honor can begin with recognizing our connection. Perhaps such thoughts are not helpful in the process of cleaning up our homes destroyed by fire, wind and water. If so, set them aside, but I hope at some time down the road, they might invite you back into a place where the beauty and bounty of mother nature can evoke once again your wonder and thankfulness.
Remember us here in Camden. We need you!
Peace,
Mark Doorley
President, Board of Trustees
NEWS AND NOTES
1. WATERFRONT SOUTH FARMER’S MARKET: Each Thursday, through the end of October, from 4-7PM the Waterfront South Farmer’s Market is open for business. There are fresh vegetables from the gardens the Center tends, as well as produce provided by Philadelphia-based GreensGrow. The farmer’s market sets up shop at 1729 Ferry Ave. Stop by!
2. FIRST SATURDAY WORK DAY: On October 1st, we are gathering once again to work in the gardens. If you can join us, please contact Andrea at aferich@gmail.com. We gather at 9AM and work til Noon. If you come, bring work gloves and a bottle of water.
3. OCTOBER 6th The third annual Thomas Berry Lecture takes place at 7:30PM at Sacred Heart Church, on the corner of S. Broadway & Ferry Ave. Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased at the door or on our website. Our speaker is Judy Wicks, the founder and now previous owner of the White Dog Café in Philadelphia that operates almost entirely off the grid and makes use of only local produce and grass fed, free range animal products. She also started the Sustainable Business Network, a group of businesses that seeks to pool their resources in order to lessen their impact on the environment. Her talk is entitled: “Local Living Economies: Green, Fair and Fun.” All proceeds benefit the Center. The door prize, for which everyone is eligible, is a gift certificate to the White Dog Café, a wonderful eatery. Prior to the lecture, there is a meet and greet with Judy Wicks at the Center. For $50 a person can secure a spot at the meet and greet when he or she can have a chance to chat with Judy, enjoy delicious food, and receive a ticket to the lecture. We would love to have you join us for this special event. Please contact us at Camden.cfet@gmail.com for more information, or visit our website to purchase a ticket to the meet and greet.
4. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: For the Thomas Berry Lecture, there are opportunities for individuals and/or businesses to be a sponsor. Consider supporting the Center in this way. Our work is only possible through the generosity of people like you who so faithfully provide us the support we need. Contact us at camden.cfet@gmail.com
5. Please pass along the name and email address of people in your networks who would be interested in receiving this monthly email.
6. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/76348055377/
7. The Politics of Food: In Cape May Point, from September 22-25, the Cape May Forum is hosting a series of discussions on the politics of food. This portends to be a very vigorous conversation, but one that we need to have with each other. For more information, go to www.capemayforum.org.
8. There are very important policy conversations going on in New Jersey and the area. One has to do with Governor Christie’s desire to waive over 100 regulatory statutes that address clean air in the state. The other is over the use of hydraulic fracturing, also called ‘fracking,” in the Delaware River Basin. It is very important that citizens be part of this discussion. It is critically important that policy decisions that impact the environment be the result of a debate in which all citizens are involved. If you are a citizen in the Delaware River Valley, or a citizen of the state of New Jersey, get involved. Click here to begin learning about the regulation issue, and here to begin learning about the hydraulic fracturing issue.