We Are A Community - Lessons from No Impact Man

No Impact Man is a documentary about a family attempting to live for a year making no negative impact on the environment. Colin Beavan, his wife Michelle Conlin, and their daughter Isabella live in New York City. During the project, they attempt to make little or no trash, buy nothing but food, eat only locally, use only bikes for transportation, compost all their garbage using a worm bin, give up elevators, television, and eating out, and even ultimately turn off the electricity to their apartment. Any negative impact on the environment is offset by positive action, such as volunteering for a project restoring oysters to the Hudson River for water filtration.

The movie gave a lot of information about our impact on the environment. But the most interesting part of the film to me was the evolution of the relationship between Colin and Michelle. Initially, Michelle was skeptical and reluctant, and few habits die hard, such as the daily cup of non local coffee. During the course of the year Michelle is transformed by the effort to live intentionally and simply; she said the best part of the project for her was the intimacy in her family. Colin is transformed as well as he helps Michelle live out her own dreams. They grow closer without the diversions of television, restaurants, and lights and electricity. They spend more time outside as a family during the hot New York summer. Their friendships deepen over home made meals, games of scrabble and charades, and meaningful conversation.

The main lesson of the film, for me, was the importance of community for social change. Colin speaks about community:

People ask me, "If I can just do one thing, what should it be? Not use plastic bags or not use plastic cups?" I would say if there was only one thing to do it would be to volunteer with an environmental organization. Part of the reason for that is because there's community. I believe very strongly that a lot of the environmental problems in our planet have come because of the breakdown of community. Because without community none of us feel accountable to anybody else. All of us are interconnected on many levels. If you're religious, then you understand that at a religious level. But even if you're just practical, you can see that we're interconnected. If I splash a puddle and you're standing next to it, it splashes you. If I make pollution you have to breathe it in. My mind wants to tell me that I'm the only one that's important, you know? So I have to keep teaching myself over and over and over again that that's not true.

At the end of the project, Michelle spoke about what changes she would like to maintain. Her list included biking, little or no garbage, the farmer's market, eating mostly vegetarian (with a hot dog now and then), and no television in the house. The first thing she wanted to get rid of was the composting worm bin in the kitchen!

No Impact Man was very thought provoking. The project inspires us to look at our own daily lives and discover how we can lessen our negative environmental impact and increase our benefit to the planet. We can also ask ourselves how we can become closer to our families, friends, and neighbors and build close knit communities. As we learn to care for each other, we naturally want to take care of our environment which sustains all of us.

For more info, see the No Impact Project.

Departures

I enjoyed Departures, a Japanese film which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009. The film gives a glimpse into the beauty and elegance of Japanese culture. It is also an exploration of the preparation for death, which, paradoxically, teaches us to embrace and love life. We witness the transformation of a young man as he finds a way to serve his community. We also see the healing of old family wounds and the creation of a new family. There are plenty of light hearted moments to make the tone of the film hopeful and funny even though it deals with a serious topic.

A Glimpse of Palestine, A Taste Of Syria

I recently enjoyed the film Amreeka about a Palestinian single mother Muna and her teenage son Fadi who emigrate to America. We get a glimpse of life in Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, and see the insecurity and anxiety of daily life in a conflict zone. Muna and Fadi receive a long awaited chance to move to America, and they begin a new life near Chicago living with Muna's sister and her family. Muna struggles to find a job, and Fadi tries to fit into his new school. In addition to the difficulties of transplanting themselves into a new culture and way of life, they unfortunately face some anti Arab sentiment as America is embroiled in a war in Iraq. Although the movie touches on very serious topics, it is at the same time light-hearted and fun. We get a glimpse into the warm and beautiful culture of the family, and see the humor as Muna stretches her wings in a new job and starts a new friendship. This movie is highly enjoyable, hopeful, and entertaining, while not shying away from challenging issues.

If you rent the DVD, don't miss the short bonus film "Make A Wish", also by director Cherien Dabis. Also set in Palestine, it has a poignant, surprise ending.

After watching a movie with Arab food, music, and culture, I was hungry for some Middle Eastern cuisine! I had lunch with some friends at newly opened Syrian restaurant Lazeez in Whitehall. I was assured by the owner that all the food was homemade by his family, and it was indeed delicious. I feasted on falafel and baba ganoush, and all the favorites were also on the menu including tabouli, spinach pie, shawarma, and more.

Now that we have traveled to the Near and Middle East via film and food, enjoy this beautiful song Supplication by the Azeri musician Sami Yusuf. You may remember this song from the movie Kite Runner.

Stones into Schools, Leila, and news from Iran and Haiti

Oh my dear readers, I fear my blog has been dormant too long. Sooner or later, there comes a time in every blogger's life when they become occupied with personal concerns and the blog is neglected. So, I'm going to give a quick whirlwind tour of what I've been reading and thinking about and begin posting regularly once again. I have some new fun hikes planned so hopefully will share some pictures soon!

Books:
I finished Greg Mortenson's Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan.I enjoyed this book even more than its predecessor, Three Cups of Tea, Greg's personal memoir about a community in Pakistan helping him after a failed attempt on K2 and his resultant desire to benefit the children of that village by building a school. Mortenson's organization, Central Asia Institute, has built 130 schools throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan. The most effective way to combat terrorism is to educate children, especially girls. An educated girl who later becomes a mother is more likely to guide her family to avoid extreme thinking and violence. The most important aspect of the work, however, is not solely avoiding terrorism, but unleashing human potential and the ability of communities to determine their own future by knowledge and literacy.

Interestingly enough, our local hiking group was treated to a wonderful presentation by Bethlehem resident Joe Yannuzzi who summited Everest in May of 2008 and has worked to benefit the residents of Nepal by building libraries in that region. We saw stunning photos of the Everest climb, and also pictures of children enjoying the newly constructed library, and even the yaks hauling in the books!

I also finished Drive, The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink, definitely a worthy read. In the author's own words: "Carrots and sticks are so last century. Drive says for 21st century work, we need to upgrade to autonomy, mastery, and purpose."

Movies:
I recently saw Crash due to the suggestion of a friend. This movie asks some hard questions about what part racism plays in our lives. We're forced to face our unconscious assumptions and evaluate our actions and our relationships to others. This isn't a family friendly film, but see it with your friends and significant people in your life and have some honest and hard discussions. Definitely worth seeing and talking about.

The Iranian movie Leila was also thought provoking, but in a different way. Leila found out she was unable to have children early in her marriage to Reza. Reza's mother pressured Leila to ask her husband to take a second wife. The movie is about what she decided and the impact which follows. At first it was difficult for me to relate to the characters, the view on marriage was just too different (you want me to WHAT?!). But as I reflected on it, I realized that my own culture is also going through a shift in our views on marriage. Leila and Reza had a love marriage based on companionship and affection but they were pressured by their family's view of marriage as being primarily a vehicle to carry on the male line. Plenty of social commentary has been written on our own shift in culture to the desire for a soul mate marriage, and marriage as a vehicle for personal fulfillment. Our marriages and families are struggling with these relatively new concepts and the resulting shifts in expectations and roles. Phillipe Copeland over at Bahá’í Thought has started an interesting discussion on these topics here.

Junior Youth Class:
Bahá’í Junior Youth class is continuing to go well. This week we had a discussion about media and popular music and how to be conscious consumers. All of us are bombarded with messages many times daily. We enjoy a wide variety of music and movies and books, but ultimately we need to be conscious of the attitudes and perspectives we are absorbing and think critically about them.

News:
The seven Bahá’í leaders in Iran, imprisoned nearly two years without proper legal representation, had their first trial January 12. The next session is February 7. The situation is very grim and the unfounded charges they face carry serious penalty. For background information and to follow the latest news, please see Iran Press Watch.

Of course our hearts are breaking daily with the news out of Haiti.

"When such a crisis sweeps over the world no person should hope to remain intact. We belong to an organic unit and when one part of the organism suffers all the rest of the body will feel its consequence."
- Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance

Our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors far too long oppressed by poverty and injustice and now, tragically, natural disaster. There are plenty of websites out there that give guidance on where to donate, but two of the most helpful lists I have found are here and here .

Movie Review: Avatar

I, like almost everyone I know, went to see the movie Avatar this weekend. As you've no doubt heard, the visual effects are simply stunning and the fictitious and digitally created world of Pandora is beautiful with luminescent foliage and magnificent creatures.

The film's environmental message is that the Na'vi, Pandora's race of human like creatures, have learned to live in harmony with the forest and reap its treasures without exploiting nature. They respect the energy in all living beings and seek to protect them, and show thanks and reverence to those they must sparingly use for food. Humans, who have destroyed their own home planet, now come to Pandora seeking to ravage its resources and threatening to destroy any Na'vi which stand in their way.

As much as I loved the visual imagery of this movie, I have to disagree with those who praise this film's supposedly environmental message. What the Na'vi learn is, with some divine assistance and the application of deadly force, an invading race can be destroyed militarily and sent home in shame and defeat. This apparently superior race of creatures has now been taught the art of war. Unfortunately, based on our knowledge of human history, a defeated people tends to go back to the trenches and develop even more powerful force. War does not provide long term solutions and only leads to more war.

If the film truly had an environmental message, this spiritually advanced civilization would teach the invading humans how to respect their planet and repair their own resources.We would have seen that there are long term and creative solutions which solve the source of the problem and do not rely on violence. But that does not a blockbuster make.

Yes, the digital world of Pandora is beautiful and wondrous. But I am partial to our own exquisite planet, fragile as it may be. And I know the human race can be greedy and violent and selfish, but I don't believe that is our own true nature. I have hope that by the time we develop technology allowing us to visit other worlds, the human race will mature and develop creative and long lasting solutions to our environmental problems.

Definitely go see this movie and don't wait for DVD, it is amazing and technologically brilliant. You will be thoroughly entertained. But don't expect to see any new message here. I do love that people are seeing this movie and talking to their families and friends about it, because I do have optimism about the potential of our human race, and perhaps the solutions all start with conversations.

Movie Review: Julie and Julia

Julie and Julia is the story of Julie Powell, who decides to spend a year cooking every recipe in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and in so doing discovers her own passion and purpose. We also follow the story of Julia Child herself, from her life in Paris with her husband Paul. her first cooking lessons, and the eventual publication of her classic cookbook.

I liked this movie, it was warm and funny. I loved seeing the relationship of Julia and Paul Child and how she was ambitious and independent yet also deeply connected to her husband.

I learned a couple of lessons from this movie. Find something you have a passion for and become great at it. Striving for excellence in something you love will make your life shine. Perfection isn't necessary. The best marriages are between friends who encourage each other to follow their own dreams while building their lives together. Most importantly, share your life with your loved ones over delicious meals prepared with love and enjoyment.

Bon Appétit'!

Food, Inc. - You Can Change The World One Bite At A Time

Food, Inc. is a documentary about our industrial agricultural food system which shines some light on where our food comes from.I have long been aware of some of the abuses of factory farms, but much of the information in this documentary surprised and shocked me.

Food prices are largely determined by what our government subsidizes. Because corn and soy are so heavily subsidized, cattle are fed this diet almost exclusively instead of their natural diet of grass. This diet combined with overcrowding and unsanitary conditions leads to high rates of e coli. Chicken farms fare no better, conditions are cruelly overcrowded and birds are bred for tender meat, leaving some birds unable to even stand on their own. Sick and diseased birds lead to unhealthy food for consumers. Food laws do little to protect the consumer, and much to protect the industry.

The conditions of meat industry workers is appalling. Subsidized American corn prices force Mexican corn farmers out of business. Meat packing plants recruit in Mexico for desperate under paid workers living in constant fear of deportation. Immigration arrests a handful of workers daily, but does not go after the system which exploits them to process our cheap food.

I was not aware of the seed monopoly created by the patenting of genetic modifications. The vast majority of soybeans in this country are genetically modified to be resistant to pesticides used to control weeds. Farmers are not allowed to save seed, they must purchase from the industrial giants or risk a lawsuit for violating a patent. The small farmer who attempts to use non GMO seeds also risks legal action if their neighbor's seed happens to blow onto their land contaminating the crop and thereby violating the seed patent. It is virtually impossible for a small farmer to defend him or herself against these major companies. In fact, only a small handful of companies control the bulk of our food supply.

Agribusiness also relies on huge quantities of fossil fuels for production and transportation. The system is vulnerable to rising gas prices which cause food prices to spike, endangering millions. The system has very little resiliency.

These are just a few of the shocking facts uncovered in this documentary. I highly recommend seeing the whole movie and learning about our food supply and the effect on our health, our environment, workers, and our children.

Luckily, the news is not all bad. We can vote to change the system three times a day when we choose our meals. If we choose local, organic, whole food we vote with our fork. Industry will respond to consumer demand. A powerful example of this is the decline of the power of the tobacco industry as consumers became educated and aware and made healthier choices. We can also lobby our legislators to pass food safety laws which protect consumers.

The first step is awareness. The next step is action....

Out of Africa

I finally managed to succumb to the cold/fever which is afflicting almost everyone I know. So I spent a lot of the weekend finishing reading Three Cups of Tea and watching the epic Out of Africa.

Out of Africa is a memoir of the life of Karen von Blixen on a coffee farm in Kenya during the last decades of the British Empire. The movie raises unanswerable questions about colonialism, power, modernization, ownership, and also choices in marriage, love, and fidelity. Karen is rather enlightened in that she provides health care and education to the Kikuyu who live and work on her farm, but the relationship is, nevertheless, one of colonialism.

When Karen's marriage of convenience to the philandering Baron Bror von Blixen fails, she falls for the ultimate unattainable man, Denys Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford.

The movie is replete with scenes of beautiful African wilderness and wildlife, which alone is a reason to watch it. It was the perfect movie to watch while nursing a cold and wrapped in a blanket and daydreaming of travels in Africa...

Movie Review: Osama

Osama is a 2003 film made in Afghanistan. The film is about a twelve year old Afghan girl whose mother is a widow without any surviving male relatives. Under Taliban rule, a woman is forbidden to leave her home without a male escort, leaving the family without any support. In desperation the woman cuts the hair of her young daughter and dresses her in male clothes. Now disguised as a boy, the young girl, who now takes the name Osama (apparently a popular male and female name in that region) begins to work for a friend of the family in a small store. However the Taliban gathered together all the local boys to train them as soldiers, including Osama.

The movie is fascinating because it was filmed in Kabul with local actors and gives a portrayal of life under the Taliban. This is not a feel good movie, it won't leave you with a sense of the triumph of goodness over adversity. Sadly, sometimes that just does not happen. The movie will, however, leave you with a sense of outrage over the injustices in a sometimes cruel world.

Unfortunately, I sometimes am left with a sense of helplessness over what to do in the face of such inhumanity. We can give money for schools to organizations such as Pennies for Peace, we can support international organizations such as Unicef which work for protection of children in conflict zones, we can volunteer for agencies which promote women's empowerment such as those listed in Half the Sky , but sometimes it just feels like putting a tiny band aid on a gaping wound.

The only thing I can hope to do is work little by little, day by day, to promote a culture of peace. We can guide and educate our children to develop a sense of responsibility for the well being of others and a motivation to improve the world. Perhaps if we all do some small part in whatever way motivates us, collectively we can make a difference. The first step is awareness, and the film Osama is a definite window into that part of the world.

Movie Review: Whale Rider

Whale Rider was a beautiful story filmed in New Zealand of a young Maori girl, Pai, who is the only living child of the chief's son. She is a direct descendant of Paikea, who rode atop a whale from Hawaika, the mythical homeland. However, as a girl, she cannot inherit tribal leadership. Throughout the movie, she attempts to win the approval and acceptance of her grandfather, who had wished for a boy child.

The story is a glimpse into Maori culture, showing some of the spiritual beliefs, culture, dance, and music. Although not a children's movie, it is definitely family friendly. So get your kids, or your friends and their kids, and sit down to watch this touching movie with a big bowl of popcorn. There's lots to talk about afterwards: what traditions do we follow, can we expand to include loved ones of other traditions, does tradition ever change and evolve? Then watch this video of the fierce Maori Haka ("fiery words").

Movie Review: The Bucket List

When I first started watching this movie, I realized I made a mistake, because it's a movie about cancer, and I have a lot of difficulty with cancer movies. However, I decided to stick it out and watch it till the end, and it was well worth it.

When Carter and Edward, two strangers sharing a hospital room, find out they are both dying from cancer, they come up with a bucket list, experiences they want to have before they "kick the bucket". They see the amazing sites of our world, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, an African safari, the Pyramids, and several others.

But, as you might imagine, what is most valuable to us in our lives is our relationships with our loved ones. Carter and Edward are able to help each other with their respective blind spots. They each must learn to truly cherish that which is closest to their hearts.

I enjoyed this movie. Anyone who has difficulty with illness or dying themes might want to make another choice. The movie lightens up with the journey around the world; I always love travel scenes. It is heart warming to see the relationship between these two men change. Sometimes a stranger can turn quickly into a dearest friend and teach us lessons about ourselves. In the end, that which is most meaningful is always close to home, and it's important to now and then have a reminder.

Movie Review: Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief is the story of Susan Retik and Patti Quigley who lost their husbands in the 9/11 attacks. To heal their grief and move forward with their lives, they began to work to help Afghan widows. There are over 500,000 Afghan war widows. A woman without a husband in Afghanistan has lost her only means of support and the protection for her family. She cannot remarry or she has to give up her children to her late husband's family. Most are forced into poverty and rely on charity for basic subsistence.

Susan and Patti began to raise money to help these women. They wanted to help return these families to wholeness and help them earn their own money to feed and house and educate their children. They donated chicks for the women to raise to use for eggs for sale.

But Susan and Patti did even more than that. In spite of being single parents and facing danger, they traveled to Afghanistan to meet these women and understand their lives. They formed immediate connections. They witnessed the food lines, traveled to their homes, met their children, and heard their stories. Most of these women have never known a world without conflict and danger. Some of them have buried children who died from starvation. The organization Susan and Patti founded, Beyond the 11th, will help them with education and small businesses and help return them to self-sufficiency.

Susan and Patti both grew from their tragedy which opened their hearts to other women who have lost husbands. Patti's brother told how we make small choices every day, which turn into patterns, which eventually determine the course of our lives. These women chose courage over fear and love over hate. Our globe is interconnected, and grief and pain and loss in one part of the world will eventually effect us. Out of their own tragedy Susan and Patti resolved to help improve lives in another country, because despite our cultural differences we all know love and loss, and we all hope for our children to grow and thrive and inherit a better world.

Movie Review: Sunshine Cleaning

Sunshine Cleaning is a movie about Rose and her sister Norah who form a bio hazard removal and crime scene cleanup business.

While at first this industry seems macabre, Rose sums it up nicely when she says "We come in to people's lives when they have experienced something profound and sad. They've lost somebody.... And we help. In some small way, we help."

The movie follows two young women and their family as they cope with a childhood tragedy and overcome personal adverse circumstances. In the process, the sisters clean up their own lives, learn to let go of pain, and begin to thrive as entrepreneurs.

I loved the movie because of two main themes. The first is that our work is our contribution to the world, and if we approach our job with an attitude of service to humanity, whatever we do becomes noble. Rose and Norah touched the lives of their clients with compassion, sensitivity, and respect. They helped people in the most terrible of circumstances.

The second theme is that out of tragedy, we can renew our lives and grow and thrive. Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh used to say that flowers grow out of garbage. The resiliency of humans is amazing, some of the strongest and most deeply compassionate people I know have experienced the most profound sadness. The human spirit can take these tragedies and transform them into opportunities for growth and maturity.

I would highly recommend this touching movie. After seeing it, I asked myself how I can approach what I do with an attitude of service to others, and I asked myself how I can turn adversity into growth.

Movie Review: Viva Cuba

I love to travel, but with 391 National Parks in the United States alone, and 193 countries in the world (UN count), I can't possibly visit every place I would like to. So I love travel movies!!!

I watched Viva Cuba, a Cuban independent film about two youth, Jorgito and Malu, who travel the length of the island to contact Malu's father. The two children have a close friendship which transcends the economic differences of their parents. The film touches on issues of emigration, class differences, family conflict, and adolescent turmoil. I loved the portrayal of the charming and sometimes strained relationship between Jorgito and Malu, which is tested by the difficulties of their travel, and I also loved the glimpse into the culture and life and beauty of Cuba.

Movie Review: God Grew Tired of Us

I watched the movie God Grew Tired of Us, about the horrific impact of the war in Sudan on children and a hopeful journey to America. The movie followed several of the Lost Boys of Sudan, a group of over 25,000 young refugees from civil wars in Sudan, through camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, and ultimately to America where they were offered shelter and education and a chance to create a new life.

Parts of the movie were shocking and tragic as the reality of war impacted these children: starvation, disease, loss of family and home, separation from loved ones. The title of the movie comes from John Bul Dau who at one time believed the end of the world was imminent and that God had simply grown tired of us.

A number of the young men were offered refuge in America for education and employment. The movie also has some humorous moments as they explore aspects of our culture from the outside. They learn to ice skate on wobbly ankles, they wonder if the brightly colored sprinkles on donuts are actually food, they crush up Ritz crackers and cook them in milk because it resembles a familiar meal. They also experience the sometimes lonely nature of American life, the separation from family and lack of time for connection with friends.

The movie was very inspirational for several reasons. We can see the resilience of the human spirit, the simple will of these children and youth to survive in the most desolate of circumstances. They bond together in makeshift families and learn to support each other. On days with no food, they have "parliament meetings" to experience community and help each other get through.

As they find jobs and start school, they never forget connections to homeland, family, and friends. They searched desperately for lost family, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. They constantly send whatever money they can spare to loved ones. But, most importantly, they work to change the situation. John Dau became an outspoken advocate for peace and justice in Sudan and developed health clinics in his homeland. Other "Lost Boys" started schools or other charitable foundations.

I loved the movie God Grew Tired of Us. Although parts were tragic and difficult to watch, there were enough light hearted moments as the young men navigated their way through America and interacted with Americans. The movie also showed the remarkable ability of the human spirit to transform the most dire of circumstances into hope and optimism and connection with community.

Slumdog Millionaire and State of the World's Children

Today we saw the powerful film "Slumdog Millionaire". The film is a tender Bollywood love story about destiny and loyalty. But it is also a glimpse into the sometimes tragic life of children who are not protected. Children in conflict zones or in poverty who are not sheltered by their families can fall victim to those who wish to exploit them or cause them harm. For more information on the state of the world's children and how you can help please see the Unicef website.