Two full days of Peace on Earth!By Claire KellermanLiving in Santa Barbara, I am blessed to be part of a thriving community of earth-loving folks. “Living Green,” our local Art Gallery/Green Building and Finishing Materials store, is heaven to me, and I hope to meet every member of the “Green Building Alliance.” See their descriptions on my “lynx” page at klarity.org, and you’ll understand why I drove seven hours straight, just me and my dog, Mer, all the way to San Francisco. A short 94 miles further north on the 101 freeway, we arrived in Hopland, home of the Solar Living Center, SolFest, and the Real Goods catalog! I wanted to get to my 2nd SolFest as quickly as possible. I wanted to be swimming, once again, in a sea of positive solutions and great ideas and solar energy lovers. I knew that returning to SolFest after 5 years, it would be even better. It was. There were rows upon rows of booths selling, educating and sharing every wild, fun, tasty, intelligent, comfortable, and bright thing. There were solar experts, bio diesel cars, trucks driven there on vegetable oil, Wolaver’s Organic Ales, full spectrum lighting fixtures, Earthshell disposable food service packaging suppliers, Eco Timber, hemp milkshakes, and hemp clothes, freebies from Whole Foods, Mothering magazine…endless goodness. I noticed in the schedule the many workshops on every conceivable subject. Five or six at any given time: Practical Hydrogen, Hybrid adobe, Passive Solar Design, Hydro Power, Composting toilets, Politics as Spiritual Practice, Creating an Intentional Community, Financial Planning for a Sustainable World, Brewing Organic Beer, Free Energy, Pest-proof Your Garden by Growing Flowers, and many more. I sat down under a canopy that was created by taking thin “baby trees” from one mother tree, so their roots and canopy grew together, leaving a cool shady space in between. Perfect, because it was really sunny. Carolyn Roberts was about to share her story. She had decided in her mid-40’s to build a straw bale home of her own, with her own hands. Being an Earth Architecture Apprentice, I was eager to hear of her journey through the completion of her home. I was touched by her honesty and her persistence. She passed around large, laminated photos of the desert and her steps of construction. What an inspiring result she finally shared; her beautiful home! There was such a variety of vibes, all merging into one cohesive buzz; I pictured this as a microcosm of what is possible …people from all over co-creating a sustainable and abundant way of living. I found peace on earth. What else do you call 12 acres, a former Cal Trans dump site, that has been transformed into a permacultural oasis over the past 8 years? I strolled the sunny trails down the gentle, shaded slopes of grass to the ponds. Weeping willows were full, with feathery fingers falling over, lightly touching the water’s surface. Fish kept jumping in the air, catching the children’s attention for a splash or two. Ripples floated out to the shore of the pond where a lone, brilliantly colored rooster passed me by. He meandered amongst the fruit trees in the orchard, and pecked at the earth on his way down one of the many rows in the organic vegetable garden, past strawberries, lettuce and corn. I wandered deeper into the festival. I would have voted for Paul Hawken for President right there after he spoke. He is the author of the book Natural Capitalism. He was so clear and so passionate about the challenges we face as a planet; as humans choosing survival versus old habits dying hard, even though these habits are killing us. I felt one with this group of caring people. Finally, I was a dot with other dots to connect with. It was powerful to know that everyone came to SolFest because they too wanted something better than the usual. Thank you Paul Hawkens for your empowered perspective. I was left with a great feeling, a distinct sense that I am more than a speck, more than a singular dot, alone on a hopeless planet. It felt good. I felt like cheering. Actually, there was a lot of cheering. A lot of cheering. I was swept away. Here it was. Peace had broken out. Each person’s contribution to the scene seemed to flow from this unanimous singular intention…I saw dancing children, painted faces, lively seniors, hippies in hemp, conservatively clad, smiling folks, and dreadlocks swaying to cool tunes, thanks to Michael Franti’s Soul-hugging vocal, acoustic and lyrical excellence!! There were passion-driven, environmentalist celebrities Ed Begley, Jr. and Shelley Duvall sharing their wisdom and experience about living simply, Wind Power, and hybrid cars. Ed usually rides his bike everywhere in his neighborhood, and although he declared that the bicycle is the most energy efficient mode of transport, he admitted that he drove from Los Angeles to Hopland. The good news: His Toyota Prius Hybrid got him there on $13.00 in gas. Amy Goodman, the host of public radio’s Democracy Now (KPFK), blew my mind with her stories of reporting in the streets of East Timor during their war, and the atrocities witnessed in Africa when people defended their land from oil drilling. Being alone at SolFest, I felt a touch overwhelmed at the fullness of emotion pouring through me; I cried, I laughed, and I learned a lot. Mostly, I felt grateful to be there. The energy advisor to Gov. Gray Davis, S. David Freeman came to speak. Sorry I missed his talk. I was blessed to hear Todd Snider though. Hearing his authentic, heartfelt good tunes, and between-song tales did me good. There was so much entertainment. Way more than I saw or could describe. Passing through a cool mist of the Agave Cooling Tower, I found the restrooms I remembered, with recycled prescription bottle stall walls, swirling in their random patterns of colors and occasional typed letters in familiar and generic fonts. I smiled at the many toilet lids saved from the landfill, embedded in the wall in place of tile – another nod to creative recycling. I watched people generate energy on stationary bicycles outside the restrooms. Eventually, I made my way to the Real Goods store, the biggest straw bale commercial building in the world. The Real Goods Store beckoned me, since I love exploring the latest books, music, toys, home décor, bath towels, sheets, clothing, sports and gardening supplies and other wonderful products that are environmentally sound. It is refreshing to have so many choices that are supportive of a flourishing life. I bought Carolyn Roberts’ book, “A House of Straw,” and another on Earth Building, knowing I would enjoy reading Carolyn’s story in detail. She had a genuine warmth and gentle kindness that I trusted would be good company from cover to cover. I was right. And lastly, Wildlife Works was one of my favorite discoveries. I loved the bright colors and the classic quotes that I noticed on organic cotton T-shirts waving in the wind: “SAVE ME!” and “EXTINCTION SUCKS!!” I began learning from Bill and Edie in the booth, that Wildlife Works is an example of consumer driven conservation. The more we buy, the more positive effects all the way around the world in Africa. Mike Korchinsky, the Founder and CEO, set up Wildlife Works so that 80,000 acres in Africa are protected as a Wildlife Preserve for the elephants there. Next brilliant step; the locals who used to make their unsustainable living killing the elephants were given work making this organic cotton clothing. These workers were also educated in the destruction of their poaching ways, and can appreciate their new way of life that affords them a brighter future. Thank you Mike for affording the world a future that includes elephants and Africans living in harmony together. These are the kinds of thoughtful ideas that have been put into action for all to see at SolFest. Feel the inspiration. Come next year. Join in Peace on Earth. By Claire Kellerman Published in HopeDance Magazine. (Nov. 15th, 2002 issue) www.HopeDance.org |