The good life versus the ‘goods life’

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Ric Burns’ new documentary, “The Pilgrims,” is expected to continue the Burns’ family tradition of documenting American history with engaging insight. In a recent interview on National Public Radio, Burns emphasized aspects of the Thanksgiving story rarely highlighted in current celebrations.

The Pilgrims, Burns said, came to make a “Godly Kingdom” and put their faith in God to provide the resources needed for survival.

Arriving too close to winter, they struggled with the bitter reality of a hostile wilderness. Half of them died in the fi rst year.

Similarly, the Indian tribe credited with helping the Pilgrims learn to track deer, navigate the forest and develop a food supply—the Wampanoag tribe—had recently been devastated by disease.

Modern medicine now keeps epidemics at bay, and the threat of a dark wilderness overwhelming a pilgrim settlement has been replaced by a wilderness yielding to human development. However, the Center for a New American Dream contends Americans face a new danger as a result of the triumph over the types of hardship faced by our American ancestors.

In a series of online videos, where a cartoonist creates illustrations as a narrator speaks, the center contends the resource consumption and waste production at this time of year spawns depression and anxiety, sometimes resulting in substance abuse.

With over 600,000 hits, their message is resonating, as they urge Americans to “simplify the holidays.” Rather than focusing on Black Friday sales, they encourage “the good life over the goods life” and an emphasis on social gatherings, spirituality, playing sports, developing skills, gardening, enjoying the arts and committing to “no child left inside” (enjoying nature with children).

They concede their campaign is an uphill battle, with little chance to overcome sometimes contradicting messages promoted through what they claim is $150 billion per year spent to promote products (advertising) in America.

America Recycles Day, celebrated Nov. 15, offers another way to reduce waste during the holidays. Organized annually for the past 18 years by Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit organization funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and major corporations, this year’s message is “recycling right.”

The America Recycles Day website listed events nationwide and promoted a recycling pledge drive. The pledge campaign asks participants not just to recycle but, more importantly, to find out what materials can and cannot be recycled in their community. This is an important step to avoid contamination of recyclables.

For example, bottle glass can be recycled in any local curbside recycling program. But mixing in glass from windows, picture frames, mirrors or ceramics harms the cause of recycling by making the resulting mixture undesirable to manufacturers who buy recycled glass.

In 1621, the Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving, finding ways to sustain their civilization in a challenging environment and helped by the neighbors with whom they shared resources. In that spirit of thankfulness and sharing this month, keep your “eye on the environment” by reducing waste, recycling properly and sharing food.

Courtesy: www.simivalleyacorn.com