Green Stuff

It was my birthday in October. It was a day when my dad was not here, or my mum. One of those – I really hope they phone days. The kind that make death very confusing.

Of course they’ve gone. But maybe they could visit.

I got a tree dedicated to Dad. If he’d had his way, he’d have repopulated forests.

His commitment to challenging Green Issues niggles in my mind.

This year, I have started collecting stuff to recycle again. Boxes, and kitchen rolls and cardboard can go to schools and afterschools to turn into junk modelling. Glass can accumulate till I get it to the bottle bank. It’s a mixture of beginning to save stuff and also think more aware.

The next year I think I’ll go greener in choosing an electricity supplier. I have started reading the labels of where my food comes from. I would love to buy food with less packaging. I’ve started thinking about where my clothes are bought – how do I go more ethical, but still afford them?

I asked at Dad’s funeral that people remember his ideals, and make changes. If you have, in any way whatsoever, even a little bit, please can you let me know? I want to have a long-term commitment to changing my lifestyle as far as it can go.

My goal is to start making crafts to sell on the internet that long term would be make from as many recycled materials as possible. The media I like to use are wire, beads, felt, silk and paper. This year I’m learning more silk painting. One day I’d like to make paper from scrap paper by hand. My company will be called Little Fires, and thanks to J, already exists even though I haven’t sold a darned thing. Further details will follow.

Dad

At my dad's funeral, I had the privilege of sharing my thoughts on a man who I thought was both couragious and eccentric. Here is a little bit of what I said. I asked that people be more mindful of the environment, of their uses of their time, money and energy - because dad was so passionate about making the world a greener place. He loved buying trees. If he was still here - he had ambitious plans to challenge the government and invest in green projects.

Dad
There is a time to think small, to care about fixing up a kitchen just right, in every detail.
There is a time to think big, to want to march into parliament and demand that changes be made.
There is a time to give your heart to one woman, and to love her and care for her as wife and mother to her children.
There is a time to give your heart to many people, and always have the time to talk to shop assistants and strangers.
There is a time to save, and economises and work hard to give your children what they need.
There is a time to take your money, blow the lot, and treat your family to Disneyland.
There is a time to strip engines from cars and rebuild washing machines yourself and mend what is broken.
There is a time to buy five electric bikes and show them off with pride, just because you can.
There is a time to fill your children’s lives with smart inventions and rooms filled with oscilloscopes, and things to be saved to be mended later.
There is a time to sit still, and talk and talk, and laugh with your family, and allow yourself to rest.