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SOLSTICE June-July 2012.
INSIDE:
DOES NATURE HAVE RIGHTS?ART FROM RUBBISH
DIY, ECO-ART,NEWS, AND MORE!
PLUS:
To Our Readers,Welcome to Solstice! Weʼre a groundbreaking new environmental magazine thatʼs set out to be the next publication that gets everyone talking, thinking, and, we hope, acting to change the (huge) problems in our world. But before that, the basics. The latest issue of our magazine will appear in your inbox the instant it becomes available, which means every three months (or season) for now. Yes, this is a while to wait, but weʼre sure you wonʼt mind when each page is so packed with the latest news, images, ideas, movements, crafts, stories and so much more for your viewing pleasure. At least for the moment we will focus on giving you just a bit of everything, but as time goes on we will delve deeper into topics suggested by you, dear reader, and expand outward into subject matter never before shed such an innovative perspective upon.
How do you think of nature? Is it something for you to use, or something you enjoy? Will you openly admit that humans are animals, or do you view them as “different”? In this issue, weʼre asking you to reevaluate your philosophy about the world around us and beyond.
The Solstice Editors: Summer, John, Della and Francis
“5 A look at Environmental Art
7Does Nature Have Rights?
DIY…….………...10This Month in Environmentalism………..11Excerpt from the new novel: Trees……..12
CONTENTS
SOLSTICE AROUND THE BAY
Photography by Liz Newman.
Art is ancient. It has always been a way for people to express
themselves. Often times a change in the culture of artists was
precursor to developments in the larger, more mainstream world.
Hopefully, that is true about environmental art.
The term environmental art is a
broad phrase describing a broad idea. Put simply, it is art with a
sustainable outlook. Some is temporary; many, like the
ones I will examine today, see it as something that
will live on within the community.
You are probably familiar
with the term "One man's trash is another man's
treasure." This phrase definitely lives on with projects like
Washed Ashore, which collects waste washed up to the beach from
the ocean and create marine sculptures with them. Bothe
beautiful and blunt, the sculptures even have names, like Henry the
Fish and Lidia the seal. The fact that they're made from trash is not
a secret, it's the point of the project. Like many organizations similar to
them, Washed Ashore believes this will empower people to come up
with a solution.
Living walls are definitely not made of trash; they're created
with plants. If the honor of viewing even photographs of truly
beautiful living walls has unfortunately not yet presented
itself with you, you may wonder why I call this environmental art.
Let me be clear. I am not describing the pockets filled with dirt that you
Art From Rubbish
might hang on a wall. I am talking about breathtaking, living art
installations. These works definitely live on in the community-with a little
maintenance. Part of the innovation in living walls is the fact that these
plants need no dirt. This allows them to reach for the sun in small,
vertical spaces, spreading a sustainable message and clean air
far, wide and tall.
Earthen building materials have long been used for shelters, such
as homes or schools. Plastic, a newer material, is now finding it's
way into the ocean. How could you repurpose both into something truly
useful? Recently I met Brennan Bird, who creates bottle brick
benches. Bottle bricks are created by stuffing as much plastic as
possible into a old soda bottle, which turns into a object the size
and firmness of a brick. They are
bound together with cob, a mixture of sand, clay, straw and water.
Once the bench is finished, Brennan always leaves a window of
truth, so you can see what it's really made of.
This is only a couple of the many
kinds of environmental art. Look this up, and you'll find out about so
much more. You could even try your own. Turn to Page 15 for a fun
DIY project to inspire you.
" This year, Doctor Seuss' beloved
children's book, The Lorax, was
adapted into a movie. The famous line from this
book is when the Lorax says "I speak for the trees". Put
simply, the Rights of
Nature movement is
doing just that.
DoesNature Have Rights?
By Della Chelle
Rights of Nature is a different kind of
environmental movement. It's not
about simple actions, like biking to
work or saying "no bag" to the
question paper or plastic. It is a big
picture problem, and the solution is
changing laws.
" But before you can understand
which laws need changing, you have
to understand the concept at the core
of the movement itself. I
talked to someone
who knows a whole lot about natureʼs
law; Cormac Cullinan, author of Wild
Law.
" According to Mr. Cullinan, an
environmental lawyer from Cape town,
South Africa, there are three basic
ideas behind the numerous rights of
nature. The most basic is the right to
exist. Quote “The main thing with
natureʼs rights is that if you exist as
part of nature, wether youʼre a
mountain or a river or a stream, then
you must have the right to exist the
right to be." The other two core rights,
the right to a habitat and the right to
do your role in nature, follow. From
these rights comes a long list
of more specific
ones, such as the right to
clean air and water.
" But how would this help
preserve nature? Thomas Linzey, of
CELDF, or Community Environmental
Legal Defensive Fund, says “Right
now, under our environmental laws,
you basically have to own nature to
protect it.” However, when nature has
rights, the community also has rights.
With this system, just because they
donʼt own a particular piece of land
doesnʼt mean canʼt stand up for their
aquifer, for instance. And we need to
do that, because we all share
something like an aquifer, and people
should have the right to stand up for
the environment they live, and
therefore, themselves.
" In 2008, Ecuador became the
first country to include Rights of
Nature in their constitution. Bolivia
was soon to follow. Ecuador first
successfully used Rights of Nature to
win a court case in 2011. Some towns
in the United States have employed
rights of nature to protect their
environment, with the help of CELDF.
However, this movement still has a
long way to go before itʼs values are
imbedded in our culture. In America,
“We tend to think of nature as a thing
use, like rivers to dump stuff into and
forests to cut down, and a lot of this
work is about changing that” says
Linzey. People donʼt like to have
change their whole philosophy about
the world around, but if you think long
term, the laws might change it for
them. Slowly, as the laws begin to
support the rights of nature
movement, more people will support it
as well.
" So what can you do? Start by
opening your mind. Observe how you
treat nature, and try to enjoy it more.
After all, once you understand it, youʼll
understand why it is so necessary to
protect it better.
"
DIY: T-SHIRT TOTE BAG
Bored at home on a summer day? Try creating something weʼre sure the nature in your neighborhood will appreciate. This bag is
reusable, plastic free, and a way to show the whole world your superior craftsmanship ability!
YOU’LL NEED:- 1 old T-shirt without frills, bows, or anything else dangling from the bottom or sleeves (the larger the shirt, the larger the bag)
- 1 needle and a spool of thread (or use a sewing machine)- Whatever you want to customize with (we suggest grabbing some fabric scraps, yarn, lace, bows, frills, fake flowers, glitter, fabric markers, pipe cleaners, paints, felt, glue, sequins, and whatever else pleases you)
DIRECTIONS:Turn your shirt inside out, and rotate it as if you were going to put it on (so turn it upside down). Now examine your shirt. Any rips, holes, or spots that are nearly worn through? Take a minute to sew them shut while the shirt is still inside out, or, if theyʼre just too wide, use a fabric scrap to patch them up.
Pinch together the hems at the bottom on either side of the shirt. Now start sewing the two hems together from there using uniform, medium sized stitches. If youʼre hand sewing, double back for extra strength.
Once the bottom is sewn up tight, you have two options: Either turn your bag back right side out, use the sleeves as handles, and be on your way, or DECORATE IT! You can also trim the sleeves until theyʼre parallel with the bag itself for more handle-like handles. And lastly, savor the jealous expressions of anyone who glimpses you with this stylish green accessory.
For more epic handle-ing, try using
a tank top, square top, or wide necked
shirt! Every neck design has a unique
result.
•From June 20-22, The United Nations will meet in Rio,
Brazil for their environmental summit, called Rio+20
•The International Union for Conservation of Nature
published their latest “Red List,” describing the
ongoing species loss.
One of the best places to create your own environmental art is the beach. Itʼs filled with treasures like sea glass, tiny and colorful pebbles, the occasional dead crab, and(unfortunately) trash. When you create environmental art by the ocean, think of it as a
beach clean-up gone creative. The possibilities are endless. Just remember this is a temporary art piece. Before you leave the beach, remember to snap a couple photos and place any trash you used where it
DIY:Environmental Art
You canʼt spell “Earth” without
“Art”
This Month in
Environmentalism
An Excerpt from the Upcoming Novel....Trees
The tree was dying. The arboritrician, or tree doctor, as Kindra liked to think of them, would come in two days, and he would know what to do. But until then, there was nothing to do but watch the fungus creep across the roots. It started slowly at first, the fungus, in the nooks and crannies, but in the past month, it had gone all out. The treeʼs leaves wilted, it produced less oxygen, and that was when they all knew the tree was dying.
" It was not the first time a tree had died, of course. Every 20 years or so a tree was likely to do so. This was the first time a tree had died in Kindraʼs living memory though, and the pain was sharp, tugging at the heart. In a burst of hope, she had reminded her father that the tree might not die, that the tree doctor might save it.
" “Kindra, you are young and foolish.” He had chuckled a sad sort of chuckle. “Of course the tree will die. Arboritritiansʼ donʼt do anything, Kindra, but take money.” But deep in her heart, Kindra wanted to believe that this tree doctor was good, that he would do something to help the tree.
" “But” She said “then why do we pay the tree doctor?”"" And he had replied “Because I have hope in my heart too.” "" Luckily, the other four trees were doing fine. Even though Kindra was 12, even though her parents tried to shield her, she knew how expensive replacing a tree was. Her parents had enough to worry about, as it was, what with sending her brother to school, and buying medicine, for Mother had asthma. Kindra wished Darius, her brother was here. He would make things right. He always did. "" Darius was at school now, and had been for two years. He was eight years older than Kindra, short, but tall on the inside. He sent her a letter every other week. It had been 13 days since the last message. Each one had seemed painfully slow. Thinking about Darius, Kindra walked over to the dying tree. It was the wisdom tree, his favorite. Kindra sat on that tree and cried for a long, long time.
" The next day, Dariusʼs letter had finally arrived. Kindra left for school early in the morning, filled with anticipation, wondering what the letter would say. When
she came home for midday meal, the letter was there, laying next to her cot. She hurriedly opened the envelope, and inside lay the best words in the world. “Next time you expect a letter, I will be your messenger.” He was visiting. Darius was coming home.
" “Mama, Papa!” Kindra tore through the house, not caring that it was against the rules. She finally found her mother collecting oxygen by the trees. “Mama, Darius is coming, heʼs coming in two weeks and, and” Her mother cut her short."" “Kindra, I know. I have to tell you something too, although itʼs not as happy. Kindra, you canʼt go to school in the afternoons anymore.”" “Canʼt go to school in the afternoons anymore? But why Mama?” She was fidgeting, not wanting to tell. It had something to do with money, Kindra knew.
" “Because, because, Kindra, youʼre father and I canʼt, canʼt buy the extra oxygen.” Everything Kindra had felt before her life was over, when there was only a dying tree to worry her, was gone. She knew very well that you couldnʼt get into upper school if you didnʼt go in the afternoons. Kindra wanted to scream, to punch, but she was too angry even for that. She simply walked away, and hid her face under the letter.
" And so, after her midday meal where Kindra ate nothing, she did not go back to school, she did not go back to her friends. For the second time in two days, she sat on the wisdom tree and cried, this time, not for it, but with it.Check back next issue for the second installment of Tree