How to keep fighting – the 2017 version

It’s a new year. But even moreso, it’s a completely new era. The ground rules have all changed – from what is fact, to what is science, to what is news – to the point that many of us hardly know which way is up.

In the midst of all this turmoil, there have been a few articles which really helped me solidify my own direction.

One of these is a thoughtful, well-considered post by Ijeoma Oluo, “7 Ways you can keep fighting for justice in 2017.” And the things it recommends are both healing and calculated to gain long-term action.

I’m not going to repeat Oluo’s words (she is far too good a writer – go see for yourself). But what her post did was help me see that we’ve got to get out of the box. And by this I mean the computer box. We can rant and rage til the cows come home on social media, but all that does is make us feel nasty and angry inside.  It does nothing to create real-life change.

Instead,

• attend real, physical rallies and let your presence be counted
• write real, physical letters, the kind that politicians take note of
• make real phone calls and talk to real staffers in those politicians’ offices (find out who your representives are here)
• attend Town Hall gatherings and other in-person forums that the politicians host, and let your voice be heard

…and meanwhile, change your lifestyles.

Here at ECM, for more than a decade we have been about lifestyle change – in the direction of sustainability, in the direction of a post-carbon, post-petroleum, less-stuff future. That journey continues to this day. We continue to grow food, build gardens, save seeds, hold community gatherings, teach classes, feed the needy, consider our place within the ecosystems of the planet, and inspire a long-term perspective.

So… stay tuned. Update your subscription preferences so that you receive the latest news from us, in the format that is your very favorite. But above all, get up out of the computer chair, go out into the world, and start making changes happen.

coming soon: news of Joanne’s latest project – a new book!  A new novel, from the world of hope that you loved in her first novel, Legacy.