Thursday, June 12, 2008

Pounced! The Victory Garden of Tomorrow!

Darlings, It's true: I've been pouncing again. Somehow this pounce reminded me of how small the world is *really* and how the universe really *does* talk to us.
Here's a little back-story-- when the Mister and I lived in Denver, we lived the life of lawyers working ridiculous hours (out the door by 6am) commuting across the state (he worked in Boulder and I worked in a nondescript federal building in a nearby suburb). Granted, we had a hybrid, but this was not the life that either of us intended to lead as environmentalists practicing environmental law! When we moved back to the west coast last year, we made some major changes-- sold a car, bought a house within walking & biking distance of everything we needed, decided to telecommute, along with all of the other teeny tiny things we were already doing to be earth-friendlier and more authentic in general to the life we wanted to live. Since ditching driving, I have become a lot more aware of what driving and traffic really do to a person and to the landscape. I'm not going to get all "hipster know-it-all" on you here, but getting out of the car has truly changed my life. Enough about me, though, and on to the synchronicity surrounding this POUNCE!

First, the actual POUNCE-- Joeseppi's The Victory Garden of Tomorrow! (Check out the etsy shop here and the website here.) Joe Wirtheim creates screen printed posters that echo the style of vintage propaganda posters created in the mid-twentieth century to (among other things) encourage civilians to grow Victory Gardens in order to save food and resources for World War II soldiers, and Joe now offers his series of posters depicting The Victory Garden of Tomorrow for sale in his etsy shop. About the project, Joe writes:
"Today, like never before, we are haunted by the Victory Garden ghost - the values it represents are finding their way into our contemporary vision of the Future. Issues like suburban sprawl, carbon emissions, organic food, energy use, and waste are coming alive and destroying the old “World of Tomorrow” only to replace it with rooftop vegetables, new urbanism, bicycle transport, and recycling.
The Victory Garden of Tomorrow salvages the values that could save us from our own Machine. As an ongoing series of images, they employ an agit-prop vision of strength and inspiration with the hope of resurrecting our lost Tomorrow."

This is one of Joe's fabulous creations, Recycling is Reusing. Available right here.

In recent weeks, I've had begun to really tune into this consciousness that has been brewing among others who are fascinated in the impact our sprawled-out, over-worked, over-spent, over-drive(n) landscapes and lifestyles are having on the environment and the human psyche, and the overwhelmingly positive response to those who have embraced an idea similar to what Joe speaks about in his story behind The Victory Garden of Tomorrow. My friend Herb wrote about this a few days ago on his blog. On the positive side, Natalie of Sweet Pea Bicycles says it best in this video... you are where you are traveling through when you are on a bike. Awesome. A Letter from Hen Waller is another wonderful place to read about Holly and Patrick's adventures in urban homesteading in Portland.

Hmmmmm.... every single person I've linked to lives in Portland. Does anyone else think it's high time we moved back home?

4 comments:

  1. very cool....love this so much.
    and i just sent you an email. i am swooning all over the place. sometimes when i buy a painting or print, i feel guilty about the $$ but then when it arrives all wrapped up and you are giddy trying to get through the tape and then when it is revealed i wonder why i don't buy more. well i know why that is but then i really wonder why i always carry guilt. darn catholic upbringing is what it is!

    oh so happy

    ReplyDelete
  2. yes deary, come "home." It is amazing how since we moved here 4 years ago our outlook on the environment has really changed...Portland is a magical, green-lovin' place. Perfect for you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. kelly, *) yay! i'm seeing stars of joy from your comment! thanks!

    mrs. french!! yes!! i know we will make it back to portland one of these days.... hopefully soon!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I so identify with this post. Having never owned a car, I've always tried to live within walking distance of the things I need--and when that's not possible, have always used the bus. I feel fortunate to live in a place where that's possible but know I could still do more to lessen my impact.

    ReplyDelete

Much LOVE & Gratitude for reading! I'd love to hear what *you* think. {p.s. I'm now moderating all comments because we have had too many spammers dropping porn-bombs on us. booooo!}