Climate Column: Slow down to save precious resources
NATASHA JULIANA
FOR THE ARGUS-COURIER
January 22, 2024, 4:59PM
There are eight billion people on this planet. What is a fair distribution of our finite resources? And what is fair to future generations – our unborn children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren?
At the same time, life keeps speeding up. Do you feel overwhelmed? I do. What seems like modern luxuries – anything under the sun delivered the next day, lunch arriving in minutes with the click of an app, and messages sent round the world at the speed of light to anyone and everyone simultaneously – are quickly driving us crazy. We have more stuff, but that means more to pay for and manage. We have easy access to food, but it’s not making us healthier. We are continually connected digitally, yet we feel lonelier than ever in real life.
Our most common instinct is to solve a problem by doing more. But what if the answer could be to do less? Instead of hurrying up, what if we slow down? So let’s do an experiment with Cool Petaluma’s five calls to action:
1. Emergency Preparedness: Slow down as you leave your home and say hello to the people next door. Getting to know your neighbors can be a lifesaver in the event of a personal or community-wide emergency. Who could you run to for help in the case of an injury or a fire?
2. Rethink Consumption: Slow down and repair your clothes with a group of friends. Mending circles are making a comeback as a great way to relax, connect, and make our favorite clothes last longer. Cool Petaluma and Blue Zones Project Petaluma have partnered up to offer a free gathering every fourth Monday of the month where you can darn your socks and patch your pants in community.
3. Transform Transportation: Slow down and walk to the grocery store. You’ll get to enjoy the fresh air and a few friendly “hellos” on the sidewalk while avoiding the madhouse of the parking lot. I also find walking makes me more carefully select my purchases so I don’t buy extra junk that will weigh me down – both on the trip home and on the bathroom scale. And the little bit of added exercise doesn’t hurt either.
4. Improve Buildings: Slow down and slide on your sweater and your slippers. Remember Mr. Rogers? Getting cozy at home makes for a nice mental transition from the outside world and it also means you don’t need to pump up the heat to be comfortable. And swapping out your footwear has the added benefit of keeping the grime of the street out of your house. For extra comfort at a lower temperature, be sure to add a soft throw blanket to your favorite seat.
5. Restore Nature: Slow down and smell the roses. Literally. The beauty of the natural world is everywhere. Stop to notice and enjoy it. The crunch of fallen leaves underfoot. The call of a flock of birds overhead. Allow yourself time to be present and participate in life on this planet. Volunteer with Daily Acts or ReLeaf Petaluma to plant a rain garden or a shade tree. If you are lucky enough to have your own little patch of earth, leave the leaves to protect the soil and plant food for birds and bees and humans to share.
Did you notice a pattern? Almost all of these slow down solutions not only reduce our environmental impact and our need for more resources, but they also improve our physical and mental health.
Opening up space in the day to smell the flowers as you stroll to the market may seem luxurious, but consider this: Psychologists who study happiness call this “time affluence” and list it as a key strategy for reducing anxiety. And at the end of our life, won’t time be considered our most precious resource?
Perhaps if we all slow down together, we can gain a little inner peace and help save the planet for future generations.
Natasha Juliana is the campaign director for Cool Petaluma. She can be reached at natashaj@coolpetaluma.org. For information on how to get involved, visit coolpetaluma.org.
