The reason I have so much fortitude has much to do with assessing the situation of which we all play a part very early on. I was unexpectedly reminded of an event the other evening that thoroughly speaks to our current environmental tasks, responsibilities and literal failures as a species in general.
It was a green conference that I had attended in the beginnings of this BEE 23 Natural Beauty Products
http://bee23.ca/ adventure. It was quite a good event with influential speakers, organizations and educational institutions present.
As green vendors, we were lined up along the outside of the venue and in the middle was the seating area. At the front of the room was the stage and podium.
This event for me was amazing. The student body was excited to speak with me. I had all of the ladies from the coffee vestibules over to express their interest and to ask questions in regards to issues that they had not even thought of until this event. I will admit my little booth sparked a lot of interest. I discussed everything from the contaminants in our products and environmental concerns to their own personal worries in regards to how poor governing value systems and a lack of stewardship had intimately hurt them in their own lives.
Primarily, I knew my easy rapport with the populace that walked through the venue had to do much with the fact that the majority of the student body, college employees and women were not able to initially attach to the booths with the solar panels or wind mills. My product was small, fun and something relative to their daily lives. I am able to put a tangible object in their hand that acts as a bridge for my ideals and company core value set to their own personal issues and immediate environment.
Secondly, much of what was being discussed by the speakers was not necessarily of interest or grasped by the general populace. Although incredibly pertinent and important to other speakers, organizations and institutional participants, much of the graphs, forecasts and promises by several energy providers were not even glanced at by those moving about the room.
There were a few moments that brought the reality of the dynamics of the party that I had entered into a very clear light for me.
The first was the many gentlemen in suits that took up probably the first to the seventh rows back. I have nothing against a good suit. However, I laughed to myself of the inanity of what we were really faced with when there was a child who ran through the audience and squealed with glee at the colours on the screen. The mother quickly corralled the small toddler in but not before a few of the gentlemen turned to directly stare at mother and child in the most pathetic scolding manner that it turned my stomach.
So you think you are going to put forth viable solutions and somehow you are going to hold what is an open public green conference in a scholastic institution and there is not going to be any children involved!?
This is the foundation of how the table has been handled for way too long. Anything that causes distraction or further consideration such as the elderly, children, and minorities are continually not included in the majority of the decision making.
I believe if the CEO of a diaper company had had their child or grandchild in the room crawling across the table when deciding to put highly toxic chemicals in the product that was offered by their company and was under the impression that their own would be wearing this product, then I do not think the same type of choices could as easily be made.
The other very significant encounter I had that weekend was with several of the directors of our present energy companies and organizations.
Apparently my little table caused a bit of stir. My spiel on sustainable business and envisioning a future that incorporated the health of our communities had been the first clip on a radio program that had covered the event ahead of many of the company representatives. I did not realize this until the end of the conference but I then understood why a few of the gentlemen had been so abrupt earlier on with me in regards to media coverage.
I was also asked to "shush" for the presenter talking at the front, when I had paid a decent amount for a table to sell my product from. I do not know what I was suppose to do? Turn people away with questions and money in their hands. This does not sound like good business practice if you ask me. People are purposefully coming over to speak with me and holding money in hand to buy my product but I have to wait another hour and a half for this man at the front of the room to stop talking prior to me taking their money.
Hmmmm, I wonder what the man at the front would have done with someone handing him money and if the tables were turned. Would he say, "Oh no I couldn't possibly, the little lady at the front is speaking her truth and I don't want to interrupt her."
I think not.
One of these most wonderful and supportive gentlemen even came over to bellow out with a big belly laugh, "I don't want any of your beeswax!"
I looked at him straight because apparently he had not met me before and I said, "Well you better get out of the way because there are those behind you who do!"
He did not know what to say, so he let out a light chuckle and walked away.
After the conference had come to a completion, several of the participants were meeting at a restaurant and I was invited by one of the members of the college environmental group to come along. When I walked in, many of the company and organizational representatives that I had had the pleasure of interacting with were standing in a group just ahead of the table with the college students.
I walked up the steps and one of the gentlemen grabbed my attention. What he said was not, "Hey it was great that you got radio coverage," or "It was really nice that there were so many that came to your booth and that were interested in these environmental concerns," or even, "Thanks for being the entertainment for those that didn't know what we were talking about."
Oh no, what he said was, "I couldn't believe that you had kids when I was told, I figured you looked like you must be no more than twenty-two or something!"
I am a woman and if someone thinks I look twenty-two who am I to argue but really nothing on what was apparently quite substantial that had come out of my mouth and had warranted initial coverage on the radio program ahead of himself or perhaps for my simple support of the event in the first place.
I looked at the very handsome woman in a square shouldered jacket and skirt standing next to the gentleman. I also looked at an individual that I had always seen as on this little activist team and who was of my age. He just looked past me pretending he did not hear what was said. I smiled and said, "Enjoy!"
I was pretty sure that the table with the students behind them looked a lot more interesting and inviting anyhow.
All the awards, hand shaking and lip service is not going to save this planet. We are decimating anything that is good and worth living for. It simply is not even a logical long term business strategy. Do I want to wake up and stretch my hands up into a poisonous smog filled sky to then take my child down to the local tar sands to go fishing in contaminated water? Not so much!
I know the economy is important but by the very observation of these types of dynamics at what I felt was such an important event and truly exemplary of the attitude in regards to representation of the current players, I cannot see how the things that are being done right now are being done with any intelligence or forethought. If this is how we treat one another I say phewy! That's right a big ol' phewy!
I must add that what I have for the most part experienced over the last few years in the general populace has not been like this and in the rare occasion I keep on trekking right over it. However, considering these were "the" decision makers for this current decade in our part of the world right now, I got a very good insight on what our planet is truly up against.
This is why I do not take myself too seriously. This is why it does not really matter to me when someone says, "I don't want any of your beeswax!"
And this is why I am not wearing a square shouldered suit to fit in. It does not matter the jacket I put on. If this type of ideology that scorns the screams of a child during a conference that is supposed to be about them is what is leading the nations, then it does not matter if I am discussing nuclear waste in pom poms and five inch heels. The message is not going to get across nor are the concerns ever going to be addressed in a way that will have any type of progressive impact on our global community.
This was the very point where I realized I will do what I want and how I want because trying to do anything the way it has already been done has not worked out so well for us anyhow. And ultimately you are either in or you are out and it would not matter if I was wearing football gear, somehow I do not think I am in nor do I want to be if this is the current climate of thought.
Nope, the whole darn global sand box will be dug up and destroyed. Unfortunately for us as a species and from what I understand intergalactic travel is still yet not available, we will be sitting in a really ugly not fun playground. I've been a northern Ontario bush worker and I love when it comes down to the, "Oh she can't handle a little joking."
And then there is the real dodging any responsibility by stating, “Oh be careful of that one, she’s one of them feminists. You can’t say anything and she gets all offensive like."
No, just pretty much when there is noticeable idiocy I cannot seem to hold my tongue. I suppose I see it as a spade for a spade and I have no problem calling a bluff. I also do not really care anymore how the other party will handle any of my objections because when you see this kind of thing you realize it does not make a difference whether you say something or not. However, I have decided that personally I get a lot more satisfaction in saying something and since I would like me less if I did not say anything, I need to because I do not have to live with any of them but I do have to live with me.
I would suggest for the future lets think time, place and consideration for those of us that are able to actually reach the masses because those are also ultimately your voters.
On that note, see you out on the trail. Much love, respect and all that good stuff your way!
