EcoFest 2002: Inspirations for Eco Living
by Lah-May
Under a comfortably hot sun at the Sedona Cultural Park on September 21, EcoFest 2002 undertook the task of educating the public on viable changes that can contribute to a sustainable culture. This year’s theme, "RiDe tHe WaVe," centered around water—its peaceful yet powerful presence on this earth, its preservation, conservation, and the overall state of water’s current condition.
The Green Party of Sedona and the Verde Valley offered a two-page list of "water facts." Not surprising, the United States consumes water at twice the rate of other industrialized nations. While Americans flush 6.8 billion gallons of water down toilets everyday, 1.2 billion people in the world do not have access to clean water—most of the world’s people must walk at least three hours to fetch water (and one gallon weighs 8.34 pounds). Agriculture is a huge user of water—particularly in arid regions. Industry also is a big user—it takes about 39,090 gallons of water to make an automobile, tires included.
Julia Butterfly Hill (renowned giant sequoia tree sitter and author of The Legacy of Luna and One Makes The Difference) spoke of the need to be aware of the effect of each choice we make and of the interdependence of everything on this planet. From information at her Circle of Life table, attendees learned that Americans throw away more than 1 million tons of foil and cans, more than 11 million tons of glass bottles and jars, more than 4.5 million tons of office paper and 10 million tons of newspaper, all of which could be recycled, and that land fills are the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Many vendors in attendance featured products created out of "waste"—giving "trash" new life and use. Environmental Concerns Organization also offered communities workshops to inspire children and youth to creatively look at re-using before recycling.
While bringing the crowds in by creating a party atmosphere, the popular music, coupled with beer and wine, didn’t necessarily contribute to raising the consciousness of the attendees. The pleas to pick up the trash being generated and to recycle bottles went largely unheeded as the day wore on. The EcoFest organizers were left with quite a mess to clean up. The consciousness was raised, however, by the dedication of concerned activists and creative vendors who worked the booths, distributed their information, and encouraged the sharing of higher lifestyle concepts. Sedona is fortunate to have such a beautiful cultural park. As EcoFest evolves it will no doubt draw those artists whose music is not only fun and hip, but also consistent with bringing messages of personal and global change to the festival.
As people are exposed to the facts and face the truth that habits and lifestyles have a direct and often detrimental effect on the environment, the hope is that these facts will inevitably sink into the mass consciousness to motivate change.
Neighborhoods and cities, nations and continents need to form into conscious living eco-systems in response to the signals of distress from the overtaxed environment. Making significant efforts to come into balance with the natural resources that fuel our lives, and minimizing the pollution coming out of our living, working, and recreational spaces can facilitate a natural process of coming together in harmonious association to ensure a peaceful future for all people.