Your post struck a chord. My wife and I are currently deeply involved
in a fight to stop a high-voltage powerline from being built across our
part of the state. There're lots of good reasons to oppose it, not the
least of which is the fact that it will be used to transmit cheap power
from Manitoba Hydro, produced at the great expense of the native peoples
and environment of northern Manitoba.
We feel that fighting this project is simply the right thing to do and
can't really imagine doing otherwise. And yet, the past two days have
been spent almost exclusively on powerline issues---warm, sunny days,
the kind we have so precious few of at this time of year. And I have
much outside work in my "small portion of the world over which I have
some control" that really needs to be done before the snow falls,
including getting some new photovoltaic panels, that have been sitting
in a box for several months, mounted on a rack and producing
electricity---electricity that would help make new transmission lines
less necessary! It's a dilemma, and at times like this I too feel very
out of balance.
And yet, the powerline work is starting to bear unexpected fruit. For
instance, some of the folks working with us locally are starting to
really think about things they can do to reduce their own energy usage.
They're starting to see the connections between a ruined environment
hundreds of miles away in Canada, a huge transmission line that will
take thousands of acres of good northern Wisconsin woods and farmland,
and our wasteful use of energy.
Striking a balance, as you said, is key. But, sorry, I'm not sure how
to do it. Something that Ed Abbey once said does help me sometimes,
though. He was talking about protecting wilderness; that we should be
half-time warriors in it's behalf and spend a good amount of time
enjoying that which we are trying to protect.
Doug --- planning to spend all next Tuesday (no doubt the last warm day
of the year) protesting a powerline in the state capital, 180 miles
away.
`kathryn marsh wrote:
>
> This is a question that continually bothers me. Yesterday I spent all day
> at a meeting to deal with issues in the regulation of local organic farming
> - drove 150 miles to do it, ate junk food plastic wrapped and microwaved
> etc. Friday I did the same thing on GMO issues. The rest of the week
> instead of cultivating my garden I was on the phone working for a
> children's creative writing charity. Sometimes when I get five minutes I
> wonder what the heck I am doing. In order to make the world a better place
> I am neglecting the small portion of the world over which I have some
> control, using up non renewable resources, feeding my children poisons etc.
> How do we get balance in our lives? We've tried dropping out and dropped
> back in because that felt so irresponsible.
>
> All suggestions gratefully received
>
> kathryn - just off to drive 30 miles to take child and his friend to
> orchestral rehearsals
