"The worst thing that can happen in a democracy, as well as in an individual's life,
is to become cynical about the future and lose hope." ~Hillary Clinton
is to become cynical about the future and lose hope." ~Hillary Clinton
 "I try to own as little as possible. Everything you own takes up space in your head." ~Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I've been trying to explain it for years. The way I describe it is that I feel so much better when I can comprehend all of my stuff at once...like all my clothing...or the all the stuff in our kitchen...or all of our furniture. Too much...and I can't quite wrap my mind around it...and somehow that feels a bit chaotic. I'm not sure if it comes from being a very spatial person...or if it comes from moving (+ packing) so many times...probably a bit of both.
Anyway, I felt understood when I read this quote recently. Minimalism is individual and can be interpreted in so many different ways. I love that. It doesn't have to mean black and white everything. It doesn't have to mean living in a tiny house or living in an antiseptic environment. It can, but it doesn't have to. One thing I know for certain...there is a connection between the stuff I own and my own peace of mind. Love, Jane I came across a list recently that I'd copied down from Leo Babauta's blog including what he'd packed for a recent trip overseas. I find these things inspiring for some reason. :)
Here is Leo's list: -wear: pants + tee + walking shoes + socks -workout tee + shorts -2 extra pairs of socks -3 extra underwear -lightweight hoody -lightweight rain jacket -laptop, i-phone, cords -toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, deodorant, clippers, razor -notebook, pen, bandana, passport -all in a backpack I wondered if I could imagine a comparable travel packing list for myself. I haven't tried this list out, but having it thought out really did make me feel incredibly happy, light, + and ready to go! I imagine taking this backpack to Italy +/or France in June or July maybe. :) So here is my minimal packing list: wear: breezy pants + tank + leather trainers + hairbands + bobby pin + cardigan -breezy sleeveless dress + booty shorts (to avoid chafing from lots of walking + heat) -lightweight pjs (that wash + dry in a flash) -swimsuit? (depends on destination) -1-2 pair(s) of socks (just in case, because I don't usually like to wear them) -2 extra underwear -lightweight rain jacket (a Houdini?) -i-phone, cord, adapter -toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, small comb, razor, lip balm, sunscreen, hairspray, tylenol, allergy pills, possibly tampons (all tiny sized) -small notebook, pen, water bottle, bandana, sunglasses, passport, credit card, compact/reusable bag -all in a backpack I imagine that I'd be ready to walk the piazza, the Louvre, the Pyrenees, or the beach. Washing a couple things in a sink and hanging them to dry over a tub every couple nights would be just fine. I'd try to pack lightweight materials that dry quickly in colors that don't show stains as much (+ don't need to be washed after every wear). I think being a girl with hair makes it so I would need a few more things than a boy without hair...pajamas + a swimsuit + a few more toiletries. :) I'd be ready to try to be as zero-waste as possible with my water bottle, bandana (for a pastry on the go), and reusable bag (for the market). Since reading No Baggage, I feel that traveling with less (but maybe not that much less) is doable. I'd love to give it a try! What would your minimal packing list + ideal destination be? Love, Jane  an amazing look at what we're fighting to preserve.
what if we had to wear our trash? the whys + hows of ethical fashion. a trek to hear from a defender of the rainforest + see the rubber used in their shoes. love this so much!! (especially since i just bought a pair of their amazingly well-made shoes!) ;) frida style. this weekend + week, let's all remember that we want to live by each other's happiness not by each other's misery. let's remember to make this life a wonderful adventure! love, jane  If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. ~Desmond Tutu
 "Is anyone this psyched when they buy a brand-new jacket off the rack? You know, when you're young, a jacket means something to you. It means so much more than when you can buy whatever you want, and Martin had worn that thing up Fitz Roy and on all these rad routes, and it had serous sentimental value to him."
~Mikey Shaefer, on how a repaired jacket made that smile via  this gorgeous image via A herd of buffalo visited the area near those protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline at Standing Rock this weekend. While buffalo are not uncommon in the area, their presence seemed to symbolize a solidarity of living beings in the protest as well as a representation of what is at stake. You probably know that this protest began with a group of young Native Americans running from North Dakota 2000 miles to Washington D.C. to deliver a petition to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers asking them to stop the work on the pipeline. Protesters set up camps to make their voices heard...and they've been there since April. Last Thursday, police forcibly removed protesters and arrested 140 people. The Dakota Access pipeline is slated to tunnel under the Missouri River near the Standing Rock Reservation and would carry 570,000 gallons of fracked oil through the area per day on its way to a refinery in Illinois. A crack in the pipeline here would result in water contamination that would affect not only human water use, but also that of a vast array of wildlife that lives in and around the river. Spills are nowhere close to rare in the area. Three hundred oil pipeline spills occurred in North Dakota alone between 2012 and 2013, though they went unreported until recently. But don't we want to be oil independent? Don't we want to use our own resources in order to avoid dependence on other nations? Energy independent, yes, but there is already enough oil, gas, and coal ready to be pumped from existing wells and mines to put the planet above the danger zone for climate change. Our focus now needs to be to pivot to alternative, renewable energy sources. We do not need any more wells, frack sites, or pipelines. I'm standing with Standing Rock. If you would like to stand with Standing Rock, here are a few ways to take action:
-Get educated. -Sign this petition and/or this one asking President Obama to stop the pipeline. And call him too. -Donate to legal funds or supply funds. -Easy to Breathe is donating all the proceeds of their gorgeous thunderbird pins to the Legal Defense Fund at Sacred Stone Camp. -The Far Woods is donating all the proceeds from their amazing river map to Standing Rock. -Raise awareness by starting a conversation. -Stand up for clean water in your own community. Love, Jane |
on a journey toward zero-waste, simplicity, + compassion :: daring to choose fair one choice at a time
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