The Age of Elegance

The giant puppets had planned their garden, but it was still cold outside, so they couldn't yet get their hands in the dirt. NOWCA had been quietly ruminating on an idea, and had asked the others to give feedback and offer their thoughts.

It was about a new kind of elegance, and they huddled around a bowl of popcorn with cups of tea as NOWCA explained it.

*******

According to the online dictionary, 'elegance' is a noun meaning 1. the quality of being graceful

image courtesy of Pixabay

and stylish in appearance or manner, style; and 2. the quality of being pleasingly ingenious and simple; neatness.

*******

NOWCA (addressing the other puppets): Thanks for letting me bounce my idea around with you.

Lately I've been yearning for elegance in my life, and wondering why it is that we hear of so few things being described as elegant these days. Any thoughts?

GOOD TIME: Because there isn't really much in the way of elegance in the way we live?

MR. PIPELINE: Because it's become passé, and no one cares about it?

PER: Because most of us are so busy and stressed that it's not something we think about much?

NOWCA: I think all of you are right and, Mr. Pipeline, it may not be stylish now, but I think it's time for elegance to make a comeback.

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER: I'm not sure what you're getting at exactly, NOWCA, but my sense is that a bit more elegance in life would be appealing.

MR. PIPELINE: It sounds like a great new marketing opportunity to me.

NOWCA: The way I envision it, it would be highly personalized, so conventional marketing probably wouldn't be effective.

MR. PIPELINE: To me, elegance has a lot to do with things that are expensive, and with opulence and prestige.

NOWCA: Mr. Pipeline, the way I see it, a new kind of elegance would be accessible, even to those who don't have a lot of money. Look at nature: it functions effortlessly without any costs, or any waste. That's the essence of the kind of elegance I'm seeking.

PER: It almost sounds like a spiritual quest, NOWCA, or an environmental mission.

NOWCA: It's both and more, Per. It's about an aesthetic that is perfectly suited to each person, that embodies respectful process while validating

image courtesy of Pixabay

and enhancing the individual, community and environment. And doing all those things in a beautiful way -- living our lives as though we're cultivating a flourishing garden.

GOOD TIME: Would yearly fashion and style trends still apply, NOWCA?

NOWCA: Not really, Good Time, since everything would be tailored to each individual and setting. The clothing that fits your particular body type; the mementos from your family; the colours that resonate with you. Those things can't be dictated by yearly trends.

PER: Would there be some things you'd get rid of? Plastic comes to mind.

NOWCA: For sure, I'd get rid of most stuff made of plastic, although I'd keep my laptop and other things made of plastic that are hard to replace. And I'd seek out things that don't harm the earth and its inhabitants.

We'd keep things like items that have been reused or repaired, or stuff produced by people who make a living wage, or things that help our environment. Everything would have a larger meaning; their histories would make them more or less elegant.

MR. PIPELINE: Sounds like an entrepreneur's worst nightmare! How would they keep costs down without cheap labour? How would they know what kind of inventory to have on hand?

NOWCA: Part of the elegance of my vision is the way it would change things. If business owners knew their customers well and understood their underlying values, it might be quite simple to cater to them.

image courtesy of Pixabay

GOOD TIME: What would housing look like with this new aesthetic, NOWCA?

NOWCA: Most housing would be smaller, with enough space to comfortably meet the needs of people who live in them. There'd be more shared spaces, gardens and tools. That way of living would build community and would be less wasteful.

MR. PIPELINE: That would kill ambition! What are people supposed to aspire to?

NOWCA: Caring relationships; a healthier planet; appreciation of the beauty around them...that sort of thing.

PER: Would it affect the way we do things?

NOWCA: It would. We wouldn't rush around so much, and take the time we need to care for ourselves, get to know each other and to serve our community.

MR. PIPELINE (standing up): That's the flakiest thing I've heard in my life! That's not how the world operates.

NOWCA: Mr. Pipeline, the world is being destroyed by the way things operate! We need to change. Wouldn't you like to live in a way that's meaningful, elegant and tailored to who you are?

MR. PIPELINE (walking out of the room and slamming the door): NOWCA, you have corrupted the meaning of elegance.

NOWCA (sitting stunned along with Per and Good Time): Hmm. Maybe it's time to take my idea more seriously. If it gets Mr. Pipeline that upset, there must be something to it.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Planting Seeds for 2019

image courtesy of Pixabay

Late winter enveloped the land of the giant puppets. It was cold outside, and it felt like things were at a standstill. Per, Good Time and NOWCA were upset about the logging going on in local watersheds that could affect their drinking water, and the violation of the rights of the Wet'suwet'en people in Northern BC. It was hard to know what to do.

Maybe the best way to spend their time was to plan, and think about planting some seeds...

*******

GOOD TIME: I'm feeling paralyzed. It's hard not to be afraid of what summer will bring when the last two were so hot and there were so many fires.

NOWCA: I know how you feel, Good Time. But here's some advice someone gave me a long time ago that might be helpful to you. She said that when you don't know what to do, take care of yourself so that when there is something to do you'll be able to do it.

PER (carrying a big box into the room): That's really sensible, NOWCA. Staying calm and caring for ourselves makes it more likely that we'll take effective action when the opportunity presents itself.

And there's another thing we can do too. Here's a hint: Guess what's in this box?

image courtesy of Pixabay

GOOD TIME: Um, a puppy?

PER (putting the box on the floor): Nope, guess again.

NOWCA (looking into the box): Ah, seeds and gardening supplies!

PER: Hey, that's cheating, NOWCA! You peeked.

GOOD TIME: So we can take care of ourselves and we can plan the garden, and think about planting some seeds!

NOWCA: Yes, in more ways than one. 2019's a crucial year for planting all kinds of the right seeds. And not just in our gardens. Here in Canada, there's a federal election coming up, and we have to plant the seeds that will get a government elected that will do the right thing for our environment, society and economy.

GOOD TIME: You mean like building a pipeline to pay for green infrastructure?

PER: No, and none of that kind of greenwash.

NOWCA (rummaging in the box): I agree, Per. We have to get real about climate change and stop letting our political representatives treat it as a public relations exercise.

GOOD TIME: What exactly do you mean?

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER: Well, the pipeline Trudeau referred to cost $4.5 billion and the upgrades it needs may never materialize. The world is transitioning to green energy, so if it ever gets built there probably won't be a demand for what goes through it. In the meantime, we could have put that money to developing green energy and infrastructure in Canada and putting people to work.

So we've basically paid $4.5 billion of our tax dollars to a transnational corporation for something of very little value. That's a prime example of greenwash.

NOWCA: Oh, look! I've found kale seeds that were collected from the garden from last year! They'll be perfectly suited to the growing conditions of the garden.

GOOD TIME: And the price is right. I guess we have to wait a month or so to start seedlings, but we can plan the garden in the meantime.

NOWCA: Another example of greenwash is the Site C/LNG fiasco taking place here in BC.

Damming Site C would destroy top quality agricultural land and a wilderness corridor of immense value, and big dams are much more polluting than previously thought. Also, there is no demand for the energy it would produce. And the site is prone to landslides and is completely unsuitable for a dam.

However, the BC Government wants to be able to say it's powering their pet Coastal GasLink Pipeline project with clean energy coming from Site C.

As David Suzuki points out, this project is also in violation of aboriginal rights, and fracked gas is simply not clean. It contaminates water and air, it takes a tremendous amount of energy to produce and its end product creates greenhouse gases.

This project is simply more greenwash.

GOOD TIME: Yet so many people believe what they're being told.

PER: That's why it's so important to know whose interests your news sources represent, and to be aware of media concentration.

GOOD TIME (reaching into the box): Look! I found some marigold seeds!

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER (pulling a seed packet out of the box): And nasturtium seeds too! Not only do they repel insects the way marigolds do, but they're edible! Both the flowers and leaves have a peppery flavour. I just love them! It's neat how many plants repel insects that eat the plants we grow.

NOWCA: I just thought of more greenwash: the logging that's going on in BC. The watersheds that surround our drinking water are being logged and it's going to affect the quality of the water in our region.

The professional reliance model of regulating forestry, although apparently being tweaked, still allows for that, and for critical habitat of endangered caribou to be logged.

GOOD TIME: So basically most of us are being tricked into believing that business as usual is actually good for our environment, right?

NOWCA: You've got it, Good Time.

But back to planting seeds: the federal election is coming up and there's going to be a lot of talk about strategic voting since Canada doesn't have the proportional representation voting system it was promised. Instead of giving Justin Trudeau and his broken promises a second term, it might be a lot better to strategically support climate champions. And, frankly, most of the climate champions I'm seeing these days are with the Green Party. Elizabeth May was the only party leader who came out in support of the Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs when their territory was illegally invaded by the RCMP earlier this year.

PER: Strategic voting for the climate would be a good seed to plant, NOWCA. Good thinking!

GOOD TIME (holding up seed packets): It's going to be fun planting the garden with you and strategizing about the federal election. Hey, where's Mr. Pipeline?

NOWCA: He's been away ever since the Wet'suwet'en people protested the Coastal GasLink pipeline construction on their territory. Mr. Pipeline and his friends will probably be busy for awhile painting the whole thing green. It's got to be a challenge but, unfortunately, enough of the public still seems gullible enough to believe them.

GOOD TIME (sighing): When will we ever learn?

image courtesy of Pixabay

A Colonialist Close Up in BC

All week the giant puppets had been watching in horror at the goings on at the Unist'ot'en Camp in traditional Wet'suwet'en territory in Northern BC.

The RCMP had been removing people from the camp on unceded Wet'suwet'en territory. TransCanada Corporation had been seeking entry into this territory, where they were planning to build the massive $4.7 billion Coastal GasLink pipeline.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Where was the Prime Minister during this national emergency? On the Sunday before the RCMP invaded the camp, Prime Minister Trudeau was skiing at Whistler and taking selfies.

What about the BC NDP? Premier John Horgan had said in a recent statement that the LNG Canada decision was on the scale of a "moon landing". He was also waxing poetic about the fantasy of an estimated $23 billion in provincial revenue this soon to be stranded asset would bring to the province.

Letters opposing the RCMP action that had been written by The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) were not able to stop the Gidimt'en Checkpoint from being breached by armed RCMP and military, and communications of the Unist'ot'en Camp being cut. Land defenders in this post from the Unist'ot'en Camp describe the injustice of the situation.

*******

GOOD TIME: What a week! I'm still shaken after seeing that RCMP with machine guns went into the camp on Wet'suwet'en where land defenders were unarmed.

Thank goodness for friends to talk through this with me. How would I sort out everything that's going on without you?

PER: Ya, thank goodness for our mutual support, Good Time. Thank you for being here with me.

It really upsets me that for many it's so hard to know what's really been going on in the Wet'suwet'en Territory. Reading regular media, you'd think protesters were breaking the law. Just compare this

image courtesy of Pixabay

article from Macleans with this video from the women who were at the Unist'ot'en Camp.

 According to the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the BC Civil Liberties Association, our provincial and federal governments are the ones breaking the law.

NOWCA: My heart is so heavy over what's going on in unceded Wet'suwet'en Territory, and the way we're being lied to about it. But I'm grateful for social media and how quickly the truth is being shared. Democracy Now has done a great job of letting people know what's going on just outside of Houston, BC.

GOOD TIME: The problem is a lot of people who read Macleans don't watch things like Democracy Now, APTN News or other news sources that don't have an industry bias. So they inadvertently believe and spread colonialist points of view.

NOWCA (looking around): Speaking of which, where's Mr. Pipeline? I haven't seen him for days?

PER: Oh, he's probably scheming with his friends, making things up to tell the media. For his ilk this is a public relations disaster, and they have ways of making the people defending the land look bad and themselves look good.

GOOD TIME (heaving a sigh): We'll have to look out for the stories that discredit these courageous land defenders. I think we know where to look. I wonder what we can do to counter their influence.

PER: I guess just talk to people. Share stories on social media. Share the page Unist'ot'en has a set up where you can contribute money, and the wishlist/needslist page that people can respond to. And attend actions in your community. There are many. You can find them on the Support Wet'suwet'en Facebook page.

NOWCA: And send lots of prayers. I'm so grateful for these courageous people who are standing up for all of us and the health of the planet we all depend upon.

GOOD TIME: I still can't believe that here in Canada, our governments are breaking the law for the sake of a fracking company.

PER (head down): From what I've read, it sounds like this has been happening for a long time with the complicity of the mainstream media and the RCMP.

NOWCA: But when people find out about this, most can't go back to trusting sources that lied to them. I hope this situation gets people to think more critically about the news they pay attention to.

And when will our politicians stop treating climate change like a public relations exercise instead of the life threatening thing it is? These heroes at the Unist'ot'en Camp are standing up for me and you and our children's children's future.

GOOD TIME: I hope people will take action. This situation breaks my heart. It's unjust and it's causing so much harm.

I have so much gratitude for the courageous people of the Unist'ot'en Camp. I hope they know that we stand with you.

PER and NOWCA nodded their heads in agreement.

GOOD TIME (with tears on cheeks, hugged the other two puppets): Thanks for being here with me. We need each other now more than ever.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Mr. Pipeline and Business as Usual

The puppets have gathered in a dingy basement, heads together under the ceiling. Mr. Pipeline has called a meeting of sorts, and ever amiable Per, Good Time and NOWCA have shown up to see what he’s on about. Mr. Pipeline is clearly agitated, and opens the conversation rather brusquely.

*******

MR. PIPELINE:  AH, AH, hi everyone. So nice you could make it. Er I mean, good to see you.

PER: Sure, Mr. Pipeline, it’s the least a fellow puppet can do.

GOOD TIME: Glad to see everyone again.

NOWCA smiled warmly.

MR. PIPELINE: I just wanted a chance to say, hmm, how wrong it is to be constantly harping on about pipelines and fossil fuels. You people need a dose of the real world…and I’m going to give it to you.

PER: I don’t think….(but Pipeline interrupts immediately)

image courtesy of Pixabay

MR. PIPELINE: Yes, but you have to realize that it’s businesses, corporations like mine, that put the food on everyone’s table, fuel the cars and buses, build the hospitals and schools. And when you start limiting opportunities and then attacking the economic viability of companies…you are hurting everyone in the country. That’s exactly what you are doing when you no good…I mean…that’s what happens when you illegally stop the pipelines our industry needs.

PER: Now wait a minute…our whole economy depends on nature and the environment to run…and...(Pipeline talks over Per again)

MR. PIPELINE: Now don’t start telling me that beautiful trees put bread on the table and dollars in your pocket. That’s what industries like oil do, and sure there are costs -- there are for everything -- but it’s the cost of doing business, of creating jobs and keeping the economy going. I think if one more hooligan waves a picket sign about how i’m wrecking the planet outside our corporate centre, I’ll get a pack of guard dogs to straighten them all out.

Lousy, useless sticks-in-the-mud are trying to stop everything.

PER: Really Mr. Pipeline. You would sick dogs on people who are trying to protect us all? If you weren’t so blind you would read the writing on the wall and realize we cannot dilly dally anymore. We have to deal with climate change, or face the catastrophic weather, droughts, crop failures, rising…(again, Pipeline cuts Per off).

MR. PIPELINE: Yes, yes I know, we still have to deal with that theory that using good old oil is going to wreck everything. And we are saying we are ready to start to phase it out as soon as our proven profitable oil runs out. (his voice begins to rise loudly) In the meantime you are making it hard to run my business…It’s having a real impact on the bottom line...and I wont’ take this lying down…we have to fight back to protect our investments and your jobs for chrissake…

GOOD TIME: Calm down, please, Mr. Pipeline! We are among fellow puppets here, aren’t we? We are here to listen to you. No need to start shouting.

MR. PIPELINE: Well you would be shouting too if it was your corporation that was having to cut dividends and reduce profits. I mean really, is this a free market or what? I’m getting complaints from the Board and from shareholders. This is unheard of, we’ve always been a very profitable company.

You just have to cut out all this destructive nonsense about reduce, reduce, reduce...companies need room to expand, grow, sell more and make more money, otherwise, what’s the point? 

PER: The point, Mr. Pipeline, is preservation of the natural world and avoiding climate catastrophe. We keep trying to tell you. 

Besides you are far from starving, Mr. Pipeline. Answer me this simple question: How many houses do you own?

image courtesy of Pixabay

MR. PIPELINE:  How is that relevant at all? Give me a break, I’m a successful businessman. I get to invest in property, stimulate the real estate market, bring all values up.

PER: But honestly, how many houses do you own?

MR. PIPELINE: Why would we talk about my houses?

PER: So it’s more than one, Mr. Pipeline?

MR. PIPELINE: Of course, don’t be absurd, what businessman owns just one house?  What’s your point, anyway? I thought we were talking about all this violent illegal protesting nonsense.

PER: Can you tell us about your houses? Come on, Pipeline, if you want us to listen you can level with us at least a little bit.

MR. PIPELINE:  Well that’s really private business. You know you don’t have a right to know. Most of my homes are just owned by one of the corporations anyway. But they are really mine. They are legitimate business costs and have to be tax sheltered. Like my condo in Toronto, I need it for board meetings. I’m flying back and forth at least once a week you know.

PER: How much would that condo have cost, Mr. Pipeline?

MR. PIPELINE: Give me a break, it’s just a condo. Probably only a few million, what’s your point?

PER: And you have a house in Calgary of course?

image courtesy of Pixabay

MR. PIPELINE: Well it’s a ranch in Cochrane actually. Quite a spread. My stables have some beautiful horses…I can’t remember their names right now...but it’s lovely when my trainer takes them out for exercising…It’s a nice place for me and my family. And, actually, I write quite a bit of it off for corporate entertaining. I have to have the guys over now and then for poker…just good business practice you know.

PER: Any other multi million dollar properties you can remember just off the top of your head?

MR. PIPELINE: Well, now that you mention it, I really do like the Houston house too, with a great view of the ocean. Good thing it’s up on a hill… I’m no dummy you know, I bought it well above the flood plain, good thing too after that hurricane last year. My housekeepers took good care of it though…and insurance paid for the new roof and the trees will grow back in time. It’s a great house…I remember when we made the deal with a certain oil company and we had their whole Board over…and…ah, well it’s a great house.

PER: And who lives in those houses now Mr. Pipeline?

image courtesy of Pixabay

MR. PIPELINE: What do you mean? I live in them, they’re mine…why should someone else be in them?

PER: Maybe you have heard that there is a housing crisis?

MR. PIPELINE: Of course. Government has to let the free market build more to meet demand. Why are you on at me about this anyway…I’m a good upstanding citizen, a builder of the economy. I pay my taxes like anyone else. I really don’t know what you are on about.

PER:  Ah, yes, taxes, just how much do you pay in taxes, Mr. Pipeline?  

MR. PIPELINE: Same as anyone else, I pay my income taxes.

PER: And last year that was how much?

MR. PIPELINE: How would I know? I have a whole accounting department that handles investments and taxes. Their profession is to keep my tax bill as low as possible. And they are good. They’ve got it arranged so almost all the income is tax sheltered in the companies. They maximize my royalty credits and all my tax breaks. Best business practice going. They even bought me a lovely beachside house in the Bahamas, where a lot of my banking is done now, so I can be close to my money.

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER: What?! How can you do that to your country, to your fellow citizens? We need to transform our economy and you are hiding profits and cheating on your taxes. Mr. Pipeline, you are nothing but a…a….

NOWCA: Take it easy, Per. Mr. Pipeline is just another PERson, like you or Good Time and he has beliefs and understandings like each of us do. We really are far more the same than we are different you know.

*******

Thanks to Keith Wiley for this guest post.