Earth Camp 2007

 

 

A group of us came together on the Harvest Equinox to share our strivings for a healthier relationship with the Earth.  The weekend flowed as people came and left, participating to the extent they were able.  Although some participants were recovering from illness, others from overwork, we summoned up our final reserves to be together and plant a seed.

 

Those who participated had positive things to say about the hands on experiences of working together, experiencing an efficient kitchen, and just ‘being’ together with our shared intention of being closer to the Earth.  There was much appreciation of the interactive approach to the event, and a feeling of potential for something more to become established for the future.

 

Discussions on sustainability and our understanding of what is happening to our planet were difficult.  We had no easy solutions, the information was ‘tired’, everyone was converted and we needed no preaching.  However, the issues needed to be raised in order to remind us in what context we were choosing to come together and act differently.  After the camp itself I became aware of how the event raised further ideas for people that become subsequent discussion points, or brought to the forefront general concerns for the earth. 

 

A new idea of sustainable ACTION began to emerge which centered less around government campaigns, world-wide sterilization programmes, and focused much more on individual responsibility.  Through our actions more than our words we began to live out ideas of being closer to nature, of addressing our waste consciously and conscientiously, of truly making use of the local unpackaged bounty around us, practicing working together, and getting to know one another in new ways.

 

We began the weekend on Friday night with a question, ‘what is waste?’ and never came to a complete answer to the question, but let it hanging for each of us to answer in our own ways. 

 

I began to answer this question for myself, and I put this beginning before you to encourage additional thinking and formulating of this definition.

Waste: any resource that we take from its natural cycle of growth and decay, and then no longer have a use for so that it must begin to fester, pollute or be buried to deal with later.

 

 

Before the weekend took place we started established a number of goals for ourselves, what we wanted the weekend to achieve.  These were:

1. To provide a forum, in our own geographical community, for the exploration of ideas which will support a more sustainable relationship with our eco-system.
2. To enable Claymont Community to make more connections with the immediate surrounding community.
3. To draw wider notice to Claymont Community from willing workers whose contributions could help in the large task of custodians of this land.
4. To have fun, working together, and celebrating summer!
5. To encourage and support healthy bodies, healthy planet, in ourselves and in those around us.
6. To establish the groundwork and momentum for a potential annual event.

 

 

 

 

Some of our goals were really too difficult to measure, or its really still early to tell in what ways we may have reached, or missed these goals.  What we can do, is begin to look at what we DID achieve with the weekend.  Next year we can look at how we would like to build on these foundations and change or add to our goals for the event.

1. We solidified our individual intentions to work more closely with nature, and spent a weekend (or parts of) practicing living with this intention for-front in ourselves.
2. Earth Camp enabled people with an interest in Claymont to come and participate in a structured way, learning about who we are, and how we work together.
3. Some of those who came for the first time are interested in coming back to Claymont, learning more about gardening, partaking in the harvest, and doing research here on sustainable agriculture, permaculture and biodynamic care of our waterways.
4. Large amounts of cider were drunk, drumming and marshmallows around the fire was had, and an opportunity for us to spend a whole weekend being together, and enjoying where we live.
5. Morning yoga and meditation was energising and a beautiful sharing experience for those who participated. 
6. A fully functioning composting toilet, and ideas for an established Eco-camp site, including solar showers.
7. Inspiration for bamboo construction
8. 7+ people from OUTSIDE of Claymont who would like to be a part of planning a future EARTH event.
9. A sketch of an event, giving us a shared experience to build on a flesh out for the future.
10. Unforeseen (and as yet unknown!) rippling effects throughout our immediate and wider communities, the effects of our shared striving…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The composting toilet was used continually through the day, I suspect some people made there way down the grassy path simply to sit in natural peace and read the ‘humanure’ manual that accompanied the toilet. At least I know that I did!!!  The campsite has been used subsequently by other groups who have come to visit Claymont, and there are plans afoot to install solar showers in the same area (Earth Camp 2008 project?).

 

 

We looked at waste and resource use from different angles, bringing in ideas that people had to share.  This included craft projects and ideas to make truly beautiful and useful things out of scrap fabric, old clothes into elegant rugs, and really enjoying the process of taking your own hand-crafted shopping bags into the grocery store.  We made drinking vessels out of hollowed out bamboo, a natural resource readily available and constantly replenishing, and brainstormed other ways of using this incredibly versatile plant.

 

We honored the four directions with clay-paint, relaxed and had some fun in the sun.