When events are chaotic, or things change very rapidly, oftentimes people ask the question: “What can I do?”
It is only natural to want to take control of a situation that feels out of control. In order to do that, we want to take action, even if it is not clear what that action should be.
Take a moment to consider what action is appropriate. It may also help to consider what is possible. Where those two things overlap, meaningful steps can be taken.
For example, let’s consider someone who is having trouble at work. Feeling it necessary to do something, they might, say, perform a deep clean of their home. Cleaning feels like progress, and while having a clean home is a good thing, it doesn’t have any impact on the actual problem. The action is possible, but not appropriate.
A lot of people are feeling helpless or powerless right now. In reality, each person has more power and more control than they realize.
So how do you tap into that? What can I do in order to make a difference? How can we overcome the despair that tells us the situation is out of our hands?
Related questions: How much power does an individual have? How can you help? How can we turn ideas into actions? How can we turn sadness into constructive action?
I can do many things about many issues. For today’s post, I’ll focus on how I promote a healthier food supply.
I believe America’s supply of fruits and vegetables is overwhelmingly reliant on a very limited number of seeds. This dependency makes our food supply extremely vulnerable to diseases and other challenges posed by climate change.
Consider how few varieties of each vegetable are available at your grocery store. For example, while there are between 10,000 and 15,000 varieties of tomatoes worldwide, grocery stores typically offer a minimal number for sale. Moreover, these varieties are not selected based on their resiliency, nutritional value, or even taste. Instead, our grocery chains purchase produce that travels long distances well and is pleasing to the eye once it reaches the shelves of the stores.
To do what I can and to show others that other options exist, I grow my vegetables from seeds sold by seed sellers and seed banks that aim to retain underused heirloom and open-pollinated seeds—meaning they strive to preserve the genetic diversity of fruits, vegetables, and flowers while promoting the use of many of these seeds by farmers and gardeners alike.
While I sometimes proselytize about this issue in an attempt to get more gardeners I know to use more diverse and sustainable seeds — like now — I mainly share my joy of gardening with these seeds and post photos of the diversity of foods growing in my garden. I hope and believe this has encouraged a few gardeners to purchase their seeds from heirloom and open-pollinated seed non-profits and companies. In doing so, not only are they promoting a healthier food supply, but they are also able to grow more beautiful, tastier, and nutritious fruits and vegetables.
I’m deeply concerned about the people in Gaza who are going without food, water, and medical care. I donated to an organization that is working there.
I’m deeply concerned about the people in Gaza who are going without food, water, and medical care. I donated to an organization that is working there. I pray someone reading this will do the same.