Eco Watch Reflection

Eco Watch Field Trip

This field trip opened my eyes to what is happening on an environmental, ecological and a people scale. Being exposed to Auroville and Sadhana Forest, seeing how intentional living thrives within eco communities was incredible. Just to see how these communities operate on both a small scale (Sadhana) and a larger scale (Auroville) shows that with determination intentional living can work and thrive. It really allows for the opportunity to dispel a lot of the misconceptions that shroud intentional communities; which are most often associated with cults. This field trip also offered the students a chance to live in a way that they probably never have, a simpler way of living, one with less distractions. In Auroville we saw where the food grows, the preferred method of transportation, where the water is collected, how and why they use the sun. We were thrust into the grass roots level that pertains to our very survival. this was a place where they are not detached from the basics; compared to the west, where most kids would tell you that food comes from a grocery store , not even aware of what a farm is, or even what it takes to grow those “french fries” that they had for lunch. Hopefully students started asking these questions in regards to their lives back home.

Where does my food come from? Was it locally grown or flown half way around the world? How was it grown? Pesticides?

Can I walk or bike to where I need to go? Can I take public transit if it is available to me? (you find you might just like it).

How is my water collected? Is it sustainable? Is my region over extracting our water sources? Do I really need as much water as I’m using?

What about my energy? Does my country burn coal, use nuclear power or any renewable resources like wind or solar? Do I use more than I need?

I think the biggest one is can I do anything about it? Can I be a part of this change of our current paradigm? What can I DO?

The people asking these questions, but more importantly the people who are actually DOING what they can will be the ones to change the world.

During this trip I gained a lot of insight about myself but I also learned some invaluable information about water conservation and its application, solar energy, sustainable, organic farming, permaculture and our own ecological footprint. It allowed all participants the opportunity to look within themselves and evaluate what they do in their lives that has direct and indirect influences on the fragile (yet resilient) planet we reside on. It forced us to analyze how much water we use (or over-use), especially for simple things like brushing our teeth, washing our hands, bathing and even using the toilet. Little things we take for granted here in Kodai and back home were luxuries for the week. Living without electricity in Sadhana Forest proved difficult for some students at the beginning, but in the end we all adapted.  Sometimes we all get so used to retreating to our own illuminated spaces in the evenings after dinner, or even before dinner. We consciously exclude ourselves from our own community gatherings, whether it is with family at home, or in dorm with our friends.  At Sadhana they had the concept of gathering with the light so that all community members would be in the same place socializing and have a sense of family, of community.  Instead of encouraging the formation of small groups they support the formation of one big family. One Love, One Heart, One Earth, One Family.

 This time is our time and we have the choice to go down a path that will harm and destroy our planet or we can go down the path of sustainability and environmental consciousness; being able to recognize that everything is connected, nothing can exist independently.  Our planet is one giant organism, and her health is dependent on what we chose to do now, in our lifetime. Not your grandkids, or your great grandkids but you and your children. The future is now. What are you going to do about it?