Sustaining Ourselves Locally: An example of urban self-sufficiency

YouTube — Oakland’s SOL

This video is about a group called SOL: Sustaining Ourselves Locally. You can get a taste of what is possible in your back yard or in a vacant lot. Being resourceful, optimistic, and willing to learn is so important. I really admire these folks because they know they need to build bridges with their neighbors–especially because what they are doing is so different. The young person describing all the great endeavors on this urban homestead is enthusiastic and excited about providing healthy food for everyone.

I encourage you to watch this video, and also to take steps to grow food in your back yard or front yard or in a community garden. And encourage your neighbors to do the same!

World Peace Begins With Your Neighbor

Richard Flyer, founder of Conscious Communities in Reno, Nevada, states,

“Why does it take a disaster to bring us together? Recent tragedies like 911, Hurricane Katrina, and the Tsunami remind us of who we are deep inside— a spiritually connected part of a large extended family, a web of living beings, sharing a tiny biosphere, on a small planet.”

“As Albert Einstein reminded us, “our separation from each other is an optical illusion of consciousness.” Disasters jolt us out of the sleepwalking that can happen as we focus on the daily business of life and survival with our self focused agendas, even our higher spiritual ones. Disasters also can open our hearts, as spiritual energy comes through us and is released in the form of compassion to others. Collectively, a chain reaction of goodness can come as a flood, but then, after the crisis, a “spiritual dam” may form once again within us and we go back to the sleep of our busy lives.” If you want to read more of this marvelous article which truly inspires me (and I hope you) to work to cooperate and overcome my resistance to cooperate with my neighbors) check out:

World Peace Begins With Your Neighbor