I’ve got my kid on my back peering over my shoulder asking, “Why?” In the less than one year that he has been able to talk here are some of the questions he’s asked us.
“Why is it so hot?”
“Why can’t we go outside?”
“Why is the water hurting?”
Throughout the entirety of his life thus far we have navigated multiple environmental crisis that have directly impacted his experience of the world. From excruciatingly high heatwaves to high winds that forced rolling blackouts, to fires that have surrounded our town that brought smoke thick enough to block out the sun… and the ever pervasive and quiet drought that exists throughout our state.
Drought.
Every year we pray for the rain. This year we were notified by our CSA farm that they don’t have enough water to plant vegetables through the summer. Instead they will have to pipe water in from a pond on another farm in order to do so.
Not enough water to grow food.
I think about this while I gaze down at the endless row of vineyards that line the hills surrounding our home. In the 4 short yrs that I’ve lived here, I’ve watched multiple new vineyards pop up.
Not enough water to grow food, yet enough to grow thousands of acres of grapes for wine. I can’t sustain my family off of wine grapes.
We are on the precipice of complete collapse and we’re still locked into the false narrative that we have to choose economy over a healthy planet and our communities. This lie is wearing on all of us.
… I stand here with my kid on my back.
#EarthMonth
