(Written 3rd of November, 2002)
- I don't consider myself as being very ecological person. I'm just like everybody else walking in the street, who don't give a fuck what happens to this planet. Or actually we do care what happens, as long as it suits our goals, or when we have taken few drinks and we all get very philosophical. Then we do care.
- I must say that I admire people who live their life's in such manner that they remember nature and they respect her. But in many cases, their actions also go to some extreme levels. They start to judge other people, what they do or what they haven't done. In personal level, remembering this planet is a good thing, but people should keep in mind that no protest or boycott is going to save this planet or change the way people live. At least not as long as most of the people run after money. Money and nature don't go together too well. At this point we could also think about people who need to fight every day to get something to eat. That makes about 75 percent of people in this planet. They couldn't care a less if some method that they use to get or grow food, harms the nature. Yes, someone might say that it is our duty and moral obligation in western countries to live in a ecological way, because we have the chance to do so. People in India or in Africa don't really have this chance. This is a bloody good argument, please go and tell this to the major western corporations that are moving their factories or other facilities in to the third world countries, because the anti-pollution laws in western countries are starting to be too tight. When these laws are too tight, it of course means a lot less money. And in any case, as long as there isn't any strict levels of pollution for American factories, or as long as those levels are far behind the standards of Europe or standard of many third world countries, all attempts to reduce pollution levels, are almost useless.
- Pessimistic view of the world? Perhaps, but you only need to watch news for a week and pretty soon you get this kind of picture about people and about this world. Truck driver transporting hazardous waste, dumps all of the waste in to the beach. Saying that: "We have done it always like this". Three attendants in hospital night shift go in turn to check the oil valves: "They are closed, no need to worry". Next morning, people from hazardous waste disposal plant are swarming all over the hospital area. The valves were not closed and oil had leaked all over the place, reaching ground water.
- For myself, the biggest reason why I don't use naturally grown products, is money. I do understand that producing naturally grown products takes a lot more time and is financially bigger burden, than producing some products that are super fertilized. Farmers that produce naturally grown products don't surround the whole wheat field with pesticide cloud or super fertilize tomato's to be a size of orange. That's why it takes longer time to get the crops in harvest condition. This is also the reason why the harvest result is a lot smaller with naturally grown products. But I think that the authorities could help a little bit more, the farmers that don't use all the fertilizer arsenal that there is available. Instead of doing this, the politicians are keeping their fine and glamorous speeches how the pollution and garbage levels should be minimized. If naturally grown products would have the same prize as products that are produced by some multinational corporation, me and many others would without a doubt move to use naturally grown products. Well, maybe this is the oldest excuse that there is to any matter at all: "Well I would, but..."
- Like I said, I must admit that I don't recycle almost at all. Bottles I do take back to the market, but the only reason for doing so is, yes you guessed right, money. Getting few damn euros every time I do this. While walking in nature, I do avoid consciously of throwing garbage in to the nature. I do not break bottles in the nature. All of this I do because I don't want dogs to hurt their paws in to the broken glass pieces or to the bottle caps. Actually, I probably wouldn't even think about this, but I happen to have a dog. Now that I have spent this autumn photographing different areas, I can only be amazed the things that people throw in to nature. Blood in a bottle, couches, candles, food, garbage bags, bicycles, shoes, chairs and God knows what.
- One thing more about my recycling, that bigger things, like tables, couches and bookshelf's I do recycle, by giving them to someone who needs them, or if they are in a good condition, I sell them. If in some garbage can there is something I can use, I will take it. Flea markets are another place that I now and then wander around. Looking for music and clothes. Prices in these places, when it comes to music are a lot cheaper. What comes to clothes, they are often a lot more interesting and you can make some really nice discoveries in flea markets. You can't find these kind of clothes from anywhere anymore. Well, maybe you can, but then you might have to pay a lot more in a place like Stockmann. Not to even mentioning the fact that I do not want to pay extra just for the sake that my socks might be bought from some special place or they are some special brand.
- The fact however remains, that this is disposable culture, with it's TV-dinner's and disposable asthma inhalators. Sad but true. Being a pessimistic person, I do not think that this will ever change. The only thing that will change, is the fact that our disposable culture and our habit of running after nice things, will only go further and further and to even more extreme forms. But hey, I'm no better person than you are when it comes to this matter, so who the hell I'm telling you what to do?
