21 Apr
Yearning for Greener Pastures
Why the Handcar Regatta is Good for the Planet and Why You Should Be Excited About It!
Guest author: Joe Greenlee has worked in copywriting for various websites, and currently works for a local, independently owned video store here in Santa Rosa. He has a BA in English literature, and enjoys reading, bookbinding, running, politics and philosophy, and is currently working on his first novel. He hopes to one day own a real rocket pack.
It is oft said that you can’t go back again. It is a saying that resonates in many minds, especially when one thinks of the state of the world. Pollution is a rampant force now that many in the turn of the 19th century could barely even begin to imagine. Likewise, the forces of market that create such enormous amounts of garbage without considering the effects present an opposite scenario to yesteryear. These problems have been created because consumers wanted convenience. But as it turns out, our ancestors had several things right all along, and there are several movements going on to re-establish some of the can-do spirit that era embodies. Not to mention, the drive to implement your own creative force in your everyday life, and how this not only can give us a sense of pride, it can also revitalize local communities and economies.
The “Transition Movement”
We all know the facts about the environment, and a lot of what the news shows us is depressing. But here is some good news. As we speak, people across America are getting together for the common cause of making the world a better place, either by organizing things for their communities, or learning what they can do in their own homes that can make a difference. The term for this broad arena is the Transition Movement, a movement inspired to serve as an answer to resource depletion and global warming (see localized community movements: Transition Towns and Transition U.S.). The term being used to show people what they can do to make a difference is “reskilling.” Now, to most people, I imagine that their schedules are pretty busy and they must wonder how they can possibly participate. The fact is, everyone can decide for themselves what they put into this sort of thing, but the surprising thing is how much you can benefit from it economically.
More Than Fun and Games
The Handcar Regatta is a small part of this. We who have volunteered for the Regatta have often believed for a while now that it is more than fun and games. It is a symbol of community pride, because more than anything, we are individuals that aspire to create things that are a representation of who we are, creative, unique, and filled with beauty that we wish to share, or simply admire. A handcar made out of bicycle parts and junk takes a heck of a lot of ingenuity. An outfit inspired by an earlier time, with multiple layers made by hand takes vision and patience. A museum of oddities compiled by artists amuses the spirits and enlightens us as to how much we as individuals can do that can’t be mass produced.
Change in Attitudes
So how does this all tie together? Community. We are, as many communities are, deciding what we like and what we don’t when we shop. When we decide to consume a recycled product, or to walk or bike for intervals of the week, or purchasing fresh produce over a highly processed meal, we are reducing the carbon footprint on the planet. The wonderful thing is, people have changed in their attitudes dramatically since just thirty years ago. Where once it was thought largely the realm of dreamers, now pro-green shopping has taken on pride! People love to feel good about choosing to do something small that can help save the earth in a small way. And they should. We should all be able to feel good about what we can do. This mass excitement ties in to locally made products and handmade products as well. There is a vitality in the market for items that have not been produced in a factory but rather one’s own backyard.
“Reskilling”
Following this economic pattern, we see that people are beginning to embrace doing things for themselves. The reskilling movement, or do-it-yourself movement (DIY) is basically your average everyday person learning to make things that their grandparents or great-grandparents used to make, that got a bit lost in the mass production of the later 20th century. At home, this can include making your own bread, learning how to can fruit, make jam and jar it, and gardening one’s own food. These are not only things that get us in touch with our culinary heritage, it can also save on food costs down the line. Little things add up. To go a step further, transportation groups have emerged, encouraging people to share car rides along with the cost. Knitting groups allow people get together to make blankets and clothing. Groups that teach simplicity and how to shop and cook eco-friendly are being created. And people have begun to really dig for information on how their family members survived the Great Depression of the 30s. Whether this is coming from a desire to better oneself or a way to save on expense, the effect is clear: it feels good to learn to do things for oneself. It is a very American (but not uniquely American) proclivity to be a rugged individual, to pioneer the way they live their lives through action and innovation. To forge new ways of doing things, and learning that cutting down on some things can open whole new doors to activities that are far more rewarding.
Pioneers Among Us
At the Handcar Regatta, we hope to capture the essence of this sentiment. There is a new pioneer emerging. The Handcar Regatta hopes to celebrate the pioneers who came before and the pioneers among us. The result has been outstanding. When the Handcar Regatta showed up its second year, Sonoma County was there. You responded. You rejoiced. And you enjoyed it. By far, the overwhelming sentiment that people showed to me was a reaction of utter joy. It was like watching people walk around wondering if they were dreaming. What was this burst of artistry, this flourishing of community pride. People were astounded, and embraced it because this exciting new venue, was a hundred different wonderful things converging. It was artists selling their wares, a festival of music all around, and best of all, everyone could participate in some way. It wasn’t just the excitement of the handcar races. It was people proud of the fact that this was ours. It was unique. It was our heritage reborn in a new incarnation.
As the hit TV series Quantum Leap once quoted, we are striving to put right what once went wrong. The past has lessons, and we have been learning them in many different, exciting, and even fun ways!
Showcase of Our Best
There is power in numbers. The more people want to make a difference, in favoring a venue where everyone can walk across a suspension bridge made by hand, walk amongst a circus-like atmospheres of performers and sculptures and games, and booths that show how things are made, they feel like they’re not just sitting on the sidelines. And that makes a difference. We are an extension of a movement that prides itself in its community. We are proud of the technological, but we favor that which distresses the environment the least. We are proud of our past, but we favor the ability of the individual to succeed based on innovation, and what’s more, giving those individuals with talent an equal chance to succeed. That’s what we should take from the American pioneer spirit, and the Sonoma spirit as well. Not everything about the past is ideal, but we are learning that certain things work well. Local networking and supporting local business is good for everyone. It helps our local economy and it helps reduce the carbon footprint. The same goes for Handcar Regatta participants. We all hope to make our mark on the local scene. We want to be something everyone can point to and be proud of. Just as the trains and trolleys were once a source of local pride, just as bicycles and steamboats were once the high point of technological acclaim, the Regatta will continue to showcase quite simply the best of what Sonoma County represents.
We may be inspired by the past, but we are boldly headed to the future.
Generously divluged by Judith on 21.04.10 at 6:24 pm
Great writing! We here at Transition Cotati would love it if we could figure out a way to extend Handcar Regatta joy down the rail lines to here. A race from E Cotati Ave to Old Adobe Rd in Penngrove?