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22 April 2021 HK heartbeat :: Issue #1014 |
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This week, we have a new view from space. Perseverance paid off with images we could only have imagined not so very long ago. In 1970 when a few hippies shared an Earth Day vision, I wonder if they imagined over 190 countries getting involved. My experience with hippies went something like getting home from church, Dad grabbing the shotgun and heading over to where they had set up a nudist colony on public property requiring access via locked gates and driving through planted crops. To this day, that part of the farm is called Hippiesville and this may be the first time I have seen the word in writing. It is one label to which I do not respond well. Caring for the earth was more of a matter of survival in our world of raising livestock and growing food to last through the long prairie winters in a land that even today remains far from the global tourist beat. Only in leaving and returning home on that first long long haul flight back in the 90s did I realize the vast isolation of my childhood. I describe it as a great place to live but you wouldn't want to visit since there's nothing much to see. The concepts marketed today by trendy sustainable, green brands are in my DNA. The perspective one gains from a distance cannot be achieved in front of a screen and our world is now officially too small to ignore each other. Weekend destination wedding trips once out of the question have become so expected that many are complaining of their absence. Our addiction to travel escape is so severe that polluting flights and cruises to nowhere are sold out before booking screens load. Love and family and friendships are nurtured across long distance relationships with the gift of evolving digital technology. Fast fashion, cheap toys, industrial food and mass tourism function on business models favoring poverty and pollution. Global supply chains disrupt factories when the wind blows unexpectedly in a far away canal built by owned humans. In this time of personal space, we bear witness to the cultural gaps when staying at home is not actually an option. Our 2020 hindsight offers a vision of tomorrow grounded in compassion and radical, blind generosity today. Switch off tonight and gaze up at the stars and know that our little blue planet is our only home. Think of something special to do as a personal treat to express our gratitude for each other. Join our crew and support others who insist on remaining passengers on the journey. We are growing in numbers and our diversity is a reflection of the change today. We may come from many places, but we're heading in the same direction. Where we are is where our heart is and we'll be sticking close for a time. Local is being forced upon us and neighbors are always good for a visit. This Earth Day, our planet is getting a very long overdue rest. Where does your heart call home? Naturally,
Founder "There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew." Marshall McLuhan Listen to your own heartbeat.Store | Calendar | Marketplace | Directory | Membership |
 Despite the sense of cautious optimism in the air, many of Hong Kong's citizens continue to suffer from the devastating impact of this past year and needs are ongoing in our community. CARE DELIVERED is a food distribution project jointly run by HandsOn Hong Kong and Feeding Hong Kong, that mobilizes caring volunteers to deliver Care Packages directly to the doorsteps of those most in need. Our teams have coordinated with five local charities to identify families and individuals who will most benefit from long-term food support and compassion from oue community and they will receive one Care Packages each month for a whole year -- details |
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On the calendar (more)Thursday
22 (12-3am)
Balancing Seven Wheels Workshop: Sun Wheel Click here for details -- new listings are added daily |
 We will be living the story of masks for a while. Do yourself a favor and make the change to quality, durable, biodegradable, masks that are healthy to wear and healthy for our planet. Our comfortable, lightweight model is easy to wash by hand at the end of the day when you wash your hands as we follow the public health guidelines. Available in black or white in sizes small and large, each piece is made with love using 100% fair trade fine Egyptian cotton treated with antimicrobial protection -- buy here. |
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 If you are facing a crisis, the Mental Health Relief Scheme is available in multiple languages to everyone who needs a hand. If you feel able to, speak to a trusted friend or family member or a medical or mental health professional. Starting the conversation can be hard, but these people want to talk to you and help you to cope -- details |
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Photo by Kinzie
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HK heartbeat -- Hong Kong SAR China
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