Thrive-ability
Today is Friday! Excited for the weekend, hopefully another adventurous and satisfying weekend here in Cape Town. Today started off amazingly. Greenpop was the host for this month's Creative Mornings, "a monthly breakfast lecture series," which happens all around the world! Each month there is theme, May's was backwards. Awesomely enough, Greenpop was the host for May! This morning we gathered at Friends of Design: Academy for Digital Arts, which for me was like designer's paradise. There were student branding projects all over, and the space was really awesome and "design-y".
Don't mind if I do!
For every 20 people who took off their shoes, Greenpop plants a tree!
Greenpop's topic for discussion was how to creatively mobilize people for a cause, and how Greenpop's actions and values follow this model. We are motivating people to think about how "cooling the planet" is COOL. We want people to think about being active, rather than anxious in this global warming crisis, and take initiatives towards bettering them and those around them in an effective way. Sustainability is a word that has been thrown around so much within the last years around global warming and climate change, so instead of sustainability, we promote thrive-ability. The ability of people to sustain, adapt and thrive in (and for) their environment. The time for change is now! We must work together effectively to promote and create a thrive-able present and future. Awesome people, awesome venue, awesome inspiration! Part of our plan for the talk was to ask people to take off their shoes, and "foot-shake" as a greeting. Not only a fun, funky activity, but an incentive for people because for every 20 people who took off their shoes, we are going to plant a tree! (A total of 80 people took off their shoes, which means 4 more trees into the ground!)
The awesome Greenpop-ers presentation
Great start to a Friday!
Yesterday I was able to go on another plant day, this time we planted 30 trees at Ihata shelter, which is a domestic violence shelter for women and their children. The day started off very cloudy and chance of rain. We arrived at the office at 7 AM, packed up and headed off to the nursery to pack up the bucket with all the necessities (trees, compost, mulch, watering cans, stakes, etc.) We luckily packed everyone nice and tight...sort of.. but it all fit!
Greenpop nursery early in the morning
All packed up and ready to go!
We arrived at the shelter, got settled in and immediately began setting up the area for planting to begin. (Before planting begins, we have to make sure each station (or hole) has the proper materials nearby, so people's planting experiences go super smooth). By this point, the rain wasn't all that bad. We were given a tour of the shelter by the main woman, Nuran. She is really an amazing woman, and even though her job is not the easiest, she keeps an extremely positive attitude and really cares for the everyone who comes into the shelter. She had told us this place was really nothing when they arrived, as it was just abandoned when they found it.
All the women were extremely nice and willing to get their hands dirty, which is always great to have. The rain started pouring down pretty hard as we were demonstrating how to plant a tree, and people's spirits were diminishing, but we all had to keep the energy flowing. Fortunately, the rain only lasted a short while, and everyone just powered through and it was really great having everyone working together, still putting a smile on each other's faces.
Tree planting demonstration with Patrick
Everyone contributing and getting their hands dirty!
When it was time to plant the last tree, everyone gathered together (and thankfully the rain had stopped from the morning). It is always amazing when at the end of a planting day, everyone gathering together brings the day to a good closure, and you definitely feel accomplished, and that you actually did make some kind of difference, no matter how small.
Although the real winter weather is approaching, getting out of the office every now and then and getting hands on experience with the community is truly satisfying. So great week! Last night we went to Hope St Market, which is AMAZING. Basically a "Saturday Market" feel (for you Portlandians), which little stations all around of food, wine BEER, clothes, you name it. It was a great way to end the day, even if I was extremely tired. Best part is that it's a weekly event, so there are many more to come!
Hope St Market
BEER and beautiful I might add
Ginger beer samples, yummmm
How could I resist... American style IPA!
“Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.
”