GIW - Who’s Waiting For You

Today, I write not about waste, but about the importance of WaPreG’s goals.  I do not speak of this holistically, but bear with me and this post will become clear.  A while back, I reviewed a blog called Gold in Words, by Benjamin Anyan.  This is a Ghanaian-written blog with topics that vary considerably and which are interesting and thought-provoking.  Today I am inspired by the post entitled “Who’s Waiting For You?”.  It is a post that encourages the reader to think about their purpose in life.  The reader is encouraged to ask themselves why they are procrastinating and what it will do for them, as well as to think about what effect their life work will have.

First, I want to relate this post to WaPreG.  Anyan asks some questions that are worth thinking about when starting up an organization like WaPreG.  I will answer a few (note - the questions are all quoted from the text):

 ₪ If I was waiting for you, then who else is?

The people waiting for WaPreG are the people who see there is a waste problem in Ghana.  The people who want to do something about this waste problem, but who feel disempowered when it comes to finding a solution.  These people may or may not have ideas, but they are Ghanaians of any age, any level of education, any financial situation.  If they care about the problem, they have been waiting for us.

 ₪ How many thousands of humans are there who stand a chance of living a good life because YOU lived yours well?

Any person who sets foot in Ghana will be directly affected by the results of our initiative and any other person who is inspired by WaPreG’s actions will be indirectly affected.  People around the world look at the periphery with differing views and hopefully this will help that view become just a little bit more positive.

 ₪ Do you make decisions convenient to you alone or do you consider the generations of human kind who’ll read about you some day and feel goosebumps all over their bodies because of the challenge and inspiration your life will bring to them?

Native populations throughout North America (and surely many others worldwide) hold a view that is anti-capitalist in terms of their treatment of the environment.  The view is not that the earth holds resources for humans to exploit for profit, but that the earth cares for us, much in the same way as our mothers.  Many groups in Canada (and again, surely elsewhere) believe that the sustainability of all our actions must be questioned.  Each action must leave our descendants seven generations into the future with the possibility of living in the same way as we do.  This view is based on the idea that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, rather we borrow the earth from our descendents.

 ₪ When you close your eyes and fantasize, do you see your passion giving jobs to 100,000 people the world over, and being the one who makes it possible for those 100,000 people to put 3-sqaure meals on their family tables?

This one is rather difficult.  It seems to me that waste prevention could easily help people come up with some kind of income.  Rather than leaving our waste in a pile behind our homes and then burning this waste every few days, the extremely creative Ghanaian culture can easily take a page from such companies as TrashyBags' (which I would like to remind you IS a Ghanaian company) books.  So many other things can be done with trash.  Why not have a group of people in each village collecting all compostable materials in the village to start a compost pile in an open area.  This could be a farmer, a group of farmers, or people hired by farmers.  The farmers could then use this compost to increase the quality of the soil in which they grow their food, thereby increasing the nutrients in those crops, which will improve the health of those who eat those crops.  So many positive things could happen from this one simple idea.  Waste is greatly reduced, soil quality improves, crops improve, the farmers do not need to use fertilizer, since the compost is the most natural kind of fertilizer and the local population has improved health!  I am surely missing other details but for one simple idea, not a bad start!

 ₪ Does it occur to you that by doing what you’re good at to the fullest, some thousands of people will be able to pay their tithes, and make contributions to humanitarian causes?

Looking at the previous response, it seems to me that the improved health of the local population is in itself giving people an edge to those eating less nutritious versions of the same crops.  Again, not an easy one to answer.

 ₪ How many people are waiting for you to become more responsible? More caring, more romantic? How much longer will they have to wait? 5 years, 9&1/2 years? Is that how long it’ll take you to put that life-draining addiction behind you?

This group of questions goes together quite well.  In relation to WaPreG, we are starting up slowly at this time.  The biggest hurdle at this time is that Allie is still a student in Canada.  That will take another two years, but we have faith that even during that time, we can succeed with at least a small amount.  Afterwards, we can really give a big push and give it our all.  We have faith in our goal being attainable!

Now, I would like you, my readers, to relate this post to yourselves.  Anyans questions are questions you can ask yourself in terms of your own life.  They are also questions you can ask yourself in terms of preventing waste.  Review the post and try to answer the questions from both perspectives.  We would be very interested in knowing your reactions to these questions.  Remember that no matter your limitations, you can do something.  Knowing your limitations and working with them is the best way to succeed and I have faith that each and every one of you can succeed!

And now, a quote by Lynette Fromme:

Keep talking about moving toxic wastes, but never let it cross your mind to quit producing them. Keep judging yourselves in Manson. Don't look in the mirror. You will serve the Earth as much as she serves you or you will commit suicide.