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Generations
rise from dust, return to dust
dreaming apple pie
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While life goals of survival, love, and accomplishment continue from generation to generation, the world is changing rapidly. In this century global manufacturing, industrial agriculture, shipping, and trucking of goods have increased steadily. Despite our need to cut back on burning fossil fuels, global free trade markets keep expanding. Rapid unregulated growth is not necessarily a good thing–nor is too much apple pie.
Naomi Klein’s 2014 book, This Changes Everything, names trends that impede our efforts to reduce carbon emissions:
The twin signatures of this era [this century] have been the mass export of products across vast distances (relentlessly burning carbon all the way), and the import of a uniquely wasteful model of production, consumption, and agriculture to every corner of the world… (p 77 eBook)
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The errors of this period cannot be undone, but it is not too late…Encouraging the frenetic and indiscriminate consumption of essentially disposable products can no longer be the system’s goal. Goods must once again be made to last, and the use of energy-intensive long-haul transport will need to be rationed—reserved for those cases where goods cannot be produced locally or where local production is more carbon-intensive. (p278-279 eBook)
For many people economic growth is like a favorite pie. It calls forth an immediate ‘Yes please’. On the surface, ‘growth’ sounds right, a sound course, a sound goal. However there is always a saturation point when we have too much of a good thing–whether it’s apple pie or growth. We need to slow down and find ways to live happy lives more sustainably. We need to maintain a ‘good enough’ prosperity shared by everyone while cutting back on pollution. Much easier said than done, but worth the effort during our lifetimes and for those to follow.
My haiku uses the prompt words ‘pie’ and ‘dust’ for Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge.
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Ontheland 
Great post, loved how you used apple pie in Haiku.The book looks promising, do tell me about it , did you finish it already?
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Well said, Janice. ❤
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Thanks Olga.
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Love your haiku. I like the excerpts from ‘This Changes Everything’ you posted. Naomi Klein is right on point.
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Thanks Vashti. Yes I like her book ..she describes trends you can feel happening … gives historical perspective of economic and political trends relating to climate change responses.
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Sounds like an important book. I’ll be checking it out. Thank you.
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a very soulful haiku this week Janice, so true if Apple Pie is a family delicacy
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🙂 I realize there are many out there, even Americans 😉 whose dreams don’t include apple pie … those readers will have take my reference metaphorically. I like apple pie but there are many others that I find more interesting such as blueberry, pumpkin and pecan.
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Trouble is, there are no more local farms. Folks who live in condos or Urban areas used to be able to drive to a local farm and purchase fresh vegetables they have been taken over by large corp., the butcher shops are gone, the local pharmacy is gone, the shoemaker is gone, the Mom and Pop grocery stores are gone. Supermarkets, Whole Foods, Costco and B J’S and other big corp. have taken over. How do we get the way it was back? We don’t. Most women are working mothers now days and the meals are not made from scratch any more. I know that does not pertain to all, but I believe it is the majority.
You are right but I don’t think it will happen. I would love for time to reverse a little, for people to slow down and get to know their neighbors. Also for families to live in the same area so cousins can grow up together. Everyone is spread all over the country now.
I had not been in touch with some of my family until the internet came along. We now chat and send photos back and fourth, even our family in Italy.
Time is going to march on no matter how we feel. I can reminisce about the old days and I am happy I was a generation that grew up then.
I worked but always had meals made from scratch. I use to prepare the night before and get up at 4:00am to make sure the children had a proper breakfast, packed their lunches and we were all at the table for dinner. It was a lot of work but it is possible. I still cook with fresh vegetables, make sauce and meatballs from scratch and some time even make fresh pasta. However that is when we are having company. Our children have families of their own now and it is just me and my husband so there is no need for it except on holidays.
Loved your haiku, you hit the nail on the head. :o)
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The picture is so big and there are so many threads that it is hard to imagine exactly how the future will take shape. Our lives have bridged enormous changes, some of which you have described. Where I live in Ontario I see an increased interest in local food and goods. There are local markets, small organic farmers, home vegetable growers (urban and rural), community vegetable gardens, school garden programs and an increase in small entrepreneurs among young people who, aided by technology, don’t need to rely on the labour market. Lack of time in people’s lives does promote use of prepared packaged foods…I find it hard to imagine how people find the time to eat healthily…but I think there are solutions and some people are finding them…I could ramble on but I ‘ll stop here. I appreciated your reflections: thank you 🙂
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