Happenings
Aside from a poorly-timed 'well, what about ME!' explosion on Xmas morning from someone who definitely knows better, things have been good. Great, even. I met up with Laurie Stern of Velvet & Sweet Pea's Purrfumery, and Charle-Pan Dawson of Cherry Valley Lilacs just a few days before Xmas, and wow! What powerhouses these women are. We spent the better part of our time together oohing and ahhing over one another's accomplishments. I felt like I was in the presence of goddesses, really.
Laurie hosted us in her El Cerrito, CA home overlooking the San Francisco Bay, where we had a leisurely and delicious vegetarian lunch on the deck, then we moved into her gorgeous purple palace and discussed everything from effective extraction methods to the conservation of our precious natural perfumery resources, and the founding of the Tapputi Belatekallim Society of Natural Perfumers and its goals. All of it aligns. Three people from vastly different backgrounds coming together under the banner of the tenets of TBS was remarkable. This conversation and the zoom meeting prior with other founding TBS members about the next moves have been so inspiring. There is a lot of work yet to do, but finding so many people who are as concerned about plant extinction and the myriad other problems that natural perfumers face has been a balm to my heart. Truth be told, plant extinction should alarm everyone, not just those of us whose livelihoods rely upon them. If you pay attention, you see it everywhere, this extinction event. From deliberate overharvesting (see that Vice program about thugs in the frankincense trade), to extreme weather events that wipe the surface of the earth clean through severe storms or long-term droughts. It is no longer enough to recommend wild harvesters take only 10% of what they see, because if you take 10%, then I take 10%, then 832 other people take 10%, then what does that leave us with? The answer is in cultivation. We all must be participants in massive cultivation processes.
There is some evidence (I cannot remember the source, but when I find it, I'll share it) that the Rainforests of South America were cultivated by early indigenous cultures. Medicinals and food source plants were moved from one area to another to provide better access, and this carried on for thousands of years. They created an ecosystem that was mutually beneficial. That's what we need to do now. Right now, before it's too late.
Absolutely... I've been thinking about this so much. Wondering how I want to structure a sort of collective, locally, to start moving against the loss of biodiversity and general blastedness that is becoming very apparent.... To some people, anyway. Will take some pretty wholesale restructuring, and like, marketing it to the general publics in a way that they aren't conditioned against is gona be A Thing lol. Really reassuring to talk to people who get it and want to move on it though, for sure :). ... Super admire and appreciate your community.
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Certainly, a huge portion of the general public is primed to have negative feelings about what can be perceived as tree-hugger policies. Thankfully, we've moved past some of that and can really take this opportunity to educate people about what is really happening. It isn't about just one tree, or one critically endangered plant thwarting big money's plans to make bigger money. It's about basic survival. They don't realize we're on that endangered list as well if we don't do something about species loss. There are a lot of programs out there that you can join, tree planting groups/non-profits, botanical gardens for educating, help the local mountain nursery in their replanting-after-fires program (we have one here that grow and nurture Ponderosa pine saplings and then plant them in fire ravaged soils). There are programs operated by indigenous tribes in the proper methods of fire control and spacing of replacement trees, and if those types of options are off the board, do something from home. Plant a garden. Of course, trees take a long time to grow, but 20 years is a blip on the world timeline and 20 years is long enough to establish new forests. I feel like I'm preaching! Sorry. I know you know. Just so you know, there are massive efforts being made all over the world as I write this to re-establish lost forest and endangered species, and, as usual, the problem is the big monied. Always some push back, always attempts at capitalizing on the end results. They're in the business of wringing every last penny out of everything -- we just need protect the planet's interests over their greed. Again, you know this :) XO
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