“Just have to save the world quickly, then I’ll fly to you. Still have 148 e-mails to check Who knows what happens to me then because it happens a lot. Just have to save the world quickly and right after that I’m with you again”
“Muss nur noch kurz die Welt retten”, was a song by Tim Bendzko. With extremely simplicity and cheerfulness Tim was singing about our ridicule lifestyle, while we were having our breakfast before going to work. Somehow a day like this could´nt start normal. Next to the everyday incessant tootling on the radio, this was an appeal to the world to stand up and to make a change.
Why can´t we save the world in one day? Because it needs someone to start. It is necessary to put a lot of energy and work into something that you believe in. In that case we don´t believe in god, but in activism. It means that it is undoubtedly indispensable to strongly trust in the change that every single person can do.
You can change demanding day by day more products that you don´t need to survive either to be happy. You can change to drive with the car to take your coffee in the morning, if its only 5 minutes away. You can change throwing food away and learn how to manage your hunger and consumption.
Once there was a song, from Michael Jackson. It was about the man in the mirror. Michael was singing that if you want to make a change, start with the man in the mirror. Alone you cannot change the whole planet, but alone you can take the first step to change “your” world.
Moreover you can start to get active. The first step is to persuade people to do “something”, not yet it matters “what”, but “that” something is done.
In Lefkada we started with small actions from volunteers working for projects of sustainability and all the “green” ideas that exist. The Green o´clock homepage was created as a tool of sharing and spreading the “green” ideas, beach cleaning days, recycling workshops and many more actions that take place.
Also now in the W(e) DID workshops new “world saving methods” are on the board. This workshops were founded among other things as a method to avoid the generalization in our every day conversations. The more knowledge we have about something, the more effective we can work on it. The topics we choose are always connected with sustainable development.
Right now we have been discussing about the destruction of the rainforest, the consumption and sustainable products from certified biological or fair trademarks. We are trying to figure out if they are available in Lefkada, what exactly the “bio” signs guarantee and if there are any mistakes, or abusing labels. Therefore we make a research of local, bio or fair products in the local supermarkets and will discuss the results in the next gathering. Further steps will be to increase the awareness of the need of “green” consumption and to inform the new generation.
Because knowledge is saving from ignorance.
Come to our meeting on Thursday 3rd of April for an interesting exchange of information, activism and for a change. Let´s take a first step. To save the world.
Elisabeth Weissitsch.