During a week where people felt disappointed by the outcome of elections, and had real concerns about what is going to happen to our country (and the rest of the world), it was truly refreshing to attend an event with no hidden agendas, just a willingness to connect, share knowledge and help others.
As I arrived at the Really Really Free Market with my bag of swag to give away, I instantly got the feeling that this was going to be an evening of exchange in more than just the material sense. Within ten minutes of my arrival I had received four hugs, been introduced to at least five new people and signed the Think Outside the Bottle campaigns petition to save water. At one point in the evening, I looked around the room to see clusters of people engaged in conversations over household items, eating the free wonderful homemade tuscan bean soup and plum pudding, whilst being entertained by an excellent calibre of musicians.
It reinforces that there is an alternative to the consumerism and the throw away society we live in. Recycling clothes and goods is a real way of helping conserve resources, which in turn helps the planet and maybe most importantly, in the social climate we are in, enables people as human beings to reconnect and value the idea of cooperation and community, that somewhere along the way has been lost with the help of a succession of inept governments.
It is events such as this that I believe are essential to maintain people’s sense of wellbeing amidst the fear mongering that politicians do in order to control. No better example of this being the overtaking of health within the NHS of large pharmaceutical companies, who make vast profits whilst creating more health problems than they sometimes solve.
One of the connections I made was with a Naturopath who has for nearly 20 years used naturopathic methods to empower people to take care of their health. Through some simple techniques he used on me, he was able to help with some health issues and give a few tips to help that doesn’t involve vast amounts of expensive antibiotics! All of this completed on a balcony ,over a cup of tea and after a conversation with a member of the green party on how he could access tenants in high rise blocks.I departed the Really Really Free Market with an empty bag, except for two jelly candles, but with a very happy heart and a head full of new ideas and knowledge. Not forgetting of course my free health MOT.
I hadn’t really considered myself to be any sort of eco warrior before, but if events like this make me one in some small way, then bring it on! May there be many more.
What better answer to an uncaring government ?
Allshire Association is working on Think Outside the Bottle campaign to bring back drinking water fountains in Liverpool and reduce plastic water bottles waste by banning sale of plastic water bottles up to 0.6l. We want to aware people about human rights, manufacturing plastic bottles and how corporations manipulate customers. More information on : facebook. Next month, as part of World Oceans Day, June 7th, the University of Liverpool hosts a weekend of marine-life celebration at the Museum of Liverpool. The same event last year garnered the interest of 3000 attendees, providing a flood of information for families and school pupils about our planet’s water supplies.
You can read about the project below or see what they’re upto at the moment in their newsletter
