Environmental Imagination

Today was our last english class. It was rad that we were able to go to Horns. I wonder if there is an ecological culture I dont know about because everything about Horns was so different. I don’t understand why environmentally friendly places always have components that deviate so much from the norm. I watched Professor Lotto and Katie drink water from large glass jars that may have held canned tomatos at one point. The food was all served in metal tubs as we sat on wooden garden benches. I looked up and saw one wall covered with knifes (lovely) and two walls lined with chalk boards. These chalk boards were filled with eco facts and information on the environmentally sound nature of the restuarant. I couldn’t help but think about how much this little restaurant mirrored Ecotopia. It wasn’t like most restaurants that used their wall space to advertise their dishes. They actually used the space to give out information. It was just like the Ecotopia ads that were used to inform as opposed to persuade consumption. To my dismay, a hairy boar’s head was hoisted right above me on the wall I was leaning. There were two more deer heads hoisted up on the adjacent walls. This must be part of eco-culture too, although I don’t know why. I hate to be a hater, but I don’t get it! It makes me feel like there is still a little reminiscense of gaudy asthetics? I dont know how to describe it. It basically seems rather mocking that an ecologically sound place would use dead wild life to adorn their living spaces. I would love to research environmental or ecological culture. See if that gives me any answers because as far as I’m concerned, environmentally friendly places have such a different flavor to them. It’s as if by being environmentally friendly, you are required to think outside of the box. Creativity is key in figuring out unique ways to be conscious. I think that that is something worth doing. I really do enjoy the use of the imagination. Unfortunately, we focus on facts more than possibilities. So I wonder, why is it that eco-places are so very imaginative?? I pondered this a bit while staring at the tray of small green plants in front of Sara. It was awesome to see Sara had brought in some babies for us to plant. I can’t remember them all, but I’m super excited because she brought an ancho chile baby plant!

We all planted today for the first time! It really enjoyed the experience because I got a wonderful lesson on plant identification. Professor Lotto and Sara would pick up different plants, name them and give them to us to smell. It was so cool. I felt incredibly ignorant at something that I believed was only the business of farmers. They would pick up leaves and stems, examining, smelling and tasting them to determine what could be its identity. They knew their stuff and yet, at the same time, I could tell that they needed to employ their imagination in order to determine what was each plant. They used all their senses in order to feed their imagination. It could be this or it could be that. I suppose it’s like that whenever you are trying to describe or identify aspects of nature. The environment humbles everyone. You can learn so much about plants, yet some aspects of it will always remain a mystery left to the imagination. You probably won’t ever be able to explain everything about what goes on in nature. You can only hypothesize about the reasons behind certain formations. The environment requires a growth and use of your imagination. I think it’s why we, as children, loved going outside to play so much. If we were in a park, a grassy hill, woods, or near a stream, the wonders and unexplained creations were fodder for our wild imaginations. I’m excited writing this because I always want to find new ways to engage my imagination. The reason is because I will always believe that imagination is the most powerful tool (yet under-utilized) to man. Perhaps, if I surround myself with nature alot more then I will strengthen my imagination daily.

So, the idea that planting a garden will fuel the imaginative spirit in me truly has me pumped. Maybe this is why eco-places and people differ so wildly from the norm. They are in a constant state of imaginative infused thought processes. There is so much to nature that is left to my imagination. We settled down to plant the first group of eight plants consisting of tomatos, peppers, and basil. I set out to plant an Ancho Chile pepper. I tried to wiggle it out of its black plastic casing. I feared hurting the plant. However, Professor Lotto took the plant out for me and plopped it into my cupped hand. I was alarmed because the dirt crumbled like baby powder. It was so loosely compacted I feared that the flimsy and thin baby plant would just fall over. I freaked out and quickly, but gently, placed the delicate pile of soil mixed with fine little roots into a hole. I slowly filled the hole up with soil. The entire process was like one big guessing game. The plant couldn’t tell me if I was doing something wrong. The idea made me fret over carefully packing the soil around it and freaking out when I realized the plant was at a slight angle. It was a simple and quick process that procured a lot of questions. My imagination ran wild with possible successes and possible failures. I thought of the weather, the animals, the people, the bugs—everything that could possibly effect the plants growth. I imagined what was occuring underneath the soil at that very moment. I realize now that my imagination is going to be hard at work, whenever I’m in the garden, in order to make up for my ignorance on gardening all together! But, it didn’t take me long to imagine a name for the little ancho chile plant. He is clearly a Javier.