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01/09/2013
Amandine, who are you, where are you ?
I’m just Amandine, a young mother who decided to sow hope and to have a kitchen garden rather than being afraid for the future of my little seeds. We live in Switzerland in a village « uncountrysided », in the middle of mushrooms-houses (that grow almost in one night), and after few times of doubt about the reasons to stay there, I think we have our place there, to stimulate the desire of our neighbours to let their lawn grow, to compost, to walk to pick up children at school.
On your seedbomb.net page, you discribe yourself as a « permaculture novice ». Can you explain?
A permaculture novice is my new function in our tribe! Permaculture is for meTHE big 2012 discovery and I can’t stop reading books, to browse the web to learn more and more. I’m sure permaculture is the answer, the hope for nature anywhere. This springtime, our garden will become a playground, a place to experiment, to mix vegetables and flowers, to use everything around us and under our feet to enrish soil, to receive little creatures, eyes wide open ! Moreover, I’m part of Permaculture Fribourg association, which is being created now.
For you, what does downshifting mean?
Downshifting means taking time to look around us and say : « I have all I need to live, to be happy, I don’t need more and more ! » It’s to realize the origin of all the stuff we are supposed to buy. It’s to repare, recycle, share, to be part of a local exchange system, to experiment "Do It Yourself", to eat by ourselves. Downshifting it’s to take time to live each moment… I appreciate, with downshifting, to say to myself that if I stop consumming, I become a kind of terrorist against capitalism. In Switzerland, it’s anarchism to defend a real ecology (not ecology that means to buy Bio tomatoes in december in a huge supermarket !).
With a family, children, what does it mean in your daily life ?
With kids, it’s harder ! Even if they are part of our green awareness it’s not easy. Collecting waste, walk to go to school, play with recycled toys : they are 100%. But they are just kids, spending days at school with children who have EVERYTHING… We decided not to be extremists and let them go to fast food with their granny, play video games, have playmobil for birthday, … They live in society, are not excluded but their awerness grows, they have values we give them. In fact, sometimes they reject consumption values by themselves. When it happens, we are proud to have them : their aware generation will change the world with few seeds and 3 chickens…
Does downshifting lead to marginalization or does it create new networks?
This initiative is quite a marginalization. But before all, it’s a chance to meet interesting people or people interested in our ideas ! Links created are more sincere and fruitful ! I’ve noticed that one should not judge others, because this attitute is self-marginalization. We have to give them a chance to change their mind. We have to talk to them, invite them in our garden. It’s not easy, I’m the firts one to admit it.
How did you discover seedbomb.net?
I discovered seedbomb on facebook! What a pleasure!
The word "BiodiverCity", does it inspire you?
I do appreciate "BiodiverCity ». It’s our future : to reach food autonomy, to connect with other, for eyes pleasure too !
Links proposed by Amandine :
http://www.kangaroots-permaculture.com/
http://permaculture.ch/