SOLSTICE June-July 2012.

INSIDE:

DOES NATURE HAVE RIGHTS?ART FROM RUBBISH

DIY, ECO-ART,NEWS, AND MORE!

PLUS:

To Our Readers,Welcome to Solstice! Weʼre a groundbreaking new environmental magazine thatʼs set out to be the next publication that gets everyone talking, thinking, and, we hope, acting to change the (huge) problems in our world. But before that, the basics. The latest issue of our magazine will appear in your inbox the instant it becomes available, which means every three months (or season) for now. Yes, this is a while to wait, but weʼre sure you wonʼt mind when each page is so packed with the latest news, images, ideas, movements, crafts, stories and so much more for your viewing pleasure. At least for the moment we will focus on giving you just a bit of everything, but as time goes on we will delve deeper into topics suggested by you, dear reader, and expand outward into subject matter never before shed such an innovative perspective upon.

How do you think of nature? Is it something for you to use, or something you enjoy? Will you openly admit that humans are animals, or do you view them as “different”? In this issue, weʼre asking you to reevaluate your philosophy about the world around us and beyond.

The Solstice Editors: Summer, John, Della and Francis

“5 A look at Environmental Art

7Does Nature Have Rights?

DIY…….………...10This Month in Environmentalism………..11Excerpt from the new novel: Trees……..12

CONTENTS

SOLSTICE AROUND THE BAY

Photography by Liz Newman.

Art is ancient. It has always been a way for people to express

themselves. Often times a change in the culture of artists was

precursor to developments in the larger, more mainstream world.

Hopefully, that is true about environmental art.

The term environmental art is a

broad phrase describing a broad idea. Put simply, it is art with a

sustainable outlook. Some is temporary; many, like the

ones I will examine today, see it as something that

will live on within the community.

You are probably familiar

with the term "One man's trash is another man's

treasure." This phrase definitely lives on with projects like

Washed Ashore, which collects waste washed up to the beach from

the ocean and create marine sculptures with them. Bothe

beautiful and blunt, the sculptures even have names, like Henry the

Fish and Lidia the seal. The fact that they're made from trash is not

a secret, it's the point of the project. Like many organizations similar to

them, Washed Ashore believes this will empower people to come up

with a solution.

Living walls are definitely not made of trash; they're created

with plants. If the honor of viewing even photographs of truly

beautiful living walls has unfortunately not yet presented

itself with you, you may wonder why I call this environmental art.

Let me be clear. I am not describing the pockets filled with dirt that you

Art From Rubbish

might hang on a wall. I am talking about breathtaking, living art

installations. These works definitely live on in the community-with a little

maintenance. Part of the innovation in living walls is the fact that these

plants need no dirt. This allows them to reach for the sun in small,

vertical spaces, spreading a sustainable message and clean air

far, wide and tall.

Earthen building materials have long been used for shelters, such

as homes or schools. Plastic, a newer material, is now finding it's

way into the ocean. How could you repurpose both into something truly

useful? Recently I met Brennan Bird, who creates bottle brick

benches. Bottle bricks are created by stuffing as much plastic as

possible into a old soda bottle, which turns into a object the size

and firmness of a brick. They are

bound together with cob, a mixture of sand, clay, straw and water.

Once the bench is finished, Brennan always leaves a window of

truth, so you can see what it's really made of.

This is only a couple of the many

kinds of environmental art. Look this up, and you'll find out about so

much more. You could even try your own. Turn to Page 15 for a fun

DIY project to inspire you.

" This year, Doctor Seuss' beloved

children's book, The Lorax, was

adapted into a movie. The famous line from this

book is when the Lorax says "I speak for the trees". Put

simply, the Rights of

Nature movement is

doing just that.

DoesNature Have Rights?

By Della Chelle

Rights of Nature is a different kind of

environmental movement. It's not

about simple actions, like biking to

work or saying "no bag" to the

question paper or plastic. It is a big

picture problem, and the solution is

changing laws.

" But before you can understand

which laws need changing, you have

to understand the concept at the core

of the movement itself. I

talked to someone

who knows a whole lot about natureʼs

law; Cormac Cullinan, author of Wild

Law.

" According to Mr. Cullinan, an

environmental lawyer from Cape town,

South Africa, there are three basic

ideas behind the numerous rights of

nature. The most basic is the right to

exist. Quote “The main thing with

natureʼs rights is that if you exist as

part of nature, wether youʼre a

mountain or a river or a stream, then

you must have the right to exist the

right to be." The other two core rights,

the right to a habitat and the right to

do your role in nature, follow. From

these rights comes a long list

of more specific

ones, such as the right to

clean air and water.

" But how would this help

preserve nature? Thomas Linzey, of

CELDF, or Community Environmental

Legal Defensive Fund, says “Right

now, under our environmental laws,

you basically have to own nature to

protect it.” However, when nature has

rights, the community also has rights.

With this system, just because they

donʼt own a particular piece of land

doesnʼt mean canʼt stand up for their

aquifer, for instance. And we need to

do that, because we all share

something like an aquifer, and people

should have the right to stand up for

the environment they live, and

therefore, themselves.

" In 2008, Ecuador became the

first country to include Rights of

Nature in their constitution. Bolivia

was soon to follow. Ecuador first

successfully used Rights of Nature to

win a court case in 2011. Some towns

in the United States have employed

rights of nature to protect their

environment, with the help of CELDF.

However, this movement still has a

long way to go before itʼs values are

imbedded in our culture. In America,

“We tend to think of nature as a thing

use, like rivers to dump stuff into and

forests to cut down, and a lot of this

work is about changing that” says

Linzey. People donʼt like to have

change their whole philosophy about

the world around, but if you think long

term, the laws might change it for

them. Slowly, as the laws begin to

support the rights of nature

movement, more people will support it

as well.

" So what can you do? Start by

opening your mind. Observe how you

treat nature, and try to enjoy it more.

After all, once you understand it, youʼll

understand why it is so necessary to

protect it better.

"

DIY: T-SHIRT TOTE BAG

Bored at home on a summer day? Try creating something weʼre sure the nature in your neighborhood will appreciate. This bag is

reusable, plastic free, and a way to show the whole world your superior craftsmanship ability!

YOU’LL NEED:- 1 old T-shirt without frills, bows, or anything else dangling from the bottom or sleeves (the larger the shirt, the larger the bag)

- 1 needle and a spool of thread (or use a sewing machine)- Whatever you want to customize with (we suggest grabbing some fabric scraps, yarn, lace, bows, frills, fake flowers, glitter, fabric markers, pipe cleaners, paints, felt, glue, sequins, and whatever else pleases you)

DIRECTIONS:Turn your shirt inside out, and rotate it as if you were going to put it on (so turn it upside down). Now examine your shirt. Any rips, holes, or spots that are nearly worn through? Take a minute to sew them shut while the shirt is still inside out, or, if theyʼre just too wide, use a fabric scrap to patch them up.

Pinch together the hems at the bottom on either side of the shirt. Now start sewing the two hems together from there using uniform, medium sized stitches. If youʼre hand sewing, double back for extra strength.

Once the bottom is sewn up tight, you have two options: Either turn your bag back right side out, use the sleeves as handles, and be on your way, or DECORATE IT! You can also trim the sleeves until theyʼre parallel with the bag itself for more handle-like handles. And lastly, savor the jealous expressions of anyone who glimpses you with this stylish green accessory.

For more epic handle-ing, try using

a tank top, square top, or wide necked

shirt! Every neck design has a unique

result.

•From June 20-22, The United Nations will meet in Rio,

Brazil for their environmental summit, called Rio+20

•The International Union for Conservation of Nature

published their latest “Red List,” describing the

ongoing species loss.

One of the best places to create your own environmental art is the beach. Itʼs filled with treasures like sea glass, tiny and colorful pebbles, the occasional dead crab, and(unfortunately) trash. When you create environmental art by the ocean, think of it as a

beach clean-up gone creative. The possibilities are endless. Just remember this is a temporary art piece. Before you leave the beach, remember to snap a couple photos and place any trash you used where it

DIY:Environmental Art

You canʼt spell “Earth” without

“Art”

This Month in

Environmentalism

An Excerpt from the Upcoming Novel....Trees

The tree was dying. The arboritrician, or tree doctor, as Kindra liked to think of them, would come in two days, and he would know what to do. But until then, there was nothing to do but watch the fungus creep across the roots. It started slowly at first, the fungus, in the nooks and crannies, but in the past month, it had gone all out. The treeʼs leaves wilted, it produced less oxygen, and that was when they all knew the tree was dying.

" It was not the first time a tree had died, of course. Every 20 years or so a tree was likely to do so. This was the first time a tree had died in Kindraʼs living memory though, and the pain was sharp, tugging at the heart. In a burst of hope, she had reminded her father that the tree might not die, that the tree doctor might save it.

" “Kindra, you are young and foolish.” He had chuckled a sad sort of chuckle. “Of course the tree will die. Arboritritiansʼ donʼt do anything, Kindra, but take money.” But deep in her heart, Kindra wanted to believe that this tree doctor was good, that he would do something to help the tree.

" “But” She said “then why do we pay the tree doctor?”"" And he had replied “Because I have hope in my heart too.” "" Luckily, the other four trees were doing fine. Even though Kindra was 12, even though her parents tried to shield her, she knew how expensive replacing a tree was. Her parents had enough to worry about, as it was, what with sending her brother to school, and buying medicine, for Mother had asthma. Kindra wished Darius, her brother was here. He would make things right. He always did. "" Darius was at school now, and had been for two years. He was eight years older than Kindra, short, but tall on the inside. He sent her a letter every other week. It had been 13 days since the last message. Each one had seemed painfully slow. Thinking about Darius, Kindra walked over to the dying tree. It was the wisdom tree, his favorite. Kindra sat on that tree and cried for a long, long time.

" The next day, Dariusʼs letter had finally arrived. Kindra left for school early in the morning, filled with anticipation, wondering what the letter would say. When

she came home for midday meal, the letter was there, laying next to her cot. She hurriedly opened the envelope, and inside lay the best words in the world. “Next time you expect a letter, I will be your messenger.” He was visiting. Darius was coming home.

" “Mama, Papa!” Kindra tore through the house, not caring that it was against the rules. She finally found her mother collecting oxygen by the trees. “Mama, Darius is coming, heʼs coming in two weeks and, and” Her mother cut her short."" “Kindra, I know. I have to tell you something too, although itʼs not as happy. Kindra, you canʼt go to school in the afternoons anymore.”" “Canʼt go to school in the afternoons anymore? But why Mama?” She was fidgeting, not wanting to tell. It had something to do with money, Kindra knew.

" “Because, because, Kindra, youʼre father and I canʼt, canʼt buy the extra oxygen.” Everything Kindra had felt before her life was over, when there was only a dying tree to worry her, was gone. She knew very well that you couldnʼt get into upper school if you didnʼt go in the afternoons. Kindra wanted to scream, to punch, but she was too angry even for that. She simply walked away, and hid her face under the letter.

" And so, after her midday meal where Kindra ate nothing, she did not go back to school, she did not go back to her friends. For the second time in two days, she sat on the wisdom tree and cried, this time, not for it, but with it.Check back next issue for the second installment of Tree

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