Ecoliteracy Braid

Raylin’s Poem and mine are both similar as we link our views on ecoliteracy to experiences we have had with our grandmothers. Her grandmothers view on:

“That a flower has as much life as us

That without them

We cannot be”

Shows me that her grandmother is connected to this world and can be understood as ecoliterate as she cares not only for herself but all the world around her in her “secret garden”.

“You taught me that this world was a gift

And we need to take care of it

Watching our actions

To make sure it lasts

And show our appreciation”

I relate to Raylin and her grandmother’s relationship and story because both of our grandmothers had a way of shaping us into the people we are today. Their knowledge from their time growing up I believe is much more connected to the earth then our generation is. My grandmother as a child learned to live off the land and learned to plant and eat what was planted with the correct care that was given, probably much like Raylin’s grandmother was taught and that is why they are able to share this knowledge with us. Within Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, she speaks about making this braid and connection with someone else as “the sweetest way is to have someone else hold the end so that you pull gently against each other” (preface). I believe that this braid of knowledge in our lives cannot come from one person as we must braid together and share our knowledge to become fully ecoliterate. Much like our grandmother teaches us the way of plants, we may share with her the new ways to help our planet with less waste or reusing and reducing consumption, we must help each other on our journey to help the earth.

Within Alex’s letter, she is writing to what I believe is a friend of hers named Sydney. Alex’s understanding in her letter is different from mine as she speaks briefly about nutrition, climate change and cosmetic ways in which her friend has helped her to become a more ecoliterate person. I enjoy in Alex’s poem that she states: “Thank you for keeping a positive attitude towards disrupting climate change and focusing on positive change instead of dwelling on the negative” because I believe that a big part of becoming ecoliterate is to be hopeful and positive when sharing knowledge in order to continue that positive attitude in others. Alex is learning from her friend the ways in which you can change and try to help the earth today in your actions such as “inspiring me to take the leap to consuming less meat” and “never being condescending or holding yourself higher than others including the earth and its animals” and these steps are what is needed in everyone (or similar steps) to become more ecoliterate and help our planet in one way or another.

 

Wall Kimmerer, Robin. (2013). Preface (pp. ix-x), in Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge & the Teachings of Plants. Minnesota, MN: Milkweed Editions.