Sarah Duffer

I came across an article several years ago that people are price sensitive about food at the grocery store but not when they throw away food. Like they forget they paid money for that food and are literally throwing money away. It does not surprise me one bit that Americans throw away so much food. I was raised with a "waste not, want not" mantra and we really couldn't afford to waste food. But Americans are so rich as a society that we lose site that we aren't just throwing food away. We are throwing away the nutrient from the field or the fertilizer, the fossil fuels needed to make and apply the fertilizer and pesticide, the farm hands' time and energy, the resources needed to process and package the food along with all the people's time who helped bring that food to OUR TRASH CAN. We have lost the sacredness of food and how it connect us to other life. 

Being in nature hiking, biking, or just sitting enjoying the breeze is really nurturing to my mind, body, and soul. I have used nature as a way to ground and connect with myself especially during the quarantine. For me, being in nature reminds me that all life is connected. So to answer the question, "what are the implications for a culture that spends most of its time indoors", I think it's easy for being to feel disconnected from themselves, from others, from life and from their food. 

I have a deep sense of connection and place to these mountains. I remember hiking with my grandmother and her sister as a child. I didn't understand then why they liked wildflowers so much... but I do now. I love their beauty and despite being very delicate, they reliably come back every year.  I am a mountain girl through and through. Nature rejuvenates my mind and body. YAY WNC! 

Once I realized that coffee is a crop that leads to tropical deforestation, I switched over to Rainforest Alliance certified coffee. Then I moved into drinking tea which is so much better for my nervous systems and anxiety. So, changing my diet took time and intention but now it is habit. 

When I realized that we were going to be told to practice social isolation, I reached out to a friend who I know works out every morning and asked her to host workout sessions. There are four or five of us who log in every morning and workout together. We have been doing this for the three weeks that school has been online. Moving my body and connecting with other people is a great way for me to start my day. 

I also take my camp chair and sit in friend and families' yards. I don't go in their houses but we just hang out at least six feet apart. Those interactions give me life too. 

We are social animals whose survival has been based on forming strong bonds with others. Now we are being asked to isolate or at least practice social distancing. Going without touch is hard so I try to seek out dogs to pet! 

So yes- connecting with others is definitely a huge way that I am helping my mental and emotional health... and helping others' health too!