March 4, 2007 Slow Movement

Is life becoming too fast for you? Concerned about climate change and wanting to make a difference in your life to help to slow this change? Was one of your new years resolutions to "stop and smell the roses"? If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions then you will
want to learn more about the "Slow Movement".

The Slow Movement aims to address the issue of 'time poverty' through making connections. If we think about the following trends. Buddhism is the fastest growing religion in the world today. People are turning to organic foods in droves. Schools are in turmoil. Home schooling is becoming commonplace. People are downshifting.The slow food movement is gaining popularity with 811 convivia worldwide. (www.slowmovement.com)

What is Downshifting?
Downshifters are people who adopt long-term voluntary simplicity in their life. They accept less money through fewer hours worked in order to have time for the important things in life. Downshifters also place emphasis on consuming less in order to reduce their ecological footprint. There are two primary aspects to downshifting. One is about connection: connection to life, family, food, place; and the other is about maintaining a healthy balance: balance in the personal, work, family, spiritual, physical, and social aspects of their life.
(www.slowmovement.com).

Check out Downshifting: Reinventing Success on a Slower Track by Amy Saltzmann. The library has copies.

What is Slow food all about?
Opposed to the culture of fast food ,the movement known as slow food seeks to encourage the enjoyment of regional produce, traditional foods, which are often grown organically and to enjoy these foods in the company of others. It aims to defend food and agricultural biodiversity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_movement#Slow_Food).

To learn more about slow food, plan to attend "Eat Your View" April 10, 7 pm. Waverley Auditorium. Presented by Slow Food Superior, come find out what the Slow Food philosophy is and what our local Slow Food convivium is doing to change our region's food landscape. Slow food samples and door prizes will top off the evening. Check out www.slowfoodsuperior.ca for more information on this local group.

Part of the Slow Food Movement is growing your own food or at least using food grown within a 100 mile radius of your home (The Hundred Mile Club).To learn how to grow your own food, join the Master Gardeners on April 24, 7 pm. Waverley Auditorium for Vegetable Gardening with Master Gardeners.

I heard about the 100-Mile Diet. What is that?
When the average North American sits down to eat, each ingredient has typically travelled at least 1,500 miles: call it "the SUV diet." On the first day of spring, 2005, Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon chose to confront this unsettling statistic with a simple experiment. For one year, they would buy or gather their food and drink from within100 miles of their apartment in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dozens of individuals and grassroots groups have since launched their own 100-Mile Diet adventures. Check out http://100milediet.org to learn more.

I don't want a life-style change. How can I "slow" down easily?
The Slow movement advises some ways of slowing down: Get a Slow hobby, a leisurely pursuit like knitting, yoga or gardening. Spread out your chores; do one load each day instead of all at once, or dust one day and vacuum the next. Stop watching the clock; on weekends try waking up to your body's natural rhythms rather than an alarm, and leave your watch at home Shop at a farmer's market Prepare a sit-down meal and savour it without watching TV, or reading. Enjoy the conversation if you're dining with others, or peaceful solitude if eating alone.

On vacation slow down; don't try to cram every sight into your must-see list. Visit slow cities with local restaurants where you can eat slow. Prune your to-do list, make time for the people and activities that you enjoy.


Barbara Philp, Head of Adult Services