Rosewicket Wicca Coven

It has often been said that Shammans, Wiccans, Witches, Covens, Pagans, or what have you, all carry the responsibilities of the community. Long ago, spiritual leaders were faced with caring spiritually for the community - not just the people, but also the land. Since witchcraft and Paganism are becomming much more accepted and popular in urban areas, where much of our waste comes from, I think it is important for us all to do our part. We may not be like the ancient Witches and Shammans, but we still have a responsibility to the land. Here are some ways to help fill that responsibility without too much self-sacrifice.

SEED BOMBS

For adding natural flowers and plants to otherwise barren places.

This is from a book called "guerilla art kit' by Kerri Smith - a book abotu making graffiti and urban art green. Here is a recepie that is meant for you to make and simply leave behind in a walk through some neglected parts of your neighborhood and let grow.

Materials:

Mixed seeds. (use native seeds that are common in your area, so you don't have to worry about how it could mess with the eco system)

Compost

Powdered red or brown clay (You can order from ceramic companies or find it dried near a creek)

Water

Combine two parts mixed seeds with three parts compost.

Stir in five parts powdered play.

Moisten with water untill mixtuire is damp enough to mold.

Pinch off a penny sized piece and roll between your fingers untill it forms a tight ball.

Set on a newspaper and let dry for one to two days. Store in a cool dry place untill use.

MOSS PAINT

Good for painting to brighten an area, or making designs. This is also from the same book as above. Make sure that you do this in a place that will accept it - it's no good if someone has to spend hours washing it off next day.

This substitues paint with moss. It is very creative and allows your piece to change over time as the moss grows.

Recepie & Directions:

Find a shady place with a lot of wild, healthy moss and take several clumps of it home. Put it intpo the blender with up to 12 oz Buttermilk. Blend just long enough to create a smooth, creamy consistancy (think hollywood protien shake). Pour into a sealed plastic container for keeping, though try to use it ASAP.

Now find a wall that sits in shade for most of the day. You may want to cut a stencil of your design (or find on off the web) and apply with a paint roller or a large brush. Or you may paint freehand.

Try to return for the next few weeks and make sure the moss is growing. Your design will expand and cover a greater area.

My person Tweek:

Try adding the dye that is used to artificially color flowers. When the first layer of your design has grown, apply another layer with a new color. (I'd suggest mainly adding blue and yellow tints, as red would just make brown). This way, as time goes on your design gets more colorfull instead of just blurring as it grows.

OR

You could try painting it in a sunny area and letting the moss dry. I'm sure birds and other critters will pick it up anyway for building nests and whatnot. It should be fairly easy to remove.

GROUP EFFORTS

look at what groups you belong to - school clubs, classes, or even just groups of friends. Try to get them to praticipate in community service together, ride buses, carpool, buy organic foods for events, or whatever else you can think of! Maybe get a nearby art class or club to use eco-friendly paints; reffer eco-friendly painters and interior designers to neighbors or friend if they remodel; get community service or earth-clubs ggoin at local middle and high schools. Think outsid ethe box!

GRAY WATER

Gray water is water that has been used but can still be recycled. There are some expensive systems set up to do this automaticlly that can be installed in teh home - but I say it's easier the odl fashion way. Simply put, you can do this for magical or mundane things. Maybe you can use the water from washing your dishes to water the garden, or collect water from teh rain gutters for watering plant life instead of letting run off. For ritual water, you can collect the ice that naturally forms in your freezer (which is pure and safe to drink), instead of collecting more water from elsewhere. You can easily get neighbors, public gardens, or otehr organization builings (such as local churches) to do this on their grounds, especially if it will save them money on paying gardeners to water.

Wonderful ideas Chi!  As an eco-conscious witch myself, I always try to incorporate the environment and stability into my daily life.

Community Supported Agriculture is another great way to support both local economies and healthy, sustainable food.  They cost money to join, and if the farmers have a bad season you might not get that much produce, but my family has been a part of our local CSA for a few years and love it.  It really teaches you about the seasons and life cycles of plants as well.

Protesting large agribusinesses like Monsanto who genetically modify crops is also a good way to help save the planet.  Remember that biodiversity is key to a healthy planet.  If you have a field with many different crops, a disease that affects one kind might not and probably won't affect the others.  But if we limit our crops to one or two huge ones (like corn and wheat), diseases that wipe them out will devastate not only the environment, but the economy.