My summer living at Fallen Tree enriched me educationally, culturally, and spiritually.
First and foremost, I set out this summer seeking to enrich my understanding of insects, especially pollinators. We are currently living through a mass extinction of insects; however, many people are incredibly unaware of this crisis yet alone how critical these insects are for our way of life. To put it simply, we need insects to be able to feed the world and also to be able to wear plastic free clothing.
While I have loved bugs and would spend countless hours running around my yard catching them as a child, I was an ameatuear in the beginning of the summer in terms of their identification and way of life. So I dove into my project headfirst and entered into the world of insects rather than only purging online to get to know the critters outside. My hours spent as a child strapped with a net catching bugs turned into hours as a nineteen year old strapped with a bucket hat and camera documenting photos of them and observing their behavior: how they interacted with other bugs, what flowers they were typically found on, if they were mating, the features on their body, etc. One day while out in the garden, I had a breakthrough feeling as I watched bees and flies whisk around the lambs ear plant. I felt an intense connection to these bugs, like the walls of my own human body did not matter anymore. They were just like me. The way they buzzed around and interacted with one another I felt like there were so many traits that I was observing that I saw in my own self. This experience established a deep bond between me and the insects around me. They matter more than just being crucial vectors in pollinating our food and crops. They matter because they are real live beings too.
Driven by my new connection, I sought to expand upon my subjective experience of insects. I uploaded my photos and began to identify and take notes about each insect I found: species name, diet, reproduction, commonness, invasive or not, and any extra crucial facts I came across. I currently have fact sheets of around 80 insects. I also researched how to create pollinator gardens and the reality of the mass extinction of pollinators across the globe. In short, one-third of the food we eat is the result of insect pollination. We need insects to be able to feed not only humans but the animals we eat too. Insects help pollinate 16.8 million acres of alfalfa, feed for pigs, chickens, and especially cows, in the United States alone, every year. Other insects will feed on pests on the crops to maintain the health of the plant. Many wild animals depend on the fruit, nuts, and seeds produced because of insect pollination. Moreso, we depend on insects for cotton and flax to make the non-plastic fibers in the clothes on our bodies. Yet, most of us aren't aware of insects' constant presence in our lives. This disconnect leads us to not make an effort to protect this special kingdom. So today, we find ourselves living in a mass extinction of insects. Farmland in the UK has lost 58 percent of its butterflies. Puerto Rico has lost 98% percent of ground insects in the past 35 years. Nature reserves in Germany lost 75 percent of its insects in the last 27 years. Globally, 40 percent of all insects are threatened with extinction. Every year, 2.5% of the 2 gigatons of insect biomass declines until in the next few decades, these insects are projected to go completely extinct. These losses are a direct result of habitat loss from deforestation or the expansion of agriculture; pollution including pesticides, fertilizers, and industrial wastes; invasive species; and climate change -- all human causes.
I am in the process of using all of this information I collected this summer, whether it was in the garden taking photos of a internet or a database deep dive, to create a pollinator guide where those who stay at Fallen Tree can explore the pollinator garden, enrich their connection to insects, and how they can support insects.
In regards to living at Fallen Tree, I was constantly surrounded by new culture and practices. Every morning, the fellows and I woke up at 6 am to have our traditional Japanese Zen Buddhist breakfast, using jihatsu bowls. These bowls came in three sizes: small, medium, and large. These jihatsu bowls taught us all how to eat with a group of people, mindfully. Once we finished breakfast, we meditated together in the Zendo at Fallen Tree and listened to a Dharma talk, given by Professor Law. These Dharma Talks ranged from reading haikus, to lessons Professor Law learned through doing field research in India and Japan. When our meditation practice was complete, we transitioned into Samu, where we worked on chores together in silence, so we were able to hear the sounds of our hands and the birds chirping in the morning. These chores included: cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, and floors; watering the vegetable and pollinator garden; tending to the kinhin; and feeding the chickens and goats. Professor Law taught us all of this, so that when we are in Japan next summer, we will be knowledgeable of the culture and practices, as we will be studying at a Zen Monastery. After Samu, we learned and taught a class to local citizens of Ithaca, on sustainable living habits and culture. Topics we learned and taught ranged from: composting, vermiculture, microplastics, hugelkultur, how to make scones and bread, lacto-fermentation, caring for chickens and goats, chicken compost, and visiting an earthship (a sustainable home) and a yurt. All of these are vital, as it allows us to be more mindful of our relationship with nature and become environmental advocates in our homes and communities. As a group, we not only talked about these things, but also used our hands and practiced them ourselves. We practiced what kitchen to table means, as we grew the food that we ate, harvested the soil that the food grew from, and took care of the chickens who gifted us eggs for our omelettes. Furthermore, I and along with my fellows practiced using our voice to teach too. In this class, I was particularly given the opportunity to lead an entire class by myself about brewing kombucha. I also spoke about the myth of recycling and our current recycling dilemma all revolving around plastic in another class. This opportunity enriched my public speaking skills as I learned how to lay out the workings of a class, how to communicate information effectively for people of all backgrounds to understand easily, how to keep attention, and engage others in what I am saying.
Furthermore, we also completed a mini installation of this circular, sustainable living model for a family in Cortland. We installed a compost bay, a french drain system, planted perennials, and exposed the riverstone foundation of the house.
This class allowed me to learn, teach, and also build a sense of community with residents of the Ithaca area: all vital elements of becoming an effective leader.
Furthermore, the class and my experience out in the garden hanging out with bugs everyday has reaffirmed that it is possible to spread awareness and change people's minds. From these six weeks as a whole, I have begun to piece together how I want to enact change regarding communities’ relationships with insects. It is my intention to hold workshops where people can identify their current relationship with insects, learn about why insects are important, engage with insects, and learn how to protect insects.
Not only did the class and practices at Fallen Tree expand my cultural experiences but also the diverse group of people living with me. My housemates taught me new ways to cook! I learned how to make the cultural dish tamagoyaki also called rolled grilled eggs. I also expanded my palette by eating traditional Puerto Rican and Spanish dishes: pastelon and musaca. My housemates helped me learn new languages. In particular, I spoke Spanish with a housemate from Spain and asked questions about Japanese to my housemate born in Japan. My housemates taught me about the world! I became aware of the political situation in China, the crisis in Burma, experiences with natives in Japan, food insecurity in the South Bronx, the various Christian churches in Ithaca, the moral importance of the night sky, and various pop culture facets. My housemates also taught me life skills. I learned how to drive stick shift and how to play touch rugby. Most importantly, living with seven people helped me practice my communication skills when conflict arises and how to live with seven other people smoothly. And of course, I shared my culture too. I have been swimming since I was four years old competitively and am now a certified lifeguard. One particular housemate was uncomfortable swimming so one day we went to the pool together, and I successfully taught her how to tread in water! Overall, every moment teaching or learning and especially living in Fallen Tree opened my eyes to parts of the world I would not have known otherwise.
Finally, I feel enlightened and revitalized from my experience this summer. This world has so many amazing things to discover and learn. The end of the six weeks brought me to tears as I sat in my last meeting with my professor in her kitchen. I am incredibly grateful to the Laidlaw Foundation, and Professor Law, for giving me and my cohorts the opportunity to learn and grow as students, researchers, and young adults trying to find our place in the world. I am incredibly blessed to have been given the opportunity to be financially supported to do research on topics I am passionate about. I feel very fortunate and excited for what the future holds.