speaking of beginnings and spring...

there's this nifty event going on this sunday. it's interfaith. it's environment. that makes it pretty awesome, right? and you the reader must know by now that just about anything awesome in the district has 'dc green muslims' written allll over it- or at least, in this case, written in the list of co-sponsors :) we certainly cannot take credit for this event but we *love* it and wish to be a part of it.

if i might say so, i think they've picked a great time for the event- a sunday evening! so go ahead- you know you want to. i'll be there. info is below, find the link, register, and we'll see you there :-)

Oh and YES, there's more info at the link. Spread the word, bring a friend.

The Link (for those wary of embeds):
https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/602/event/checkOut.jsp?event_KEY=47013

New Beginings~

Happy first day of Spring everyone!!
This also happens to be the Persian New Year, as Mr. Obama acknowledged...It was definitely a new experience to hear "Eideh shoma mobarak" from the president.

Traditionally, Iranians have a special table spread to mark this occasion. Besides the Qur'an, mirror, and candles, that represent light and the remembrance of God, they have at least seven symbolic items that all begin with the letter seen:

sabzi: grass that they have been growing for the last 3 weeks from lentil or barley seeds
seer: garlic
sekkeh: gold coins
serkeh: vinegar
sib: apples
senjed: dried fruit of a lotus tree
sonbol: hyacinth flowers--the smell is instant spring!

There's a whole bunch of other items to include as well, and a traditional dish of smoked fish and sabzi polo (rice cooked with fresh green herbs) to eat with the family. To me, this is a nice tradition but all of these things are secondary compared to the sheer joy of walking outside and seeing GREEN instead of GREY, of being reminded of the miracle of rebith and growth within ourselves and around us.

red, black, blue....and green!

sooo, how about that new president, eh? dc was abuzz with swarms of people on january 20th, and lucky me i got to experience it from the warmth of my office, just on the other side of that there capitol. i want to give a shout out to the good Lord for live streaming.

my being at work on the 20th came at a price though. it meant i was in dc all day the 19th, that night at a friend's on the hill, and all day the 20th- right smack in the middle of inaugural happenings (ie, waaayy too many people). those who know me know i am not city. translation: too much pavement too often makes me a grouch. and my theory has always been that it's true, to varying degrees, for everyone. you might *claim* you're not a nature-y type, but spend a few days (longer if you're stubborn) without traffic, bricks walls, street lights, and sewers, and tell me that again. i'm not trying to open the technology can of worms here; i'm just saying that it is human nature to enjoy things green, alive, and, well, natural. so when sarah i. sent this article out, i felt nicely justified in my beliefs. challenge away though, if you wish - there's a comment box for a reason!

and you mighta thought obama was black, but actually, the man is green. take from that what you will, but he's on a mission. impossible? maybe. though after 8 years of the equivalent of an "i can't heaarr youuu" coming out of the west wing, this is pretty cool. personally, obama's brand of environmentalism worries me because i think the american people need to understand its ramifications- i won't be a dissenting voice, at all, but much needs to be said and done in the way of kind education for a people that are still reeling from being told that global warming (call or define it what and how you will) doesn't exist.

snowy day!

there was a much more substantive post i had lined up to publish, but why would i bother with something so boring when compared to real, live snow (scroll down a little)?

our region has been snow-starved this season, so yes, this is a big deal. i don't even want to hear it from yall northerners about how insignificant this is. weather-ly speaking, we're in a transition zone, so snow that sticks is rare delicacy in my book.

you know how, normally, you have to unglue yourself from your bed in the mornings? not so for me today; it was easy. and i feel that it was partly that way because of the snow- not that i could see it, but the quieting blanket effect it has on white noise. know what i mean? all those flakes have a wonderful way of absorbing noise that no other precipitation can quite match. so getting out of bed was music to my ears.

also to note- snow's ability to keep things warm. ask a farmer if you don't know- a good layer of snow is her best friend when it comes to winter crops. and igloos ring a bell?

enjoy it while it lasts, everyone. and stay warm/safe/happy.

(I'm adding my snowy day to Yasmin's post...here's a view out of my office window. SubhanAllah so peaceful -- Sanjana)

DCGM----Center for American Progress!

Article about the origins of DC Green Muslims in the context of the larger DC Muslim community embracing eco-consciousness!

"green muslim"

how's this for a working definition?

"being green in the muslim community,
and muslim in the green community."

-bilal, 12/20/2008

less money less problems?

if notorious was right, then we're in for a ride, but the good kind. a national sobering up of sorts. don't get me wrong- layoffs and second jobs are no joke. but maybe the silver lining of this economic (social?) shift is a re-discovered sense of priority, thrift, and values. and not just with money, either.

i find it frustrating that whenever people want to "hang out" it ends up with a movie ($) or eating out ($$). it's not bothersome because it costs money so much as we tend to equate spending quality time with spending money- we give but we don't get. no trickle down economics there, buddy. just a slow accumulation of emotional debt.

we've built our culture in such a way where we start to take as reality the ridiculous notions of commercials where clothes, credit cards, or cars equal happiness. mastercard uses reverse psychology to make itself out *not* to be a shark (priceless my foot), but it's time to take a step back. it's the jump scene in a horror movie- time to register the shock, delayed though the reaction may be.

happily, being "green" can help. i will share just one thing, one that i've enjoyed quizzing my saturday school students on until they know the exact number. did you know it's sunnah to use approximately 24 ounces (that's like, one really big glass) of water to make wudu? if anyone remembers that sesame street sketch where the fish's pond starts losing water because of the child running the tap while brushing his teeth- that always resonated with me. it's adab (manners, way of conducting yourself), it's common sense, it's closer to our fitra (natural disposition), and it might take practice but if we manage to make it into habit, we can lead simpler and more fulfilling lives.

lives, perhaps, where we can focus on our personal relationships and our closeness to God rather than our bank accounts.

Never Homeless

He is never homeless.
For the earth is his dwelling.

The sky is his ceiling.
The earth his floor.
Tired eyes are his windows.
Day and night his doors.

He is never homeless-
As long as the trees have the earth
And the birds have the sky.
This is where he lives; this is where we live.
Still we call him homeless.
Why?

-Starlette McNeill

In Washington DC's Street Sense Newspaper
"Where the poor and homeless earn and give their two cents"
Dec. 10-23 2008 V.6, issue 3

what do chocolate and a synagogue have in common?

nothing really, but greater washington interfaith power and light ("gwipl" - i think part of dc culture is definitely its acronyms) had its 2008 awards ceremony on monday night in the form of a chocolate reception.  awesome.  i didn't really have to read the subject line twice to know i was already there.  anyway, rabbi fred and mike tidwell gave us a tour of adat shalom, which i believe was built in 2000 with a lot of "green" practices.  if any DCGMs have pictures from the event, please comment so i can post them. 

the event was also a fundraiser, and it seems the interfaith community has caught wind of imam johari's (an area imam) fundraising skills, and as imam johari has tendency to do, he assigned everyone homework.  each of us was asked to tell 5 people to donate to GWIPL.  here's my proposition for you the reader: you should, if you're able, donate to gwipl because it's a local, effective, truly sincere organization.  it's not some big organization where your money might go to red tape.  i realize a blog isn't the most personal way to fundraise, but think of it like this- if you've got 10, 20, whatever bucks to spare (bring a lunch to work for a couple days instead of eating out), and you like this blog and the things dc green muslims supports, why not?  no big deal.  

part two

part of the reason people appreciate DCGM events/activities so much is because it's such an open, non-judgemental atmosphere.  young muslims seem to especially appreciate this because perhaps their masjid isn't the friendliest place, or they had a bad experience with muslim clubs on college campuses.  so even if they come more for the socialization and less for directly "green" things, it makes DCGM a good thing to be a part of.  i do have some (hopefully constructive) criticism, though, and it applies to the greater "green" movement as well as to us.  let's call it greenvangelism (yes i googled it out of curiosity and yes i could probably link to something interesting, but you have fingers too!).  greenvangelism is sneaky because it appeals to our moral sensibility - "you don't recycle?! what's wrong with you??"  and while it certainly comes from good intentions it can definitely turn people off.  see, it's kind of like religious proselytizing - no one really likes being talked down to.  it can be a little more insidious when the atmosphere is ripe with it to the point where differing views/practices aren't even on the table for discussion.  people start experiencing mild anxiety over what kind of food to bring to an event, whether they're "allowed" to drive to something, etc. - suddenly it's not a love for environmentalism that drives their actions but a fear of social castigation.  

i don't think DCGM has gone down that road, and for that i'm thankful.  but i personally would like to avoid it, and i hope this blog is one place to start that discussion in the hopes of maintaining that wonderful atmosphere that we are so known for. 

happy Friday!

Greentrification

This is an extended and edited version of my presentation

At the most basic level, a community space is somewhere that people live and work together. School, mosques, grocery stores and neighborhood are all community spaces in that people come together to create a place, and that space is defined by its individual component parts. For example, one can say that a neighborhood is defined by the sum of all the buildings, roads, parks and trees which it contains.

Remove any part of the equation and you have altered that community space to some degree. Altering is not always a negative thing and many communities need to be developed and changed in order to become more sustainable and livable. In the era of environmental degradation, 'green' discourse seems almost unchallengeable precisely because an alternative model is so badly needed.

Certainly, those who are not too fond of the environmental movement come up with their usual complaints, but internal criticism if rare, and where it is found, it has yet to pick up any steam. This is because planting trees, opening cafes, building walkways, using recycled bags to do our shopping, planting community gardens, installing solar panels on traffic lights, all these things are needed in order to develop a community space and make it sustainable.

But what often goes unnoticed and sometimes even ignored is the idea that no matter our intentions, the present green development paradigm has dramatic consequences on the urban poor. In order for the green movement to be successful in developing sustainable community spaces, the community which is most impacted and which defines the space MUST be at the forefront of all projects.

In Islam, our deeds are judged by our intentions. Good rarely comes from a bad intention.

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said:

“Surely actions are by intentions and each will get that for which they intend”

But what if a good intention actually produces a negative consequence for some? Examples of this abound here in DC and in urban centers around the country where the dominant green discourse is said to clean up areas and promote sustainability while actually accelerating the process of gentrification. Communities may be developed but seldom do the current residents of these spaces benefit from such development.

The reason that the urban poor are often left out of the equation is because the development paradigm began not as a movement to make cities more sustainable, but rather, to stop the spread of and reverse the process of urban sprawl. This movement, almost from inception was led by the middle and upper class. Susana Almanza, in her article, Removing the Poor through Land Use and Planning published in Race, Poverty and the Environment, asserts:

People of color, the poor, and the working poor were not at the table and thus, the impacts on these communities did not receive meaningful consideration. Urban planners and developers began developing the urban core as if people of color were not living in them. New zoning codes and policies were adopted to make room for the new urbanisism. Communities of color throughout the United States began to see condos, lofts, McMansions, and live/work buildings pop up in low-income and people of color neighborhoods. A tidal wave of gentrification began to engulf people of color communities.

Columbia Heights is but one example.

B. Jesse Clarke, editor of Race, Poverty and the Environment admits to me that the current system is doing nothing more then "greenwashing and smart development at the expense of established poor communities." The solution, according to Clarke, is to put political power in the hands of the poor and communities of color who have historically been disenfranchised. In short, "it takes political power to win social and economic rights for communities of color and low income people", a power which often takes a backseat while we figure out the next project that will make us feel good about ourselves.

The fundamental issue is that the green movement is perceived as, and in many ways actually is, a movement of the elite, or rather, to be less critical, a movement that is, more often then not, led by those who have the ability and the time to care. If we are to move beyond just feeling good about ourselves because we recycle, reuse and reduce and towards developing communities, the urban poor, the residents of these neighborhoods MUST be at the forefront and we MUST work towards their political rights and their power. Unfortunately, the poor often don't have the means or ends to participate, just as they do not have the means to shop at Trader Joe's or buy organic products.

If the people most impacted by environmental degradation are not considered, then green projects ultimately fail in their goal of sustainability. We must make sure that our good intentions result in good deeds which benefit the poor rather then making their communities unlivable.