It turns out that Morningside (our new suburb in Durban) is a village. Coinciding with the move to our new house, we find ourselves tentatively embracing a new (for us) philosophy of consumption: roughly, sourcing as much as possible from as nearby as possible, as comfortably as possible. We might be locavores, but I’m calling us ‘metrovores’.
This is the first of what I intend to be a series of posts that sketch out the philosophy of what we are trying to do. Generally, I will try to argue in positive, attractive terms – things can be better if… But sometimes I will use negative, repulsive terms – things might become worse if…
Let’s set the scene: I like the idea of ‘treading lightly’ upon the Earth, but I have a carbon footprint a mile deep. I am – truly and deeply – terrified of climate change. We live in Durban, a city gradually losing its economic mojo, in country losing its economic mojo; yet we earn well and still enjoy a very high standard of living. How do we make Durban a better place, minimise the damage we inflict on the Earth, and enjoy more comfortable and enjoyable lives?
Why ‘metrovore’? Well… we’re not tree-huggers. We like the fine things in life. We just want them without making the world a worse place for everyone else.
Ginger and Cocoa 