Islanders could teach us a lesson | Letter to the Editor

Published 11:45 am Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Kudos to Michele and Johnnie Pratt. featured in “Couple walks their talk by living simply” by Janie Starr. I believe that climate change and resource competition will ultimately force all of us to return to some kind of village economy. This couple is ahead of the curve in working to grow their own food, build their own structures and work at the community level with small organizations that fill immediate needs. 

We could all learn from them. Think about the skills you would want in an emergency or a natural disaster. The Pratts are practicing those skills now, not just to survive, but also to reciprocate gifts received, to maintain a small carbon footprint and to stay connected to the land, where our food and shelter originate. The Pratts are to be commended for voluntarily pursuing creative solutions to some persistent societal problems. One day the rest of us (or our descendants) may be forced to follow their example.

– Andrea Lewis