What will you buy?
Once upon a time there was a roe deer which had decided to leave its hill to take a trip to the seaside. Camogli was strangely empty. No tourists, no selfies, no queues. Cafes, bars, terraces, bistros, restaurants, supermarkets, they were all closed. Absolutely nothing. And nobody. So our roe deer goes into the sea and dips its little tail and, by happily scampering about on the pebbles, draws attention anyway, because there’s actually someone! Men and women behind their windows are closely observing our dear ungulate. And what do they do? Instead of appreciating the show – and in the absence of joggers to insult – they report the roe deer, guilty of enjoying its freedom. The freedom of wandering without respecting the ban on having a little swim. Unfortunately, this is not the end of the story, because the animal, so readily reported, flees the authorities (it probably hadn’t filled out a self-certification form) and, running away, it hurts itself and dies.
What has this sweet animal got to do with the post-pandemic world? A lot. This semi-serious and very sad anecdote proves that people don’t change in the course of a month of possible reflection in quarantine. How can we then transform the post-pandemic planet into the dream world we have vaguely perceived during this suspended time, a world where dolphins are coming back, the waters of the Venice lagoon are transparent, the levels of pollution have significantly dropped…?
We might be able to transform it by changing our daily habits. I know what you’re going to say: who will notice it? Well, if we all do it, roe deer will notice it.
What if the Third Paradise were… local, seasonal and zero waste?
Consuming vs consuming lovingly
We could buy loose, seasonal and local food, and not use disposable plastic. We could choose second-hand clothes, or exchange them, or invest in long-lasting eco-friendly produced items to deactivate the mechanisms of fast fashion, and reduce our carbon footprint by opting for a sustainable wardrobe respectful of human rights.
What if the Third Paradise were… vegan?
We could feed on the infinite abundance of the vegetable world and save the 150 billion animals and fish that are killed every year to nourish us (directly, through slaughtering or fishing, or indirectly, as production waste in the farming of cows for milk and hens for eggs). Agricultural lands reserved for forage for intensive animal farming could once again produce food for people.
What if the Third Paradise were… creative and associative?
Producing vs creating
We could show our children that you can work without giving in to joining the race for profit, that you can operate and still remain creative and free to choose your work hours, that you can collaborate with others to be able to do without an employer and to make culture and art accessible for all social groups.
What if the Third Paradise were… dissident?
Nodding vs boycotting
We could boycott all those businesses, industries, companies, ideas, TV programmes, banks not respecting the ethical code we have chosen to adhere to.
This is a non-exhaustive list we can all contribute to from the bottom, at the same time feeding the critical thought that can prompt us, united, to demand a change from the top.
Balancing on the Earth – Extraordinary gestures by ordinary people on the path towards the Third Paradise.
