Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 425
Friday, Sept 8, 2017
Clarksdale, MS ~ Helena, AR

9 Hours on the 9th Day of the 9th Month
FAST America: Tomorrow, we will FAST for 9 hours -- starting at 9am and FAST-ing until 6pm. You can join us for the same using your local time. Thanks to all who joined us in August for 8 hours. Hope you can make the commitment to do it again tomorrow. I've been on the river all this week and was not able to prepare a newsletter. Instead, I am sharing something from my FAST America partner, Alison Jones, the leader of No Water No Life:
Alison Jones:
Climate Change impacts us all. Extreme rains and droughts, higher sea levels, warmer temperatures, melting glaciers.… I invite you to join FAST America with me, as we Petition for the U.S. To Rejoin the Paris Accord on Climate Change. Please sign up and join our liquids-only FAST tomorrow for 9 hours on the 9th of this 9th month.
During 2017, we’ll FAST each month per that month’s number: ie 10 hours on the 10th of the 10th month. As well, we’ll forego credit card usage that day. This FAST is a break from food and consumer routines.
If the U.S. doesn’t sign the Paris Accord in 2017, we’ll FAST on New Years Day - the 1st of the 1st month for 1 day (24 hrs). Hopefully we won’t have to continue on; but if need be, we will. We’ve marched and written Congressmen – now let's change ourselves from inside out.
Why? because we have no stomach for irresponsible decisions causing such global disruption. In our angst, let's turn to meditation as protest. When tempted to eat or spend, let's journal, sing, sketch, walk along a river or meditate instead. FAST-ing increases clear thinking and well-being. FAST-ing connects us to the air, land and water.
FAST-ing reminds us of all those who will be hungry due to floods and droughts deepened by climate change. Just the word FAST reminds me we need to FAST-forward if we are going to minimize climate change impacts.
No Water (or, too much water) - No Crops - No Peace - No Life