Greener and happier (with an octopus)

(Nimue)

This is my new octopus, as yet unnamed. I made him out of a pair of trousers that were too damaged for further use in trouser form. He’s stuffed with an old cardigan that had gone beyond all scope for use or repair. By this means, a quantity of fabric stays in use for a while longer.

The octopus is also a draft excluder. There was a visible gap under the door and as we head towards winter, that would have been an issue. The upcycled octopus will serve to keep the flat warm and snug, thus cutting down on heating bills and energy use, so he’s a green win on that score, too.

I had a lot of fun making him. He’s a cheery creature, and I shall enjoy seeing him nestling at the door. His presence seems protective, and he may do more than keep out drafts. There’s a lot of joy in this process, and in the pleasure of having something silly that I’ve made myself and that isn’t like anything else in the world. The dead clothing that has gone into him adds to the story and the presence of the finished creature. It’s a very rich sort of process.

This is often the way with it when you’re being green. There’s scope for more richness, originality and value than the other options give you. It’s an opportunity to form real relationships with objects and with the space you inhabit. There’s room for joy, innovation and creativity – these are precious things that add so much to life.

Being green is easier when you can see how it works. If it feels like being kind to the environment means depriving yourself of good things, you will struggle to do it. When greener living means happier living then why wouldn’t you?

If this way of thinking interests you, I invite you to check out my book – Earth Spirit: Beyond Sustainability – Authentic Living at a Time of Climate Crisis.