Intervention X:
BY THE WAY
By far the most sophisticated technology on the planet was not developed by man. It has existed for millions of years.
It’s called A SEED.
Nothing humans can do could match such sophistication, yet, we can use it.
Although many of us often feel helpless when we cannot change the world for the better,
we can always trust in the power of the seed.
Perhaps one individual cannot simply raise awareness of the fact that plastic is not only a permanent trash, piling up on land and in oceans, usually exported
to poor countries. One cannot constantly shout at others that plastic is produced from oil, and oil means appetites for profit, and for the“extraction of profit”
corporations drive people off their lands … and that unlimited demands for oil and plastic destroy human and more-than-human. Perhaps an individual can’t
speak to other people’s will and motivation, perhaps one can only speak to others’ laziness, their addiction to comfort. Maybe quit-buying plastic and
change-all-at-once is too much to take. Maybe we should learn from the trees who know that overflowing the space with tiny seeds is the best technique.
THE SCORE
The Intervention was being carried out during the entire length of the project (and I sometimes still do it). Each of us did an action individually, whenever we had time and an empty package at home. We kept leaving them at different shops, each time with a similar note.
Even though we did not expect to see much of a difference, we trusted that the idea touched a few more eyes and minds. The score was designed as a dispersed-approach, grounded on small, effortless actions that anyone can do: the more often and the more of us do it, the more likely it is for the “seed” to germinate.
It may be that the dealers won’t introduce the option of refilling bottles because they suddenly become conscious, but it doesn’t matter: even if they do it simply because the amount of plastic package returned to them starts going on their nerves, the change start rolling.
After all, the technology of the seed does not work through the power of controlling the whole process by one person, but through the power of germination that is supported by many tiny elements, steps and contributions from all sides.
Concept of the project: Radharani Pernarčič
Co-authors of the Intervention & performers:
Tomaž Lapajne Dekleva, Radharani Pernarčič,
Sašo Rutar, Simon Svetlik
The project was supported by the City of Ljubljana
