The Power We Hold Podcast S01 Ep09: Leave It Better NYC - Happy Earth Day 2023!

The Power We Hold

Thank you for joining me, your host, eco-visual artist Vanessa Albury, on my journey to becoming a better ally to people of all diversities (bipoc, LGBTQAI2S+, non-normative brained and embodied +) and steward of the environment in podcast form as The Power We Hold! This is part of Coral Projects' work in eco-consciousness healing. My co-host, Caleb Williams, is also an artist. She is 21 years my junior and makes art about her experience as a Black woman in America. We have in-depth conversation together and with others about difficult topics full of love and healing.
It's been 63 years since the first Earth Day. It was a revolution. It was not a sale on your next new whatever. Today we need that revolution more than ever. Revolution can be joyful. It is fun to heal! It is fun to adjust towards love. There are no quick fixes. To bring everyone along there are no easy answers, but there are WORTHY questions and WORTHWHILE solutions available for us, if we do the work. I don't know what they are because we haven't fully committed yet as a collective to the questions, but I do know from my own experience of asking hard questions, being vulnerable and leaving no one out , something better than I can imagine happens. So let's do the work, together! Together is the only way! Calling everyone in IS the way.
I did just that. Today I share background and details of Leave It Better NYC, an eco-performance art piece I completed yesterday in honor of Earth Day. Since Earth Day is today, Saturday, I chose end of business Friday to deliver back to the owners of Poland Spring and Blue Triton (which makes Poland Spring) 377 single-use plastic water bottles, caps and labels I collected from the streets of NYC on my walks and bike rides from September until April 20th. I emptied the 2 recycling bag full in the lobby of their offices at 30 Rock Plaza and well, they didn't really like it. But you know what, I don't like seeing their trash all over the streets and knowing that it ends up the oceans increasing global temperatures and acidification. Examining our own trash can be a bitter pill to swallow when you aren't accustomed to examining your crap. I also delivered a 2-page letter to the owners and partners of One Rock Capital Partners, the $6B company that owns Poland Spring, full of love and invitation to step up to be the global leaders we need them to be.
PLEASE get inspired to make your own giant leaps in going green! It's safe to learn! It's safe to try something else out and risk being liked by others for love! The love of self, others, and the love of this BEAUTIFUL and FASCINATING planet that we get to call home! Enjoy!
Show Notes:
The Power We Hold Podcast IG, website
Vanessa Albury IG, website
Coral Projects IG, website + Make a tax-deductible donation
Caleb Williams IG, website
Music Clear Skys by Wael Elhalaby IG, Soundcloud
Audio Editing by Bryan Klausing Rain Junkies website, LinkedIn
Coral Projects in Italy + Hyperallergic

Allegorie, food-waste plant-leather company with gorgeous accessories