Media release – Newport Mum trying to bring up her children Stuff-Free.
There seems to be an epidemic of stuff happening in our community – local opportunity shops are overflowing with donations, there is a continual smorgasbord of household contents left on naturestrips, people are giving away stuff for free through sites like Inner West Buy Swap & Sell. In the midst of this, one local Newport mum, Molly Galea, feels very passionate about trying to bring up her six year old twins, Lucienne and Joseph, Stuff-Free.
"Even as conscious stuff-reducers, with kids it seems we have tons and tons of stuff. As parents, we try to reduce consumption of stuff but it certainly is becoming harder as they get older. They are reading more advertising, becoming more articulate and persuasive, and I notice the impact of fads and peer group pressure. Doting grandparents, relatives and friends also want to show their love through gifting stuff.”
Molly will be one of a number of locals taking part in a panel of speakers appearing at the event How did we Stuff up? - a movie and discussion night about the way we make, use and throw away all the Stuff in our lives.
This event is taking place on Wednesday 8th October 2014, at The Loom Room at The Corner, Senior Citizens building, corner of Ferguson Street and Melbourne Road, Williamstown, opposite the RSL , with doors opening from 6pm with the event kicking off at 7pm. View display of upcycled creations, enjoy the music of local band The Uke Dolls, refreshments available. Venue has disabled access. Entry by gold coin donation. Tickets here:
Molly and her partner have found some solutions:
"We try to counteract all this by having a household that values connections, skills and experiences rather than stuff. We have lots of conversations about advertising - a game we play is to go through magazines identifying advertising and working out what they are trying to sell. My parents are great makers and we spend happy afternoons building wonky wooden toys with Grandpa or sewing a Voldemort costume with Grandma. The kids love going to the local Food Swaps and will trawl through our garden looking for produce to swap.”
“We work with the kids to identify toys and books they have finished playing with, and donate the good quality stuff to places like West Welcome Wagon. Amidst our consumerist culture, I really hope we can bring our kids up to value themselves and their friends for who they are, and not what they manage to accumulate."
How did we Stuff up? is part of the Upcycled Fibre Fiesta which is being run by The Loom Room and Transition Hobsons Bay over three days (8th,9th & 10th October) featuring a display of upcycled goods made by local residents who have reused waste in innovative and creative ways. There will also be free upcycling craft workshops, community loom weaving, fabric swaps, free copies of THB’s Upcycling Guide, live music, free doorprize raffle for the hamper full of eco and handcrafted goodies as well as refreshments. More info here: http://tinyurl.com/UpcycledFibreFiestaDaytime
Written by Wendy Clarke