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The Sun may not be fully shining yet, but as the natural world around us begins to slowly unfurl, the promise of spring is in the air. From the space, quiet and rest of winter, we slowly emerge, ready to reconnect. And for many of us, in today’s increasingly uncertain and challenging world, the way we choose to do that is evolving.
So, where once reconnection might simply have meant being more sociable, now it feels there is a broader need to be in sync with our community and environment, to find ways to make more sustainable choices, to craft, forage, grow, create and share our time with others.
As we cook for family and friends, then, that might mean looking for ways to reduce or repurpose waste, perhaps through getting the most from seasonal ingredients (page 40), composting (page 72) or even making creative use of food scraps (page 88).
As warmer days and lighter mornings propel us to dust off, air out and spring clean, it could mean swapping toxic chemicals for natural cleaning products made from basic household staples (page 66), getting together with friends to create grassy wreaths (page 82) or eschewing the relentless drive for the ‘new’ in favour of a few simple, seasonal changes (page 60).
As John Muir so aptly said: ‘When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.’ Whatever reconnection looks like to you, spring is a time for action and for optimism. And both are perfect ingredients for creating a way of living that has less impact on the environment and that brings people together.