How to Stop Being Stupid

5 things to think about.

Have any of you seen this sort of thing? It’s a band of brown dead plants along the side of the road. I’ve seen it on my own road (this picture). I’ve seen it along highways. I’ve seen it in other states. And I’ve fucking had it. There are so many things wrong with this picture that I have to write about it. First, it’s a municipality spraying Roundup or some other herbicide along the sides of roads...for what? To keep the roadways easier to manage? It’s certainly not for beauty because it’s ugly as shit. Second, this specific road is a major route for runoff that goes into our watershed. The specific problem here is twofold: Killing the life in the soil and the plants that absorb moisture leads to increased flooding, which we have had excessive amounts of. And then all the chemicals in those sprays leach into the waterways and poison all of nature, including us. It is 100% Not Necessary to spray the sides of roads. And it is 100% a waste of money, fossil fuels, tax dollars, and “man-hours” to do it. It’s STUPID. And it makes me furious. Because also, there are wild wine berries along this road and now they are poisoned and dead.

Look, I am not trying to point fingers at any specific person and call them stupid. We all can be stupid, including me. Stupidity stems from not really thinking about our actions, just going along and doing something because someone else told us to do it or that’s the way it’s always been done, or because we are afraid to stand out and be different. Or we didn’t realize the consequences of our actions.

Once I was on the board of a major hospital. Because I was new, I asked the “stupid” questions like what the acronym everyone kept saying meant, or how something worked. I blamed my questions on the fact that I was new and hospitals were not my industry expertise. A couple of times older men who had been on the board for years and years pulled me aside and thanked me for asking the stupid questions because they hadn’t known what they were talking about either, but had been afraid to ask.

Here is my list of how to stop being stupid:

1. Ask stupid questions. You don’t know unless you ask. Asking itself brings awareness to issues. Asking makes other people think. Asking makes you less stupid. Yes, asking also embarrasses my teenage daughter, but she’ll get over it. Besides, usually we both learn interesting things and nothing terrible happens. Not only is there no shame in asking but usually other people are relieved that you asked. (And if they are annoyed it’s a red flag.)

2. Don’t assume that just because something has been done a certain way forever it’s the only or absolute best way. Take this side of the road spraying, for example. I don’t know who started it but stopping doing it solves so many problems it’s crazy to keep doing it. A better way would be to just stop doing it and then use the manpower to spot trim where needed, keeping the plant life, water-absorbing roots, and life in the soil intact and able to do its job. The immediate boost to stemming the climate crisis, flooding, and water pollution would be huge.

3. Speak UP. Too many people see stupid things and just keep their mouths shut — either because of fear, lack of confidence, obedience, laziness, or a sense of powerlessness. YOU HAVE POWER. Use it. If you see something, say something. Stop by your local municipal office and complain, question, or bring it to people’s attention. Remember, they work for YOU. Show up to council meetings. Put up NO SPRAY signs on your land if you have it. The internet will answer any question you have about how to do something. Use it.

4. Take ownership and responsibility. Nothing would frustrate me more when I managed people than to work with those who didn’t take care of things or speak up if things were outside of their domain, or “not their job.” Right now, it’s ALL OUR JOB to get things right on this earth and stop being stupid.

5. Keep on learning and forgive yourself for past mistakes. If you read Love Nature Magic, will find a few places where I completely own my own stupidity. It’s human. But I learned. And then I changed my own behavior based on what I learned. And then lo and behold my life got easier, more effective, and much, much more fun. I’m sure I will do more stupid things at least once a day, but as long as I can learn and laugh it’s totally fine. EXCEPT….EXCEPT when I, or we, accidentally or on purpose hurt others. Then we really need to course correct and not just forgive ourselves, but ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt. We may not get it, but it can’t hurt to ask (see #1.)

I am going to forward this post to my own township environmental advisory committee (of which I am a member). It’s the least I can do to see if we can get the township to stop spraying. Feel free to forward this post to your own townships or municipalities. It’s a little harsh, I know. But the clock is ticking on the time we have left to fix the damage we have wrought on this earth and if anything, I am a woman of action. I’m also a person who tries hard every day not to be too stupid.

I hope you can try it too.

Thanks in advance for your efforts.