TreeHugger and SMITH magazine (I’d never heard of it either…) are hosting a contest called “Six Word Memoirs: The Green Life.” Basically, the challenge is to summarize your philosophy on environmental issues in 6 words or less:
“Got a swell philosophy? Traveled a strange path? Fall off the eco-wagon often? Lay your tiny tale on us [...] Everyone on this big blue marble has a green story. So, what’s yours?”
Let me warn you, it’s a challenge. Maybe you, dear reader, are less verbose than I am, but six words is a limited canvass for anyone. The contest hosts are offering great prizes (my fingers are crossed for the Planet Earth DVDs), so you should give it a shot. And be sure to add your submission to the comments here as well. In a few days, I’ll share my submission–though if you’re clever you can probably find it on the contest site. Good luck!
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Huh. Interesting. Do you know the origins of the Six Word Story challenge? Someone once bet that Hemingway that he couldn’t tell a story using only six words. And he came up with the following: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Is it a story? No. Is it compelling as hell? Yeeeeeah. It’s funny you bring this up since the Guardian just had a piece about this very phenomenon: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/02/six_words_wont_tell_good_stori.html
My attempt: Kermit’s right: being green ain’t easy.
Here’s mine:
“Don’t act in isolation; isolate inaction”
Because I enjoy contention:
“Nuclear power would save us all.”
Wired magazine (new window) had a six-word essay contest a few years ago. There were some brilliant entries. Some of my favorites:
The baby’s blood type? Human, mostly.
- Orson Scott Card
The Axis in WWII: haiku! Gesundheit.
- Howard Waldrop
He read his obituary with confusion.
- Steven Meretzky
Leia: “Baby’s yours.” Luke: “Bad news…”
- Steven Meretzky
Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time
- Alan Moore
Longed for him. Got him. Shit.
- Margaret Atwood
-global warming… ice melting… go green
-world gets warmer, fewer white bears
My attempt:
We are universe; Universe is us.
another angle on it …
It’s your karma … use it wisely
Energy equals (mass)(light speed squared).
memories made, stories told, generations continue.
selling my home, husband no longer
dog, rabbit, father, hole in ground
Fourteen years, dog dead, goodbye sis'.
Fourteen years, dog dead, goodbye sis'.