Housing Justice and University Life, oh my!

Firstly, early in negotiating life in the tiny, I did some writing to help me sort through my thinkings. One of those writings turned into a little something that was included in the 2015 issue of The Ecotone: Journal of Environmental Studies  (pgs 16-18). I’m still not quite happy with the piece, but that’s both a testament to the never-done-ness of writing and because living in a tiny house continues to change me.

Nextly, a recent article focuses on university students (myself included) who have chosen a tiny house as a way to *begin* to afford higher education. While a tiny house cannot solve skyrocketing tuition, it can certainly ease some of the strain. Check it here.

Most importantly, I am so proud and excited to announce the Forum on Sustainability and Housing Justice, October 16th in Eugene, Oregon.

Late > Never

Waaaaay back in April, the first ever Tiny House Conference was held in Portland, Oregon. Though I didn’t attend all the sessions, I was present for the premier of Small is Beautiful (a gorgeous film I’ve written about before – see below). Attending the screening, I was overwhelmed by how many people were there, how open everyone seemed to considering ways the movement can grow in responsibility and to more creatively engage with the ideals that gave rise to the movement way back when (the “when” is super debatable, see this – page 298).

One lesson reinforced by the conference was – as cliche as it may sound – the greater the gifts, the greater the responsibility. Tiny house villages for the homeless are popping up all over; tiny house dwellers are finding more creative and ecologically responsible ways to build and live in community; people are constructing with more reclaimed/upcycled/repurposed materials; the general awareness of the movement is growing; people inside the movement are asking how they can do it better.

I am reminded. When we experience the blessings of being a part of a group, a relationship, a place, we must honor that being-ness with not just our presentness, or whole self, but with questions of how to better our whole self – how to grow as giving back. To engage, we must do more than show up; we must be willing to listen, learn, and loosen the grip on “comfort” – a guise for excess ego that, quite believably, parades as necessary.