The post below written by Green Gulch Farm Manager Qayyum Johnson makes for a special tribute to work and workers following the Labor Day holiday.
Photo: Thibault Hoppe-Glosser
At first light on Friday morning, August 22, on the zendo personal day for Green Dragon Temple, a hearty crew of residents and work period volunteers took to the edges of Highway 1 to clean the stretch of road from the eastern ridgetop to the Green Gulch driveway. It was an amazing haul and immensely satisfying work practice. Zen students filled a pickup truck and hatchback with all manner of debris that had landed on the roadway: two vacuum cleaners, a number of personal identification cards, endless napkins and drink bottles and cigarette butts. As we picked up we separated recyclables from trash.
What a joyous offering everyone made to keep West Marin clean! Driving it since the cleaning, I’ve noticed all the native wildflowers and plant life in a new way, and have taken some pride in our willingness to touch the untouchable and do something without expectation of getting anything in return. Even so, a great number of drivers honked their horns, giving enthusiastic thumbs-up to the folks spread out along what was known as Star Route when Green Dragon Temple was first founded in 1972.
We hope to officially adopt the stretch of Star Route from the ridge to Muir Beach, with the California Department of Transportation soon!
Deep bows of gratitude to all the participants for their selfless service!
