Personal Commandments: I Will Not Poison Mother
by Tim Gaudreau

In re-visiting all of my trash images to prepare for an installation of my project, Self Portrait as Revealed by Trash, 365 days of photographing everything I threw out, in San Francisco, the photos became reminders of my consumption and spark a renewed self-analysis. I see areas where I’ve certainly changed habits and reduced consumption, but I also see reminders of areas that still need improvement. Even worse, I spot evidence of where I’ve slid backwards.

Doing the right thing requires such perseverance and I struggle with it on a daily basis. Sometimes I make great choices, sometimes I make mistakes, yet other times I’m lazy or I forget. So, I’ve set new goals – personal commandments of sorts – to guide my choices. I will not worship false idols; I will not accept plastic bags; I will not use plastic bottles; I will use my ceramic coffee mug and rinse daily; I will not succumb to convenience. These commandments are a work in progress that forces me to reconsider my choices on a daily basis.

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Tim’s email: tim@wake-up.ws