"Because You're Worth It!"

I began by reading Patrick Jones' article "Because you're worth it."
It starts with an introduction depicting the journey of an artist- the artist feeling satisfied when the artwork is hung on the gallery wall, then attracting positive press... and in the end it is "all ultimately, worth it."
I had never really thought about this, it got me thinking- what validates somethings worth? What do we consider worthy? It brought me back to the whole thing is an artwork until someone else sees it or its in a gallery on a wall? Do we base this validity of worthiness on acknowledgement or wealth money wise?
I think it was good that Ihlein didn't say whether the In the Balance show was worth it, when he was asked by Meg Ulman, the writer for this week's Greenwash.

"..I use energy saving bulbs, 'safe' toilet paper, and i've signed up to 'green power', but i don't really understand whether i'm making any difference at all, or just helping myself feel marginally better" - Lucas Ihlein
This was a really important point for me because it got me thinking - how do we know if it's making a difference? Why do we do anything if we aren't completely sure it is. Do we just trust that maybe other people are doing the same thing and then with all of us combined, it will make an impact?

I looked at the video on the post 'Getting your message broadcasted' (Weedyconnection). I thought Deigo Bennetto's, Weedy Project was really amazing. He put dirt and soil into a glass box and added water and a lid, and anything that was in the soil comes out and grows. Nothing was planted. It was interesting in the way it just makes you think about our earth, about this world. There are living plants in places that we cannot even visibly see.
Not to mention Lucas Ihlein's "Environmental Audit" which is really incredible. He seems to have thought about everything! It got me thinking of enviornmental concerns and my impact that contribute towards those. Even makeup i wear, emails i send all those little automatic everyday things that i do could be an enviornmental concern - animal testing, electicity.

I've never thought into depth about enviornmental issues being explored within art, but it is something i would be willing to look at and explore within my own practise.