off topic: "You can't eat your dollar!"

I saw this as an e-mail signature from one of the ColorfulMamas:

After the last tree has been cut down,
And the last river is poisoned,
When the last fish has been caught;
Only then will you find that Money cannot be eaten.
-- Cree Indian philosophy

It made me remember my great-grandparents or, at least, a story my mom always tells me about their life as immigrants in the Mission. Money was always tight and my grandma Bridgette was so excited to see big ripe mangoes at a nearby market, but she didn't buy any. She was surprised that they were $1 each. At the time, and even now, it seemed like a lot of money. But my grandpa Ed told her something like... "You can't eat your dollar!"

This is a conversation that my Mom overheard and retells to us. I guess I've never been stingy or cheap with buying good food. I don't spend a lot on clothes, fancy tech stuff or anything else. But food, food is important. And it so absurd to be trading paper for goods. Money is so weird.

I think the philosophy above says even more about money and food.. About the people, maybe even us, depleting resources faster than we can replenish them. Hoping for more and more dollars, without thought. But what will those dollars do when all resources in the world have been spent?