Make every day Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day!!
We are delighted to celebrate Mother Earth! Many cultures and first peoples refer to the earth as a woman, as the source of life. And women in turn have the earth inside their bodies, the womb representing the ocean, and a monthly reminder keeping us in touch with the cycle of life. We hope that as the destruction of rain forests, extinction of species and pollution of water unfolds, our focus will be on saving this planet. There is no planet B, even as we explore Mars. Maybe instead of focusing outward, we can focus inward, and on our own actions. What are some things that we as individuals can do? Some steps can be small, to simply bring reusable shopping bags instead of getting new bags. If you feel courageous you might want to try avoiding plastic for one week....and as you realize how hard that is you can look for options to find a compromise:
Pack Lunch boxes instead of zip-lock lunch bags that get thrown away.
Avoid the use of straws and juice boxes.
Avoid buying individually wrapped things like snack bars inside another box.
Buy local - by looking at labels or going to a farmers market
Use a bike or public transportation when possible
Buy toys and books second hand (oftentimes many things are new or barely used at Goodwill, Salvation army or Savers, and you help keep things out of the landfill)
Pass used toys, books and clothing on to others or donate them (see above)
Plant your own veggies or fruits
Unplug electric appliances when not in use.
Turn off water while brushing teeth or shampooing your hair
Turn off lights when leaving a room
Turn off your car while waiting for someone
Bonus:
If you feel ambitious you can do a day in your community picking up trash like plastic bottles from the side of the road or near water ways. We bring a "trash grabber" and a bag on every nature walk, and pick up plastic and other items we know won't decompose. One small action might create a chain effect!
If we all do our part we can make a difference!