Happy Earth Day!
As you partake in Earth honoring festivities remember what it’s truly about.
Understanding that it’s our responsibility to take care of Mother Earth, so that she continues to provide for future generations.
Remember the small actions you take every single day matter. Not just what you chose to do today.
Remember the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen, the awe you felt- the utmost blessedness to be alive to witness such beauty.
The most important action you take today is holding gratitude for what Mother Earth has provide for you.
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
-a well-known indigenous peoples’ proverb (by multiple tribes throughout Turtle Island)
If this Earth Day you feel so compelled to do more for Mother Earth, here’s some actions you can take:
Shorten your food chain
Be mindful about the energy (gas, diesel, electricity) it takes to produce, harvest, pack, transport your food. Think about the water, pesticides used, and the energy food takes sitting refrigerated. It all adds up.
If gardening isn’t your thing, look into Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
Start composting
This is a singular, everyday action you can take to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
Some quick facts:
- “EPA estimated that each year, U.S. food loss and waste embodies 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (million MTCO2e) GHG emissions (excluding landfill emissions) – equal to the annual CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants.” https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-11/from-farm-to-kitchen-the-environmental-impacts-of-u.s.-food-waste_508-tagged.pdf
- “Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, accounting for approximately 14.5 percent of these emissions in 2020. The methane emissions from MSW landfills in 2020 were approximately equivalent to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from about 20.3 million passenger vehicles driven for one year or the CO2 emissions from nearly 11.9 million homes’ energy use for one year.” https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases#methane
Starting your compost bin own can be easy! Don’t know where to start? Check out these resources:
- https://tilthalliance.org/?s=compost
- https://thrivingyard.com/vermicompost-in-apartment/
- https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2010/05/08/hot-compost-composting-in-18-days/
- https://vric.ucdavis.edu/pdf/compost_rapidcompost.pdf
Do less. Consume less.
This means shop less, drive less, eat out less, use less and so on. Power down and reduce your electricity consumption. Avoid online shopping to the best of your ability.
Think cradle-to-grave. Understand that net zero or zero waste doesn’t exist.
No matter what, all products (materials) have an environmental cost. They are simply at different contributing levels of energy consumption, pollutants, and waste. Additionally, there are varying degrees of our own understanding and knowing of how it was created.
When purchasing any item, ask yourself where does is come? How far did it travel? How is it made? What is it made of? Who makes this? Does this cause human suffering? Do I really need this? Can I find it locally (especially locally made)? Can I make it myself?
Be wary of “bright green” products that are likely to trick you to being “eco-friendly” but are just a form of greenwashing.
Podcast recommendations:
- https://www.deathinthegarden.org/podcast/21-terry-collingsworth-child-slavery-and-the-true-costs-of-our-cheap-commodities
- https://www.deathinthegarden.org/podcast/17-steven-donziger-the-battle-for-accountability-against-chevron
- https://greenflame.libsyn.com/exposing-solar-and-wind-industry-lies-with-chris-devault
Support Indigenous communities and grow native plants.
Know that Indigenous Peoples have been at the forefront of every environmental movement. Indigenous communities are rooted in the ideology that taking care of Earth is a way of life. There’s so much more to say about this, however, I encourage you to do your own research! Here’s a list of some organizations to support.
- https://www.naahillahee.org/
- https://www.chiefseattleclub.org/
- https://www.realrentduwamish.org/
- https://protectorsofthesalishsea.org/
- https://snoqualmietribe.us/snoqualmie-tribe-ancestral-lands-movement/
- https://www.protectthackerpass.org/
Podcast recommendations
- https://nuestrasraicesverdes.com/podcast/protectors-of-the-salish-sea/
- https://www.allmyrelationspodcast.com/podcast
Every day is Earth Day
