“Earth, who gives to us this food, Sun, who makes it ripe and good, Dearest Earth, dearest Sun,
We won’t forget what you have done.”
Can we make this prayer our own? Are we ready to pledge that we won’t forget our debt of gratitude? Earth supplies us with all good gifts: nourishment, water, minerals, fresh air, fire, beauty. When we remember this, we become mindful again in our attitudes and actions. We choose food that’s healthful for us and sustainable for Earth. We pick up litter to show our respect for our surroundings. We question assumptions we’ve grown up with: For example, do we really need to go out and buy new gifts for the people on our holiday list? Could we instead give to a charity in their honor or pass along to them from our shelves a book we’ve loved? We apply such principles not only to our personal lives, but also to our political choices.
Living on our Earth, so mistreated that we can no longer drink her waters and often cannot breathe her air, we need to take action. But we also need to slow down and fully appreciate her abundance. We can take at least a little time every day to be outdoors and open ourselves to nature’s gentle teachings. Or if we live in a city environment from which nature seems to have run and hid, we can grow and cherish indoor plants, take periodic retreats in wilder places, and do all we can locally to create and sustain parks.
Through our mind-full attitudes and actions, we express our gratefulness. And Earth, grateful in return, will surely bless us with her own healing.
We are not apart from NATURE, but we are PART of it, and it’s our duty to take care of it.
You can do lots of good things for the earth. Here are ideas to keep in mind.
Keep Your Neighborhood Clean
- If you see trash on the ground, toss it in a trash can.
Recycle Cans, Bottles, and Paper
- Save them at home and at school, and help your family recycle them.
Help Keep the Air Clean
- Ride your bike or walk to work/school. Too many cars cause a lot of pollution.
We can reduce 25% of the carbon emissions going in to the air comes from the tailpipes of our vehicles.
Save Paper
- Use both sides of your paper
- To clean up messes, use sponges or washable cloths instead of paper towels.
Help Save Water
- Don't leave the water running while you brush your teeth.
Help Save Energy
- Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
- Turn off the TV when you're finished watching it.
- Don't leave the refrigerator door open. Get what you want quickly.
And Remember...
Don't ever think you're not important to our earth. You are!
You can make an impact they way you feel like
Always educate your family and friends where ever you meet them ... even at social sites like orkut/facebook… it costs nothing. All you need is your time of 5 minutes.
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